Reviews
News, analysis, comment and updates from ICLR's case law and UK legislation platform
Giving the first of three annual talks on the creation of the online court, Joshua Rozenberg painted an optimistic vision of a future in which civil litigation would become fast, efficient and affordable to all. Surveying the chequered history of courts modernisation over the last 30 years, he explained why it was hoped this particular… Continue reading
Based on a series of public lectures given in 2015, this little gem of a book on the modern art of judging should be required reading for anyone seriously interested in law and the judicial system. As a former High Court and before that circuit judge, Sir Mark Hedley brings to his reflections a vast… Continue reading
The Brexit vote took the nation by surprise. For those who voted to Leave, exiting from the EU can’t happen fast enough. But few seem to appreciate what is actually involved in achieving this. Ian Dunt’s book examines the options and implications, and makes clear that the referendum result was only the start of a… Continue reading
The BBC’s three-part dramatisation of the tale of one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers was creepily authentic in its characterisation and atmosphere, but the mini-series left more questions than answers, says Paul Magrath in this review. Here’s something a bit spooky. Some years ago, a friend of mine who lives in Notting Hill attempted to… Continue reading
Paul Magrath reviews a mesmerising new courtroom thriller in which Peter Murphy’s ambitious barrister hero Ben Schroeder takes on a challenging case involving a Welsh nationalist bomb plot. All the details of barristerial life, the rules of ethics and evidence, and the courtroom procedure appropriate for the 1960s period setting are pitch perfect. Yet is… Continue reading
Podcasts are a great way of keeping up to date with radio programmes about law, but they can also deliver a series of instalments of a longer, more detailed or complex narrative. They’re easy to download and store on a smartphone or other device, using one of the dedicated apps. (I use the Podcasts app… Continue reading
The Little Book of Music Law, by Amber Nicole Shavers. Reviewed by Paul Magrath. As demonstrated by the recent litigation over claims that one of the most famous rock anthems of all time, Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”, was partly filched from another song, the opportunities for legal disputes in the world of music… Continue reading
As one of the most famous criminal defence barristers who ever practised in England and Wales, Sir Edward Marshall Hall KC MP makes a fascinating subject for a new biography, and Sally Smith QC, who took a year out of her own busy practice to write this book, more than does him justice. Paul Magrath… Continue reading
Imagine being accused of something heinous and not knowing whether you did it or not, and not being able to trust anyone to help you find out what really happened and why. That’s the situation John Anderson, a leading prosecutor in Manchester chambers, on the verge of taking silk, finds himself in at the start… Continue reading
The Crime Museum is a collection of objects and documents preserved by the police from crimes they have investigated. It used to be called the Police Museum and is based at New Scotland Yard. A selection of its contents forms the basis of an exhibition currently (until 10 April 2016) on display at the Museum… Continue reading
