Clement Bailhache
Encyclopedia
Sir Clement Meacher Bailhache (2 November 1856 – 8 September 1924) was an English
commercial
lawyer
and judge
.
Born Leeds
, the eldest son of parents of Huguenot
descent, his father, Rev Clement Bailache was a Baptist
minister, secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society
, his mother, Emma né Meacher. He was educated at the City of London School
and studied law
at the University of London
, graduating
in 1877.
He initially practised as a solicitor
in Newport, Monmouthshire, marrying Fanny Elizabeth Liebstein in 1881. The couple had a son and two daughters. However, it soon became clear that Bailhache possessed considerable skills as an advocate
, skills under used as a provincial attorney. To pursue a career as a barrister
, he entered the Middle Temple
and was called to the bar in 1912. He practised in commercial law
on the south Wales circuit, his existing network in the legal profession enabling him to advance rapidly. He soon attracted the attention of The City
and he became in demand in London
in the newly established Commercial Court.
Bailhache was made KC in 1908 and appeared in a Commercial Court graced by the advocacy of Thomas Edward Scrutton
and John Hamilton
. However, his two senior colleagues soon became High Court judge
s and Bailhache inherited an extensive practice. He had a great mastery of complex facts and law, and was concise in summarising them. "Few leaders at the bar have said so little or said it so well."
With the growth of commercial litigation in the early twentieth century, by 1912 the Commercial Court was in need of more judges and Bailhache was elevated to a judge of the High Court with the customary knighthood. As a judge, he worked through his list briskly, often paying insufficient attention to the arguments of counsel and often, in consequence, giving rise to successful appeals. He was clear in his judgments though disliked having to reserve judgment. In 1916 he chaired a committee of enquiry into the Royal Flying Corps
but did little other enquiry work.
He maintained his Baptist faith throughout his life and was a committed teetotaller. He was an enthusiastic pipe smoker
, even during formal dinners. He died from a cerebral haemorrhage at Aldeburgh, Suffolk.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
commercial
Commercial law
Commercial law is the body of law that governs business and commercial transactions...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
.
Born Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, the eldest son of parents of Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
descent, his father, Rev Clement Bailache was a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister, secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society
Baptist Missionary Society
rightBMS World Mission is a Christian missionary society founded by Baptists from England in 1792. It was originally called the Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Amongst the Heathen, but for most of its life was known as the Baptist Missionary Society...
, his mother, Emma né Meacher. He was educated at the City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
and studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, graduating
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
in 1877.
He initially practised as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in Newport, Monmouthshire, marrying Fanny Elizabeth Liebstein in 1881. The couple had a son and two daughters. However, it soon became clear that Bailhache possessed considerable skills as an advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
, skills under used as a provincial attorney. To pursue a career as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, he entered the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
and was called to the bar in 1912. He practised in commercial law
Commercial law
Commercial law is the body of law that governs business and commercial transactions...
on the south Wales circuit, his existing network in the legal profession enabling him to advance rapidly. He soon attracted the attention of The City
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
and he became in demand in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the newly established Commercial Court.
Bailhache was made KC in 1908 and appeared in a Commercial Court graced by the advocacy of Thomas Edward Scrutton
Thomas Edward Scrutton
Sir Thomas Edward Scrutton was an English legal text-writer and judge.-Biography:Thomas Edward Scrutton was born in London, UK. He studied as a scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge, then at University College London...
and John Hamilton
John Hamilton, 1st Viscount Sumner
John Andrew Hamilton, 1st Viscount Sumner GCB, PC was a British lawyer and judge. He was appointed a judge of the High Court of Justice in 1909, a Lord Justice of Appeal in 1912 and a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 1913...
. However, his two senior colleagues soon became High Court judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
s and Bailhache inherited an extensive practice. He had a great mastery of complex facts and law, and was concise in summarising them. "Few leaders at the bar have said so little or said it so well."
With the growth of commercial litigation in the early twentieth century, by 1912 the Commercial Court was in need of more judges and Bailhache was elevated to a judge of the High Court with the customary knighthood. As a judge, he worked through his list briskly, often paying insufficient attention to the arguments of counsel and often, in consequence, giving rise to successful appeals. He was clear in his judgments though disliked having to reserve judgment. In 1916 he chaired a committee of enquiry into the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
but did little other enquiry work.
He maintained his Baptist faith throughout his life and was a committed teetotaller. He was an enthusiastic pipe smoker
Pipe smoking
Pipe smoking is the practice of tasting or inhaling the smoke produced by burning a substance, most commonly tobacco, in a pipe. It is the oldest traditional form of smoking.-History:...
, even during formal dinners. He died from a cerebral haemorrhage at Aldeburgh, Suffolk.