Author Archives: abiodunolatokun

What we teach children matters. It matters because the ability of the next generation to work together to tackle shared challenges has the potential to build a better world. Where we get that wrong, we create the conditions for oppression and inequality. I was very pleased to work with expert Professor Dawn Watkins on aContinue reading “Children, schools and legal education”

Being a barrister is a privilege but it comes with two tricky challenges. The first is the mode of working; sedentary and desk-bound. The second is that one is paid in arrears but must simultaneously invest in their business whilst paying high taxes in lump sums. In this blog for the barrister trade magazine Counsel,Continue reading “Spend Less, Move More”

In this article for the barrister profession’s industry magazine Counsel I talk about one of the most impactful periods in my career. I did not continue at the set of chambers that I trained at and had to embark on a journey to find the place where I would launch my practice. I thought itContinue reading “Probationary tenancy”

In the 2022-2023 Parliamentary session, the House of Commons Justice Select Committee conducted an inquiry into the public’s understanding of criminal sentencing. My submission focused on the role that the national curriculum can play in improving these matters. The inquiry found that there is more work to be done in educating the public about theContinue reading “Submission to the Justice Committee”

Public interest law and civil society board leadership are the two great loves of my professional career. In this interview for Advocate I talk about why skills-based volunteering is such an important contribution for lawyers to make to society. Read the full article here: https://weareadvocate.org.uk/volunteer/bar-in-the-community/volunteers-stories/abiodun-olatokun.html

I had the privilege of being an ambassador for the Young Trustees Movement for a year. The organisation promotes the importance of the next generation of board leaders being empowered to make decisions today. Read my reflections on a year of youth empowerment here: https://weareadvocate.org.uk/volunteer/bar-in-the-community/volunteers-stories/abiodun-olatokun.html

Citizens whose rights are infringed by a public authority are often unable to attain a court judgment to challenge those adverse decisions. The trite explanation is the most compelling; judicial review is a prohibitively expensive process. This high cost of litigation combined with the fees charged by public lawyers can make fighting for one’s legalContinue reading “The Journey to Legal Capability”

I have always been concerned that the Rule of Law is seen as an elite/professional interest only to be thought about by lawyers. This is wrong; the quality and structure of our justice system is what keeps us safe at night, prevents the powerful from abusing us and ensures the certainty of our interactions withContinue reading “We Need The Rule of Law”