Not according to the view of many in Britain:
The London Solicitors Litigation Association has attacked Government proposals to allow some judges to return to private practice, warning that public perception of judicial impartiality could be compromised. The body, which represents around 800 City litigators, called the proposals “a retrograde step”.
(“The Water Cooler”, Times Online, scroll to Dec. 13). For the benefit of international readers, it should be noted that retired judges in the U.S. can and often do return to private practice. Most elect to practice relatively sedate forms of law, but an exception familiar to Minnesotans is former federal judge Miles Lord, whose personal injury practice, established after he departed his controversial tenure on the bench, has taken out full-page Yellow Pages ads touting his background.
3 Comments
The question is not whether retired judges should practice law; rather, it is whether they may be so indiscreet as to promote their practice of law by advertising their time on the bench. Yes to the first question and no to the second.
I would imagine that once an attorney becomes a judge, runs though several years of such and finally gets to get out, they would be more than happy to be just that OUT and totally fed up!
I’m sure the public is mostly done with them as well!
But that’s just my own thoughts. Yours may differ.
I think it is similar to the ethics of politicians that get cushy jobs after leaving office from industries that they passed legislation. If a judge opens up a private practice for his or herself it’s probably not a problem, but if the judge joins a lawfirm that tried cases before the judge, then it could be seen as payback for favorable rulings.