John Beggs QC has made the shortlist for The Lawyer Magazine’s award for “Barrister of the Year.”
The decision has caused outrage in Liverpool because Mr Beggs represented the Hillsborough Police Match Commanders, including David Duckenfield, the officer who, catastrophically, ordered the Hillsborough gates to be opened.
I have no idea whether he would be a worthy winner of the accolade. The entry form asks, amongst other things, for:
“Full details of one benchmark case, illustrating how the individual barrister’s contribution made a significant difference to the outcome, including details of other parties / instructing groups”
The verdicts in the Hillsborough Inquest went against his clients in every possible respect, so it is difficult to see how that case could further his credentials very far, but there are other criteria too, so perhaps he could still win.
Margaret Aspinall, whose son James was killed in the disaster, told the Liverpool Echo:
“Whoever proposed and supported this nomination has clearly not spent even a day at the Hillsborough inquests.”
“We and the jury listened to Mr Beggs for the last two years and the jury’s verdict tells you all you need to know about how good a barrister he is.” Continue reading “It’s not wrong to consider John Beggs QC for barrister of the year”