The English legal profession, uncharacteristically, was often in the headlines during the 1990s. Reforms initiated by a Conservative Lord Chancellor and extended by his Labour successor transformed traditions, over the vigorous objections of the judiciary, Bar, and Law Society. Rapid market developments enriched some barristers and solicitors while squeezing others. The two professional associations confronted crises in self-regulation and governance. This book mines that tumultuous period for insights into the prospects of professionalism in the 21st century.

• 1: The Legal Profession in English Politics


• 2: An Unlikely Revolutionary


• 3: Halting the Tide


• 4: Reflecting Society?


• 5: Defending the Temple


• 6: Controlling Competition


• 7: Conservatives Cut Legal Aid Costs


• 8: Labour Ends Legal Aid As We Know It


• 9: Serving Two Masters: The Dilemma of Self-Regulation


• 10: Governing a Fractious Profession


• 11: The Future of Legal Professionalism

Richard Abel is Connell Professor of Law, UCLA . He is a member of the Bars of New York and Connecticut