Legal leaders from the UK and overseas came together for the annual service at Westminster Abbey to mark the Opening of the Legal Year last month.

At the occasion, which has been a fixture in the legal calendar since the Middle Ages, judges have traditionally prayed for guidance at the start of the new legal term. 

The service followed a series of events organised over two days by the Bar Council and the Law Society, attended by more than 60 international bar representatives from over 40 jurisdictions. The sessions focused on legal professional privilege, the role of witnesses and the rule of law.

Chairman of the Bar Alistair MacDonald QC said: “The Opening of the Legal Year is the most celebrated event in the legal profession’s calendar. The programme of events and the number and range of international participants demonstrates the global orientation of our profession.

“It also enables us to discuss the future of our profession and the challenges and opportunities we face, to reflect on the values we share with fellow legal practitioners overseas, and to reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law.”