How does the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 support victims fleeing domestic violence? - Free Webinar

Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness for women. Justine Compton and Marina Sergides are leading housing lawyers representing victims of domestic abuse. They will focus on the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 by examining the key changes introduced and how it supports victims fleeing violence. They will discuss the limitations of the Act and areas that it failed to address and what legal obstacles survivors of domestic abuse encounter when fleeing accommodation and seeking support, seeking to apply some of these to practical examples.

Izzy Mullholand, Legal Caseworker at Public Interest Law Centre, will join Justine and Marina on the panel and Liz Davies, Joint Head of Chambers, will chair the webinar.
 

Recording

Speakers

Liz Davies, Joint Head of Chambers, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
Liz is ranked as a "Star Individual" in social housing by the Chambers UK Bar Guide. She is widely recognised as a leading authority in homelessness law and the allocation of social housing. She is the co-author of Housing Allocation and Homelessness, Law & Practice (5th ed, 2018). She was instructed as the housing specialist, as part of a team of counsel, representing survivors and bereaved families in the Grenfell Tower Fire Inquiry. Liz is also appointed to the Equality and Human Rights Commission's preferred Panel of Counsel (Panel A). 

Justine Compton, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Justine has specialised in housing law (as a solicitor and barrister) for over 20 years. She specialises in complex homelessness cases and possession claims involving vulnerable tenants. She also has particular experience in anti-social behaviour matters and succession cases. She is regularly instructed by the Official Solicitor. Justine has been appointed as a Deputy District Judge on the South Eastern Circuit and she also sits as a First-tier Tribunal Judge in the Social Entitlement Chamber. 

Her publications include ‘A devastating blow to social housing in England’ (Compton and Davies, LAG July 2016) and ‘The Equality Act 2010 and transgender tenants’ (Compton, Mullins and Sanchez, LAG December 2017).  She was co-author of the chapter on homelessness in the Housing Law Handbook: A Practical Guide (Law Society, 2nd edition). She was the script adviser on two short films produced by Centrepoint/Fully Focused Productions, which premiered at BAFTA in 2017.

Marina Sergides, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Marina specialises in all aspects of social housing law. She has extensive experience in nuisance possession proceedings, s204 homelessness appeals, unlawful eviction and harassment claims, disrepair claims, judicial reviews, human rights, public law defences, disability discrimination and crossover ASBO proceedings in the magistrates and county courts. In particular, Marina works in cases involving tenants with mental health problems, where capacity has been in issue, and where the Official Solicitor has been instructed. Marina has represented tenants before the Social Security Tribunal and before the Social Security Commissioner.

Marina sits on Islington Law Centre's Management Committee and is the co-chair of the Housing Law Practitioners' Association (HLPA). Marina chairs the HLPA Grenfell sub-group and has been a visiting lecturer in housing law at South Bank University.  Marina contributed to the Housing Law Handbook: A Practical Guide (Law Society, 2nd edition) on damages for disrepair and has written for Legal Action.

Izzy Mullholand, Legal Caseworker, Public Interest Law Centre
Izzy is working with Solace Women’s Aid on a project to defend and enforce the rights of those escaping sexual and domestic abuse. The research and casework conducted through this project is aimed at developing strategic litigation to enable survivors to access temporary and permanent housing. Izzy was previously a homelessness advocate worker at a London winter night shelter. She also worked as a housing advisor at a drop-in centre for homeless people in North London where she provided legal casework on housing issues, welfare benefits and healthcare. Izzy has a master’s in human rights law from the University of London.