I woke up earlier this morning for the London day ! I registered at the beginning of the week in order to visit the Royal Court of Justice in the morning and take the Legal Tour in the afternoon. Then, I joined Sommerville College at 7:30, time of the appointment for groups who took the same visit options. Some other delegates got to visit the British museum or Loyd’s of London and JLL companies.

Getting in the bus, I was a little tired but did not want to miss the occasion to see the English landscape. During the 2 hours and a half of route, I also had the time to begin to read a book (in english of course). The time just flew by and we even arrived 40 minutes early at the Royal Court of Justice. 

I did not expect it to be like that.

Entering the building you feel like you are at church except for the numerous guards protecting the entrance and the two X-ray screening for bags and jackets.

After everyone were checked at the door, the time left allowed all delegates to go to the bathroom, chat between them or have a little rest before the visit. I enjoyed talking with Sam, who was accompanying us for the day, and my new chinese friends about differences between our three languages. It was really funny and I learned many interesting facts.

When the guide arrived, he gave us some historical details about the architecture of the building imagined by Georges Edmund Street and the organisation of the judicial system back to the end of the 19th century.

What I liked is when he talked about the English traditions at court for lawyers and judges like the use of wigs and robes. He  told us that it also provided some parity between the parties in order for example  to put at the same level a brand new lawyer and a 20-years-experienced one. At the end of the tour, we attended a real trial and got to actually see the clothing of judge and lawyers. It was exciting to see them work in action !

After lunch, we met our second guide for the legal tour. She taught us the differences between two types of lawyers : barristers and solicitors. We learned that the first deals with trial cases whereas the other does the legal work outside of courts. The sun coming back, we took a walk through the Inns of Court which are mandatory associations for all barristers in England and Wales. We were lucky to meet some graduating students in their academic dresses as we walked past Gray’s Inn.

Coming back to St Anne’s, I am studying in order to get prepared for tomorrow’s test. Hope everything will be fine !

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