Today Robert Buckland QC (Queen’s Counsel) was sworn in as Lord Chancellor in Boris Johnson’s Cabinet. As some of our readers may know our heritage division, Shergroup Enforcement, operates under the auspices of the Lord Chancellor’s government department here in England and Wales – being the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). With a change of office holder comes a change of name on the Writs which we enforce on behalf of the Crown.
What we liked about the new LC’s speech was his reference (see https://bit.ly/2OvBcCs ) to the historical evolution of his Office. Like the Office of High Sheriff, it can trace its roots back to Anglo Saxon origins. One previous LC, Sir Thomas More, was also an Under Sheriff, a post which our CEO, Claire Sandbrook has also held. Claire was in fact the first woman Under Sheriff of an entire county – the leafy county of Surrey – when she was appointed in 1998 by Sir Richard Stilgoe.
This history is part of what we think makes Shergroup unique amongst its competitors and peers. We actually love the historical references and relish the opportunity to move enforcement service delivery forward as part of its continuing evolution. Claire says about her ancient office, “I consider myself a custodian of the Office of Sheriff. This Office in its modern form remains controversial and somehow it must operate above politics and without fear or favour. It has been a privilege to bring innovation to the enforcement sector and be considered an architect of the modern day High Court enforcement system”.