We are proud to have sponsored the latest episode of the Law and Disorder podcast. This episode discusses the illegal treatment of homosexuality and includes an interview with Sir Chris Bryant, MP for Rhondda and Ogmore, who discusses his book, James and John: A True Story of Prejudice and Murder. This tells the story of what it meant to be gay in early 19th-century Britain, through the lens of a landmark trial. The book takes a deep dive into the archives to examine how two gay men, James Pratt and John Smith, came to be hanged after being convicted of homosexuality despite many of their contemporaries being given a reprieve.

The themes explored in this episode resonate with the history of our firm. We were founded in 1955 by Laurence Harbottle and Brian Lewis. Laurence was a trailblazing lawyer who did not seek to hide his sexuality while working in a conservative profession at a time when homosexuality was criminalised in the UK. Harbottle & Lewis was created and cultivated in Laurence’s image and in many respects we strive to remain true to that distinctive identity today.

As a firm today, we are committed to ensuring that our employees are diverse and reflect both the society around us and the clients we serve. We also recognise that the degree to which people feel included and respected will directly correlate with our success. We have an active DE&I Committee and several network groups which support the Committee and connect people across the firm. Our LGBTQ+ & Allies Network is made up of members of the LGBTQ+ community and active allies. It comes together to enable our people to share experiences and support and encourage one another, with the aim of representing the interests of LGBTQ+ staff within the business as well as raising awareness of LGBTQ+ issues to the wider firm.

Matthew Hatton, co-head of our LGBTQ+ & Allies Network said:

“It’s been a great opportunity to sponsor a podcast that resonates so closely with Harbottle’s rich LGBTQ+ history. The podcast and Sir Chris’ book will be both fascinating and chilling for many of us. Whilst the state-sanctioned ill treatment of members of the LGBTQ+ community has thankfully been banished to the history books here in the UK, this is not the case in certain parts of the world which is another reason why it is so important that we continue to raise awareness of the issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community in the past and today.”

Law and Disorder is a weekly podcast which looks at the biggest issues in the news through the prism of the law, hosted by recently retired High Court judge Sir Nicholas Mostyn, barrister and human rights campaigner Baroness Helena Kennedy, and Charlie Falconer, a Labour peer and former Lord Chancellor. You can listen to the podcast on Acast or via the major streaming platforms.