Sir John and Lady Sophie Laws attended the annual conferences of the Bar European Group for many years. We have reproduced an extract from one Sir John’s speeches – delivered as President of BEG in Rome in 2007, and Lady Sophie Laws’ candid insights into her role as “historical researcher”.

This issue is a tribute to our late President, Sir John Laws, who passed away on 5 April 2020.

Rupert Paines of 11 KBW gives a personal view of the UK Government’s recent consultation on retained EU law, in which the Bar European Group took part.

Phillip Souta, the Advocate’s editor, spoke to Geoffrey Cox QC MP via video-link from his Devon constituency about honouring national agreements and what it means to be a barrister.