History of the Oxford Medico Legal Society

(by J Kenwright & Helen Niebuhr)

The Society was founded in 1998 by a barrister, Rob Weir and a solicitor, Helen Niebuhr. The aim was to create a forum where members of the legal  and medical professions could meet to share information. A committee of lawyers, academics, and doctors was formed who thought that it would be fruitful and very interesting to meet regularly in order to listen to, and discuss papers presented by experts on matters of common interest. 

The intention was to create a forum at which a debate could take place on legal and ethical issues of importance to the professions and to society, and that these issues would concern the area of overlap between legal, medical, and allied professionals. It was hoped, and planned that social interaction would also take place. There was strong support for this proposal, and more than 100 people attended the inaugural meeting, held on 22 July 1998 at the Oxford University Press headquarters in Walton Street, at which a paper was presented by Simeon Maskrey QC on “causation”.

In subsequent years papers have been presented at the rate of approximately four per year, on widely ranging topics, and memorable debates have taken place.  The Society has held its meetings at a number of locations in Oxford, including at Oxford University Press in Jericho. 

The founding officers of the Society were Mr Rob Weir, the first Chairman, and Helen Niebuhr, who served as secretary.