barrister at law, LLB
Lawrence Jones – A True Tribblemaker and Member of the Board of Reflectors
Lawrence Jones is a seasoned barrister at law from London, with decades of experience pleading in the courts of England. In August 2024, Véronique and Lawrence first crossed paths at the Buchinger Clinic in Marbella—a fasting clinic where guests pay to receive no food, allowing time for reflection.
Their connection sparked instantly during a morning walk through the forest, where they were supposed to quietly enjoy nature but instead spent two hours talking non-stop. The bond deepened as they continued meeting daily throughout their stay. While Véronique was drafting her Yugening mission, Lawrence’s insights—rooted in his expertise in society’s complexities and the challenges of coexisting—proved invaluable in refining and sharpening her vision.
When asked about his avatar, his inner child or hero, Lawrence took a moment to reflect. Memories transported him back to when he was four years old, sitting with his granny watching Larry the Lamb. Created in 1925, Larry the Lamb—along with his loyal friend Dennis the Dachshund—starred in innocent misadventures that caused consternation among the residents of Toytown.
This deeply resonated with Lawrence, as he realized he had spent much of his life doing exactly that—innocently stirring things up, pushing boundaries, and challenging norms. From that moment on, Véronique affectionately referred to him as Larry.
Recognizing his unique perspective and ability to question and provoke, Véronique invited Lawrence to join Yugening’s Board of Reflectors (BOR). This group challenges ideas from outside the realm of architecture, offering insights that keep the mission grounded yet visionary—qualities that Larry embodies perfectly.
Larry in Action – The Case of the Midnight Gamete
It was 3:30 AM on a Saturday morning when Larry—working late at his desk in Monaco, where he had been living for 21 years—received a frantic call from Alice, a woman he had successfully represented 15 years earlier. The day before, her husband had tragically and unexpectedly passed away. He was in his late 30s. They had been trying for a baby through IVF, and now, with time running out, she asked if Larry could help extract and preserve her husband’s gametes.
Larry, sharp as ever and already in problem-solving mode, told her it was highly unlikely. Not only was it outside his area of expertise, but UK law required ‘effective consent’—a written agreement signed in the presence of two senior doctors. Without this, extracting, storing, or transporting the gametes was strictly illegal, punishable by prison time.
He told her to call back at 7 AM, promising to research the subject in the meantime. When Alice called, sharp at 7, Larry had already mapped out a plan. The law was clear—but clarity, as Larry knew, doesn’t mean fairness. He decided to fight.
Larry called an emergency judge at home, probably interrupting his breakfast, sleep, or the pruning of his roses (we’ll never know). After 30 minutes of intense debate, Larry convinced the judge to allow the extraction—under the strict condition that if evidence of consent wasn’t found within 48 hours, the sample would have to be destroyed.
The extraction happened just 15 hours before the deadline, but the required consent never appeared. The judge was firm—the gametes had to be destroyed. But Larry wasn’t ready to give up.
From Monaco, he made one last push, arguing that European law on medical treatment gave citizens the right to seek procedures abroad. He proposed freezing the sample and later using it in another EU country—where different regulations might apply.
The judge, clearly irritated but intrigued, adjourned the session to consult a barrister from Human Embryology. After more debate, the judge finally agreed. The gametes could be preserved and transported under EU law.
The result? BOOM. Baby born.
And that’s Larry—a man who doesn’t back down from impossible situations. From his desk in Monaco, he moved heaven and earth (and a few stubborn judges) to rewrite the rules and deliver hope. A true Tribblemaker and exactly what Yugening stands for—pushing boundaries and creating miracles.