Lawyer Monthly - December 2021 Edition

could do something directly in that area,” though I had never had anything to do with criminal law. I became a recorder in the Crown Court and a part-time circuit judge -- that was a bit of a baptism of fire, I would say. Again, quite a scary and stretching experience, and very rewarding. As the judge, you can do what you think is the right thing. Of course, there is a good deal for jurors to take on board before they can find defendants guilty or not guilty, and as the judge I certainly always make sure that my summations are totally neutral. All of that I found very gratifying, in a way. It is an awesome responsibility. As you mentioned in an earlier talk, you often see, particularly in some civil cases, a sort of David versus Goliath struggle. You mentioned that it is very gratifying to assess that balance and be able to deliver justice. Indeed. All of my roles can be said to involve a sort of David and Goliath dynamic. A criminal trial obviously involves the defendant going against the state, and the other judicial roles that I have taken on more recently, including in the High Court, include an element of this. Some of the work may sound incredibly dreary, but many of you can nonetheless appreciate that the judicial review is actually extremely interesting anywhere, because public 22 DEC 2021 WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM unfortunately the law does not enable you to do what they are asking you to do. Yes, being able to do the right thing, hearing from people who are there in front of you, is something that I never, frankly, had experienced in my previous roles. It enhanced my practice, because it gives you a different skillset. Could you tell us some more about the skills you developed through your work in the High Court? Although it is true to say that senior managers at my firm could not really see the relevance of my criminal law work in my day-to-day practice – because I am actually a property and finance lawyer by background – it did have relevance in other respects. One was being able to hold your own in a very difficult situation. Another was being able to speak in complete sentences because every word you say is transcribed, and it is quite embarrassing to see transcribed half-sentences. There were other things too: being able to listen, but not necessarily fill in the silence. And aside from that, I was totally surprised by the fact that the property and finance people actually foundwhat I didat theCourt really fascinating. It meant that there was something to discuss that was of interest to them. Unexpectedly, my children – who were then primary school age – actually, for the first time ever, understood and were interested in what I did during the day. Criminal trials in particular are everyday stories of burglaries, robberies, assaults, and the human cost and experience of those, which is something that everyone can relate to. So, in your current position, you are trying to raise awareness that this is in fact a valid career path for solicitors to branch out into. How could more solicitors be encouraged to explore this career path? As I said, I did not even realise that solicitors could apply. I think it is important to be inspiring people in this community to apply, even if, like me, you are not a litigator and not an advocate. It is also authorities – including government parties, ministers, etc – are held to account by individuals who challenge the way they have made their decisions. Then there is, as you say, the awesome responsibility of dealing with someone who is due to be deported as an illegal immigrant, or someone who has been convicted of a criminal act and is being sent back to their country of origin nearly decades after they have arrived in the country, against the home secretary. Or indeed, the mother of a disabled child seeking to get formal education for their child, or homeless individuals desperate to find accommodation. Again, trying to do the right thing within the neutral borders of the law, and of course you have to make very difficult decisions – particularly if you feel very sympathetic to the applicant, but “ All of my roles can be said to involve a sort of David and Goliath dynamic.