The publication of Basil Haady’s article (”Homosexuality: The Big Debate”, pg 26) in the last issue of King’s Bench has effected a considerable reaction. Some of this has been negative: criticising our decision to publish the article, as well as the manner in which we have done so. However, much of the criticism of our decision to publish the admittedly controversial piece appears to have overlooked the direct rebuttal of the arguments of Mr. Haady in Richard Harmer’s article which we published simultaneously.

King’s Bench was established as a forum for debate amongst the student body. Our editorial decisions are therefore not based on our personal opinions; nor should they be. After much discussion of the sensitivities involved, the editorial team came to the unanimous decision that it was in the public interest that the extreme opinions which Mr. Haady’s article represents, were exposed, countered and subjected, as they indeed were, to rigorous analysis and constructive debate rather than suppressed and ignored.

The very fact of Mr. Haady’s article undermines the suggestion of some of our critics that in the United Kingdom at least further debate on the broad premises and misconceptions expressed in Mr. Haady’s article, objectionable as they might be to some, is redundant.

Moreover, our editorial choices are also informed in significant part by our international and multicultural setting and took account of much broader cross-cultural perspectives of homosexuality, which (between males) is still outlawed in as many as 83 countries.

The charge that the publication of Mr. Haady’s article was in some way an implicit endorsement of the views expressed, or worse, a threat to the wholesome community spirit within the student body at King’s is of the greatest concern to us. With the benefit of hindsight we can see how giving the subject-matter the title “The Big Debate” may have given an impression of moral equivalence of the views expressed. However “The Big Debate” is simply a template that the magazine designed to highlight the absence of editorial intrusion between competing or conflicting views or attitudes. The general disclaimer on page 51 reinforces this policy. Moreover, the overwhelmingly supportive reaction not just from the LGBT community but from the student body as a whole, evidenced in our personal correspondence as well as our public fora, happily negates the latter charge.

Finally, we acknowledge that the fact that the article was written under a pseudonym has been a matter of concern to some of our readers. We accept these and have since made it our policy not to publish anonymous articles.

We sincerely regret any offence caused by the publication of the article and hope that this editorial note will serve to reassure all our readers of the balance that we seek to achieve in promoting the constructive debate of issues in the marketplace of ideas. On the preceding page we publish a further rebuttal of Mr. Haady’s arguments by Professor Robert Wintemute and we will continue to post contributions from the student body on the messageboard of our Facebook group and on our website.

We are happy to announce that Ravi Mehta has won the inaugural King’s Bench Essay Prize. Catherine Greenwood and Dominic Hatje came second and third respectively. Ravi has won an internship with our sponsors, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, a £150 cash prize and a trophy. His winning essay will be published in the next issue of King’s Bench. Catherine and Dominic have been awarded prizes of £60 and £40 respectively. All three essays can be found on this website.

Professor Alan Dashwood, who judged the competition, announced the prizes at a small reception held at the Luncheon Room of the Inner Temple on March 19, 2008. We thank all those who submitted entries and look forward to launching the 2008/2009 competition in late September.

Hi everyone,

King’s Bench, London’s top student magazine, is once again inviting contributions from you all. This is a great opportunity to get your work published and become involved with one of the fastest-growing societies at King’s. What’s more, all contributors will be entered into raffle draw to win a pair of Signature cufflinks from Austin Reed, one of our sponsors. There are many ways to get involved:

Write an ARTICLE (of approx. 1000 words) on the theme for our next issue: ‘Peace in Our Time’.

King’s Bench embraces individuality and there’s so much scope for your creative flair. However, you may find some of the following ideas useful:

• What best is the way forward in Iraq? Should we stay the course and continue to pay the ‘blood price’ or should we cut and run? What are the prospects of the Annapolis Peace Process? Will Mr Bush salvage his legacy before he leaves the Oval Office? Should the Government renew the Trident nuclear missile system or get rid of it unilaterally? What do you think of the phrase ‘War on Terror’?
• From North Korea to Sudan, Kenya to Pakistan there is just so much to write about and nothing is off limits, so make your voice heard!

Write a THEATRE REVIEW.

Seen a brilliant play or musical recently? We are so lucky at King’s to have Theatreland on our doorstep: ‘The Lord of the Rings’ (the musical) is on at Drury Lane, Ewan McGregor and Chiwetel Ejiofor star in ‘Othello’ at the Donmar Warehouse and ‘Blackbird’ the international award-winning play opens soon at the Rose Theatre, Kingston.

So why not take your heads out of those books for a couple of hours, go see a play and in c.700 words tell us what you thought?

Make a CHARITY or other EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT.

In 100 words or fewer, let us know what event you are organising, when it will be held and how and why people should get involved.

SPEAKER’S CORNER - You’re the speaker, King’s Bench is your corner: have your voice heard anonymously on a topic (or annoyance) of your choice.

Send us your PHOTOS related to your life at King’s!

Whether they are of society-organised events or just mad nights out at the Waterfront, we want them all!

All material should be submitted in Microsoft Word format and sent to . Alongside each of these, we want your full name, the course you are enrolled in and your year of study. We also ask that you submit a picture of yourself.

ALUMNI SUBSCRIPTIONS

King’s Bench is introducing an alumni service. For just £10 a year (minus postage), you will be able to continue to receive copies of KB when you leave. If you’re interested, please send an email to .

KING’S BENCH IS RECRUITING

Looking to join a vibrant, progressive student publication? Here’s your chance:

PHOTO EDITOR - We are looking for a creative, hardworking, energetic photographer tojoin the ranks. You will get the opportunity to meet influential people from all walks of life, expenses-paid travel to featured events and will share creative responsibility for the all the photography work in each issue. Whilst the position is unpaid, all expenses will be covered.

We are also looking for a new EDITOR, an ALUMNI OFFICER and a COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER.

If you are interested in any of these positions send a brief paragraph to describing why you would suit the role along with an article or review demonstrating your writing skills.

*Please note that these opportunities are open to students right across King’s and are by no means limited to those studying law.

If you have any questions or would like to know a bit more about the magazine, just drop me a line and I will be more than happy to help.

Finally, don’t forget to check out our website at www.kbkcl.co.uk, and to join our mailing list and Facebook group to keep up to date with all the latest goings-on, both within King’s and KB.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Stretch the breadth of your intellect and offer us the results! King’s Bench Magazine, in association with Weil, Gotshal & Manges, has just launched its inaugural annual essay competition. Here is your opportunity to get involved.

The prize is an award for an essay of outstanding quality by a King’s College, London undergraduate or postgraduate student on a title set by the current KB editorial team. It will be judged by Professor Alan Dashwood, formerly Director in the Legal Service of the Council of the European Union and the founding editor of the European Law Review.

The Essay Title - ‘Does EU law need to protect fundamental human rights?’

The winner will receive one week’s work experience with Weil, Gotshal & Manges, a £150 cash prize, a trophy and publication of their essay. The runners-up will also receive cash prizes and will have their work published on our website.

Essays, a maximum of 2,000 words length (including footnotes), should be typed in size 12 Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and should include the name and year of study of the author in a headnote. Submissions must be sent as an email attachment to no later than 12pm on Friday February 15.

Please email me at if you have any questions. Otherwise get writing!

Pro-bloody-crastination; even saying the word seems like a waste of time. So as I’m sat here, music blaring, laptop on and the workload piling up, a familiar battle takes place - do I give in to the lures of popular entertainment, stroll the internet and engage in that constantly enticing Facebook stalk… or should I buckle to the ever-growing pressure of university work?

To the outsider, the answer would seem pretty obvious - after all, we’re paying three grand for the joys of study, and as we’re constantly reminded by the ‘come and join us’ nature of the big law firms, our hard work will one day pay off.

Or will it?

The issue with all work and no play is that we know exactly what we’re getting - hell, all that’s needed is a couple of contours, and our life is practically mapped out: do the work, beat the competition, and get the job. There would be no complaints here if the job was one of variation and intrigue, but ask anyone who’s meandered their way through the latest trust law bestseller, and they’ll tell you: law is boring.

Initially, this principal is difficult to come to terms with, and a complicated process of self denial is generally employed by the law student, forcing themselves to believe that they haven’t confined themselves to three years of sheer boredom, or in the worst cases, a lifetime of legal entertainment. Unfortunately, such self denial can often subsist, and even grow, leading the said law student to commit themselves to an, albeit generously paid, training contract, in one of the unaptly named ‘magic circle’ firms.

Indeed, the money to some is the selling point; preying upon the value which they attach to social freedom, as opposed to those of eternal riches. Give more weight to the latter and the legal worlds for you - but if any doubts are being housed; well, it’s essential for one to look beyond the dull settings of the court room and its legal offerings.

Any retrospective life wanderer will tell you that lack of money can be compromised with the richness of life; have a good one, building on the freedoms of choice and lifestyle, and a dwindling bank account will be a mere blemish in your life story. However, choose the lure of hefty wage slips in London’s legal network, and it may be that the endless hours spent sifting your way through countless legal volumes will be the determining basis for the middle, and end, of life’s unwritten novel; in which there will most certainly not be any spare pages for the self-indulging art of procrastination.

Hi everyone,

King’s Bench, London’s top student law magazine, is inviting contributions from you all. This is a unique opportunity to get your work published, and there are many ways to get involved:

Write an ARTICLE (of approx. 1000 words) on the theme for our next issue: ‘Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll’; King’s Bench embraces individuality and there’s so much scope for your creative flair. However, you may find some of the following ideas useful:

• Be it Britney or Lindsay, TomKat or Brangelina we all seem to be obsessed with sex and celebrity. Are you riveted by it or completely sick and tired of the tabloid fever? Who is to blame - the press, the celebrities or us, the general public?
• What did you think of the House of Lords decision earlier this year in the Douglas/Zeta-Jones case against Hello Magazine? Or the coverage of the ongoing McCartney/Mills divorce proceedings? Do you think the level of tabloid intrusion into the lives of celebrities is justified? Or do you think it time for the imposition of a French-style privacy law?
• Should abortion be legal at all? If so, what should be its limits - is 24 wks simply too late? Where do you stand in the gay adoption debate? Would you like to see Cannabis reclassified - again? What is your perspective of the level of drug use at Uni?
• Be it Scientology or Princess Di, Royal Family blackmail or Amy Winehouse; nothing is off limits. This is your forum so make your voice heard!

Write a FILM REVIEW. Seen a brilliant flick recently? Were you mesmerised by Stardust, enticed by Eastern Promises, appalled by Rendition or moved by Atonement? Or perhaps you’ve seen a great Indy film or documentary… Tell us what you thought in approximately 400 words.

Make a CHARITY or other EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT. In approximately 50 words, let us know what event you are organising, when it will be held and how and why people should get involved.

SPEAKER’S CORNER - You’re the speaker, King’s Bench is your corner: Have your voice heard anonymously on a topic (or annoyance) of your choice.

Send us your PHOTOS related to life at King’s!

Join our MAILING LIST (at www.kbkcl.co.uk/mailing-list/) and keep up to date with all the latest news from King’s Bench.

All material should be submitted in Microsoft Word format and sent to .

Alongside each of these, we want: your full name, the course you are enrolled in and your year of study. We also ask that you submit a picture of yourself.

WIN A MEAL FOR TWO AT THAI SQUARE

Each contributor will be automatically entered into a draw which will be made in the JJP on November 23th. The winner, who will be randomly selected, will receive a meal for two at the award-winning Thai Square Restaurant on the Strand.

Looking to join a vibrant, progressive student publication?

Here’s your chance: King’s Bench is currently RECRUITING:

PHOTO EDITOR

We are looking for a creative, hardworking, energetic photographer to join the ranks. You will get the opportunity to meet influential people from all walks of life, all expenses-paid travel to featured events and will share creative responsibility for the bulk of the photography work in each issue. Whilst the position is unpaid, all expenses will be covered.

If you think you have what it takes, then get in touch with us at with a brief paragraph describing why you would suit this role and detailing any relevant experience and equipment you already have.

NEWS EDITOR

This is a multi-faceted role. As well as responsibility for our news section, which will be launched next issue, you will be responsible for our ‘What’s On’/Events section. You will be fully involved in the running of the publication and will have a say in major editorial decisions. This position may be particularly appealing for those interested in editing the magazine in the future.

So, if you are creative, motivated, organised and keep a close eye on current affairs, send a brief paragraph to describing why you would suit the role along with an article or review demonstrating your writing skills.

*Please note that these opportunities are open to students right across King’s and are by no means limited to those studying law.

If you have any questions, or if you would simply like to know more about the magazine, e-mail me () and I will be happy to answer any queries.

Don’t forget to check out the site at www.kbkcl.co.uk, and to keep up to date with all the goings-on, both inside King’s and within the magazine, join our mailing list.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Hello! And welcome to the Kb blog. Blog? What’s that? Well, it is where we keep you up-to-date on what the Kb Team has been getting up to of late. So if you have ever wondered what on earth we do from day-to-day or week-to-week here is as good a place as any to start finding out…

The summer so far…

After all the kafuffle of exams we finally were able to make some time for the all important task of electing a new team. Hannah Anderson did some poking around in people’s pasts and vetted all the applicants to ensure that they were of the best possible calibre to maintain the steady course of Kb’s new look! The new team were notified and on the night of the 9th July we all had an outing to a local bar for the grand and official hand over! Champagne was popped and glasses clanged, amongst the sound of eager chatter and whole-hearted laughter and now we must bid farewell to the old and embrace the new (well almost). Here is who has replaced who:

• Ryan Wain has replaced Hannah Anderson as the new Editor
• Feni Ajumogobia takes over from Dave Wills and Hannah Turner as Managing Editor
• Hara Olymbiou now resides In Benjamin Lasry’s seat as Communications Officer
• Edwin Halliday has whole heartedly replaced Taz Khalique as Web Developer.

Hannah Anderson still remains in the wings and marks a new initiative - to start creating and building on relationships with alumni members of King’s. After all, who better to give you advice and insight into the world outside the bubble that is King’s than one of our very own graduates!

And as it finally looks like we might have a glimmer of summer before the autumn comes rolling in, we’re resisting the urge to put on our skimpiest and race to the nearest park. Instead, we’re working hard compiling all the necessaries for the first edition due in October. Now that’s dedication.

Keep checking in for more details and in the mean time, why don’t you submit something that you have penned yourself? There’s no better way to get published!