King's law professors appointed honorary QCs

Two professors in The Dickson Poon School of Law, Professor Robert Blackburn and Professor Jonathan Harris, have been appointed as honorary QCs for their contribution to English and Welsh law.

Her Majesty The Queen has approved the appointment of eight new Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa, bestowed upon lawyers who have made a major contribution to the law of England and Wales outside practice in the courts. 

Professor Robert Blackburn is a solicitor and Professor of Constitutional Law at King’s College London. He has been recommended for his constitutional law work and in particular for his report on how a written constitution might work. He is the author of several key academic works and numerous articles, having written extensively on areas of constitutional law, including authoritative works on Parliament, the Monarchy, the electoral system, Crown proceedings and constitutional reform. His works include contributing four titles to Halsbury’s Laws of England. He has on numerous occasions been called to provide written and oral evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees and public inquiries on matters related to electoral and constitutional reform.

Professor Jonathan Harris is a barrister at Serle Court chambers and is Professor of International Commercial Law at King’s. He also holds a door tenancy at St Philips chambers. He was called to the Bar (Lincoln’s Inn) in 2006. He has been recommended for his work on private international law and in particular for having written the law in several jurisdictions on firewall trusts. He is joint general editor of Dicey, Morris and Collins, The Conflict of Laws and is also responsible for eleven chapters of the book. He is the author of a widely cited book on the Hague Trusts Convention and of a co-authored work on International Sale of Goods and the Conflict of Laws. He has also contributed to various major works and written numerous influential articles. He is the co-founder of the Journal of Private International Law and of the Studies in Private International Law book series. He is a member of the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Private International Law and has actively contributed to the Committee’s work. He has advised the Ministry of Justice on many occasions and, in particular, in negotiations on EU initiatives in the field of cross-border succession and wills. 

The Lord Chancellor, Michael Gove, congratulated the eight honorary silks: 'Their appointments recognise the major contribution each has made to the law of England and Wales outside of practice in the courts, in some cases in careers spanning many years.' 

Professor David D Caron, Executive Dean of The Dickson Poon School of Law, said: ‘King’s tradition of making invaluable contributions to law and its practice within the United Kingdom is recognised once again by the award of honorary QC to Professors Blackburn and Harris. Both are giants in their respective fields; our congratulations and appreciation to them both.’ 

The Dickson Poon School of Law at King's College London is one of the oldest law schools in England and recognised globally as one of the best law schools in the world. Established in 1831 the School has played an integral role in the life of King’s since the university was formed almost 200 years ago. It has one of this country's most distinguished research and teaching reputations - staff are active in research and among the leading international experts, helping King’s to continue to push the boundaries of academic thought and to innovate across disciplines. 

To find out more about the appointments visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/queens-counsel-in-england-wales-2015-to-2016