Mrs Justice Siobhan Keegan

The project will curate and commission a new series of public and internal events, resources and personal histories associated with the history of the jurisdiction.

Chaired by Dame Siobhan Keegan, the project will see the judiciary work closely with the Bar and the Law Society to co-ordinate a series of themed activities and shared reflections, spanning the history of the judiciary, women in law, the origins of the legal profession in the jurisdiction and notable cases from the past century. 

The professional bodies will each also be undertaking individual initiatives to mark their particular milestones in the evolution of the jurisdiction.

The Legal History Project will shortly commence with a series of public lectures including:

• A History of the Lord Chief Justices, delivered by Sir Declan Morgan on 8 December 2021
• Notable Cases from the Past Century, delivered by Dr John Stannard on 27 January 2022
• Women in Law, delivered by Sarah Ramsey QC on 3 March 2022

These lectures will be preceded by the Sir Anthony Hart lecture to be delivered by Lord Stephens on 11 November and the lecture series will culminate in a final lecture to be delivered before the end of the current legal year by the Lady Chief Justice.

The Legal History Project will also feature an exhibition and, in conjunction with the Bar, an archive of oral histories capturing reflections from a range of current and former judges and barristers.

Further details on the upcoming events and how to participate will follow in the weeks ahead.