As Christmas approaches, my time for writing articles is limited. I have therefore simply reproduced a truncated version of our principles below and interspersed them with supporting quotes.
The Cab rank rule
From the moment that any advocate can be permitted to say that he will, or will not, stand between the Crown and the subject arraigned in the court where he daily sits to practise, from that moment the liberties of England are at an end. If the advocate refuses to defend, from what he may think of the charge or of the defence, he assumes the character of the Judge:......” " [State Trials: 18.12.1792. – Thomas Erskine]
Sincerity
“Hateful to me as are the gates of Hades is that man who says one thing, and hides another in his heart”. (Homer – Iliad ix 312).
Fortitude & fearlessly acting in our client’s interests
“Fortitude is the marshal of thought, the armour of the will, and the fort of reason” (Francis Bacon).
Free speech
We can never be sure that the opinion we are stifling is a false opinion; and if we were sure, stifling it would be an evil still.
First, the opinion which it is attempted to suppress by authority may possibly be true. Those who desire to suppress it, of course, deny its truth; but they are not infallible. They have no authority to decide the question for all mankind and exclude every other person from the means of judging. To refuse a hearing to an opinion because they are sure it is false is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty. All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility. (John Stuart Mill – On Liberty - Penguin Books 1985 edition, Chapter II p77)
Honesty and transparency about costs
“The foundation of justice is good faith” (Cicero De Off I.vii)
Access to justice
The following is a quote about legal aid. We cannot accept direct access work for legally aided clients but can do so via a solicitor. The quote however would apply equally to the offering of low costs and flexible arrangements, without which cases would be dropped or would be pursued by litigants in person, without any assistance from qualified lawyers:
“That is true whether one reduces the types of claim which qualify for legal aid or increases the stringency of the requirements of eligibility for legal aid. The recent changes have done both. If a person with a potential claim cannot get legal aid, there are two possible consequences. The first is that the claim is dropped: that is a rank denial of justice and a blot on the rule of law. The second is that the claim is pursued, in which case it will be pursued inefficiently, and will take up much more of the court staffs’ time and of the judge’s time in and out of court. So that it means greater costs for the court system, and delay for other litigants.” (Lord Neugerber)
Lateral thinking
Honour
“Choose loss rather than shameful gains” (Greek. Chilton Fr 10. Diels)
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