St Hugh’s College Honorary Fellow and Alumna, The Rt Hon. Lady Justice Hallett DBE addressed the St Hugh’s Law Society following this year’s dinner at The Honourable Society of The Middle Temple on Thursday 21st April 2016.
Dame Heather drew on her deep knowledge of criminal process as Vice-President of the Court of Appeal’s Criminal Division, to look at how the role of upholding the rule of law is becoming particularly challenging in the present day. To that she spoke about a number of possible threats, as identified by a variety of commentators, across a broad range of areas such as: the impact of government cuts to the justice budget; pressures on judicial independence; collapses in legally aided support for high quality criminal barristers to offer skilled representation; as well as media and political pressure on the work of the judges.
At the same time Dame Heather noted how an instinct for justice and fairness according to law was deeply embedded in the British psyche, and her graceful and powerful address in itself gave good evidence of this instinct.
Attended by St Hugh’s Law Alumni and distinguished guests at the ornate and splendid dining hall of Middle Temple, this year’s speech and dinner following the AGM once again proved hugely popular. Thank you to everyone who attended for making this year’s event such a great success.
