Monday, February 13, 2006
A group of black male teenagers enjoyed a fascinating day at the Royal Courts of Justice on February 13 2006 in the first of a series of visits organised by The Mens Room.
It’s not generally appreciated that the court, more commonly known as the High Court, is open to anyone who wants to visit. Anyone can walk in off the street and sit in on any case they wish to. But not everyone gets to have a private audience with one of the most senior judges in the legal system. It’s this opportunity which makes this ongoing initiative such a worthwhile proposition.
The youths accompanied by Clive Lewis and Francis James, father to two of the boys, were introduced to judge Mr Justice Lightman, head of the Chancery Division, (a branch of the legal system which deals with landlord and tenant disputes, trademarks and patent disputes).
In his office (in which three walls were lined with legal case histories and expensive text books which is generally off-limits to the public) he initially planned to give us 20 minutes of his time but spoke for around 5-10 minutes and kindly answered questions for a further 40 minutes.
The judge spoke in clear terms about the options open to anyone who wants to consider law as a profession. He stressed that in law, as in any other profession, you get nowhere unless you work hard and apply yourself fully to the task.
He pointed out that there are more opportunities for lawyers (whether solicitors or barristers) than ever before. Many people may be daunted by the studying, but he said the exams are not as difficult as people think but they do require application. He also said the barriers that previously existed to prevent people getting into the profession have all but been swept away.
In a very wide ranging question and answer session, the judge said it was relatively easy for him to join the profession because his father was a barrister and so it was expected that he would follow suit. Nowadays though, people join the profession on their own merits. He also said it is a very secure profession because, like doctors, people will always need lawyers while a legal system exists.
He soundly advised that students wanting to join a law firm (or do any other type of work for that matter) should ensure they have an outstanding CV to present to prospective employers. Practical work experience always impresses employers, so for example if you want to do a law degree, try to get a summer job working in a solicitor’s office, even if it means making the tea all day. It’s an excellent way to get on the first rung of the career ladder as most junior solicitors begin their careers by doing mundane tasks like making tea and filing papers or photocopying.
He explained the differences between solicitors and barristers and the steps you should take to join either branch of the profession. He also advised that anyone who wants to become a lawyer should study European law because this is an area with relatively few experts but with a growing number of cases.
The judge ended his private audience with a frank admission about the sacrifices he had made to get to the top of his profession. He admitted that he had perhaps worked too hard over the past 30 years, frequently putting in a six days week and prioritising his work over his family life. Although he did not directly say it, it was obvious he meant he had some regrets about this but he said his wife and three children were nevertheless still a close family unit.
After the audience with the judge we were free to wander around the huge building to look in on various cases. One case we were unable to sit on, because the courtroom was full, was one involving the government admitting negligence over the death of a serviceman in nerve gas testing 53 years ago. The details were in TV news bulletins that night and in newspapers the following day.
We also heard details of an appeal to cut a nine-year prison sentence of a man who gave someone a severe kicking, leaving him terribly brain damaged for life. This appeal was rejected, as was an appeal to cut a five-year manslaughter sentence after a man was pushed into a river and drowned following drunken disorder.
It’s always possible that visitors to the court may hear some very dull or boring appeals but on the other hand you may hear more interesting cases like the ones outlined above. Nevertheless, I would strongly recommend that you take the opportunity to visit the Royal Courts of Justice. After all, not everyone gets a chance to get careers advice from a judge and it is an opportunity that I believe should be grabbed with both hands.