Lawyer Michael Jones, a pioneer of Welsh language education, has died
Martin Shipton
Tributes have been paid to Michael LN Jones, a prominent lawyer and pioneering supporter of Welsh medium education, who has died unexpectedly at the age of 82 after a short illness.
When he retired more than 20 years ago, the Western Mail ran the headline “Fearsome litigator retires”.
Mr Jones was born in Maesteg, and raised in Skewen, Neath. He was educated at Coed Ffranc and Neath Boys Grammar School. He studied Law at Jesus College, Oxford and then trained in London as a solicitor for six months before being articled to Hugh James.
Later he was the Jones in Hugh James Jones & Jenkins, the amalgamated firm being founded by him and Russel Jenkins, who passed away in 2013.
Rights of Audience
Mr Jones was a very well respected lawyer, one of the first to receive Rights of Audience, giving him the right to do advocacy work normally done by barristers,
He served as president of the Law Society and had clients from all over the world.
He was very proud to have been on the committee that drafted the first standing orders of the National Assembly when it was established in 1999.
He also gave a well received Law Society speech at the Eisteddfod in 2002 entitled Troi Camel yn Geffyl (turning a camel into a horse. It outlined how best to improve Wales’ constitutional settlement.
Tenacity
In Welsh-speaking circles he was known for his tenacity in campaigning for Welsh medium education, and was responsible for the opening of most of Cardiff’s Welsh schools.
He represented parents all over Wales to ensure their children had the right to Welsh-medium education as Rhieni dros Addysg Gymraeg’s [Parents for Welsh Language Education] lawyer.
He also represented about 40% of the people who were falsely arrested and detained during the Palm Sunday raids trying to find members of Meibion Glyndŵr (the direct action group that set fire to holiday homes in Wales) and countless Cymdeithas yr Iaith members for their various crimes in the name of the Welsh language.
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Colled mawr ar ei ôl. Roedd yntau ac Ethni ei wraig ar ganol pob ymgyrch dros addysg Gymraeg yng Nghaerdydd dros y blynyddoedd, ac ymgyrchoedd eraill traws -Gymru dros y Gymraeg.
Nid bob amser y person hawddaf i ymwneud ag ef, fel pob cyfreithiwr da, ond os oedd ar eich ochr a chi, roedd yn gyfaill a chefnogwr da a chyson ac yn ddadleuwr heb ei ail dros yr hyn a gredai ynddo. . Heddwch i’w lwch
‘Angel pen heol, diafol pen pentan’ comes to mind.