Memory lane

Law Society Gazette, 7 October 2013

ECHR legislation on the way

Draft legislation on the UK’s relationship with the European Convention on Human Rights will be published by next May, justice secretary Chris Grayling has revealed. At the Conservative Party conference Grayling gave his clearest sign yet that radical change is on the agenda.

9 October 2003

Bias blights solicitors

The Queen’s Counsel and judicial appointment systems create a wide picture of systematic bias against solicitors, women and people from ethnic minorities – and the creation of a proposed independent appointment commission will only begin to address this, the annual report of the Commission for Judicial Appointments concluded last week.

6 October 1993

Wigs win as dress remains formal

Solicitors are calling on the government to review its decision not to change the rules on court dress in the event of their getting rights of audience in the higher courts. In a joint statement last week, the lord chancellor, Lord Mackay, and the lord chief justice, Lord Taylor, said responses to a consultation ‘revealed strong support for maintaining the status quo’.

5 October 1983

The pensions scenario

It is very gradually becoming apparent that we are witnessing a pensions crisis. Its timescale is perhaps similar to that presented by the expiry of the leases of the New Territories of Hong Kong, in that the problems are likely to mature only at or after the turn of the century.

11 October 1973

Legal education – a moment of crisis

Until now, the objective of pre-qualification training has been to produce ‘the complete solicitor’ – complete at least in the sense that the newly admitted man or woman has learned something of all branches of the law, but inevitably in the time available without acquiring a very profound understanding of any.