header-logo header-logo

Book review: Lord Denning: Life, Law & Legacy

11 August 2023 / Charles Wynn-Evans
Issue: 8037 / Categories: Features , Profession
printer mail-detail
"In this book, James Wilson takes on very successfully the challenge of drawing together Lord Denning’s upbringing, background, influences, and career with the legal and political significance of his judicial work"

Author: James Wilson

Publisher: Wildy, Simmonds and Hill Publishing

ISBN: 9780854902941

RRP: £30


Lord Bingham described Lord Denning as ‘the best-known and best-loved judge of this, or perhaps any, generation… cherished by his countless friends on the Bench, at the Bar and among the wider public throughout the Commonwealth.’ Whether talking of village cricket or the incoming tide of European law, what James Wilson describes in this biography as Lord Denning’s unique homely writing style is, of course, legendary, and his relentless focus on (his view of) justice in the particular case continues to attract much admiration.

Nonetheless, Lord Denning remains a controversial figure for many reasons, including his approach to judicial decision-making and disregard for stare decisis, as well as his various extraordinary—particularly by modern standards—judicial and extra-judicial observations, including describing homosexuality as a

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll