Our work with law firm, Asserson has been recognised by the legal sector, with our joint PR campaign to support the Adath Yisroel Burial Society (AYBS) case against Inner London North Coroner, Mary Hassell making the finals of the Legal Week Innovation Awards 2019.

The case raised important questions about the kind of Britain people want to live in. Hassell, relying on (non-binding) guidance from the Chief Coroner, issued a protocol (that became widely known as the ‘Cab Rank Rule’) on 30 October 2017, declaring that she would never give priority to deaths on faith grounds.

Following a number of incidents and concerns amongst orthodox Jews, the AYBS instructed Asserson to challenge the decision. A Judicial Review application alleging that this decision was unlawful was heard on 27 and 28 March 2018.

This protocol (and case) impacted North London boroughs with the largest concentration of British Jews in the UK, and a large Muslim community.

We not only achieved more than 50 pieces of media coverage (half were national/international pieces), with our client, we also helped to engage widespread support for the need to respect religious beliefs within the coroner system from some of the UK’s most prominent political figures, all of the Mayors of the London boroughs impacted by the protocol, and The Board of Deputies of British Jews.

The online readership of publications featuring campaign coverage (1^st March 2018 – 17^th May 2018) was +900 million.

 Rabbi Asher Gratt from AYBS said:

“I am very grateful to Asserson for leaving no stone unturned in seeking to protect the Jewish and Muslim communities of North London from insensitive and draconian oppression. This approach resulted in a legal victory that brought us immense relief.

The PR team’s role in transforming this matter from a local issue to a national one also helped to encourage the Chief Coroner to publish new guidance.”