JK Rowling’s barrister friend sues vet clinic after being banned

Barrister Allison Bailey sues Walthamstow vet practice, claiming ban stemmed from gender-critical beliefs.

Retired criminal defence barrister Allison Bailey is suing a veterinary practice for £25,000, alleging she was banned due to her gender-critical beliefs. Bailey, a friend of author JK Rowling,has filed a discrimination claim against Linnaeus Veterinary Ltd after she was deregistered from its Palmerston Veterinary Group in Walthamstow in January 2023.

Bailey asserts the ban violated her rights under the Equality Act 2010, which protects belief-based characteristics, and claims the decision was influenced by a former employee’s disapproval of her views. However, the practice contends she was removed due to repeated instances of rude and aggressive behaviour toward staff ratrher any prejudice on her views which seem to be aligned with Rowling.

The dispute centres on an incident where Bailey reportedly became angry when informed the practice lacked flea and worming medication for her dog. Staff allege she reacted confrontationally, with internal emails describing her as “absolutely vile” and “intimidating.” One staff member said she was the rudest client they had ever encountered.

Bailey denies ever shouting or losing her temper and insists she maintained a respectful relationship with the clinic over 13 years and 120 visits. She said she had even received a condolence card and flower seeds from the practice following the death of her dog, Poppy.

In court, Bailey’s legal team, led by Akua Reindorf KC, argued that the evidence against her was sparse and unreliable. They highlighted the lack of documentation or formal warnings from staff and criticised the clinic for not presenting key witnesses. Bailey’s lawyers insist the burden of proof lies with the clinic to demonstrate that the decision was not discriminatory.

Defence barrister Gus Baker rejected claims of discrimination, stating that the ban stemmed from how Bailey was perceived during stressful situations and not from her beliefs. He said the decision was triggered by a pattern of behaviour that violated the practice’s zero-tolerance policy.

The hearing, which follows Bailey’s previous legal battle against LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and her co-founding of the LGB Alliance, continues in court this week.