The Bundle: Personal injury ads and the importance of juries

Two weeks into Black History Month, we're delighted that Lord Paul Boateng, Britain's first black cabinet minister, has continued our celebration of black lawyers through our weekly legal heroes series. Read his tribute to Benedict Birnberg , who headed Birnberg Peirce and Partners alongside another inspirational lawyer, Gareth Peirce, who explains why she still fights for human rights . While celebrating the achievements of BME and women lawyers on one hand, we've also been reading about new research published by the Legal Services Board , that finds a profession segmented by gender, race and class. This week's top UK stories • Kenneth Noye road rage murder conviction referred to court of appeal • Hundreds of Northern Ireland 'terrorists' allege police torture • Protect police from lawsuits, says Met chief This week's top stories from around the world • US judge orders an end to 'don't ask, don't tell' military policy • EU Commission plans strict new controls for offshore oil drilling • acedonia called to account over extraordinary rendition case This week's top comment, features and best of the blogs • Joshua Rozenberg: UK attorney general says contempt laws to stay despite online onslaught • Jon Robins: Ricin trial illustrates the importance of juries • Afua Hirsch: Legal aid delivers justice; kind lawyers won't What you said: best comments from our readers • On the announcement that contempt laws are to stay despite online onslaught , Proviso says I think the problem is with education. Why on earth don't we teach children about or justice system? I'm not talking about complicated law but just the basics. Most people don't have a clue, most people don't understand the jury system or why we have it, and they certainly have never heard of the contempt of court act. • On Neil Rose's article which asks whether 'no win, no fee' personal injury ads go too far? , PickmansModel says Given the continuing erosion of legal aid, it's an unfortunate fact that this sort of ambulance-chasing is the only access to justice (or, at least, the law) that most people have. • On Philip Dayle's article on why the US's apology may not be enough regarding the Guatemala syphilis experiments , sarcasmaniac warns, "Inter arma enim silent leges" - Cicero (In times of war, the law falls silent.) Best of the web • Lubangatrial.org as the Thomas Lubanga trial resumes at the international criminal court • On the UKSC blog , Aileen McColgan on Lord Walker's speech on discrimination law • On the ECHR blog , Antoine Buyse on the call for an expert advisory panel for the selection of judges at the European court of human rights