TEC, on which the Directive is based. Then is cited Ronald Dworkin's philosophy on what it means to protect dignity, that it is a fundamental value for everyone, even among those who disagree about how it is realised. He also referred to Joseph Raz, on the idea that autonomy presupposes that individuals have available number of valuable choices, and the law is to be concerned in protecting them. From the law itself, Maduro relies on the wording of the first Article of the Directive which says it wants to combat discrimination 'on the grounds of' those categories. He characterises the action against Sharon as direct discrimination (para. 20). Comparing typical discrimination to this, he says, "In the former case, we think that such conduct is wrong and must be prohibited; the latter is exactly the same in every material aspect." (para. 22) Also, recital 6, emphasises 'the importance of combating every form of discrimination.' (para. 24) Statistically, 80% of Advocate General's opinions are followed. European Court of Justice The ECJ released its judgment on 31 July 2008, and held that Sharon Coleman would succeed in her suit against the law firm. It did not follow from the relevant provisions of Directive 2000/78 that the principle of equal treatment is limited to people who themselves have a disability within the meaning of the Directive: On the contrary, the purpose of the Directive, as regards employment and occupation, is to combat all forms of discrimination on grounds of disability. The principle of equal treatment enshrined in the Directive in that area applies not to a particular category of person but by reference to the grounds mentioned in Article 1. That interpretation is supported by the wording of Article 13 EC, which constitutes the legal basis of Directive 2000/78, and which confers on the Community the competence to take appropriate action to combat discrimination based, inter alia, on disability. Commenting on the judgment, Lucy McLynn, partner at Bates Wells Braithwaite, said: "It is a great victory for common sense and for legal clarity, as well as for Sharon personally." The decision may have a significant impact on people in the UK who are not currently protected by discrimination legislation. 6 million carers exist in the UK currently, and with an ageing population, 9 million are projected by 2037 according to Carers UK. Further proceedings before the Employment Tribunal On its return to the