Following a brief post-pandemic hiatus, we are pleased to announce that we have confirmed a number of speakers for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 legal years. Our first event is planned for October 2023. The dates and details of all our events (including whether an event will count as a Qualifying Session) will be notified on the Middle Temple website at www.middletemple.org.uk/events.
In the meantime, we hope that the list below will give a flavour of the speakers and their topics:
Sir John H Baker, Downing Professor Emeritus of the Laws of England, University of Cambridge. Professor Baker will give a lecture on the Royal Prerogative.
Sir Ross Cranston, Professor of Law at the London School of Economics. Professor Cranston is formerly a Judge of the King’s Bench Division, who sits occasionally in the Commercial and Administrative Courts. Professor Cranston will give a lecture on the historical development of commercial law, which is the subject of his book, Making Commercial Law Through Practice 1830 – 1970 (Cambridge University Press).
George Garnett, Professor of Medieval History, St Hugh’s College, University of Oxford. Professor Garnett will give a lecture on Sir Edward Coke; how his jurisprudence developed the common law and, Coke’s enduring legacy in our present age.
Michael Lobban, Professor of Law and Fellow of All Soul’s College, University of Oxford. Professor Lobban will give a lecture on Sir Jeffrey Gilbert’s treatise on the law of contract; the first treatise on English contract law and its resonance to modern contract law.
Christopher Roberts, Professor of Law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Professor Roberts will give a lecture on the historical development on the law of vagrancy and its connection with the law of trespass. This will be an online only event delivered via Zoom.
Sean Gillane SC. Mr Gillane is one of the leading criminal practitioners at the Irish Bar; he has been involved in some of the most high-profile prosecutions in the Irish State over the past two decades. He will give a modified version of his Green Street Lecture on the infamous Lord Haw Haw; the last person to be hanged for treason in England and Wales. The Green Street Lectures are organised by the Bar of Ireland and, have as their purpose the discussion of ‘the intersection between law, politics and literature, detailing some of the notable characters, culture, and controversies that defined the Irish State through the years’.
Harry Potter, barrister at 25 Bedford Row, author of Law, Liberty and the Constitution: A Brief History of the Common Law (Boydell Press) and presenter of the accompanying BBC series, The Strange Case of the Law, will speak about Sir Alexander Peterson and his historical contemporary significance for penology.
Our events are free to attend online. There is a modest charge for in-person attendance at events which are followed by a wine reception. Dates for all our events will be advised in due course and all bookings should be made via the Inn’s website.
The Society is always happy to hear from potential new members. Membership costs £10 per year (payable by standing order) and is open to all members of Middle Temple, also to non-members of the Inn.
The Society can be contacted on the following email address:
Master Lynne Townley currently combines fee-paid judicial appointments in two jurisdictions with academic research on honour killings and teaching part-time on the Bar Vocational Studies course at City, University of London. She is the Chair of the Middle Temple Historical Society.
James is a student member of Middle Temple, currently working in global investment and advisory financial services. He is the Treasurer of the Middle Temple Historical Society.
