With the Law on Our Side

A personal journey around the law, with real and accessible stories and characters – a principled, timely and vital reminder of why justice matters – Philippe Sands, author of East West StreetBrenda Hale is a national treasure. If this country made any sense, we’d make this book part of the syllabus – Ian Dunt, author of How Westminster Works… And Why it Doesn’tThe Spiderwoman rides again; this time in plain clothes to report on how our legal system protects everyone. With the law under threat from decades of cuts, complacency and political hostility, this accessible, forensic and breathtakingly humane explanation may be her most important mission yet – Shami Chakrabarti, author of Human RightsBaroness Hale has done it again - combining wisdom, warmth, and razor-sharp insight to reveal how the law can serve not only the powerful but each and every one of us. This book is a rallying cry for justice that is truly on our side. It reminds us why the rule of law matters and why we must fight to preserve it – Cherie Blair CBE, KCLady Hale has drawn back the often impenetrable curtain of the law to show us how, at its heart, it exists to protect us all … Everyone who cares about a fair and just society should read this book – Sarah Langford, author of In Your DefenceLady Hale opens the doors of the British legal system with clarity, insight, and a passion for justice … She writes with conviction and a deep belief in the power of the law to serve everyone … A reminder of how rare it is to hear from someone who has sat at the very top and still takes the time to observe from the ground. She is, without question, a pioneer - and a living testament to how far the law has come, and how far it still must go – Dr Charlotte Proudman, BarristerEssential reading. This is a remarkably accessible and engaging exploration of the social function of law and its vital role in protecting those whose voices are often unheard. With her legendary intellectual rigour and clarity, Lady Hale draws on her experience as a jurist and educator to demystify complex legal principles and bring them to life through compelling, real-world examples – Professor Dame Hazel GennAn excellent beginner’s guide to the work of the courts be someone who knows them from both sides – Jonathan Sumption, author of The Challenges of Democracy[A] uniquely comprehensive and accessible explanation of our court system and law-making process… Hale shows why access to justice matters for everyone * Week *[With the Law on Our Side] is primarily a book about everyday justice and on this it is powerful and urgent … The fundamental problem is how society thinks about justice … [Lady Hale’s] book reminds us why it matters * Financial Times *

Brenda Hale, Rt Hon the Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE, was born in Yorkshire and studied Law at Girton College, Cambridge. She was called to the Bar in 1969 and spent almost twenty years in academia whilst also practising as a barrister for a short time.

In 1984, Lady Hale became the first woman and the youngest person to be appointed to the Law Commission, where she oversaw critical reforms in family law and mental disability law. She also began sitting as a part time judge, was appointed a QC in 1989, and became a full time judge in the Family Division of the High Court of England and Wales in 1994.

She was the first and only woman to become a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, joining the appellate committee of the House of Lords in 2004, when it was still the top court for the whole United Kingdom. She was the first woman to serve on the newly created Supreme Court, was appointed Deputy President in 2013, and its President from 2017 to 2020.

She lives in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

She is the author of the acclaimed memoir Spider Woman and With the Law On Our Side.