SERGEANT-AT-LAW

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 147, 23 June 1928, Page 20

SERGEANT-AT-LAW

. OBSOLETE |A ; NX ;;AT TUB B'AE, '■ ThenTis not kt~the'English Bar any representative of the ancient order of the coif/ aiiyTaergbaufcaWfiw (writes a "Barrister-at-liim". in the- '-'Daily Telegraph"). Lord Lindlcy, who died in. 1021, was thb last survivor, as lie also was tho' last to'bb appointed, in 1875. But while the rank lias become obsolete, it .lias, iuycr been abolishoilj and ootild if iioecssary. bo .'revived. For-this statement"there is support in a sentence, in Mr. Inderwiek -s valuable historical boole, ','Tho King's Peace." Alter explaining how. our legal system has wavered between centralisation and . ; deeentr.alisation, the author proceeds; "Tho Sergeants, though they,I,havei disappeared, have not been and „th;e sanio .public clamour which rondered necessary the restoration./of. a-'Supreme Court might at any time;revive the degree and dignity of a: Se'rgeant-at-law." , At the moment there does not seem to bo the least likelihood of the revivalof the Sergeant'aa.an active legal agent, or iridoed. any,- need for his reappearance in that sense. y The-"King's Counsel': has 'taken 'his' place, and there1 is neither, room nor work for,both. .But it is proverbial .that lawyers' h'old'*all things;.anelent.-.i.n. deep -veneration, and tht great dignity-.of the.ancient 'order of Serjeants has led many to-think that its revival, in name at least, if not in function, would be'welcomed. ' . , "Without question, tho sergeant filled a place in .public life,which might stir the envy of his successors. ■ Hq -W.ap the father of the -Bar.-.' Dickens selected" him for description—ox1 burlcsquo-r-as one of the most-familiar and prominent figures of ' his'■' time. '• He enjoyed a. status and .privileges which did not 'pass on to. the" silks" who supplanted him. The judicial bench of the old common-law courts was recruited exclusively form his rank. None but. a.scrjeant had audienfeo of -the Court of Common Pleas. Ho was privileged, to address Judges,, aiid to be. addressed by as. "brother. '''/"". , .' Ho had recognised social status indopendonf.of his profession. His legal) ■wardrobe was : extensive and . costly, ■which enhanced tho 'dignity of his appearanceV and tho gifts .and banquets fe was expected to provide on his ap-. ointment required him to be a man of very substantial., means/ .1 . : / Admittedly, the.work' he did is all as well done now by-others. But the; figure and the name have totally disappeared..- Why, some have been moved to ask,.should not.at least the style be revived, as a fitting;honour to bestow upon those who. rbtiro from tho-Bar with special distinction? 'The names of several- will roadily: come to mind -t6 which it would bo a worthy prefix, preserving touch with-an ancient and honourable degree in one of the oldest of profession's.] The Irish Bar has still its Serjeants,■ one- of whom, being also a .member of tho English Bar, practises in this'country. .Whether it.-is-.proper ■ here, to describe him .as; ''Serjeant" may be doubted, ftut the fact that he is often so honoured may bo considered a reason why the parent' body should restore to'the Eaw List the old familiar headline "Scrjeants-at-Law." .