William Murray by Kao

William Murray was born on March 2, 1705 in a town in the former Scottish county of Perthshire. In 1742, he took the position of solicitor general for fourteen years and at the same time was a member of the House of Common Boroughbridge. In 1745 he was appointed attorney general and also became the leader of the House of Commons.
He concentrated his efforts and spends most of his time on law rather than politics. As a member of the Troy government, Murray was a strong supporter of moderation in his nation's foreign and domestic policies. His use his learning and understanding of law as the basis for his political beliefs. Using law as an approach to politics get him caught in numerous confrontations. One of them was with "Junius" or Sir Phillip Francis on the issues of political libel.
Even through these oppositions from other people, he was respected for his fairness, modesty and vast leanings. "A rationalist, he reduced costly delays in the legal system, renovated outdated property laws used by courts in the medieval times, and protected the right to freedom of conscience for Catholics" and other relating groups of the Church of England.
His major contributions to England were his development and creation of regulations for the British commercial law. Before the establishment of his rules, English common law was the only regulation that they used. When cases were brought to court regarding trades and other commercial matters, juries relied on their wits. Murray came along and developed clear and specific guidelines for courts to follow. He also established basic principles in governing business which brought English law into step with international countries.
Murray tried to contribute the same idea of guidelines in other English law but was often opposed by many people "who argued for more libel approaches to libel, warrants, and the roles of juries". Some thought that Murray's effort to changing the English law was corrupting the traditions of the legal system.
Overall, Murray developed rules that created equity in the British system of business, bills of exchange, promissory notes and bank check. This eventually became the foundation of British commercial law.

"William Murray." Biographies. Answers Corporation, 2006. Answers.com 21 Oct. http://www.answers.com/topic/william-murray