The American Bar Association (ABA) commemorated a significant milestone this week, marking 100 years since its inaugural visit to the UK in 1924. 

The original event, described by one attendee, J. Carroll Hayes, as "a most unique occurrence in the legal world", brought together some of the leading legal minds of the era for a week-long exchange of ideas and cultural experiences. 

This year, the International Law Section hosted the November 13-15 anniversary conference at London's historic Inner and Middle Temples.

Opening the conference, the UK’s Legal Services minister, Heidi Alexander MP, said: “This conference is a testament to the strong, enduring bonds between our two legal communities and the shared values that connect us.” 

That such bonds continue is illustrated by the announcement last week that Herbert Smith Freehills and New York's Kramer Levin are planning to merger, hard on the heels of the launch of A&O Shearman, the latest in a line of US-UK alliances that spans Bryan Cave’s merger with Berwin Leighton Paisner, now BCLP, to the deal that created Womble Bond Dickinson. 

As recorded by the ABA Journal in an article in September, the 1924 visit was notable for its ambitious agenda and the prestigious locations that hosted the ABA's members. The visit included a formal reception at Westminster Hall, where the entire UK judiciary assembled to welcome their American counterparts, and a garden party at Buckingham Palace hosted by King George V. 

The attendees, including influential figures like Charles Evan Hughes, then president of the ABA and later US Secretary of State, and US Supreme Court Justice George Sutherland, engaged in discussions that spanned international law – and lawyers.

Reflecting on the visit, Hayes noted the profound impact of the transatlantic exchange on the future of Anglo-American legal relations. The visit allowed a comparative study of the two nations' judicial and social systems, fostering ongoing mutual respect and understanding.

The world has changed since the former Liberal prime minister, Herbert Asquith, soon to be the Earl of Oxford, addressed the ABA. And it keeps changing. Asquith's heirs will shortly lose their right to sit in the House of Lords. Lord Hermer KC, as Attorney General, would appear to have little in common with Matt Gaetz, the Republican nominee for Attorney General in the United States. 

That respect and understanding may be strained under the Trump administration, albeit 1924 and 2024 both saw new Labour governments keen to make their mark. Sir Keir Starmer may hope his ministry lasts longer than Ramsey McDonald’s first administration.   

The 2024 conference explored 1924’s legacy with the theme 'Tradition, Innovation and Influence'. Sessions covered topics including business law, competition law, dispute resolution, intellectual property, legal ethics, the practice of law, private wealth management and trade sanctions. 

Former Allen & Overy partner Jeffrey Golden KC (Hon), of 3 Hare Court, a former chair of the International Law Section, told GLP the conference had a dual emphasis on reflecting on a century of legal exchanges while also looking forward to the future of law in a global context. 

It featured programming designed to reflect the spirit of the 1924 visit. Highlights included a plenary session that explored the significant roles played by the American Law Institute and the Law Commission in developing common law. It was moderated by Justice David Lloyd-Jones of the United Kingdom's Supreme Court, an institution that only recently came into being when it superseded the House of Lords. 

Another session – Civics, Civility, and Collaboration – addressed the goal of fostering an ethical and diverse legal profession. It took place against the backdrop of the final hearings of the Post Office Inquiry, widely dubbed the widest miscarriage of justice in UK legal history, and a lecture by Richard Moorhead, professor of law and professional ethics at the University of Exeter, in which he proposed a series of reforms designed to raise ethical standards.

Attendees also enjoyed social events that echoed the 1924 visit's grandeur, including a tour of Runnymede, where the Magna Carta was signed and an ABA memorial dedicated to the rule of law remains.

The visit underscored an enduring bond between US and the UK legal traditions, something that Hermer, who has made the rule of law a priority, would doubtless approve of. Let us hope Gaetz feels the same way.