Honorary
Doctorates |
Courtenay Griffiths QC receives an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Leeds Metropolitan University
View images of Courtenay Griffiths QC receiving his Honorary Award
Leading barrister in the English criminal justice system Courtenay Griffiths QC received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Leeds Metropolitan University on Tuesday 12 July.
Courtenay Griffths said: "I feel privileged to be in the company of so many eager legal tyros. You will be entering a legal profession that is 50% female and 20% non white. If you continue to show commitment and hard work, with a degree of luck you can do it. I sound like a football coach but I wish you well for your futures."
Courtenay Griffiths was born in Kingston, Jamaica into a large family which came to an England as yet unused to the presence of a community different in colour and experience. The criminal law was an integral part of his experience and the process of his acculturation into British society.
Having grown up in Coventry, he studied law at the London School of Economics and was called to the Bar directly from university. Time spent as legal assistant to the Greater London Council’s Police Support Committee and as a Revson Fellow at the City College in New York helped to provide what he views as an essential political and social context to the understanding and practice of criminal law.
On his return from the United States, he spent much of his time
practising outside London, particularly in West Yorkshire. That
experience taught him the importance of the social setting of the
practice of criminal law: at that time the sight of a black man
in a white wig and black gown often generated looks and sentiments
of amazement.
He specialises in all aspects of criminal justice, including the criminal law, civil actions against the police and inquests. His practice has remained national and he has appeared in most major Crown Courts in England. His criminal practice ranges from fraud to terrorism, murder and serious public order offences to drugs. His appellate work has included the M25 appeal (Johnson, Davis and Rowe). His practice has recently taken him to Sierra Leone where he was due to appear before the Special War Crimes Tribunal in that country. He strongly believes that international criminal law will be one of the expanding areas of law in the twenty-first century.
Courtenay has always been particularly interested in civil liberties. He views the introduction of the European Convention on Human Rights into English law as a unique opportunity for him to bring his unique experience as an outsider to the development of the law in his roles as Queen’s Counsel and Recorder.
Amongst the many notable cases in which Courtenay has been involved, he regards the following as being the most noteworthy: R v Silcott & others (the Blakelock murder trial); the Brighton bombing; the Harrod’s bombing; the Canary Wharf bombing: the Risley riot; the Dartmoor riot; Johnson, Davis and Rowe; Goswell v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis (for a while the highest award of damages made by a jury against a police force); and the Damilola Taylor murder trial.
Courtenay has written and lectured extensively on all aspects
of the criminal justice system. He has debated these issues on
television and radio, in both the United Kingdom and the United
States.
He is Chair of the Public Affairs Committee of the Bar Council,
and was for several years Chair of its Race Relations Committee.
He retains many community interests and is currently a Trustee
of the Bernie Grant Trust.
Courtenay Griffiths took silk in 1998 and became a Recorder a
year later.
