Maurice Amos
Encyclopedia
Sir Percy Maurice Maclardie Sheldon Amos KBE KC (15 June 1872 — 10 June 1940) was a British barrister
, judge and legal academic who served as an Egyptian judge, advisor to the Egyptian government and Quain Professor of Jurisprudence
.
Amos is best known for founding and contributing to the Modern Law Review
. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
, Amos was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple
in May 1897. Finding that his family could not support him through his early years at the Bar he travelled to Egypt
, where he was appointed a member of the Cairo Native Court and then the Court of Appeals.
After a short return to Britain in 1915 to help at the Ministry of Munitions, Amos continued to work in Egypt until the end of the British Protectorate
in 1922. He returned to Britain, resuming his practice as a barrister, and in 1932 was appointed Quain Professor of Jurisprudence, a position he held for five years. Involved in the founding of the Modern Law Review, his death on 10 June 1940 made him the first founder to die.
, a legal academic, and Sarah Bunting, a political activist. Amos was educated by his mother and private tutors in France, Germany and England, until the family travelled to Australia in 1880 due to his father's health problems. Finding the country unpleasant they set out to return to England, but while passing through Egypt Sheldon Amos was offered the position of legal advisor to Lord Dufferin
, which he accepted. The family stayed there until Sheldon's death in 1886, after which they returned to Europe to travel.
In 1891, Amos matriculated to Trinity College, Cambridge
to study history, before switching to moral sciences following a talk with Bertrand Russell
. He was joint Secretary of the Cambridge University Liberal Club from 1892 to 1894, and one of the people he shared this role with was Russell. Gaining a first, he graduated in 1895, having won the Cobden Prize, and was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple
in May 1897. Working as a conveyancing pupil in Lincoln's Inn
, Amos found that the family income could not support him during his first, profitless years as a barrister, and applied to become an inspector in the Egyptian Ministry of Justice. To work in the courts there, Amos taught himself Arabic and gained the French "license en droit
" from the University of Paris in 1889. While working as an inspector he lectured at the Khedival School of Law in Cairo. For his work as an inspector, he was awarded the Medjidie, Fourth Class
in 1900. In 1903 he was made a judge of the Cairo Native Court, and in 1906 was promoted to the Court of Appeal, where he sat for seven years until offending the British population of Cairo by acquitting an Egyptian accused of assaulting a British child. Retiring from the bench, he became Director of the Khedival School of Law in 1913, where he set up a postgraduate program.
Amos returned to the Court of Appeal in 1915, but was forced to suspend his work when he was called back to Britain to work for the Ministry of Munitions. Thanks to his fluent French he was much in demand, serving as the liaison officer to the French military mission in London and accompanying Arthur Balfour
in his trip to the United States
. In 1917 he returned to Egypt, where he acted as the Judicial Adviser to the Government of Egypt. He was awarded the Order of the Nile, Second Class
in 1918. When the British protectorate ended in 1922, Amos helped draft the new Egyptian constitution
and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 15 March 1922. He was also promoted to Grand Cordon of the Order of the Nile.
Returning to England in 1925, Amos took up his practice as a barrister again and received many briefs from the British government, particularly cases brought under the Treaty of Lausanne
. In 1929 he stood for the Liberal Party at the General Election in the constituency of Cambridge
but was unsuccessful. In 1932 he was made a King's Counsel, and became Quain Professor of Jurisprudence
at University College London
(UCL). Both his father and grandfather
were legal academics at UCL, and with this appointment Amos became the third family member in a row to work there. He quickly distinguished himself, and was elected Dean of the Faculty of Law soon after his appointment. He wrote several textbooks and was one of the founders of the Modern Law Review
, and the first to die. Following his retirement in 1937 he continued writing until his death at home on 10 June 1940.
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, judge and legal academic who served as an Egyptian judge, advisor to the Egyptian government and Quain Professor of Jurisprudence
Quain Professor
Quain Professor is the professorship title for certain disciplines at University College, London, England. The title is derived from Richard Quain who became professor of anatomy in 1832 at what was to become UCL...
.
Amos is best known for founding and contributing to the Modern Law Review
Modern Law Review
The Modern Law Review is a law review published in the United Kingdom by John Wiley & Sons and which has traditionally maintained close academic ties with the Law Department of the London School of Economics....
. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, Amos was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in May 1897. Finding that his family could not support him through his early years at the Bar he travelled to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, where he was appointed a member of the Cairo Native Court and then the Court of Appeals.
After a short return to Britain in 1915 to help at the Ministry of Munitions, Amos continued to work in Egypt until the end of the British Protectorate
Kingdom of Egypt
The Kingdom of Egypt was the first modern Egyptian state, lasting from 1922 to 1953. The Kingdom was created in 1922 when the British government unilaterally ended its protectorate over Egypt, in place since 1914. Sultan Fuad I became the first king of the new state...
in 1922. He returned to Britain, resuming his practice as a barrister, and in 1932 was appointed Quain Professor of Jurisprudence, a position he held for five years. Involved in the founding of the Modern Law Review, his death on 10 June 1940 made him the first founder to die.
Life
Amos was born on 15 June 1872 to Sheldon AmosSheldon Amos
Sheldon Amos was an English juristSheldon Amos was the son of Andrew Amos. He was educated at Clare College, Cambridge, and was called to the bar as a member of the Middle Temple in 1862. He was invited by F. D. Maurice to teach at The Working Men's College, with fellow Cambridge graduates and...
, a legal academic, and Sarah Bunting, a political activist. Amos was educated by his mother and private tutors in France, Germany and England, until the family travelled to Australia in 1880 due to his father's health problems. Finding the country unpleasant they set out to return to England, but while passing through Egypt Sheldon Amos was offered the position of legal advisor to Lord Dufferin
Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava
Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, KP, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC was a British public servant and prominent member of Victorian society...
, which he accepted. The family stayed there until Sheldon's death in 1886, after which they returned to Europe to travel.
In 1891, Amos matriculated to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
to study history, before switching to moral sciences following a talk with Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had never been any of these things...
. He was joint Secretary of the Cambridge University Liberal Club from 1892 to 1894, and one of the people he shared this role with was Russell. Gaining a first, he graduated in 1895, having won the Cobden Prize, and was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in May 1897. Working as a conveyancing pupil in Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
, Amos found that the family income could not support him during his first, profitless years as a barrister, and applied to become an inspector in the Egyptian Ministry of Justice. To work in the courts there, Amos taught himself Arabic and gained the French "license en droit
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
" from the University of Paris in 1889. While working as an inspector he lectured at the Khedival School of Law in Cairo. For his work as an inspector, he was awarded the Medjidie, Fourth Class
Medjidie
Medjidie or Mejidie is the name of a military and knightly order of the Ottoman Empire. The Order was instituted in 1851 by Sultan Abdülmecid I.-Order of the Medjidie:...
in 1900. In 1903 he was made a judge of the Cairo Native Court, and in 1906 was promoted to the Court of Appeal, where he sat for seven years until offending the British population of Cairo by acquitting an Egyptian accused of assaulting a British child. Retiring from the bench, he became Director of the Khedival School of Law in 1913, where he set up a postgraduate program.
Amos returned to the Court of Appeal in 1915, but was forced to suspend his work when he was called back to Britain to work for the Ministry of Munitions. Thanks to his fluent French he was much in demand, serving as the liaison officer to the French military mission in London and accompanying Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
in his trip to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1917 he returned to Egypt, where he acted as the Judicial Adviser to the Government of Egypt. He was awarded the Order of the Nile, Second Class
Order of the Nile
The Order of the Nile is Egypt's highest state honor. The award was instituted in 1915 by Sultan Hussein Kamel to be awarded by Egypt for exceptional services to the nation...
in 1918. When the British protectorate ended in 1922, Amos helped draft the new Egyptian constitution
1923 Constitution of Egypt
The 1923 Constitution was a constitution of Egypt during the period 1923-1952. It was replaced by the 1930 Constitution for a 5-year period before being restored in 1935. It adopted the parliamentary representative system based on separation of and cooperation among authorities...
and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 15 March 1922. He was also promoted to Grand Cordon of the Order of the Nile.
Returning to England in 1925, Amos took up his practice as a barrister again and received many briefs from the British government, particularly cases brought under the Treaty of Lausanne
Treaty of Lausanne
The Treaty of Lausanne was a peace treaty signed in Lausanne, Switzerland on 24 July 1923, that settled the Anatolian and East Thracian parts of the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire. The treaty of Lausanne was ratified by the Greek government on 11 February 1924, by the Turkish government on 31...
. In 1929 he stood for the Liberal Party at the General Election in the constituency of Cambridge
Cambridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Cambridge is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system....
but was unsuccessful. In 1932 he was made a King's Counsel, and became Quain Professor of Jurisprudence
Quain Professor
Quain Professor is the professorship title for certain disciplines at University College, London, England. The title is derived from Richard Quain who became professor of anatomy in 1832 at what was to become UCL...
at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
(UCL). Both his father and grandfather
Andrew Amos (lawyer)
Andrew Amos was a lawyer and professor of law. He was born in 1791 in India, where his father, James Amos, a Russian merchant, of Devonshire Square, London, who had travelled there, had married Cornelia Bonté, daughter of a Swiss general officer in the Dutch service. The family was Scottish, and...
were legal academics at UCL, and with this appointment Amos became the third family member in a row to work there. He quickly distinguished himself, and was elected Dean of the Faculty of Law soon after his appointment. He wrote several textbooks and was one of the founders of the Modern Law Review
Modern Law Review
The Modern Law Review is a law review published in the United Kingdom by John Wiley & Sons and which has traditionally maintained close academic ties with the Law Department of the London School of Economics....
, and the first to die. Following his retirement in 1937 he continued writing until his death at home on 10 June 1940.
Writings
- The English Constitution (1930)
- Introduction to French Law (1935)
- Lectures on the American Constitution (1938)