Emma Watson's Pitching In To Get Women Legal Advice
The Harry Potter star is doing important work over here.
(Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
The #MeToo era has its share of celebrity star power behind it, both as supporters and victims willing to share their stories. And while that support can’t be undervalued, Emma Watson has gone a step further, taking a key role in launching a hotline to provide women with legal advice on sexual misconduct.
The expert guidance is supplied by legal charity Rights of Women, whose female volunteers and employment lawyers will offer callers guidance on what behaviour constitutes sexual harassment, how to bring a claim at an employment tribunal, as well advice on settlement and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
NDAs are one of the thorniest issues in sexual misconduct cases because they’ve been used for years to stifle victims from going public. Even if the agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on, women can be intimidated by the risk of landing on the wrong side of a hefty liquidated damages award. With most misconduct arising from a power imbalance, adding lawyers to one end of the scale only makes it worse.
Watson focused on the importance of providing sound legal advice as a resource for women:
Understanding what your rights are, how you can assert them, and the choices you have if you’ve experienced harassment, is such a vital part of creating safe workplaces for everyone, and this advice line is such a huge development in ensuring that all women are supported, wherever we work.
Think of legal advice as your own Patronus. It’s a lot cooler than an otter anyway.
Sponsored
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
Generative AI In Legal Work — What’s Fact And What’s Fiction?
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
Harry Potter star Emma Watson launches #MeToo legal advice helpline [Legal Cheek]
Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.
Sponsored
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
