What’s the point of human rights? – Lady Hale

Posted December 4th, 2013 in human rights, lectures, legal history, news by sally

What’s the point of human rights? (PDF)

Lady Hale

Warwick Law Lecture, 28th November 2013

Source: www.supremecourt.gov.uk

Law, morality and religion in the family courts – Keynote address given by Sir James Munby

Posted November 1st, 2013 in family courts, judges, legal history, news, speeches by sally

Law, morality and religion in the family courts (PDF)

Keynote address given by Sir James Munby

The Law Society’s Family Law Annual Conference, 29th October 2013

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Justice in one fixed place or several? – the Lord Chief Justice

Posted October 22nd, 2013 in civil justice, courts, judiciary, legal history, legal profession, speeches by tracey

“Birkenhead Lecture by the Lord Chief Justice, 22/10/2013.”

Full speech

Judiciary of England and Wales, 21st October 2013

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

The Erskine example – New Law Journal

Posted September 17th, 2013 in advocacy, legal history, legal profession, news by sally

“Do we need great advocates, asks Geoffrey Bindman QC.”

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New Law Journal, 6th September 2013

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Why we would be mad to leave our European Convention on Human Rights – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 4th, 2013 in human rights, legal history, news by sally

“Six decades ago today, the European Convention on Human Rights came into force. It all started brightly, as a post-war, British-led pact against Fascism and Communism. Now, human rights are under heavy, relentless attack. Politicians, press and public seem to have an endless appetite for tales of human rights gone wrong. The Justice Secretary has recently said ‘all options are on the table’ for ‘major change’ on human rights, and it is likely that the future of the ECHR will be a major general election issue in 2015. In short, the UK may soon withdraw from the longstanding international human rights system which it was instrumental in creating.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 3rd September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Expert Evidence – Another Chapter in a Continuing Story – Family Law Week

Posted September 2nd, 2013 in expert witnesses, family courts, legal history, news by sally

“David Bedingfield, barrister at 4 Paper Buildings, sets the latest reforms relating to expert evidence in their historical context and considers the dilemmas which expert evidence has long presented to the courts.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 29th August 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Judiciary: from friend of the state to champion of the people – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted March 14th, 2013 in human rights, judiciary, legal history, news by sally

“This week, statements about the role of Parliamentary government in ensuring our liberties seems to die on our lips, while judges seem to enjoy an increasingly high profile in promoting human rights and mitigating the apparent harshness of government schemes. Roll back the clock a few centuries, however, and you find the popular view of the judiciary as self-serving, or delighting in pointless legal technicalities at the expense of justice. The future seemed to require more Parliamentary statutes and less work by judges.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th March 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Report #5: The English Legal System – the foundation – Charon QC

Posted November 7th, 2012 in legal history, legal services, news by sally

“Today, I am at 6 Bedford Square, the former home of Lord Eldon, Lord Chancellor, talking with Professor Gary Slapper, Director of NYU in London. We discuss the pervasiveness of law in our lives and the foundation and structure of the law of England & Wales. The intention is to provide an overview of the system for non-lawyers to set the scene for the remainder of the tour.”

Listen

Charon QC, 6th November 2012

Source: www.charonqcuklawtour.com

Lord Erskine and Trial by Jury – Lecture by Lord Neuberger

Posted October 22nd, 2012 in advocacy, juries, legal history, news, trials by sally

Lord Erskine and Trial by Jury (PDF)

Lecture by Lord Neuberger

Seckford Lecture, 18th October 2012

Source: www.supremecourt.gov.uk

Out of his shadow: The long struggle of wives under English Law – Lord Wilson

Posted October 12th, 2012 in legal history, marriage, speeches, women by sally

Out of his shadow: The long struggle of wives under English Law (PDF)

The High Sheriff of Oxfordshire’s Annual Law Lecture, 9th October 2012

Source: www.supremecourt.gov.uk

The case for code – The Guardian

Posted June 7th, 2012 in constitutional reform, judiciary, legal history, news by sally

“The common law leads to complexity. Is that always a good thing?”

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The Guardian, 6th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Illegal mince pies and other UK legal legends – BBC News

Posted April 10th, 2012 in legal history, news by sally

“The Law Commission has proposed the abolition of 800 antiquated laws, but there is a wealth of mythology about what is and isn’t illegal.”

Full story

BBC News, 6th April 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

1215 and All That -Speech by the Rt Hon Lord Judge, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

Posted April 4th, 2012 in Ireland, legal history, magna carta, news by sally

1215 and All That (PDF)

Speech by the Rt Hon Lord Judge, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

Irish Legal History Society Lecture, 26th March 2012

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Geoffrey Boycott launches £1m claim against lawyers over property deal – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 13th, 2011 in land registration, law firms, legal history, negligence, news, time limits by tracey

“Geoffrey Boycott, the former Yorkshire and England cricketer, launched a £1m-plus claim against lawyers he says let him down on a property deal.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th October 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Law centres are more necessary than ever in ‘austerity Britain’ – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2011 in law centres, legal aid, legal history, news by sally

“The 40-year-old movement to provide legal services to the vulnerable looks likely to bear the brunt of legal aid cuts.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The changing face of justice – The Guardian

Posted March 24th, 2011 in courts, legal history, legal language, news by sally

“The visual vocabulary of courts – rooted in Babylonian, Egyptian, Classical, and Renaissance iconography – provides a transnational symbol of government, and courts have become obligatory facets of good governance. Consider the image of two women: one with scales, sword and blindfold; the other, Prudence, regarding herself in a mirror. Justice was once regularly shown with Prudence as well as Fortitude and Temperance, the four cardinal virtues. We know this imagery of justice because we have been taught it. Rulers regularly link themselves to the virtue Justice as they seek legitimacy for the laws that they make and enforce.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Related link: Representing justice

My legal hero: Dr Ivy Williams – The Guardian

Posted February 10th, 2011 in barristers, legal history, news, women by sally

“Dr Ivy Williams was a true pioneer – the first woman to be called to the bar and the first to teach law at an English university.”

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The Guardian, 10th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The legal threat to our spiritual tradition – Daily Telegraph

“The McFarlane judgment raises fundamental questions about church and state, says Michael Nazir-Ali.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 30th April 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Campaigners petition MPs to clear executed admiral – The Guardian

Posted March 13th, 2008 in courts martial, legal history, news by sally

“The moment that guaranteed Admiral Byng’s immortality was, sadly, his last. In March 1757 the unfortunate sailor was found guilty of neglect of duty by a court martial, hauled onto the quarter-deck of his flagship and shot dead by a firing squad.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Digitizing the Hanging Court – Smithsonian.com

Posted April 13th, 2007 in legal history, trials by sally

“Cutpurses! Blackguards! Fallen women! The Proceedings of the Old Bailey is an epic chronicle of crime and vice in early London. Now anyone with a computer can search all 52 million words.”

Full story

Smithsonian.com, April 2007

Source: www.smithsonianmagazine.com

Related link: Proceedings of the Old Bailey