Tucker Millward Lectures

    40th Anniversary Year
Tucker Millward Memorial Lecture 2023 
Rt Hon the Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE
'A view of the Law from the Public Gallery'

"I am on a crusade to undertand what the general public think of the legal system and I want to interest them in the whole justice system - not just the criminal courts. "

Lady Hale retired as President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, the most senior judge in the UK, in January 2020 and since then, has made it her mission to 'pop' along to watch court proceedings as an everyday member of the public. She held the packed audience comprising of students, lawyers, lecturers and judges, utterly absorbed as she shared her sharp-eyed observations on the changes driving the judicial process. And when the questions came pouring forth at the end of her lecture, Lady Hale was equally frank and straighforward. 
She told the audience: "It's important to counter the doom and gloom we so often hear about. What I observed was the hard work, goodwill and dedication of all the people working within the court system.
"I am alarmed to hear that Government believes more cuts are needed. When will it understand that the justice system is needed to maintain the rule of law. We must all do our best to save it."
Our grateful thanks go to Kent Law School for its hospitality, hosting and organisation of the Lecture, and to Lady Hale for giving up her valuable time to present the milestone 40th Anniversary Lecture.


 

2022 TUCKER MILLWARD MEMORIAL LECTURE
The Tucker Millward Memorial Lecture returned after a two-year absence with a real wow on Thursday 8 November. Guest speaker HHJ Sarah Davies took a packed audience at the University of Kent's Grimwood Theatre, on a colourful, rip-roaring and inspiring ride through her varied and wonderful career. She told the audience: "I cannot believe I got to do a job that's interesting, well paid, and so much fun."
Among much well-received wisdom in her speech entitled 'Chipping away at the glass ceiling', she also advised the students gathered: "If you want to do something badly enough, you will do it. You never know what's going to come your way - accept every experience offered to you; they will all be useful."
Our grateful thanks go to HHJ Sarah Davies (centre left) for accepting the invitation to speak and giving up so much of her time, and to Head of Kent Law School Professor Rosemary Hunter (pictured left) with KLS President Nick Fairweather, for hosting the lecture as well as to everyone who attended and stayed on afterwards to catch up and enjoy the buffet.

The Lecture in 2019 and given by Professor John Fitzpatrick OBE, Emeritus Professor, Kent Law School, on the subject "Democracy and the law".   He spoke of the legal and constitutional aspects of recent political events and concerning the historical and current relationship between parliament and the judiciary.
He was introduced by Professor Nick Grief of Kent Law School and thanked by KLS President Emma Palmer.

Kent Law Society was delighted to have joined forces again with The University of Kent to present this annual lecture. The event was well attended, to the extent of standing room only,  by members of Kent Law Society, colleagues from the Judiciary, the Bar, Kent Law School and the University.  

DISTINGUISHED PAST SPEAKERS

In November 2018, HHJ David Griffiths-Jones, Resident Judge, Maidstone Crown Court, gave his lecture on the subject "Reflections on the Law - a Personal View."

In October 2017, Shami Chakrabarti, Baroness Chakrabarti CBE, gave her lecture on the subject "Women and the Law: institutional inequality and the case for radical change."

In November 2016, Professor Nick Grief, Kent Law School, spoke of his involvement in three cases before the International Court of Justice at The Hague.

May 84