2013 has been jam-packed with legal news and gossip. But how much of it do you remember? (The answers are here)
1. How did top public school Westminster cause controversy in the legal world this year?
a) A careers adviser told a student that he “stood more chance of becoming Santa” than successfully pursuing a career at the Bar.
b) A teacher locked a student in a cupboard for half-an-hour after he had been found guilty by his fellow students during a mock trial.
c) The school auctioned a mini-pupillage to the highest bidder.
d) The school arranged a controversial field trip to witness a murder trial at the Old Bailey.
2. Which branch of the legal profession was voted “seventh sexiest job ever” by GQ magazine in June?
a) City solicitor.
b) Criminal barrister.
c) Human rights barrister.
d) Paralegal.
3. In September a judge at Hull Crown Court sent a defendant to a holding cell for nearly three hours because…
a) …the defendant arrived at court wearing a Hull City shirt (the judge was a Scunthorpe United fan).
b) …the defendant arrived wearing a fleece and tracksuit bottoms.
c) …the defendant told the judge he looked silly in his wig.
d) …the judge had a prior engagement at his local squash club were he had reached the semi-finals of an important competition.
4. What was memorable about Scott Pleasants’ Skype testimony during the televised Zimmerman trial?
a) Pleasants was unaware that people could see him via the Skype call and gave his evidence shirtless.
b) Pleasants’ Skype name was visible to viewers and his evidence was interrupted by a number of prank calls.
c) Pleasants stopped his evidence mid-way through to sign for a parcel that had arrived at his door.
d) Pleasants’ pet cat was visible sitting on his lap as he gave evidence.
5. In February two Tooks Chambers barristers attempted to charge students £186 for what?
a) A mini-pupillage.
b) A private reading by Michael Mansfield QC of his book, ‘Memoirs of a Radical Lawyer’.
c) An opportunity to receive careers advice from a host of eminent lawyers.
d) Chris Grayling’s mobile phone number.
6. Which top judge delivered these words in a judgment this year as they prepared to retire from the bench?
“I am a kindred spirit who has sailed away from the safe harbour of the Royal Courts of Justice, not at all sure how to explore, or what to dream or what I am about to discover.”
a) Sir Henry Brooke.
b) Baron Igor Judge.
c) Sir Alan Ward.
d) Constance Briscoe.
7. A non-practicing barrister was disbarred recently for an unusual offence. What was it?
a) She had been found guilty of cruelty to animals having been caught on CCTV kicking a swan at a wedding.
b) He had been found guilty of endangering a police helicopter by shining a laser pen at it.
c) He had been seen having a beer with Chris Grayling.
d) She had been found guilty of fraud having set up a “fake law firm” to attract more clients.
8. A photo of what law lecture scene has not been uploaded to Twitter this year?
a) A student watching legal drama Suits on his computer.
b) A student wearing a rubber horse’s head.
c) A student knitting.
d) A student drinking a glass of wine.
9. A Ghanaian human rights lawyer had an unusual excuse for falling asleep during a trial concerning the legitimacy of the country’s presidential election. What was it?
a) He claimed falling asleep helped him collect his thoughts and improve his advocacy.
b) He claimed that a spiritual attack by a hippo on a trip to London caused him to fall asleep at inappropriate moments.
c) He claimed that he was a sufferer of narcolepsy.
d) He claimed the softly-spoken judge had a soothing voice which caused him to drift to sleep.
10. A trainee employed by which organisation was caught on camera boasting about “fucking people over for money” earlier this year?
a) Slaughter and May.
b) Bindmans.
c) Clifford Chance.
d) The Free Representation Unit.
11. Which celebrity grabbed the headlines after being spotted out dining with a Doughty Street barrister?
a) George Clooney.
b) Simon Cowell.
c) Lana Del Rey.
d) will.i.am.
12. What bizarre decision by a member of the public generated 80 retweets when highlighted by the @CourtNewsUK Twitter account?
a) Unable to find a seat in the public gallery, the member of the public entered the dock and sat with the defendants.
b) Hungry, the member of the public ordered a takeaway to the court.
c) Morally outraged, the member of the public threw a bottle of water at the defendant.
d) Keen to keep cool, the member of the public arrived at court wearing a vest, shorts and flip-flops.
13. Why was the Home Office left red faced this year over a press release regarding English language tests for migrants?
a) The press release was sent from a member of staff’s personal “sparklesquirrel85@hotmail.com” email account.
b) The press release featured a photograph of Home Secretary Theresa May berating a Turkish takeaway owner.
c) There were a number of spelling and punctuation errors in the press release.
d) The press officer responsible signed off the email “Regard’s”.
14. Tim Taylor, the solicitor father of Made in Chelsea star Hugo, caused controversy this year for doing what?
a) Describing the name of his firm, King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin, as a “fucking mouthful” during a roundtable.
b) Using a cameo appearance on Made in Chelsea to repeatedly plug King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin.
c) Giving work experience to son Hugo outside the formal King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin vacation scheme.
d) Appearing in a Benny Hill-themed video where he chased a female colleague into a swimming pool.
15. What new craze among law students did Legal Cheek bring to light this year?
a) Legal planking — vac schemers share photos of themselves lying facedown in the office.
b) Bewigged selfies — mini-pupils share photos of themselves wearing the wig of the barrister they are shadowing.
c) Court dining — students see what crazy things they can get away with eating during court visits.
d) Inns of Court swapping — students swap Inns of Court for the evening and undertake each others’ qualifying sessions.
16. US lawyer Chris Sevier filed a claim against Apple this year for failing to protect him from what?
a) Accessing pornography having accidentally typed “fuckbook.com” instead of “facebook.com”.
b) Succumbing to an addiction to owning Apple products, having spent $56,000 on them in three years.
c) Developing arthritis from excessive iPad use.
d) His wife finding text messages on his iPhone from another woman, which caused the couple to divorce.
17. Who declared themselves “future proof” this year?
a) The Law Society.
b) Chris Grayling.
c) The Criminal Bar Association.
d) Cobbetts.
18. Why did a video of the Italian Supreme Court go viral in August?
a) Because it captured a police officer doing the YMCA dance during a court recess.
b) Because it captured court staff doing an impromptu Harlem Shake.
c) Because it captured Silvio Berlusconi swearing at a judge.
d) Because it captured the moment an earthquake caused a glass of water to spill onto a judge.
19. When Daniel Beard QC was quoted in The Lawyer as saying, “For any barrister this is the pinnacle”, to what was he referring?
a) His ranking in The Lawyer ‘Hot 100’.
b) His recent success in C-236/09 ABC Test Achats (ECJ — unisex insurance premiums case)
c) His appearance on a Tumblr ranking attractive barristers.
d) Being awarded silk.
20. Lord Justice Moses jokingly suggested that judges could cut costs further by taking sponsorship from which companies?
a) L’Oréal, Silk Cut and Virgin.
b) LexisNexis, the University of Law and Jordan Publishing.
c) Nike, Viagra and Pizza Hut.
d) Poundland, KFC and Primark.
The answers are here.