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Prof Leslie Moran honoured as ‘legal hero’ for LGBT work

Academic has been recognised for his work putting LGBT issues on the legal research agenda

Professor Leslie Moran has been honoured as a “legal hero” by the Law Society of England and Wales, for his work putting Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues on the legal research agenda.

Prof Moran, who is Director LLM/MA in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice at Birkbeck’s School of Law, has been involved in a number of pioneering research projects focusing on sexuality in criminal justice contexts. Most recently his research has focused on hate crime. Following from this, he recently made a submission as part of the Law Commission’s review of hate crime laws.

Prof Moran said: “It was great to see my input shaping the final report and proposals.”

The honour is also in recognition of the work he has done with the legal profession. He has been a member of the Law Society’s Equality and Diversity committee and the InterLaw Diversity Forum for LGBT Networks for several years – both of which have played an important role in putting LGBT on the diversity agenda in the legal sector.

Debates on diversity in the judiciary, Prof Moran explained didn’t touch on sexual diversity: “The empirical work I’ve done with judges and LGBT members of the legal profession has helped to change that.”

He said: “There tends to be a big gap between the legal profession and academic lawyers. I’ve worked hard to use my teaching and research to, in a small way, work to bridge that gap. This honour is recognition of that work.”

The Law Society of England and Wales’s ‘legal heroes’ accolade has this year been bestowed upon eight lawyers who are working or have worked extremely hard on promoting LGBT rights and seeking justice for LGBT people.

Following his selection for the honorary title, Prof Moran will take part in London’s Gay Pride march on Saturday, June 27, alongside his fellow ‘Legal Heroes’, plus Birkbeck LGBT staff and students.

Law Society President, Andrew Caplen, said: “Equality for all under the law is something the legal sector is passionate about and many Law Society members as part of their normal working day will champion diversity, challenge unjust decisions and defend those who face discrimination.

“This year, as part of Pride, it is right to celebrate legal heroes such as Professor Leslie Moran, lawyers who are working, or have worked, extremely hard to promote LGBT rights and seek justice for LGBT people.”

Looking ahead, Prof Moran is continuing to work on hate crime and the judiciary. He is involved in a project with colleagues in Australia exploring police responses to hate crime, and his next book project is about judicial images. Diversity is one of the issues he will explore in it.

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