Lives of the Law

Compiles definitive versions of Tom Bingham's most important essays and lectures written and delivered in his time as Senior Law Lord Provides an engaging, insightful commentary on the main constitutional and legal reforms over the last decade, to which Bingham made a major contribution Presents Bingham's views on the future of the British constitution and Human Rights Act, a timely contribution to the current debates on the future of the British State Includes eight papers published here for the first time Tom Bingham (1933-2010) was the 'greatest judge of our time' (The Guardian), a towering figure in modern British public life who championed the rule of law and human rights inside and outside the courtroom. Lives of the Law collects Bingham's most important later writings, in which he brings his distinctive, engaging style to tell the story of the diverse lives of the law: its life in government, in business, and in human wrongdoing. Following on from The Business of Judging (2000), the papers collected here tackle some of the major debates in British public life over the last decade, from reforming the constitution to the growth of human rights law. They offer Bingham's distinctive insight on issues such as the role of the judiciary in a democracy, the implementation of the Human Rights Act, and the development of the rule of law, in the UK and internationally. Written in the accessible style that made The Rule of Law (2010) a popular success, the book will be essential reading for all those working in law, and an engaging inroad to understanding modern constitutional and legal debates for the general reader. Readership: Judges, barristers, and solicitors. Scholars and students with an interest on constitutional, legal, and public issues. Anyone working on public affairs in the UK and commonwealth.