To the next 160 years

A happy New Year to all. As the tinsel is taken down, the wine padlocked away for a month, and new gym memberships optimistically paid for, there will undoubtedly be a few of you already feeling the January blues.

But fear not, dear reader, for we bring you glad tidings. I am proud to announce that this year, Solicitors Journal will be entering its 160th year of continuous publication and, as with any major milestone, we plan to celebrate this momentous achievement in style.

The editorial team, with the assistance of the British Library, has been busy digging through SJ’s archives to unearth some gems of stories past, such as calls to aid pauper litigants in the late 1800s (a Legal Aid Act if you will), women securing the vote in 1918, and Her Majesty’s accession to the throne in 1952 (and the subtle change from KC to QC), to name but a few. Over the course of the year, we’ll be sharing key moments from past editions, starting this week with news of the Journal’s beginning. 

Diversity within the profession has thankfully improved over the past 160 years. I still find it incredible that the Journal pre-dates the admission of women to the roll and even the Matrimonial Causes Act, which, later in 1857, revolutionised divorce law and set the path for family lawyers nationwide to ‘celebrate’ ‘Divorce Day’ every January.

As the first journal to focus on our profession – almost 50 years before the Law Society’s own weekly gazette – Solicitors Journal remains at the forefront of news reporting and legal analysis. From its earliest days, the magazine aimed to highlight significant legal issues and case reports, as well as the social and economic developments of the day, to promote discussion and debate. 

Of course, this was undertaken with a careful eye to impartiality and avoiding allegiance to party politics. Frequently that last tenet has proved difficult to hold to, as the impacts of government reforms on access to justice are felt, and as the profession is disparaged openly in parliament for political gain. 

Over the last year, SJ has sought out some of the biggest names in politics to bring you their views on the issues that matter to you. The next 12 months will be no different, as you will note in this issue which features an exclusive interview with Lord Falconer, who details his plans to win the justice debate in 2016.

We are also tremendously excited to announce the launch of Solicitors Journal Awards: Recognising brilliance in a changing legal world. This inaugural year will see the awards hosted by none other than eminent British broadcaster Andrew Marr, and judged by a host of prominent legal minds.

The Awards will recognise the innovation, talent, and outstanding client service of the best individuals and firms from across the nation, but we cannot do it alone. The Awards need your input. Be sure to vote for your firm, team, or colleagues to ensure their hard work is celebrated. For award categories, rules and more information, read more here. And don’t forget to follow @sj_awards on Twitter for news of the awards.

So, with best wishes for the New Year, the whole SJ team look forward to continuing to share and listen to your views on all the latest legal news, reviews, opinions,  and commentary in print and online in 2016. Here’s to the next 160 years!

Kevin Poulter is SJ's editor at large and a legal director at Bircham Dyson Bell @kevinpoulter