Leslie Thomas (barrister)

Last updated

Leslie Thomas
KC
Born (1965-04-29) April 29, 1965 (age 59)
London, England
Nationality British
Education Kingston University, LLB
Occupation Barrister
Years active1988–
Organization(s)Garden Court Chambers, Lincoln's Inn Fields
Known forHuman rights lawyer and civil liberties campaigner
Website https://www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk/barristers/leslie-thomas-qc/sao

Leslie Thomas KC [1] (born 29 April 1965) is a British barrister and law professor. He has acted on a number of high-profile death cases and inquests, and is noted as a "star individual" for Police Law (Claimant) work in Chambers and Partners [2] with specialist expertise in cases of death in custody and death at the hands of the police. [3]

Contents

Education

Thomas was born and grew up in London, and attended an Inner London comprehensive school. He has described having had to re-take his A-Level examinations while at school. [2] On completing his schooling, he attended Kingston Polytechnic from 1983 to 1987. In 2013 he received an honorary doctorate from Kingston. [4]

Career

Location of Garden Court Chambers in 57 & 58 Lincoln's Inn Fields 57 & 58 Lincoln's Inn Fields.jpg
Location of Garden Court Chambers in 57 & 58 Lincoln's Inn Fields

Thomas initially lectured at the University of Westminster, Kingston University, and the Open University until he was called to the bar in 1988 following completion of his LLB. He began his career as a pupil in the then 13 King's Bench Walk. [2] Following this, he joined the now dissolved Wellington Street Chambers, led by Lord Gifford QC. [5] Thomas currently practises from Garden Court Chambers. [6]

He first set precedent in the UK when he secured first unlawful killing decision against a serving police officer in the Azelle Rodney public shooting enquiry in 2013. [5] In 2014, he represented 11 families who lost relatives in the Hillsborough disaster.

In 2015, he was the counsel for the parents of Christianne and Robert Shepherd who died of carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Corfu in October 2006. [7] The same year, he represented the family of Eleanor De Freitas at the inquest into her death. [8]

He was lead counsel to the family of Mark Duggan at the 2016 inquest into Duggan's death. [9]

In 2019 he was instructed by Hudgell Solicitors on behalf of the family of the late AM Carl Sargeant. The hearing centred around controversial decisions taken by former First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones prior to Mr Sargeant's suicide. Thomas successfully prevented Cathryn McGahey QC (representing Jones) from introducing unproven allegations of misconduct against Sargeant to the inquiry, insisting that the "deceased person is not here to defend themselves" and that "there has been no investigation into these rumours and suspicion". In siding with Thomas, coroner, John Gittins, ruled that the effort by McGahey on behalf of Carwyn Jones was "astounding" and "opportunistic".

He is an advocacy trainer for the Inner Temple, former director of both Liberty and the Civil Liberties Trust, [5] and an independent member on the Standards Committee for public life for Lewisham Council. [2] He is also 3rd edition co-author of the practitioners' guide, Inquest.

In 2020, he was appointed Gresham Professor of Law. [10]

In 2023 Thomas appeared on behalf of the Federation of Ethnic Minority Healthcare Organisations (FEMHO) at The UK Covid-19 Inquiry, which was set up to examine the UK’s response to and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. [11] [12]

Personal life

Thomas is described as having an interest in motorcycles, and knowledge of the tenor saxophone. He is also competent in both Russian and French. [13] He has previously called for wigs worn as part of court dress to be banned on racial exclusion grounds. [14]

Honours

Publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrister</span> Lawyer specialised in court representation in certain jurisdictions

A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include arguing cases in courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching the law and giving legal opinions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Counsel</span> Honorific for lawyers in some Commonwealth realms

A King's Counsel is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarch is a woman, the title is Queen's Counsel (QC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Mansfield</span> British barrister, legal scholar (born 1941)

Michael Mansfield is an English barrister and head of chambers at Nexus Chambers. He was recently described as "The king of human rights work" by The Legal 500 and as a leading Silk in civil liberties and human rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Sargeant</span> Welsh politician

Carl Sargeant was a Welsh politician who was the Cabinet secretaries and ministers Secretary for Communities and Children in the Welsh Government. He represented the constituency of Alyn and Deeside in the National Assembly for Wales from 2003.

Anthony Maurice Gifford, 6th Baron Gifford, KC, is a British hereditary peer and King’s Counsel. He inherited the title of Baron Gifford on the death of his father, the 5th Baron, in April 1961.

Sir Sydney Woolf Kentridge SCOB is a South African-born lawyer, judge and member of the Bar of England and Wales. He practised law in South Africa and the United Kingdom from the 1940s until his retirement in 2013. In South Africa he played a leading role in a number of the most significant political trials in the apartheid-era, including the Treason Trial of Nelson Mandela and the 1978 inquest into the death of Steve Biko. Kentridge's wife, Felicia Kentridge, was also a leading anti-apartheid lawyer.

Brick Court Chambers is a set of barristers' chambers in the Temple district of central London. It specialises in commercial, EU, competition and public law. It is considered by legal commentators to be one of the 'Magic Circle' of London's most prestigious commercial barristers' chambers. Brick Court Chambers was founded in 1921 by William Jowitt KC, who later became Lord Chancellor. It rose to prominence in the 1970s, with an increase in shipping and international trade litigation.

One Essex Court is a set of barristers' chambers in London, specialising in commercial litigation, which was founded in 1966. It is distinct from 1 Essex Court and Essex Court Chambers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Lion Chambers</span>

Red Lion Chambers is a UK set of barristers' chambers, specialising in criminal law, formerly known as 18 Red Lion Court.

Alex Bailin KC is an English barrister specialising in criminal and international law, together with human rights and media law at Matrix Chambers. Bailin is also a legal writer for The Guardian, The Times and The Lawyer, among others.

Edward Hamilton Fitzgerald is a British barrister who specialises in criminal law, public law, and international human rights law. His work against the death penalty has led him to represent criminals such as: Myra Hindley, Mary Bell, Maxine Carr, various IRA prisoners, and Abu Hamza. Fitzgerald is currently the joint head of Doughty Street Chambers.

Thomas Edward Crowther KC is a practising British barrister who served as a Circuit Judge from 2013 to 2018. He was assigned to the Wales Circuit on 24 July 2013 and resigned from the circuit bench on 5 December 2018 to return to legal practice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deborah Chambers</span> New Zealand Kings Counsel

Deborah Anne, Lady Chambers is a New Zealand King's Counsel specialising in relationship property and trusts law. She was married to the New Zealand Supreme Court judge, Sir Robert Chambers from 2004 until his death in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">QEB Hollis Whiteman (chambers)</span> Barristers Chambers based in London

QEB Hollis Whiteman is a leading set of barristers' chambers specialising in criminal, financial, and regulatory law, located in the City of London. Established in the 1980s, it employs 70 barristers, including 21 King's Counsel, four Treasury Counsel and one Standing Counsel to the RCPO. The current Heads of Chambers are Selva Ramasamy KC and Adrian Darbishire KC and the Chief Clerk is Chris Emmings.

Oliver Edwin James Glasgow KC is a barrister who specialises in criminal law. Since November 2015 he served as one of the Senior Treasury Counsel at the Old Bailey, prosecuting serious criminal cases. On 1 January 2021 he was appointed First Senior Treasury Counsel by the Attorney General, Suella Braverman KC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2 Hare Court</span> British law firms established in 1567

2 Hare Court is a barristers' chambers specialising in criminal and regulatory law, located in the Inner Temple, one of the four Inns of court. Established in the 1967, It employs 77 barristers, including 23 King's Counsel and several former prosecutors, including those who have acted as First Senior, Senior and Junior Treasury Counsel – barristers appointed by the Attorney General to prosecute the most serious and complex criminal cases to come before the courts.

Jolyon Toby Dennis Maugham is a British barrister. Initially a practitioner in contentious taxation law, he stepped away in order to act as the founder and director of the Good Law Project, through which he has played a role in bringing to court a number of legal challenges to the Brexit process. He has written on Brexit and legal issues for publications such as The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and the New Statesman. He published his first book in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jo Sidhu</span> British criminal law barrister and Kings Counsel

Navjot Sidhu KC is a British criminal law barrister and King's Counsel.

Professor Johanne Erica "Jo" Delahunty, is a British barrister, judge, and legal academic. Called to the bar in 1986, she specialises in family law and child protection. She has also been a Recorder since 2009, and was the Gresham Professor of Law from 2016 to 2020.

Ian Alexander Macdonald QC was a Scottish barrister who was "a pioneer of committed anti-racist legal practice" in the UK. During the 1970s he appeared in many notable political and human rights cases, including those involving the Mangrove Nine, the Angry Brigade, and the Balcombe Street siege. He took silk in 1988 and was leader of the British bar in immigration law for five decades until his death at the age of 80.

References

  1. ↑ "Dr Leslie Thomas, QC Authorised Biography". Debrett's People of Today. 1 April 2016. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Leslie Thomas QC". Justice. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  3. ↑ O'Hara, Mary (5 February 2015). "Leslie Thomas: a voice for the dead | Society". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Leslie Thomas QC - Alumni profiles - Made in Kingston - Our alumni - Alumni - Kingston University London". www.kingston.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BLD Lawyers (4 November 2014). "BLD Interviews Leslie Thomas QC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers". YouTube . Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "Leslie Thomas QC". Garden Court Chambers. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  7. ↑ Kirton, Hayley (14 March 2016). "Leslie Thomas QC: Why the barrister who represented the family of Christi and Bobby Shepherd, who died while on a Thomas Cook holiday, thinks companies should stop relying on lawyers". City A.M. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "Inquest into the death of Eleanor de Freitas". Garden Court Chambers. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  9. ↑ "Jury Concludes Mark Duggan Lawfully Killed". Garden Court Chambers. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Professor of Law". www.gresham.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  11. ↑ Bullen, Jamie; Rayner, Gordon; Corless, Blathnaid; Knapton, Sarah (7 December 2023). "Emotional Boris Johnson insists 'I do care' in defence of premiership - watch live". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  12. ↑ "Leslie Thomas KC and Liz Davies KC question Dame Priti Patel at UK Covid-19 Inquiry | News | Garden Court Chambers | Leading Barristers located in London, UK". www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  13. ↑ "Leslie Thomas QC | Barristers | Garden Court Chambers | Leading Barristers located in London, UK". www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  14. ↑ "Why do barristers wear wigs? An exploration of the historic headpiece".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.