Law Society’s Gazette, June 1970

Editorial With Election ’70 in full blast – or should we say full spate? – it is not the intention of the Gazette to add to the sound and the fury with a polemic on the merits and de-merits of the political parties.

Yet we feel that at a time when politics are uppermost in everyone’s minds – those who think the World Cup to be more important will forgive us our presumption – this is an appropriate time to raise certain points that all might do well to reflect upon.

We are interested in the smooth, efficient and impartial running of the law for the benefit of the people. So too are the electorate of this country, yet by the history of our legal system the most important person in that respect – the Lord Chancellor – has for many decades past been a political animal…

Annual dinnerNearly 250 members and guests attended the Society’s Annual Dinner at the Savoy and welcomed as the principal guest the Rt Hon The Lord Goodman [solicitor, adviser to prime minister Harold Wilson and chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain].

His advice to the profession was to take a long cool look at itself and at the reasons for its unpopularity with the public. The system, he said, beggared clients and was unrewarding for solicitors…

Random RamblingsIt behoves all solicitors to think seriously as to what, or who, is really behind the persistent and scurrilous attacks on our profession. Is it really the press, or the politicians, or is it merely indicative of the times we live in? The breaking down of law and order, the presence of mob rule and almost complete disregard of persons and property by thugs and hooligans are symptoms which cannot be ignored. The inhumanity of man to man, as witnessed by the distress and hardship caused by the recent spate of wild-cat strikes on the part of public transport personnel, is another symptom of the times.

A strong and respected legal profession is more than ever needed today and the remedy is in our hands. We must make the public believe in our integrity and in our fearlessness to stand up to criticism from whatever angle it comes and continue to protect the individual from the onslaughts of bureaucracy…G. A. Dodsworth