Public Lectures from the Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge

The Centre for European Legal Studies (CELS) hosts an annual public lecture in honour of Lord Mackenzie-Stuart, the first British Judge to be President of the Court of Justice. Among the eminent scholars of European legal studies invited to give the lecture are Professor Joseph Weiler, former Judge David Edwards of the European Court of Justice, and Advocate-General Francis Jacobs of the European Court of Justice. The texts of the Mackenzie-Stuart Lectures are published in the Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies. The 2013 Mackenzie-Stuart Lecture was delivered by Judge Nicholas Forwood (General Court of the European Union) on Thursday 28th February 2013, and was entitled ""Interesting Times" - Chinese Curses, Lawyers' Headaches, Political Nightmares and New Dawns". More information about this lecture is available from the Centre for European Legal Studies website at:http://www.cels.law.cam.ac.uk/mackenzie_stuart_lectures/

On Friday 22nd February 2013 the Wolfson Law Society hosted a talk by Vanessa Holzer and Natália Fereirra de Castro on the Customary International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Project. A joint undertaking of the British Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Customary IHL Project collects and analyses national and international practice on various matters of IHL, thus updating the practice that underpinned the 2005 ICRC Study on Customary IHL. Customary IHL is important in today's armed conflicts because it fills gaps left by treaty law and so strengthens the protection offered to victims. Based at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, four British Red Cross researchers collaborate closely with the ICRC in making State practice from various countries, ranging from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, available on the ICRC Customary IHL database: http://www.icrc.org/customary-ihl

Clive Thorne, President of TIPO - the Intellectual Property Lawyers' Organisation, spoke about "Intellectual Property Law ; Its 40 Year Coming of Age" on 18th February 2013 at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. This event was kindly Sponsored by Slaughter & May.

On Friday 15th February 2013, Judge Jean-Paul Costa, former President of the European Court of Human Rights, delivered the 2013 Sir David Williams Lecture entitled "The Relationship Between the European Court of Human Rights and National Constitutional Courts?". The Sir David Williams Lecture is an annual address delivered by a guest lecturer in honour of Sir David Williams, Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of English Law and Emeritus Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University. More information about this lecture, including photographs from the event, is available from the Centre for Public Law website at:https://www.cpl.law.cam.ac.uk/sir-david-williams-lectures/jean-paul-costa-relationship-between-european-court-human-rights-and

On Friday 1st February 2013, the Cambridge University Students' Pro Bono Society hosted a talk at the Faculty of Law by Rachel Robinson from LIBERTY entitled "Access to Justice in Light of Legal Aid Cuts".

On Friday 23rd November 2012, Professor G.A. Walker of Queen Mary University of London spoke at an event held at Wolfson College in association with the Wolfson Law Society.

On Tuesday 20th November 2012, Dr Michael Schillig of King’s College London spoke at an event held at Wolfson College in association with the Wolfson Law Society.Photograph courtesy of Humboldt European Law School.

David Woolley QC, of Landmark Chambers, spoke about "How Can You Defend Someone You Know is Guilty? Reflections on Legal Professional Ethics and Conduct" on 15th November 2012 at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. David Woolley was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple in 1962, and spent his pupillages in common law and planning chambers. He joined the chambers of Sir Joseph Molony QC in 1963, and practised for some years on the Oxford and Western Circuits. His practice then developed in the fields of town and country planning, local government and parliamentary, compulsory purchase, rating, and, more recently, environmental work. He continues to practice in these fields.He took silk in 1980, and was elected a Bencher of the Middle Temple in 1989. His work extended and extends over a wide range of planning, local government and related matters. He has appeared at major inquiries into a variety of projects, including airports, highways, regional shopping centres, mining projects, housing schemes, and hypermarket and supermarket proposals. He has appeared at many inquiries involving listed buildings, and was the Inspector appointed by the then Secretary of State for the Environment into the proposed extension to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, London.He has appeared for promoters of and petitioners against private and hybrid bills in both Houses of Parliament, and has also appeared in a wide range of cases in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and the House of Lords. These have involved disputes over tax and rating, the validity of development plans and decisions on planning proposals, the right to buy under the Housing Acts, the right to compensation for unfair dismissal, and the construction of restrictive covenants and contracts for the sale of land. He has also frequently appeared in the Lands Tribunal in compensation and related cases.This event was kindly Sponsored by Slaughter & May.

On Friday 4th May 2012, the Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Laws delivered the 2012 Sir David Williams Lecture entitled "The Good Constitution".The Sir David Williams Lecture is an annual address delivered by a guest lecturer in honour of Sir David Williams, Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of English Law and Emeritus Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University.More information about this lecture, including photographs from the event, is available from the Centre for Public Law website at:https://www.cpl.law.cam.ac.uk/sir-david-williams-lectures/rt-hon-lord-justice-laws-good-constitution

William Clegg QC, head of chambers at 2 Bedford Row, spoke about "International criminal law: does the system achieve justice?" on 29th February 2012 at Trinity Hall, Cambridge.Over a 40 year career at the Bar William Clegg has been involved in some of the most high profile criminal cases in history. Mr Clegg has extensive experience of war crimes including defending in the ICTY cases of Prosecutor v Tadic and Prosecutor v Jelisic. This event was kindly Sponsored by Slaughter & May.