Litigating for Change
  • Home
  • About
    • Who is this guide for?
    • What is this guide not about?
    • How to use this guide
    • About the authors
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Contact
  • Step by Step Guide
    • Step one: Initial questions to consider
    • Step two: Put it in writing
    • Step three: Get advice
    • Step four: Consider the method
    • Step five: Work with others
    • Step six: Planning
    • Step seven: Resourcing
    • Step eight: Communications
  • Methods
    • Complaints
    • Judicial Review
    • Legal Opinion
    • Public Interest Intervention
    • Tribunals
  • Case Studies
    • SPSO investigate complaint against Fife NHS Board
    • Protecting Refugees who are victims of domestic violence in the UK
    • Cadder and the right to legal assistance in police detention
    • Challenging routine immigration detention in the UK
    • Protecting a child's rights to privacy in the Named Person scheme
    • Young people’s opt-out from religious observance in schools
    • Challenging school exclusion of children with disabilities
    • Protecting complainers’ human rights in justice system
    • Protecting refugees from destitution -challenging SERCO lock-changes
    • Challenging council process around homelessness
  • Resources
    • Equality and Human Rights Commission
    • Equality and Human Rights Law in the UK
    • Glossary
    • Useful contacts

Step eight: Communications​

Image shows text 'Making Change Happen: A step-by-step guide to strategic litigation in equality and human rights for NGOs in Scotland'

An essential element of any plan to achieve change through strategic litigation is communications. 


Organisations need to communicate well at every stage of the process.   It is important that the strategic issues that the case raises, as well as the outcome of the case, are communicated effectively. 

This brings the change out of the courts and into reality.

Therefore, you may want to consider:
  • Who are your potential key partners?  What are the best ways to inform and discuss the strategic issue with partners? Communicating the purpose and importance of the litigation to potential partners very early on in the process can create collaboration.

  • Sometimes there are legal or strategic consequences in the litigation to communicating publicly about cases whilst they are ongoing. Consult your solicitor/advocate before any communications around any ongoing case. ​

  • The individual’s story can be important for creating media attention and public engagement with the issue.  However individuals may not wish to be directly involved with media.  Discuss with the individual from an early stage whether they are prepared and willing to handle publicity, with support. Be clear about the support that you can provide with this. Clarify if they wish to remain anonymous or are they willing to talk directly to media or to provide a statement. Make sure that you keep the individual involved in the case informed about media and communications throughout the case. 

  • Broad collaboration - Are there any organisations that may have a concern about the strategic issue from a different angle? For example, mental health organisations may also have a concern about strategic change on homelessness, carers' organisations may have a concern about issues affecting disabled people’s rights.

  • Hone messages about the case to 2 or 3 sentences.  Be clear about why you are taking the case and the strategic change that is needed. ​
​
  • Which audiences need to hear about the case outcome in order to hasten strategic change?  What are the best mediums to communicate your key messages to them?

  • Engage others in communicating the case outcome through the media, including via social media.

Image shows Human Rights Consortium Scotland logo



​Funded by Equality and Human Rights Commission







​
CONTACT


​The information in this website is for general guidance and is not legal advice. Please see Useful contacts for suggestions of who to contact for legal advice.
​
Copyright © 2018
  • Home
  • About
    • Who is this guide for?
    • What is this guide not about?
    • How to use this guide
    • About the authors
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Contact
  • Step by Step Guide
    • Step one: Initial questions to consider
    • Step two: Put it in writing
    • Step three: Get advice
    • Step four: Consider the method
    • Step five: Work with others
    • Step six: Planning
    • Step seven: Resourcing
    • Step eight: Communications
  • Methods
    • Complaints
    • Judicial Review
    • Legal Opinion
    • Public Interest Intervention
    • Tribunals
  • Case Studies
    • SPSO investigate complaint against Fife NHS Board
    • Protecting Refugees who are victims of domestic violence in the UK
    • Cadder and the right to legal assistance in police detention
    • Challenging routine immigration detention in the UK
    • Protecting a child's rights to privacy in the Named Person scheme
    • Young people’s opt-out from religious observance in schools
    • Challenging school exclusion of children with disabilities
    • Protecting complainers’ human rights in justice system
    • Protecting refugees from destitution -challenging SERCO lock-changes
    • Challenging council process around homelessness
  • Resources
    • Equality and Human Rights Commission
    • Equality and Human Rights Law in the UK
    • Glossary
    • Useful contacts