The Law Society’s Human Rights and Equality Committee will host its annual human-rights conference on Friday 18 November, in Blackhall Place.

The conference will focus on the topics of bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment in the workplace, in response to findings in the Dignity Matters report.

The report, released in October 2021, found “unacceptable levels of bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment in the solicitors’ profession; significant underreporting of incidents; and limited consequences for those who have engaged in such behaviour”.

Practical advice

The conference aims to provide an insight into why these problems arise in workplace settings, to provide practical advice to employees, and outline policies and procedures that employers can implement to help prevent such issues.

The conference will hear from speakers from different professional backgrounds, with expertise in various aspects of workplace bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment.

A broad range of presentations and workshops will take place. These will cover topics such as:

• How bullying and harassment develop in the workplace,
• The crossover between workplace sexual harassment, and health-and-safety issues,
• The destructive impact of workplace bullying, based on research evidence,
• Exploring the value of mediation as an alternative to litigation,
• Barriers to accessing employment for members of the Traveller Community, and
• Practical advice on bringing a claim to the Workplace Relations Commission.

Panel discussion

Workshops will take place in the second half of the conference, providing delegates with the opportunity to engage with speakers, and discuss issues and themes arising throughout the day.

Limited spaces are available on each workshop, and delegates will be invited to choose which workshop they would prefer to attend upon arrival at Blackhall Place.

The event will conclude with an interactive panel discussion, and a question-and-answer session.

This conference is organised by the Law Society’s Human Rights and Equality Committee in partnership with Law Society Professional Training.

Registration for the event is now available.