Alderman Gregory Jones | |
---|---|
Alderman of London | |
Assumed office 8 February 2017 | |
Preceded by | Julian Malins KC |
Succeeded by | in office |
Sheriff of the City of London | |
Assumed office 27 September 2024 | |
Preceded by | Dame Susan Langley |
Succeeded by | in office |
Personal details | |
Born | Gregory Percy Jones 4 January 1968 Dartford,Kent,UK |
Spouse | Rosali Pretorius (m. 1997) |
Residence | London |
Profession | Lawyer |
Gregory Percy Jones KC (born 4 January 1968),is a British lawyer,who serves as Sheriff of the City of London for 2024/25. [1]
Of ancient patrilineal Welsh and matrilineal Irish extraction,he is the son of Colin Jones and Jeannette née McDonnell. Jones attended Pelham Road Infants and Primary Schools in Bexleyheath and after passing the 11-plus,Jones was educated at Colfe's School (Exhibitioner). Winning a Leathersellers' Scholarship and a Barclay's Bank Scholarship he then went up to New College,Oxford,where he read Jurisprudence (graduating MA). Playing for New College 1st XV at rugby,he also served as President of the Oxford Law Society in 1987 and Treasurer of the Oxford Union in 1988. Jones took a year out of education before pursuing further studies in law at the Inns of Court School of Law (BVC) and University College London (LLM).
Jones was selected to tour the US in 1989 as part of the British National Debate Team organized by the English Speaking Union. [2] He was a stagiaire at the European Commission in 1990. He took his Bar finals at the Inns of Court School of Law while a resident at the London House for Overseas Graduates (now called Goodenough College). Jones was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1991,taking silk in 2011. A Lincoln's Inn Hardwicke Scholar and Thomas More Bursar, [3] he was also the first Jean Pierre Warner Scholar to the European Court of Justice (1995). Jones is a practicing barrister at the independent bar,a member of Francis Taylor Building at the Temple,London,and an associate tenant at KBW Chambers in Leeds. [4] Described in 2017 by Chambers and Partners as "the thinking man's QC" and as "not just the meat-and-two-veg planning silk,he can deal very comfortably with European issues and complexity across the board". [5]
A Fellow of the Centre of European Law at King's College London,and Chancellor of the diocese of Manchester and Deputy Chancellor of the diocese of Truro. Jones was a member of the governing House Council of St. Stephen's House,Oxford (2011–20). [6] He was also elected FRSA (2013),FRGS (2014) and FLS (2015).
A Bencher of Lincoln's Inn since 2019 [7] Jones has also served as a Bencher of Inner Temple from 2020. [8]
Jones served as a Common Councilman for the Ward of Farringdon Without from 21 March 2013 until his election as an Alderman of the City of London for the same ward on 8 February 2017. [9] A Liveryman (then Third Warden for 2020/21) [10] of the Worshipful Company of Leathersellers as well as of the Butchers' and Arbitrators' Companies,Jones serves as Sheriff of the City of London (for 2024/25). [11]
Jones served for five years as a Governor of Colfe's School and then for seven years as Governor of the Leathersellers' Federation of Schools (three state schools in Lewisham). [12] He is Trustee of the Prendergast Trust and President of the Sir John Staples Society [13] which promotes cultural activities for the Leathersellers' Federation Schools. In 2018,Jones was also appointed a Governor of Goodenough College. [14]
In 2015,Jones was appointed by the Irish government to chair an independent expert organizational review of An Bord Pleanála,the independent,statutory,quasi-judicial body responsible for strategic infrastructure and various environmental permitting decisions and all appeals from planning decisions made by local planning authorities in Ireland;the report was published in February 2016 and made 101 recommendations. [15] He serves as a Director of Eye Solar Ltd,a renewables energy company. [16]
In 1997 Jones married Rosali Margaretha Pretorius, [17] by whom he has two daughters. A qualified music teacher and solicitor,she is a senior partner in the financial markets law practice of Simmons &Simmons. [18]
He is a member of MCC and Surrey CCC.
Jones is co-author of several leading legal texts including:
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn,commonly known as Lincoln's Inn,is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wales,an individual must belong to one of these inns. The other three are Middle Temple,Inner Temple,and Gray's Inn.
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. There are four Inns of Court:Gray's Inn,Lincoln's Inn,Inner Temple and Middle Temple.
The Worshipful Company of Leathersellers is one of the livery companies of the City of London. The organisation originates from the latter part of the 14th century receiving its Royal Charter in 1444,and is therefore the senior leather industry-related City Livery Company.
The Vinerian Scholarship is a scholarship given to the University of Oxford student who "gives the best performance in the examination for the degree of Bachelor of Civil Law". Currently,£2,500 is given to the winner of the scholarship,with an additional £950 awarded at the examiners' discretion to a proxime accessit (runner-up).
Abraham Colfe was vicar of Lewisham from 1610 to 1657 and a notable English philanthropist,founding Colfe's School,a reading (primary) or Latin school and five almshouses for the inhabitants of Lewisham. The school later came to bear his name.
Sir William Goodenough Hayter,1st Baronet,PC,QC was a British barrister and Whig politician. He is best remembered for his two tenures as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury between 1850 and 1852 and 1853 and 1858.
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Sir Charles Henry Sargant was a British barrister judge who served as Lord Justice of Appeal from 1923 to 1928.
Sir John Wickens was an English barrister and judge.
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