Alumnus John May delivers insightful High Sheriff Lecture to Oxford Brookes Law School Students

Oxford Brookes recently had the pleasure of welcoming back distinguished alumnus John May CVO OBE, the current High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, to deliver a special lecture for Law School students and staff.

In a talk titled “Not That Kind of Sheriff: Law, Justice and Civil Society in the 21st Century”, alumnus John May CVO OBE, the current High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, bridged the gap between his own journey from Oxford Brookes to one of the UK’s oldest civic offices.

A thousand-year thread of service

Appearing in the traditional velvet court suit and bicorn hat, John explained that the "rig" is more than just decorative. It connects the modern office to over a thousand years of history, standing as a reminder of the duty to support justice. He noted with a smile that the office is "older than Parliament... [and] older, I’m fairly sure, than students oversleeping their 9.00am lectures".

The law as a mirror, justice as a map

John’s lecture moved beyond historical context to explore the deeper purpose of legal education. He offered the audience a powerful framework for understanding their future professions, distinguishing between the rules of society and the ideal of fairness: "Law reflects what society currently accepts. Justice reflects what society believes ought to be possible. Law is the mirror. Justice is the map". He argued that it is civil society - the campaigners, volunteers, and community leaders - who are responsible for "updating the map".

"The physiotherapist of democracy"

Focusing on the importance of the third sector, John shared a provocative idea: that while politicians, courts, and businesses provide structure, they do not create society itself. Instead, he asserted that "society is created by people acting not because they must, but because they care". In a memorable analogy, he described the vital role of civic engagement in maintaining a healthy state: "When democracy is a muscle, civil society is the physiotherapist".

A simple hope for the next generation

Reflecting on his time back on campus, John expressed his admiration for the curiosity and ambition of the current student body. He concluded with a simple but profound hope for the next generation of Brookes graduates as they prepare to shape the next fifty years of civic life: "Be curious. Be compassionate. Be imaginative. Be courageous enough to make things better. Because the law keeps order. But civil society keeps us human".

Read the High Sheriff’s full reflections on his visit on his blog.

You can also read John’s interview on our website: John May – teacher, leader and cat lover