SCC Inaugural Lecture: Myths and Legends of Equal Pay

On the 15th of November 2018, Mr Stefan Cross QC gave the Inaugural Lecture on his views and personal experiences successfully defending thousands of women in equal pay cases. This officially launched the Stefan Cross Centre for Women, Equality and Law, established thanks to his generous donation. There was an audience of over 100 participants including academics, students, practitioners, third sector and public sector representatives and the Chair of the Discrimination Law Association.

Stefan Cross QC (LLB (Law), 1982) is recognised as one of the UK’s leading employment lawyers; his pioneering equal pay litigation has changed the legal landscape. He has secured compensation for thousands of women in local authorities across Britain who had been paid less than men in equivalent roles, first on behalf of trade unions and later establishing the first practice to take employment cases on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis. In 2013 he was appointed as an Honorary Queen’s Counsel (QC) in recognition of his contribution to pay equality, one of only a small number of solicitors to be awarded this venerable distinction. A committed supporter of the University, he is currently funding gender discrimination law activity at Southampton.