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A life at the Bar
Reforming and charismatic barrister and former Bar Council Chairman, Anthony Scrivener QC, died on 27 March following an illness, aged 79.
Born in July 1935, the son of a Canterbury ironmonger, he studied law at University College, London, and was called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in 1959. After a spell in lecturing in law in Ghana he returned to the Bar. He took Silk in 1975, became a Crown court Recorder the following year and Chairman of the Bar in 1991. He was also a Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn. Known to his friends and colleagues as “Scriv” he was dedicated to the cab-rank principle and represented diverse clients in some of the most high profile cases of the day. They included Guinness defendant Jack Lyons, Guildford Four member Gerry Conlon, Winston Silcott, acquitted of the murder of PC Keith Blacklock, as well as Norfolk farmer Tony Martin, who shot dead an intruder at his home, Dame Shirley Porter over the homes-for-votes scandal and disgraced Polly Peck tycoon Asil Nadir. He famously quipped: “A common law barrister like myself has seen every type of depravity possible and can say it in Latin.”
Born in July 1935, the son of a Canterbury ironmonger, he studied law at University College, London, and was called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in 1959. After a spell in lecturing in law in Ghana he returned to the Bar. He took Silk in 1975, became a Crown court Recorder the following year and Chairman of the Bar in 1991. He was also a Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn. Known to his friends and colleagues as “Scriv” he was dedicated to the cab-rank principle and represented diverse clients in some of the most high profile cases of the day. They included Guinness defendant Jack Lyons, Guildford Four member Gerry Conlon, Winston Silcott, acquitted of the murder of PC Keith Blacklock, as well as Norfolk farmer Tony Martin, who shot dead an intruder at his home, Dame Shirley Porter over the homes-for-votes scandal and disgraced Polly Peck tycoon Asil Nadir. He famously quipped: “A common law barrister like myself has seen every type of depravity possible and can say it in Latin.”
A life at the Bar
Reforming and charismatic barrister and former Bar Council Chairman, Anthony Scrivener QC, died on 27 March following an illness, aged 79.
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Seeing the full picture – Baljit Ubhey OBE outlines the CPS action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, offering insights directly relevant to courtroom practice
Heritage as an anchor and a compass, finding our common humanity and embracing the power of the outsider – Melina Antoniadis’s lessons learnt
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Review by Daniel Barnett
Chair of the Bar reports back
