Law
The Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia, LVO. Solicitor
Chairman: The Lord Grabiner
High profile legal cases and changes to the law have dominated the headlines over the past year, bringing the names of some of the country’s best legal minds into the public consciousness. ?Our list celebrates not just judges, barristers, solicitors and other legal professionals, but also campaigners and others who are influencing the legal landscape in the UK.
Lord Grabiner attended Central Foundation Boys’ Grammar School in Shoreditch, and was the first in his family to go to university. He is now a practicing barrister, specialising in banking and finance, oil and gas, civil fraud, competition and company disputes. He was made head of chambers at One Essex Court in 1995, and became a Life Peer in 1999. Most recently, he was appointed by News Corp to oversee the investigation into phone hacking. He has also recently been elected Master of Clare College Cambridge, a position he will take up in October.
Charlie Jacobs. Solicitor
Charlie Jacobs is a prominent transaction lawyer for global law firm Linklaters. Primarily engaged in mergers and acquisitions, Jacobs advised Glencore International on its IPO and subsequent merger with Xstrata, which was one of the most high profile mergers of 2013. Ranking first in The Chambers 100, Jacobs is the co-head of Linklaters’ Mining Group and chairs the firm’s Private Equity Group, having risen to partner in 1999. Jacob’s levels of global expertise and influence have earned him praise across the legal board.?
Robert Miles, QC. Barrister
Having been called to the Bar in 1987, Robert Miles has established himself as a leading adviser and advocate. His experience in capital markets is unrivalled and his case-winning capabilities in the courtroom have him consistently ranking as a leader in his field. Over the last two decades, Miles has been involved with many high-profile financial cases including Greek Sovereign debt restructuring, Lehmans and MF Global. With his intelligent advocacy and diplomatic authority, Miles is one of the UK’s sharpest silks.
The Lord Pannick, QC. Barrister
Star of the Bar Lord Pannick is a leading human rights lawyer and non-party political member of the House of Lords. From an early age, Pannick was keen to pursue a career at the Bar thanks to his love of arguing. Having written a law and politics column in The Times for over 30 years, Pannick has been a regular commentator and voice of reason on legal matters. As a cross-bench peer, Pannick now has even greater influence from his?powerful platform as one of the country’s leading advocates.
The Rt Hon the Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd. Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
Appointed Lord Chief Justice in October 2013, Lord Thomas is the top judge in England and Wales. He is a founding member of the European Law Institute, a non-profit organization that researches, recommends and guides on complex or intricate issues in the realm of European law. The institute aims to enhance the current European legal legislation. The Queen bestowed a life peerage on Thomas in light of his appointment as Lord Chief Justice in “recognition of the contribution that he has made to law and justice reform.”
The Rt Hon the Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury. President of the Supreme Court
President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom Lord Neuberger is the former Master of the Rolls and Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. Neuberger took silk in 1987 and became a Bencher at Lincoln’s Inn in 1993. He was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal in January 2004. Neuberger is also responsible for leading an investigation for the Bar Council into widening access to the barrister profession. Neuberger was one of the youngest ever Law Lords and is the most senior judge in the UK.
The Rt Hon Lady Justice Black, DBE. Judge of the Court of Appeal
It was in 1976 that Dame Jill Black was called to the Bar at Inner Temple. In 1994 she took Silk and was appointed as a Deputy Judge of the High Court in 1996. In 1998, she became a Recorder and was appointed a Judge of the High Court (Family Division) in 1999. That same year, Black was appointed a Dame of the British Empire in 1999. She is well regarded within the profession, and is tipped by some to be the next woman to join the Supreme Court.
The Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia, LVO. Solicitor
When Fiona Shackleton was at school, she wanted to be a doctor. Discouraged from her early career ambitions because she was thought not to possess the required intellect, she eventually graduated with a third class degree in law. Shackleton then trained as a cordon bleu chef before qualifying as a solicitor in 1980. In only six years, Shackleton had progressed to become a partner at the Royal solicitors, Farrer and Co. Shackleton is the solicitor to Their Royal Highenesses Princes William and Harry and is arguably Britain’s highest profile divorce lawyer with clients including Madonna, Sir Paul McCartney and The Prince of Wales.
The Rt Hon Dominic Grieve, QC, MP. Attorney General
In his role as Attorney General, Dominic Grieve is the chief legal adviser to the Crown. He was called to the Bar in 1980, practising as a barrister before entering life in Parliament. Grieve acts as the chief legal adviser on matters of EU and international law, devolution and human right issues and deals with the legal elements of all major international and domestic litigation involving the Government. He deals with questions of law on government bills and refers undeservedly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal.
Salil Shetty. Secretary general Amnesty International
Raised in Bangalore, India, by a lawyer mother active in women’s groups and a journalist father who was active in the Dalit movement, Salil Shetty had an early insight into campaigning. He has long been involved in the campaign for justice and is a long term activist against poverty: Before becoming secretary general of Amnesty International in 2010, he was chief executive of ActionAid and then director of the United Nations Milennium Campaign. Now in charge of the world’s largest human rights organisation, he is an influential figure, with a drive to strengthen the organisation’s presence across the globe.
The Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon. Campaigner
An unrelenting campaigner for justice, Baroness Lawrence has channeled the grief of losing her 18-year-old son, Stephen, into a heartfelt campaign to reform the policing values of the UK. After her son was stabbed to death in 1993, Doreen Lawrence founded the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust aimed at encouraging young people from ethnic minorities to realise their true ambitions in life. For Baroness Lawrence, her greatest challenge is “the sustainability of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust to transform lives particularly during the economic downturn.” Her dedication and strength in her fight for justice has had a profound effect on the legal system in the UK with her fight to change the country’s attitudes to policing and racism. She was made a life peer in 2013.
The Baroness Hale of Richmond, DBE, PC. Deputy president Supreme Court
Baroness Hale has redefined the face of Britain’s Supreme Court. In 2004, she became the first woman and the first family lawyer to take on the role of Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. Having begun her career teaching law at the University of Manchester, in 1986 Hale became a professor of law. She is the first High Court judge to be promoted from academia. In 1984, she was appointed to the Law Commission where she spent ten successful and noteworthy years re-defining the face of family law. In 1989 Hale took silk, and became a High Court judge five years later. She is an unconventional Justice and a major influence in the legal world.?
Clare Montgomery, QC. Barrister
Clare Montgomery is highly respected in the fields of commercial fraud, administrative, crime and media law. She cites her mother has her biggest inspiration; she encouraged Montgomery and her sisters to believe that they could do whatever they wanted in life, free from any gender-based restrictions. For over a decade, Montgomery has been a go-to name for dealing with the most intricate and demanding legal cases and is accepted across the legal world as being one of the leading silks of the time. In 2013 was Criminal Silk of the Year in the inaugural Legal 500 awards.
John Kelsey-Fry, QC. Barrister
The charismatic John Kelsey-Fry is recognised as a leading silk in criminal law. A genius in the courtroom, Kelsey-Fry’s input is in huge demand in many notorious cases. He has acted as both Rebecca Brooks’s and Chris Huhne’s defence council in recent high profile cases whilst the likes of Kieren Fallon and Steven Gerrard have employed his sort-after services. Harry Redknapp’s tax evasion case was a triumph for Kelsey-Fry, after which he berated the prosecution for wasting millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money for pursuing the case.
The Rt Hon Lord Justice Leveson. Lord Justice of Appeal
Lord Justice Leveson is perhaps best known for his appointment by David Cameron to lead the public inquiry into the culture, ethics and practices of the press. In November 2012 his report was published, proposing a new, tougher form of media regulation and a new press law. Having begun his career as a Liverpool-based barrister, Leveson became a High Court judge in 2000 and nine years later became the chairman of the Sentencing Council. He is also chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.
Keith Schilling. Solicitor
Keith Schilling has been integral to the world of reputational law for three decades. As a leader in his field, Schilling has been a huge influence for change, obtaining revolutionary rulings against the House of Lords, creating a right of personal privacy in England. Under Schilling’s pioneering supervision, the firm has won the Spears Award for Reputation and Privacy Firm of the Year for the past three years running. With the rise of social media, Schillings is adapting to cater for the increased demand for internet security and reputation management.?
Alan Steinfeld, QC. Barrister
Alan Steinfeld is a barrister at XXIV Old Buildings with extensive experience in commercial litigation and fraud, company, partnership, insolvency and business restructuring, private client including in particular international trusts, professional negligence and pensions. Steinfeld is seen as a leader in the market, renowned for identifying the finer points that no one else notices but that frequently end up being crucial to the cases. In December 2013, Steinfeld won International Trust Barrister of the Year in the 2013 Acquisition International Legal Awards.?
Bankim Thanki, QC. Barrister
After graduating from Balliol College Oxford, Bankim Thanki was called to the Bar in 1988. He joined Fountain Chambers the following year, and has been there ever since. His impressive list of clients includes the likes of BAE, Rolls-Royce, Barclays Bank, Morgan Stanley, British Airways, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Financial Services Authority. He was made deputy head of chambers at Fountain Chambers last year. The Legal 500 nominated Thanki as Commercial Silk of the Year in 2013.
Pushpinder Saini, QC. Barrister
A barrister of Blackstone Chambers, Pushpinder Saini is a versatile player in the legal world. He has experience in a wide variety of areas of civil law, and has been leading council in a broad range of multi-jurisdictional disputes covering various areas of public and commercial law. In 2013, Saini played an influential role in the Madoff litigation and his decisive nature and talented advocacy has left him as a well respected member of the Bar. Prior to his appointment to Silk he was a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel list of Counsel, where he represented Government in some of the leading public law cases in the last ten years.
Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, QPM. Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe was brought up singlehandedly by his mother in Sheffield. Hogan-Howe spent four years working for the NHS after leaving school before joining the police in 1979. Whilst with the South Yorkshire Police, Hogan-Howe was selected to study for an MA at Oxford having been identified as a high-flier. Hogan-Howe has demanded a total war on crime, and in the Queen’s 2013 New Year’s Honours list he was knighted for his services to policing.?
Gillian Guy. Chief executive Citizens Advice
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The chief executive of the independent charity Citizens Advice, the body that leads the Citizens Advice Bureaux, Gillian Guy assumed her role in July 2010. The charity plays a crucial role in the provision of advice to members of society on legal, financial and other issues and frequently influences the policy of decision makers through its research and lobbying. As a former CEO of Victim Support, Guy previously trained as a lawyer. She is also a non-judicial member of the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. In light of the recent cuts to legal aid, the Citizens Advice Bureau is likely to play an even greater a role in providing access to both legal and social advice and in influencing the policy of government.?
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