The law isn’t just about precedents and principles; it’s about the personalities too! And perhaps my favourite jurist of all time is Baron Alfred Thompson Denning (Lord Denning).
Here are some of his most famous words:
“in the darkness of secrecy all sorts of things can go wrong. If things are really done in public you can see that the judge does behave himself, the newspapers can comment on it if he misbehaves — it keeps everyone in order”
‘If you are an advocate you want your client to win. If you are a judge you don’t care who wins exactly. All you are concerned about is justice.’
Here are some of his most influential decisions:
– Central London Property Trust Ltd v High Trees House Ltd [1947] KB 130 (known as the ‘High Trees’ case), a controversial and groundbreaking case regarding promissory estoppel.
– Photo Production Ltd v Securicor Transport, a case expanding the doctrine of fundamental breach in contract.
– Candler v Crane, Christmas & Co [1951] 2 KB 164, in which he presented a dissenting judgment concerning and paving the way for negligent misstatement.
Of course, there are many famous characters in our Anglo-Australian tradition. For example:
– Sir Owen Dixon
– Sir Garfield Barwick
– Lionel Murphy
– Michael Kirby…
Perhaps you could suggest some of your favourite characters…
MyLearnedFriends 