22 June 2017 / Dr Jon Robins

Issue: 7751 / Categories: Opinion , Legal aid focus , Legal services

printer

mail-detail

Making the grade?

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.

nlj_7751_robins

Will non-lawyer David Lidington cut the mustard as Lord Chancellor? Jon Robins shares a potted political history

Our new Lord Chancellor is now the fourth non-legally qualified occupant of one of the most ancient offices of state in a row. David Lidington might not be a lawyer but, as a double winner of University Challenge, it seems reasonable to surmise that he’s no fool.

A theme of commentary in the legal press of previous non-lawyer occupants of the post—certainly, Chris Grayling and Liz Truss—was that they had not been intellectually up to the rigours of the job. Lidington has the distinction of having led Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge to victory in the BBC quiz in 1978 and, a second time, for a special show marking the series’ 40th anniversary.

Some of the lawyer Twitterati even commented approvingly on the legal nature of his chosen PhD topic (‘The enforcement of the penal statutes at the court of the Exchequer c1558 to 1576’). Not everyone was impressed though. ‘That’ll be handy,’ noted one lawyer facetiously.

Before

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

Making the grade?

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.

nlj_7751_robins

Will non-lawyer David Lidington cut the mustard as Lord Chancellor? Jon Robins shares a potted political history

Our new Lord Chancellor is now the fourth non-legally qualified occupant of one of the most ancient offices of state in a row. David Lidington might not be a lawyer but, as a double winner of University Challenge, it seems reasonable to surmise that he’s no fool.

A theme of commentary in the legal press of previous non-lawyer occupants of the post—certainly, Chris Grayling and Liz Truss—was that they had not been intellectually up to the rigours of the job. Lidington has the distinction of having led Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge to victory in the BBC quiz in 1978 and, a second time, for a special show marking the series’ 40th anniversary.

Some of the lawyer Twitterati even commented approvingly on the legal nature of his chosen PhD topic (‘The enforcement of the penal statutes at the court of the Exchequer c1558 to 1576’). Not everyone was impressed though. ‘That’ll be handy,’ noted one lawyer facetiously.

Before

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

SourceURL:

Links:

E-newsletter Sign-Up

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS

NLJ this week: Is inequality undermining trust?

The legal profession’s claim to be a ‘guardian of fairness’ is under scrutiny after stark findings on gender imbalance and opaque progression. Writing in NLJ this week, Joshua Purser of No5 Barristers’ Chambers and Govindi Deerasinghe of Global 50/50 warn that leadership remains dominated by a narrow elite, with men holding 71% of top court roles

NLJ this week: Freemasons ruling backs police transparency over privacy claims

A legal challenge to police disclosure rules has failed, reinforcing a push for transparency in policing. In NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth examines a case where the Metropolitan Police required officers to declare membership of groups like the Freemasons

NLJ this week: Right to grieve marks ‘major shift’ in employment law

Bereavement leave is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Writing in NLJ this week, Robert Hargreaves of York St John University explains how the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a day-one right to leave for a wider range of losses, alongside new provisions for pregnancy loss and bereaved partners

NLJ this week: AI privilege battles expose risks

Courts are beginning to grapple with whether AI-generated material is legally privileged—and the answers are mixed. In this week's issue of NLJ, Stacie Bourton, Tom Whittaker & Beata Kolodziej of Burges Salmon examine US rulings showing how easily privilege can be lost

NLJ this week: Experts warned—AI use must be transparent

New guidance seeks to bring order to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Minesh Tanna and David Bridge of Simmons & Simmons set out a framework stressing ‘transparency’, ‘explainability’ and ‘reliability’

back-to-top-scroll