On Wednesday 18 March 2026, LML hosted the Baron de Lancey lecture, which was delivered by Prof. Sir Ian Kennedy KC(Hon) FBA LLD.
The Baron de Lancey Lecture is an annual public lecture hosted by the Centre for Law, Medicine and Life Sciences at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Law. It provides distinguished lawyers with a forum to share their views on contemporary topics in medical law with a Cambridge audience.
This year, Professor Kennedy revisited themes from his 1980 Reith Lectures on the power imbalance between clinicians and patients. In his lecture, “Having the Last Word: Autonomy in Healthcare”, he examined how respect for autonomy became embedded in medical law and practice, while remaining a fragile and contested commitment in the UK. He then considered how autonomy continues to challenge decision-makers across contemporary issues such as abortion, puberty-blockers, and cosmetic surgery.
Professor Kennedy also noted that he had received the Baron de Lancey Prize many years ago for contributions to medical law and ethics. It was a fitting ‘full circle’ moment to welcome him back as the Baron de Lancey speaker.
The lecture was very well attended this year, with over 200 people both in person and online. We were particularly pleased to see colleagues from across the University, a strong student presence, and a significant number of people attending as part of the Cambridge Festival.
Click below to access the lecture transcript.