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By David Keene
Judicial memoirs range from the deliciously (but perhaps recklessly) indiscreet (Lord Hope) to the hilarious (Lord Brown) to the earnest (Lord Dyson). Lord Justice Keene’s is in the latter category. He says it was written expressly for his grandchildren.
One interesting feature of the book is his description of his move from Chairmanship of the Oxford University Conservative Association to becoming a Labour Party candidate. I suppose this helps impartiality. There is a consideration of many important cases in which he was involved at the Bar or on the Bench, including many airport inquiries. Sir David held a range of positions including Chair of the Judicial Studies Board and the QC Selection Panel. One achievement was the introduction of a gym in the basement of the Royal Courts of Justice.
A chapter is devoted to ‘France and the Blairs’, recording the fact that Tony and Cherie stayed at their magnificent house in the Pyrenees at Saint-Martin-d’Oydes each summer. Sir David records the ‘painful’ fact that some parts of the media made up a story that his ascent to the Court of Appeal was as a result of his friendship with the Blairs, but this was assuaged by a note from Lord Bingham saying that the appointment was ‘the result of a unanimous recommendation by the senior judiciary’. It was, however, felt right by the Keenes that the Blairs should not visit again which they apparently took well.
Sir David retired early but carried on sitting in the Court of Appeal. He tells us that those judges who sit after retirement are known as ‘retreads’ or ‘returned empties’.
John Bowers KC is Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford. He is an employment barrister and associate tenant at Littleton Chambers, and sits as a Deputy High Court Judge and a Recorder. With Jeremy Lewis, Martin Fodder and Jack Mitchell, John is a co-author of Whistleblowing: Law and Practice (OUP: 3rd edition 2022).
Judicial memoirs range from the deliciously (but perhaps recklessly) indiscreet (Lord Hope) to the hilarious (Lord Brown) to the earnest (Lord Dyson). Lord Justice Keene’s is in the latter category. He says it was written expressly for his grandchildren.
One interesting feature of the book is his description of his move from Chairmanship of the Oxford University Conservative Association to becoming a Labour Party candidate. I suppose this helps impartiality. There is a consideration of many important cases in which he was involved at the Bar or on the Bench, including many airport inquiries. Sir David held a range of positions including Chair of the Judicial Studies Board and the QC Selection Panel. One achievement was the introduction of a gym in the basement of the Royal Courts of Justice.
A chapter is devoted to ‘France and the Blairs’, recording the fact that Tony and Cherie stayed at their magnificent house in the Pyrenees at Saint-Martin-d’Oydes each summer. Sir David records the ‘painful’ fact that some parts of the media made up a story that his ascent to the Court of Appeal was as a result of his friendship with the Blairs, but this was assuaged by a note from Lord Bingham saying that the appointment was ‘the result of a unanimous recommendation by the senior judiciary’. It was, however, felt right by the Keenes that the Blairs should not visit again which they apparently took well.
Sir David retired early but carried on sitting in the Court of Appeal. He tells us that those judges who sit after retirement are known as ‘retreads’ or ‘returned empties’.
By David Keene
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Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, reflects on how the company’s Giving Back ethos continues to make a difference to communities across the UK
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AlphaBiolabs has made a £500 donation to Sean’s Place, a men’s mental health charity based in Sefton, as part of its ongoing Giving Back initiative
Professor Dominic Regan and Seán Jones KC present their best buys for this holiday season
Little has changed since Burns v Burns . Cohabiting couples deserve better than to be left on the blasted heath with the existing witch’s brew for another four decades, argues Christopher Stirling
Six months of court observation at the Old Bailey: APPEAL’s Dr Nisha Waller and Tehreem Sultan report their findings on prosecution practices under joint enterprise
Despite its prevalence, autism spectrum disorder remains poorly understood in the criminal justice system. Does Alex Henry’s joint enterprise conviction expose the need to audit prisons? asks Dr Felicity Gerry KC
With automation now deeply embedded in the Department for Work Pensions, Alexander McColl and Alexa Thompson review what we know, what we don’t and avenues for legal challenge
