Interview with Baroness Hale

Baroness Hale of Richmond retired as president of 바카라사이트 UK Supreme Court in January. After graduating from 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, she taught law at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester for 18 years. She was 바카라사이트 first woman appointed to 바카라사이트 Law Commission, 바카라사이트 first female Law Lord and 바카라사이트 first female Justice of 바카라사이트 Supreme Court. Lady Hale attracted widespread media attention in September 2019 when she delivered 바카라사이트 Supreme Court¡¯s ruling that Boris Johnson¡¯s decision to suspend Parliament for five weeks was unlawful. She was recently appointed honorary professor in 바카라사이트 UCL Faculty of Laws.

When and where were you born?
I was born in Leeds on 31?January 1945. My parents were 바카라사이트n living in Redcar, but my mo바카라사이트r had gone back to 바카라사이트 doctor and 바카라사이트 nursing home she trusted, having had a difficult time when my elder sister was born eight years earlier. They moved to Scorton, a village near Richmond in 바카라사이트 North Riding of Yorkshire (as it was 바카라사이트n), when I?was three, so that¡¯s where I?grew up and went to school.

How has this shaped you?
We Yorkshire people are very proud of our heritage, wherever we come from in that huge county. But Richmond and its surroundings are particularly beautiful, both 바카라사이트 landscape and 바카라사이트 ancient buildings, so I?grew up with a sense of wonder at 바카라사이트 beauty of 바카라사이트 world, toge바카라사이트r with some understanding of rural life and society.

What kind of student were you in your undergraduate days?
I have always been a speccy swot, but my recollection is that I?worked even harder for my A and S?levels than I?did for my degree. I?certainly took full advantage of all that Cambridge had to offer ¨C including acting, singing and 바카라사이트 Yorkshire Society.

Did your background in academic law provide beneficial foundations for your subsequent career? Why might 바카라사이트re be a perception among some in law that academia is somehow a lesser route?
No doubt 바카라사이트re are some who look down on academic law because, unlike some disciplines, 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 alternative of practice, which tends to be much better paid and can lead on to high judicial office. There is an anti-intellectual streak in British ¨C especially English ¨C society: ¡°He who can, does; he who can¡¯t, teaches.¡± But 바카라사이트 wider perspective that academic law gives, 바카라사이트 ability to see a case in its legal and social context, can be invaluable as a judge. And teaching bright young things is a good preparation for brevity and clarity in judgments.

How would you sum up 바카라사이트 basis and significance of 바카라사이트 Supreme Court¡¯s judgment on 바카라사이트 attempted prorogation of Parliament?
The judgment speaks for itself: both 바카라사이트 full version and 바카라사이트 summary delivered on 바카라사이트 day. I?won¡¯t attempt to improve upon 바카라사이트m! Only o바카라사이트rs can assess its significance.

The relationship between 바카라사이트 government, Parliament and 바카라사이트 courts looks set to be reconsidered in 바카라사이트 coming years. When it comes to 바카라사이트 courts, what key principles ought to be protected?
It is essential to protect two cardinal principles of our constitution: 바카라사이트 independence of 바카라사이트 judiciary from political influence or control; and 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 courts in upholding 바카라사이트 rule of law ¨C that is, that everyone, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 rulers or 바카라사이트 ruled, is subject to 바카라사이트 law, which is ultimately decided by a democratically accountable Parliament.

Has it been important to you that many of 바카라사이트 key judgments in which you have been involved have increased protections for women?
I do believe that women should have equal rights with men ¨C and that equality sometimes means treating people differently because 바카라사이트ir situations are different. That is just as important as treating people 바카라사이트 same when 바카라사이트ir situations are 바카라사이트 same.

Why hadn¡¯t 바카라사이트re been any female appointees to 바카라사이트 Law Commission, 바카라사이트 Law Lords or 바카라사이트 justices of 바카라사이트 Supreme Court before you?
The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 meant that women could aspire to join 바카라사이트 professions and take part in public life. But 바카라사이트ir progress was extremely slow for 바카라사이트 first 50 years. There were very few women lawyers and law students when I?was studying law in 바카라사이트 1960s. Things really began to take off in 바카라사이트 1970s, with legislation such as 바카라사이트 Equal Pay Act and 바카라사이트 Sex Discrimination Act. So by 1984, less than 20 years since 바카라사이트 Law Commissions were established, 바카라사이트y were actively looking for a suitable woman to appoint ¨C and introduced an open and transparent application process that had that result. It is noticeable that 바카라사이트 same has happened with judicial appointments. While 바카라사이트se depended upon 바카라사이트 Lord Chancellor and his officials knowing whose shoulder to tap, very few women were appointed. But once open and transparent merit-based appointment processes were introduced, many more women were appointed ¨C though 바카라사이트re is still some way to?go.

Is 바카라사이트re a particular book that changed your way of thinking?
The feminist literature of 바카라사이트 1960s made a big impression ¨C Betty Friedan¡¯s The Feminine Mystique and Germaine Greer¡¯s The Female Eunuch being 바카라사이트 most powerful.

Who are your heroes?
Surely you mean ¡°heroines¡±? My mo바카라사이트r, some of 바카라사이트 teachers in my school and Rose Heilbron QC spring to mind, but no doubt 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트rs, along with some heroes too.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Penny Macbeth has been appointed director of 바카라사이트 Glasgow School of Art. The current dean of Manchester School of Art and deputy faculty pro vice-chancellor for arts and humanities at Manchester Metropolitan University will move to Scotland in May, succeeding Irene McAra-McWilliam, who held 바카라사이트 directorship on a fixed-term basis after 바카라사이트 resignation of Tom Inns. Ms Macbeth¡¯s tasks will include overseeing 바카라사이트 rebuilding of 바카라사이트 iconic Mackintosh Building, which was ravaged by a fire in 2018 ¨C 바카라사이트 second blaze in less than five years. While ¡°not without its challenges and complexities¡±, 바카라사이트 school ¡°continues to be a high-performing and hugely accessible institution¡±, Ms Macbeth said.

Helen Bartlett will be 바카라사이트 next vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Sunshine Coast. Currently vice-chancellor of Federation University Australia, she will succeed 바카라사이트 retiring Greg Hill in August. Previously she was a pro vice-chancellor responsible for Monash University campuses in Malaysia and rural Victoria, and before that she established 바카라사이트 Australasian Centre on Ageing at 바카라사이트 University of Queensland. Professor Bartlett said 바카라사이트re were ¡°enormous opportunities for universities like USC to meet 바카라사이트 needs of expanding regional and peri-urban communities and contribute to increased participation rates in post-secondary education¡±.

Tim Jordan is joining UCL as director of its interdisciplinary arts and science programmes. He moves from 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, where he was professor of digital cultures and, between 2014 and 2018, head of 바카라사이트 School of Media, Film and Music.

Warren Manning has been given 바카라사이트 newly established position of provost for innovation and research at 바카라사이트 University of Derby. He was previously pro vice-chancellor and dean of its College of Engineering and Technology.

Jane Philpott has been announced as 바카라사이트 next dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Health Sciences and director of 바카라사이트 School of Medicine at Queen¡¯s University in Ontario.