Thoughts from Chambers

For the record

We are happy to announce that both Abdul Iqbal QC and Caroline Wigin are now Class 2 Recorders, congratulations to them both! Abdul Iqbal QC is a favoured choice of counsel among both solicitors and lay clients. He is widely recognised for his skilful, tactical and robust advocacy in the most complex cases. He took Silk […]

Running 95 miles – why and how

If you decide to run 95 miles – and I’d encourage it, if nothing else the chafing will take your mind off cuts to Legal Aid for a while – you will be asked two questions, more often than any others. Why and how. I set out my answers, as the lawyer said, hereinbelow … […]

Jackson and Mitchell considered – IKEA Justice

Last week I attended a seminar hosted by the Leeds Law Society with a panel of Judges giving their comments on and answering questions about life just over one year on in the post Mitchell world. His Honour Judge Gosnall opened the seminary by giving a rather witty and also insightful address in which he […]

Why does he do it?

Sovereign Chambers has seen 20 members complete the Leeds half-marathon in the last two years, and the Head of Chambers, Andrew Lewis QC, completed the 125 mile Etape de Yorkshire cycle race just two weeks ago. However none of our barristers can compete with the endurance, mental strength and physical hardship which will be undertaken […]

Village Greens – and Rowing Days

R (On the Application of Barkas) v North Yorkshire County Council and another [2014] UKSC 31 This week sees the “May Bumps” in Cambridge. It is a curious affair. Over 4 days, starting on Wednesday college rowing VIII’s pursue each other up the Cam over a roughly 2000 metre course with the ultimate aim of […]

A Matter of F.A.C.T – Witch Hunts Old and New Part 2

In my last piece I tried to set out something of the origins and psychology of the original “witch hunt” in early-modern Europe, and tried to identify the aspects of the psychology. Let us then jump forward and look at a modern day “witch hunt”. I could pick many, but I am particularly interested in […]

Andrew Lewis QC cycling the Etape de Yorkshire

All at Sovereign Chambers are proud to announce that Head of Chambers Andrew Lewis QC is cycling the Etape de Yorkshire on 8th June 2014. The first stage of the Tour de France will take Andrew from the centre of Leeds through the North Yorkshire Moors before ending in Harrogate. This amazing effort is being […]

A matter of F.A.C.T. – Witch Hunts Old and New?

David Partington was recently invited to the spring conference of the Association of Falsely Accused Carers Teachers and other professionals. In the first of a series of articles he analyses the historical and psychological origins of the great European Witch Hunts, before moving on in later articles to argue that similar patterns of psychology lie behind modern moral panics and have been to blame for unsafe convictions and injustices.

Our history: The roots which still determine our culture

As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the merger of 25 and 30 Park Square, David Orbaum takes a moment to reflect on the origin of Sovereign Chambers, and how the founding ethos continues to this day.

Sovereign Chambers’ energetic weekend!

This weekend saw Sovereign Chambers tackle a cycle race and the Leeds half-marathon (bringing the amount we’ve raised for cancer research to £6,500).

The Jimmy Savile estate saga

Jimmy Savile died on 29 October 2011. The current value of his estate, after allowing for a range of expenses that have been incurred, was about £3.3 million. Jimmy Savile left a will.

Gang, Bang!

Studying gang culture was perhaps the most interesting term of my history degree (apart from the one I spent pursuing a young lady called Roxanne… but that is another matter).