​James Wilson
Author
"In this excellent book, James Wilson has managed to capture both the man and the judge"
​
- Lord Neuberger, former President of the Supreme Court
"It is easy to read, full of interesting information, and very well produced. ... This book is above all a successful attempt to deliver a readable, honest and accurate portrait of the man, and of some of his most interesting and significant judgments."
- Law Society Gazette.
Lord Denning: Life, Law and Legacy
Published by Wildy, Simmonds & Hill, 2023
Lord Denning was the most famous English judge of the twentieth century. Arguably, he was the most famous of any century.
​
His judgments were legendary for both their style and substance. The style was instantly recognisable, with his short sentences and unique method of storytelling. The substance was always less about law and more about justice, as Denning looked for the fairest outcome to every case before him.
​
Over time, Denning’s views on justice and his manipulation of precedent became increasingly controversial. As society changed around him, he adhered rigidly to the Edwardian morality of his childhood. His report on the Profumo Affair – the most sensational political scandal of post-war Britain – was dismissed by some as an ‘establishment whitewash’. His rulings in trade union disputes earned him many critics, while his dismissal of the appeal of the ‘Birmingham Six’ falsely convicted of a terrorist atrocity became notorious when a gross miscarriage of justice was later uncovered. Yet enough goodwill remained for him to be called after his death ‘the best-known and best-loved judge in the whole ofour history’ by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Bingham.
For all his controversies, there is no question that Denning led an extraordinary life. Born into a family of modest means in a small Hampshire town in 1899, he went on to gain two firsts from Oxford and a commission in the First World War, before becoming a successful barrister and serving almost 40 years as a senior judge.
This book looks at that remarkable life story as well as assessing Denning’s legacy, showing how he continues to influence, inspire and occasionally infuriate.
The book is available from Amazon here or from the publishers
directly here.
In 1979, The Advocates Society welcomed Lord Tom Denning to Toronto. He was on a tour publicizing his latest book. I was gifted The Discipline of Law as a call to the bar gift shortly after.
Forty-five years on—and a quarter century after the world-famous jurist’s death at 100—James Wilson’s new biography is an excellent and thorough review of the still relevant, and always controversial jurist. Wilson himself practices law in New Zealand and the U.K., and is an accomplished writer on legal topics, including exploring legal cases around the game of cricket. The result is not only a highly readable biography but an excellent reference source on the innumerable areas of the law that Denning contributed to developing.
​
The book’s 23 chapters extensively cover Denning’s life and upbringing and every stage of his legal career. These are preceded by the book’s opening, which includes quotes about him and by him (never overly modest!) Among the mostly glowing accolades is a comment from Reuben Hassan, Professor Emeritus at Osgoode Hall Law School, who opines that Lord Denning “fell considerably short of the stature of a great judge (or jurist).” The late-Lord Brooke declares him as “rather a discredited figure.”
Through an examination of the man’s life and times, Wilson gives us insight into what drove both Denning’s innovation as well as his often moralistic, judgmental rigidness. His strengths and weakness in many ways reflected the changing society of England during his long life. The book is also meticulously footnoted with a select bibliography of over ten pages including reports or works authored by Denning.
​
The last chapter, appropriately titled “A Final Judgement,” includes a critical analysis of Denning’s well known, catchy, succinct openings that he is so remembered for: “It all started in a public house,” or “ A man’s head got caught in a propeller.” While memorable, among other criticisms, the author suggests that putting the merits of the case up front with the facts was Denning’s way of getting the reader to agree with his decision.
In summary, Wilson has delivered a well-organized, readable, and interesting biography / legal-social history that should give a judicial reader both insight and knowledge of perhaps the most influential jurist of the modern era.