Holdsworth an Annual Publication from Birmingham Law School

Spring 2008 Holdsworth An annual publication from Birmingham Law School 80 Years of Law at Birmingham Memo from the Head of School The last twelve months have been unusually eventful. The University is undergoing a major reorganisation designed to enhance its capacity to compete in the contemporary higher education environment. As a result, the School is to join a new College of Arts and Law, though we will retain our name and distinct personality. We have an established record of working with other disciplines and are keen to exploit the synergies which the reorganisation will unleash. It was in the context of the reorganisation that we decided to change our name to Birmingham Law School, a change approved by the University last May. We feel that the new name clearly and 2008 is the 80th anniversary of the creation of the Law concisely shows our disciplinary and department in 1928. To mark this auspicious birthday we’re institutional links while at the same time underlining our undisputed status as the inviting our alumni to join us at a black-tie dinner in the University premier law school in the city. Great Hall on Friday 24 October. See page 9 for details. Our submission to the national Research Assessment Exercise was signed off at the end of 2007. The results will be published at the end of 2008 and will have a big impact on funding as well as the sense of self-esteem of those involved. This year sees the School’s 80th anniversary as well as the 40th anniversary of our Institute of Judicial Administration. Do keep an eye on our website for up-to-date details of how we intend to commemorate these milestones and other events. I hope they will tempt many of you to come back and visit us. Professor Anthony Arnull Contents page 2 The Holdsworth club – University restructuring – Satellite tracking report published page 3 The European Union and the rule of law – Student profile: Jack Tsen-Ta Lee page 4 Academic profile: Professor Robert Cryer – Alumni offer careers advice page 5 Overseas news – Birmingham and Mauritius page 6–7 80 years of law at Birmingham page 8 Conferences and events page 9 Birmingham Law Schools invites you to a black-tie dinner – Law alumni celebrate anniversaries – Lord Chief Justice causes national controversy page 10 New appointments – A new chapter for Sheila page 11 Twenty-year sentence – Legally wed – Golden wedding anniversary – Obituary: Julia Kerr – First ever CBA spring conference held at Birmingham page 12 14th international youth leadership conference, Prague – Postgraduate student poster event – Fred Hartley memorial bursary – International event draws crowds – Contact us 2 Holdsworth The Holdsworth Club: University promoting a healthy restructuring extra-curricular experience In 2008 the University of Birmingham will undertake an ambitious programme By Jason Druker (Chair) and Crister Dalen (Publicity officer) of organisational change that aims to put academic endeavour at the heart of strategic Once again the Holdsworth Club is building on the successes decision-making, reduce bureaucracy and of previous years in bringing to law students a list of activities enable the University to grasp opportunities longer than any Blackstone’s statute book. There is no better more quickly. The current structure of academic schools will be replaced by way for students from all years to enjoy themselves and make five colleges. valuable friends for the future. ‘Moving from 19 individual academic In addition to Sir Francis Jacobs, the Club was In April our Drama Society is staging the schools to five unified Colleges will give honoured by Mr Justice William Gummow, long tragedy of Romeo and Juliet at the Old Joint greater power to those closest to our core serving judge of the High Court of Australia, who Stock Theatre on Temple Row. It promises business, and enable the University to gave a talk in January on ‘80 years of Anglo- to be an unforgettable three-night run with achieve its ambitious forward vision’ says Australian Law’. elaborate period costumes and a cast of Professor Michael Sterling, the University’s energetic and charismatic law students. Vice Chancellor. The year kicked off with a big bang at the Freshers evenings and easy-Sundays. Student life at Birmingham Law School Birmingham Law School will join the School Throughout the year, an array of themed would not be the same without Sir William of Historical Studies and the School of nights out prevented students from gathering Holdsworth’s initiative in 1927. Alumni are Humanities in the new College of Arts dust. At Halloween, the Club hosted a chilling encouraged to get back involved with the and Law. Unlike Heads of School, College evening of thrills and (fake) blood spills at Club, and remember, membership is for Heads will sit at the top decision-making Alton Towers. With the entire park lavishly life, not just for your LLB days! table with the Vice Chancellor. decorated at dusk with scary sights and sounds, smoke rolling over the ground and To get back in touch, contact Emer Professor Anne Pauwels is to become fireworks lighting the sky from above, there McKernan, details on page 12 the Head of College of Arts and Law. were more breath-taking adventures to go She is currently Dean of the Faculty of with the rocketing rides. Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Western Australia. The annual Holdsworth Ball, set to be held at Anne is a Professor of Linguistics and the University’s Great Hall on 8 March 2008, has held senior posts at Monash University will provide the climax of a year of hard work. and the Universities of New England and This year’s theme of ‘The Midas Touch Grecian Wollongong. Her research examines the Ball’ will turn the Great Hall into a dazzling relationship between language, society, golden palace, where students, staff and identity and culture, and she is currently alumni will eat, drink and eventually dance Project Director for a large Australia-wide the night away. study aimed at strengthening the position of foreign language study in higher education. Anne said: ‘My vision for the College Satellite tracking is to build upon the current strengths to achieve international excellence and recognition for its commitment to innovative report published and high quality approaches to student learning, for its groundbreaking research that enhances our understanding of the Since 2004 Birmingham Law School’s Professor Stephen Shute has been carrying human condition and society, and for its out a project on the Evaluation of Satellite Tracking for the Home Office and Ministry global outlook.’ of Justice. The report was published in August on the Ministry of Justice website. This report evaluates the satellite tracking pilots that took place between September 2004 and June 2006 in three areas in England and Wales. The results describe the implementation of the pilots, the offenders who were satellite tracked, and experience of criminal justice practitioners involved in the pilot. Read the report online: www.justice.gov.uk/publications/research020807a.htm Holdsworth 3 The UK Advocate General at the European The European Union and Court of Justice from 1988 to 2006, Sir Francis is the latest in a long line of eminent jurists going back to the 1920s to hold the the Rule of Law office of President of the Law School’s Holdsworth Club. Sir Francis explained the importance of the rule of law in the European Union and the principle’s relationship with democracy and national sovereignty to a packed lecture hall. Among those present were Lord Justice Latham and Mr Justice Lloyd-Jones, who earlier in the week had been sitting in Birmingham in the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal. Professor Tony Arnull, the Head of the Law School, said: ‘The Holdsworth Club Sir Francis Jacobs with Lord Justice Latham, Mr Justice Lloyd-Jones, Professor Anthony Arnull and the members Presidential Address is one of the highlights of the Holdsworth Club committee of our year. We were delighted to welcome The rule of law requires that the exercise of power should as this year’s President a lawyer of Sir Francis’ be subject to review by the courts. That was the message distinction and to hear his views on such an delivered by Sir Francis Jacobs in an address on the European important topic at a time when reform of the European Union is at the top of the political Union and the rule of law given at Birmingham Law School agenda.’ The Holdsworth lecture will be on 9 November. published later this year. If you would like a copy, contact Emer McKernan. Details on page 12. Student profile: Jack Tsen-Ta Lee Postgraduate research student and teaching assistant Jack Lee graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1995 and qualified as an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore the following year. After six years with a Singapore law firm, where they met Magdalen College, Oxford. so I was quite relieved to discover that the he studied for an LLM at University College Unfortunately, they lost by just 10 points – place was not as industrial or bleak as some London. He then returned to Singapore and 210 to 200 – and so didn't qualify for the friends and relatives had made it out to be! worked as the Assistant Director (Publications) quarter-finals. (When I told an aunt of mine, who is English, for the Singapore Academy of Law. In 2005 that I would be coming to Birmingham, she he began doctoral studies at the University We asked Jack how he got involved literally made a face and said, ‘Why?’) The of Birmingham and has been a postgraduate ‘I was very surprised and thrilled to be told building of the Bullring Shopping Centre has teaching assistant since 2006.

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