The Nicholas Bacon Law Society is the law society of Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge. The law society is named after Elizabethan Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, and former member of the college, Sir Nicholas Bacon, who has a statue outside the college chapel, alongside former Archbishop of Canterbury and Master of Corpus, Matthew Parker.
The society was founded in 1972 to serve as a link between the college and alumni, and to give current students at the college greater access to opportunities in the legal industry[1]. The college, aided by the activities of the law society, has a strong reputation for mooting success[2], including victory in the 2024 'Corpus challenge' moot, a moot between Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and her sister college, Corpus Christi College, Oxford, who take turns hosting.
Events
editThe society host events throughout the year for students and fellows of the college, including onboarding sessions in freshers week for the new undergraduate students, dinners with solicitors firms, the annual NBLS alumni dinner in lent term, and a garden party after exams in easter term.
The annual NBLS dinner
The annual NBLS dinner is preceded by a moot competition; the first year law students at Corpus compete in a moot competition before a senior judge and Corpus alumni, in 2024, the Right Honourable, Lord Etherton PC, with the winner receiving a prize during the dinner. Mooting forms an integral part of the experience of studying law at Cambridge, and Corpus has a reputation for success in University wide competitions.
The annual NBLS dinner is the main event in the NBLS calendar, usually taking place near the end of Lent term, the second term in the academic year at the University of Cambridge. The dinner is open to law students at Corpus, both undergrad and postgrad, law fellows of the college, and Corpus Christi alumni who are either studying or practicing law around the world.
The dinner begins with a speeches from esteemed guests and fellows, notably President of the NBLS, Lord Etherton. It is an opportunity for members of the college, past and present, to socialise, and for current students to hear from those already in the legal industry.
Nicholas Bacon Fund
editThe Nicholas Bacon Fund, separate but linked to the society, was founded in 2006 to provide financial assistance to law students at Corpus. Today, it provides bursaries to current students to prevent financial inhibitions to studying law at Corpus, as well as prizes to those students who perform particularly well in Tripos exams, and funds all students with core topic textbooks free of charge[3].
- ^ Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (Easter term, 2006) Liz Winter. "Nicholas Bacon Bursary Fund" (PDF). The Pelican. Retrieved 17 May 2024
- ^ Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. "Law at Corpus". Retrieved 2024-05-17.
- ^ Lord Bridges KCVO (on behalf of trustees) (2023-06-30). Trustees' report and financial statements (Report). Retrieved 2024-05-17.