Northern Circuit Society

It was one of those years where considerable effort and conspicuous delight appeared in equal measure for Northern Circuiteers. The effort paid off: we continue to have a reputation for inclusive and valuable work on Circuit. And the moments of delight that ensued were cherished.

I admit to having had the most excellent satisfaction in October last year, at the assumption by Master David Stockdale of his role as Autumn Reader. David has a record of distinguished service to Domus, and it was a moment of pride to see him in the role at the Reader’s Feast. Opportunities to listen to Master Stockdale speak should not be missed, and the lecture that night was no exception. His command of this subject was second to none. And the delivery of his points, which always seems to me to be effortless, captivated the Hall.  

There was also wider recognition for two committee colleagues. At the June Parliament, Helen Mulholland KC and HHJ Matthew Corbett-Jones were both elected as Benchers. Helen and Matthew are both stars in their respective roles. They have been generous and unstinting in their work for the Circuit Society for over a decade. I was thrilled at the news of their success. They are both superb additions to the Bench. 

Arrangements in the Committee itself have had some modest adjustments. We continue to rely heavily on Kate Burnell KC for her marshalling of the Liverpool wing of the Circuit. We regretted the departure of Simon Rowbotham, and we welcomed David Pojur in his place. We also took the opportunity to ensure that, for the first time, there was a representative from the Employed Bar on the Committee. Caitlin Stiles is a young and promising lawyer from the Crown Prosecution Service. She has accepted an invitation to join us, with a mission to draw attention to our work among her colleagues.

The student body across the law schools of the North of England is vast. Contributions towards their training have always been a component of our work. Master Bernard Richmond’s Education Day for Bar students from across the region is now a fixture in which Circuit members play a prominent role. In 2024, Master Sarah Singleton led a team to provide tuition on advocacy skills and ethical problem-solving. 

Later in the term, an event was held in Liverpool, as part of the Inn’s programme of events that addressed the topic of Disability at the Bar. The evening was, as several students remarked, terrifically successful. Ian Whitehurst, a practitioner at Exchange Chambers, spoke to a group of Bar Students, with poignancy and humour, about his own experiences of tackling preconceptions in his early years of practice. A social event followed.

In the Lent term, the focus turned towards those who were young in practice. It was decided that young members might most value guidance about how to navigate hazards to avoid in the courtroom. Accordingly, an invaluable session which identified ‘Dos and Don’ts’ was hosted by Masters Sarah Singleton and Tina Landale. 

The coming term will be no less busy. We promise sessions designed to assist junior counsel, in an introduction to the work of the Business and Property Court and the Technology and Construction Court, to be led by Master Stephen Davies and HHJ Richard Pearce. Towards the end of the term, we will gather in the great city of Newcastle, along with our colleagues from the North Eastern Circuit, to honour the Master Treasurer at our Annual Dinner. In these projects, we will rely heavily on the support of Oliver Muncey and Emma Marlow at Domus. 

My final obligation is to address a sadness which, as the year begins, comes inescapably to mind. I speak of a man possessed of a towering generosity of spirit, a superb historian of legal life, and the only man I ever knew to have met Elvis Presley. I speak of Master David Lynch whom we lost at the beginning of the Michaelmas term of 2024. David’s life served as an example of the transformative powers of education. He had started his working life as an office boy in a firm of Liverpool solicitors. He concluded his professional life on the Circuit Bench. As a young man, he had taken advantage of opportunities to return to his studies. By dint of his achievements, he founded a career at the Bar. Conscious of the example that he was, he lost no opportunity to share his enthusiasm with students at Liverpool John Moores University, where he served ultimately as an Honorary Fellow. For his research into the history of legal life, he was awarded a doctorate. He was the Remembrancer of the Northern Circuit whose history he had chronicled. Fittingly, the Lynch Library at the Royal Courts of Justice was established after he donated his collection of core works on legal lives. And throughout this enthusiasm for Middle Temple was undimmed. Of course, he was ever-present throughout all of our endeavours, and at his best in conversation with young practitioners, in whom he inspired such confidence. In defiance of his illnesses, I could count on updates from David that detailed the names of Middle Templars among the new electees, after every Grand Court. He was always keen to plan for our next event. Unsurprisingly, his distinguished contribution to Northern Circuit legal life – it was very much his warp and weft – was reflected in remarks made by a remarkable number of friends and colleagues among the higher judiciary, and among all those who had known him on home turf. I hope that the little that we will do this coming year will honour the work of David Lynch.

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