Neurodivergence Webinar Series: Part 2 - Representing Neurodiverse Clients

This webinar discussed representing neurodiverse clients in the areas of crime and immigration, assisted by a leading psychologist, academics in the field and neurodiversikey™. neurodiversikey™ is an organisation dedicated to neuroinclusion throughout the justice system, at all levels and from all perspectives, from law enforcement to the judiciary. The session will draw on the panel’s experience in representing youths and vulnerable adults, with a variety of mental health and neurodivergent learning difficulties, who require an intermediary. We will also hear from academics on their associated research. We look forward to welcoming you.

Speaker Panel

Mark Robinson, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Mark is a criminal defence barrister at Garden Court Chambers. He has gained a reputation as being a maverick who fiercely defends clients in court and rises to the challenge when dealing with complex legal issues and incorporating novel points of law into his submissions. Mark is approachable and views it as a priority to convey legal advice to his lay clients in a way they understand. 

Mark also runs Lawyers at Large; a project that sees state school-educated barristers invited into secondary schools and shares their ‘non-traditional’ journey to the bar, running an advocacy skills class and a mock trial competition for students to participate in. Prior to coming to the Bar, Mark was a presenter on BBC Radio 1Xtra and a professional DJ for many years. 

Amanda Weston KC, Garden Court Chambers
Amanda is a leading public and administrative law silk. She co-authors Judicial Review: A Practical Guide (Lexis Nexis) and is a member of the ‘A’ Panel of preferred Counsel who act for the Equality & Human Rights Commission. Amanda has acted in hundreds of asylum and human rights appeals including in high-profile and sensitive cases and those involving extradition. Her cases include gender and sexuality cases, complex political and religious cases and appeals for children and vulnerable adults. 

Amanda also acts in cases in the Family Division, Administrative Court and appeal courts where the rights of children and young people are in play. Her particular areas of ‘crossover’ expertise involve safeguarding, local authority corporate parenting duties, education and disability, deprivation of liberty, immigration and citizenship matters and sensitive cross-cultural areas including FGM, 'radicalisation', trafficking and forced marriage. She operates a 'trauma informed' practice, using her expertise in mental capacity law and safeguarding practice to inform her approach to the representation of vulnerable adults and their litigation friends in a wide range of cases

Dr Anne-Marie Day is a Criminology Lecturer at Keele University and also has many years’ experience as a practitioner and policy maker within criminal justice. Immediately prior to this, Anne-Marie completed a research study funded by the Nuffield Foundation on the pathways into and out of custody for children in care. Anne-Marie completed her PhD at the end of 2018 which considered the pathways into offending for children in care.

In addition to this Anne-Marie gained several years’ experience teaching a range of criminology and criminal justice modules in a number of different higher education institutions. Anne-Marie also has many years’ experience as a practitioner and policy maker in a range of criminal justice roles. She is a qualified Probation Officer, and has worked in the community, courts and prison. Anne-Marie has also worked as a youth justice manager and for the Youth Justice Board as a Senior Policy Adviser in the areas of Prevent, Looked After Children, Domestic Abuse and Anti-Social Behaviour. Currently, Anne-Marie is a board member on the Alliance for Youth Justice and is an expert adviser to the Howard League for Penal Reform, the Youth Justice Board, Cheshire Youth Justice Service, and the Home Office on various youth justice issues. 

Dr Max Lowenstein is Principal Lecturer in Law at Bournemouth University, and a non-practising barrister, with an expertise in legal communication and equality and diversity (disability) law. Max is a socio-legal academic with a passion for exploring comparative criminal justice. His research/teaching interest areas include: Criminal Law Comparative Law Sentencing Law Evidence Law Public Law Legal Practice skills Jurisprudence As part of his research and teaching efforts he has travelled widely in Europe to the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and England to both expand his knowledge of criminal justice issues and to share his ideas with fellow academics at conferences.

Clare S. Allely is a Professor of Forensic Psychology at the University of Salford in England and is an affiliate member of the Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre at Gothenburg University, Sweden. Clare is an Honorary Research Fellow in the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences affiliated to the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow. Clare acts as an expert witness in criminal cases involving defendants with autism spectrum disorder and contributes to the evidence base used in the courts on psychology and legal issues through her published work. She is author of the book “The Psychology of Extreme Violence: A Case Study Approach to Serial Homicide, Mass Shooting, School Shooting and Lone-actor Terrorism” published by Routledge in 2020 and author of the book “Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Criminal Justice System: A Guide to Understanding Suspects, Defendants and Offenders with Autism” published by Routledge in 2022. 

Emma Llanwarne is a Co-Founder of neurodiversikey™ and a Consultant Criminal Defence Paralegal who was called to the Bar in 2022.  

Danielle Gleicher-Bates is a Co-Founder of neurodiversikey™ as well as a Bar Vocational Studies student and double scholar at City University of London. 
 

Neurodiversity in the Justice System

Our webinar series 'Neurodiversity in the Justice System', will cover a range of practice areas, recounting the experiences and examining the challenges faced by neurodivergent people involved in the justice system in England and Wales, whether as witnesses, defendants, lawyers or otherwise. These webinars will bring together experts from legal practice, academia, policy and other professionals to consider the flaws in the current system, identify instances of best practice and propound changes that could be made to improve access to justice, equality and diversity in the courts. Our previous and upcoming webinars in the series are available here.