Charlotte Proudman receiving ‘starkly different’ treatment to male counterparts for criticism of judge’s ruling, hearing told
A leading barrister who is facing disciplinary proceedings for saying a judge had shown a “boys’ club attitude” has applied for the case against her to be thrown out, claiming she is being held to a higher standard than her male counterparts.
Charlotte Proudman has been charged by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) in relation to a 14-part thread she posted on X about Jonathan Cohen – a member of the Garrick Club, which recently ended its ban on female members after 193 years – over remarks he made in a family case ruling two years ago.
At a private hearing in central London on Monday, Alison Padfield KC, acting for Proudman, argued that the BSB had discriminated against her client by pursuing proceedings against her, treating her less favourably because of her sex and her feminist beliefs.
Proudman’s thread said she was troubled by Cohen referring in a judgment to the relationship between a woman and her part-time judge and barrister ex-husband as “tempestuous”, and his use of the word “reckless” to describe the alleged domestic violence. She added: “This judgment has echoes of the ‘boys’ club’ which still exists among men in powerful positions.”
The BSB’s charges include that Proudman used “offensive, derogatory language which was designed to demean and/or insult the judge”.
UK: Barrister applies for ‘boys’ club’ disciplinary case to be thrown out
