“Proceedings in the Supreme Court are already televised, and broadcasting of other courts is imminent. Courts dealing with families have become more open after journalistic campaigns. Defendants and witnesses in some proceedings and courts martial are identified only by initials, and sexual assault witnesses and children are anonymous, while those charged are named upon arrest. Some witnesses testify behind screens, and the face of a defendant in a criminal case was covered for most of the trial. Magistrates complain that minor offences are increasingly dealt with by administrative cautions rather than proceedings in open court. Meanwhile, in the United States secret rulings by secret courts have extended electronic surveillance. Was Bentham right that ‘Where there is no publicity there is no justice’?”

Date: 25th November 2013, 6.00-7.30pm

Location: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DR

Charge: See website for details

More information can be found here.

“Special Guest Speaker Michael Caplan QC will trace the position both here and elsewhere and give his views on this emotional and controversial subject.”

Date: Monday 25th November 2013, 6.00-8.00pm

Location: Central London venue

Charge: £15 per delegate, £10 UKAJLJ members or if you are retired, £5 students/trainees

More information can be found here.

“The Trustees of the British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII) are delighted to announce that the Second Annual BAILII Lecture will be given by Professor Alan Paterson OBE, the 2010 Hamlyn lecturer, on the topic of ‘Decision-making in the UK’s top court’.

The lecture will coincide with the launch of Professor Paterson’s new book entitled Final Judgment: The Last Law Lords and the Supreme Court (Hart Publishing, 2013) which is based on interviews with over 40 Law Lords and Justices of the UK Supreme Court.

Lord Neuberger, the President of the Supreme Court will provide a brief introduction to the lecture and launch of the book.”

Date: Monday 9th December 2013, 5:30pm

Location: Freshfields, 65 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1HT

Charge: Free, advance registration essential

More information can be found here.

“Statute Law Society Annual Conference: Statute Law and Alternative Solutions: Codification, Restatement, Common Law

The speakers and topics are as follows:

Prof Andrew Burrows QC: Restatements and Judicial Law Reform;
Prof Ian Dennis: Is there still a case for codifying the law and, if there is, what might a modern Evidence Code look like?;
Dr Deirdre Ahern: Codification of Company Law;
Prof Hugh Beale QC: The European Contract Law Project: the drafting challenges;
Prof Robert Hazell: The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and its consequences.

Chairs:

Lord Dyson, Master of the Rolls and President of the Statute Law Society;
Lord Justice Lloyd Jones, Chairman of the Law Commission.”

Date: 15th November 2013

Location: House of Parliament, London SW1

Charge: Statute Law Society Member – £110. Academic/Retired – £70. Student/Pupil – £35.

More information can be found here.

“The Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) published in June 2013 is the most comprehensive review of legal and education and training for over 40 years. Did you know that amongst its key findings was that policy development is seriously inhibited by a lack of research in key areas of legal education? The Review is but the first stage of a review process, so you can make your mark by developing projects that are both needed and will have impact.”

Date: 13th November 2013, 12.30-4.30pm

Location: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DR

Charge: £40

More information can be found here.