Lennie Hoffmann, Baron Hoffmann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Hoffmann
GBS PC
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Hoffmann in 2018
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| Second Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary | |||||||||
| In office 10 January 2007 – 21 April 2009 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||
| Preceded by | The Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | The Lord Hope of Craighead | ||||||||
| Lord of Appeal in Ordinary | |||||||||
| In office 21 February 1995 – 21 April 2009 |
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| Succeeded by | The Lord Collins of Mapesbury | ||||||||
| Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong | |||||||||
| Assumed office 12 January 1998 |
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| Appointed by | Tung Chee-hwa | ||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||
| Born |
Leonard Hubert Hoffmann
8 May 1934 Cape Town, Union of South Africa |
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| Nationality | British | ||||||||
| Spouses | Gillian, Lady Hoffmann | ||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||
| Alma mater | |||||||||
| Occupation | Jurist | ||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Chinese | 賀輔明 | ||||||||
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Lord Leonard Hubert Hoffmann, often called "Lennie," was born on May 8, 1934. He is a very important judge from South Africa and Britain. He used to be a top judge in the United Kingdom, known as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, from 1995 to 2009.
Currently, he serves as a special judge for the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong. He is known for making interesting decisions and sometimes doing things differently from what is expected. He has greatly influenced how legal agreements are understood, how companies are run, and how human rights and new inventions (like patents) are protected by law.
Contents
Early Life and Family Roots
Leonard Hubert Hoffmann was born on May 8, 1934, in Muizenberg, South Africa. His family was Jewish, and his grandparents moved there from Eastern Europe in the late 1800s. His father was a well-known lawyer who helped start a big law firm in Africa called Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs.
Education and Early Career
Lord Hoffmann first studied at the University of Cape Town. Then, he went to The Queen's College, Oxford, in England, as a Rhodes Scholar. There, he earned a special law degree called the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) and won an award called the Vinerian Scholarship.
From 1961 to 1973, he taught law at University College, Oxford. He is now an honorary member there.
Becoming a Lawyer
He became a barrister in 1973. A barrister is a type of lawyer who speaks in court. His very first client was a law student who had been unfairly told to leave his home.
In 1963, he wrote a book called The South African Law of Evidence. This book became a very important guide for lawyers and has been updated many times. After becoming a barrister in 1964, Hoffmann quickly became one of the most respected and sought-after lawyers. He was made a judge soon after, becoming a Queen's Counsel on April 19, 1977.
Judicial Career Highlights
Lord Hoffmann was appointed as a judge in the courts of Jersey and Guernsey in 1980, serving until 1985. He also served in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, from 1985 to 1992. When he became a High Court judge on July 23, 1985, he was given the title of Knight Bachelor, which is a common tradition.
Later, he became a Lord Justice of Appeal in 1992, serving until 1995. In 1995, he was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, also known as a Law Lord. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords, with the special title of Baron Hoffmann, from Chedworth in Gloucestershire.
He was known for his important decisions in cases about trust law and tax law. He also set out five key rules for understanding contracts in a famous case called Investors Compensation Scheme Ltd v West Bromwich Building Society.
He retired as a Law Lord on April 20, 2009. After that, he became an Honorary Professor of Intellectual Property Law at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary, University of London.
Serving in Hong Kong
Since 1998, Lord Hoffmann has been a special judge for the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. In 2014, he received a special award from the leader of Hong Kong called the Gold Bauhinia Star.
Fairness and Public Service
Lord Hoffmann believes that judges must always be fair and avoid any situations where their personal connections might seem to influence their decisions. He once had to explain his family's connection to a human rights group called Amnesty International when he was involved in a big case. He stated that his family's work did not affect his role as a judge.
Personal Life and Interests
Leonard and Gillian (Sterner) Hoffmann have two daughters and two grandchildren. They got married in Cape Town in the late 1950s. In 1999, the Hoffmanns lived in Hempstead, London, and spent their weekends in Chedworth.
Lord Hoffmann enjoys cycling and going to the opera. He has also used these interests to help various charities. He is also very interested in Israel, especially its legal system.
Views on National Security and Rights
Lord Hoffmann has been involved in important legal decisions about national security and terrorism. These cases often involve balancing the government's need to keep people safe with protecting individual rights.
In one case, he wrote that in matters of national security, judges should respect the decisions made by government ministers. He believed that these important decisions, which affect everyone, should be made by elected officials who are responsible to the public.
However, in a later case in 2004, Lord Hoffmann took a strong stand against the government. He argued that the biggest threat to a nation's way of life comes not from terrorism itself, but from laws that might take away people's traditional rights and values. He said it was up to the Parliament to decide if they wanted to give terrorists such a "victory" by passing such laws.
In another case in 2005, he clearly stated that using torture is "dishonourable." He believed it harms and degrades any country and legal system that allows it.
