Judgecraft and Emotions

Speakers: Dr Ruth Herz and Ann McAllister. Chair: Professor Lisa Webley

In this unusual event, two judges - one from the UK, one from Germany - reflect on their professional experiences and, in particular, the emotional dimension to their work. Their informal conversation will consider the emotional and ethical challenges of their role, and their own take on topics such as judicial diversity, court modernisation initiatives and the role of the media in the pursuit of justice.

Dr Ruth Herz was a judge in the District Court of Cologne’s Youth Court for over thirty years, until 2006. She also spent four years playing the role of the judge in one of Germany’s most popular reality TV shows, ‘Das Jugendgericht’ (‘The Youth Court’) with a daily audience of over two million viewers across Europe. She is currently a visiting professor in the School of Law, Birkbeck, University of London.

Ann McAllister was a barrister specialising in property law for many years. In 2004 she was appointed a Recorder with criminal, civil and chancery tickets. In 2006 she was appointed a full time Deputy Adjudicator to the Land Registry, a specialist tribunal dealing with property disputes. This tribunal is now known as the First Tier Property Chamber and Ann is a judge of this Tribunal.

Chair: Professor Lisa Webley is Professor of Empirical Legal Studies at the University of Westminster, where her research interests include the legal profession, dispute resolution and the legal system. She has carried out funded empirical research for a number of public bodies and organisations and undertakes academic and professional consultancy work, including consultancy for City law firms. She is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London, and Course Director and principal teacher on the Institute’s two week intensive Introduction to Legal and Empirical Research Methods course for MPhil/PhD students.

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