The Law Society says its crest is only for use by the Society, and that it 'will pursue any instances where logos are used without permission' (see [2004] Gazette, 9 September, 38). The crest in armorial bearings is the part at the top (above the helm), and the Law Society's crest shows the traditional Justitia holding the sword and scales of justice in each hand. The Society clearly has no exclusive right to that widely used representation of justice, so that it doubtless intended to refer to its full coat of arms, which I assume was formally granted to it after a petition to the College of Arms many years ago.


Any complaint about copying those arms would have to be made to the ancient Court of Chivalry, which has exclusive jurisdiction over armorial disputes: see Manchester Corporation v Manchester Palace of Varieties [1955] P. 133. The court was then sitting for the first time since 1737, and the judgment suggested that the owner of the arms cannot permit someone else to use them (as envisaged by the Society), because that would 'infringe the rights of the Officers of Arms'.



Dr MJ Russell, Great Bookham