* With all the rumpus over Derek Conway’s hiring of his family to do his parliamentary work, is it time for MPs to introduce a ban? Anthony Fincham, head of employment at CMS Cameron McKenna, says Parliament “would do well to follow the US Congress” example in this respect, adding: “Once, the lifeblood of legal practices was the progeny of partners – but now many of the larger firms don’t allow the recruitment of partners’ children.” In any case, would the advice be independent? “Not many parents accept and act on their advice of their children.” But he argues there’s a case for making MPs’ spouses a special category – as “protection against MPs falling from grace through some sexual peccadillo”. Any regrets, Mr Prescott?
* The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, should ensure the Temple Festival gets some headlines when he launches the first of its six lectures-cum-debates this Thursday on Islam in English law. The event has proved so popular that it’s had to be moved from the Temple Church to another temple of the law... the Royal Courts of Justice.
* Former judges Sir Robin Auld and Christopher Gardner, QC, are of course returning as arbitrators/mediators to Lamb Chambers, and not Lamb Building, as The Times’ Law Diary reported on January 22. A different set, of course, although confusingly, also with the Lamb Building address. Apologies – too many lambs, clearly. John Cherry, QC, head of Lamb Chambers, is delighted about the two who have come back into the fold. “An exciting time for us.”
* A North Carolina lawyer was found in contempt of court this week after being caught reading men’s magazine Maxim during a hearing. Judge Kevin Eddinger took exception to Todd Paris’ choice of reading matter after noticing “a female topless model” on the cover, according to The Salisbury Post. Despite the lawyer’s protestations that the magazine “was not pornography and was available at local stores” he was fined $300 and given a 15 day suspended jail sentence for “grossly inappropriate, patently offensive” behaviour.
* A former student who sued New York University for $1 million claiming he broke his hip during a Jell-o wrestling dorm party has had his case thrown out. Avram Wisnia helped organise a student party called “Beach Bash” and, according to his lawsuit, was horsing around in paddling pool filled with gelatine when he fell over, shattering his hip. The lawsuit blamed the university for for allowing the event, but a New York judge dismissed it this week, saying Wisnia knew what he was doing.
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* British law schools are a bit cagey when it comes to revealing details of donations from former students but it’s a fair bet they didn’t do as well as Harvard, whose grateful alumni coughed up $48 million last year. New York University Law School was slightly behind with $42 million while Columbia – where three quarters of former students are said to be donors – had to make do with $24 million, reports The National Law Journal. Did anyone give anyone give anything to BPP or the College of Law?
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