You read it here first: ICLR Encounters 3, featuring Tim Kevan, Gary Slapper and Alex Williams, “Making Light of the Law“, is now available on video, courtesy of YouTube.

Gary SlapperThe 30 minutes of seamlessly edited highlights include:

  • Gary Slapper, author of “Weird Cases“, recounting the tale of a man who was prosecuted and fined for feeding an alligator, after one of those creatures had bitten off his hand, and that of a restaurateur who sued for compensation after he hurt his fist while repeatedly punching a customer in the face.
  • Tim Kevan reading from his BabyBarista files an incident in which it transpires that the humble barristers’ clerk has a more central constitutional role than was ever envisaged in the textbooks.
  • Alex Williams showing a selection of the hilarious Queen’s Counsel cartoons which he has been writing for The Times law pages for the last 20 years.

Making Light of the LawA bonus clip features a longer story from Tim Kevan, taken from the BabyBarista files, entitled “London Counsel“, which takes a wry look at the provincial Bar and Bench when confronted by barristers from the metropolis. Commentary from Tim offers a glimpse of the “Travaux préparatoires” as it were, behind the story.

While you’re on YouTube, you can check out the other videos collected on The ICLR page, including the earlier ICLR Encounters events and our series of short films, including Making Legal History, explaining the history and role of law reporting and its importance to the practice and teaching of law, and to the administration of justice in general.

Also recommended: Lord Bingham on The Rule of Law. The late Tom Bingham lectures on the subject of his excellent last book. (Particularly recommended for students and, since he writes so clearly and wears his erudition so lightly, interested lay persons.)