The John F. Sonnett Memorial Lectures at Fordham University School of Law
A Half-Century of Advocacy and Judicial Perspectives
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This book represents the distinguished Sonnett lecture series sponsored by Fordham’s Law School that has taken place for the last 45 years. In this collection, U.S. Supreme Court Justices, a Lord Chancellor of England, three Chief Justices of Ireland, a Chief Justice of South Africa, a President of the Supreme Court of Israel, and other leading judges and lawyers examine common law–based legal systems and underlying principles. The lectures encourage attorneys and society to improve the training of lawyers, respect the independence of the judiciary, place ethics at the forefront, question the efficacy of the criminal justice system, and explore the complex philosophical issues facing the judiciary.
Taken as a whole, these lectures are a prescription for improvements and innovations throughout the legal system. The lectures were delivered by judges and lawyers who were involved in many of the most significant cases of the last half-century that strengthened individual rights and promoted access to justice. Each finds its deepest meaning in advancing the theme of Fordham Law School: “In the Service of Others.”
This volume offers learned, engaging perspectives on law, legal systems, and the judicial task from an array of distinguished judges and lawyers. It is illuminating on how we train lawyers and how judges perceive the judge’s task, juxtaposing American, English, and Irish perspectives.---—R. B. Bernstein, Lecturer in Law and Politics, Colin Powell School, CCNY, and Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Law, New York Law School
“In the Sonnett series, the leaders of legal profession grapple seriously and well, over a period of two generations, with issues that are central to the critical work that lawyers and judges do. It is an important collection from the vantage point of legal history and from the avantage point of legal thought.”---—William Michael Treanor, Georgetown Law School
Written by judges and lawyers from around the world, these essays highlight some of the rewards and challenges experienced by those working in the legal field. In doing so, they touch on themes such as justice, bias, advocacy, reform, legal training, and more. With a collection of essays spanning the course of more than 40 years, this book helps illustrate the evolution of thought in the legal field.---Choice