Alex Bailin
Encyclopedia
Alex Bailin QC
, born 23 January 1969, is an English barrister
specialising in human rights at Matrix Chambers
.
Bailin is also a legal writer for The Guardian
, The Times
and The Lawyer among others.
earning a MA(Hons.) and Law at Sussex University. Prior to becoming a barrister Bailin worked as a derivatives trader in the City of London. Bailin was called to the Bar (Lincolns Inn) in November 1995 and became silk in 2010 earning the title QC
. Bailin specialises in human rights, public and administrative law, public international law, criminal fraud, criminal law and media law. Bailin has been instructed in more than 20 cases in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
, House of Lords, Privy Council
and European Court of Human Rights
, including many death-row appeals. He often works at the interface between criminal and public law.
He has appeared on BBC News, BBC Radio 4
Today Programme and Newsnight
on legal issues.
in (1) criminal fraud (2) crime (3) human rights and (4) public and administrative law. Bailin is "brilliant", "closes off problems before they arise" and is "often many moves ahead of his opponent" (Chambers & Partners, Admin. & Public Law)'; is "very good on the overlap between public and criminal law" (Chambers & Partners, Human Rights); has "a great feel for the law" (Chambers & Partners, Crime); and "a fine understanding of the workings of high finance" (Chambers & Partners, Fraud: Criminal).
, The Times
, The Lawyer, The New Statesman
as well writing for the UK Supreme Court Blog (UKSCblog
).
causes and is a member of the Cystic Fibrosis Fundraising Network.
QC
In Commonwealth countries, QC refers to Queen's Counsel, a distinguished and experienced legal practitioner.QC may also refer to:* Quebec Canada Post provincial abbreviation...
, born 23 January 1969, is an English barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
specialising in human rights at Matrix Chambers
Matrix Chambers
Matrix Chambers is a barristers’ set situated at Gray’s Inn, London. It was founded in April 2000 by 22 barristers from 7 different chambers.Matrix was founded shortly before the implementation of the Human Rights Act in October 2000...
.
Bailin is also a legal writer for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
and The Lawyer among others.
Education and Career
Bailin read Mathematics at Emmanuel College, University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
earning a MA(Hons.) and Law at Sussex University. Prior to becoming a barrister Bailin worked as a derivatives trader in the City of London. Bailin was called to the Bar (Lincolns Inn) in November 1995 and became silk in 2010 earning the title QC
QC
In Commonwealth countries, QC refers to Queen's Counsel, a distinguished and experienced legal practitioner.QC may also refer to:* Quebec Canada Post provincial abbreviation...
. Bailin specialises in human rights, public and administrative law, public international law, criminal fraud, criminal law and media law. Bailin has been instructed in more than 20 cases in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the supreme court in all matters under English law, Northern Ireland law and Scottish civil law. It is the court of last resort and highest appellate court in the United Kingdom; however the High Court of Justiciary remains the supreme court for criminal...
, House of Lords, Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
and European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
, including many death-row appeals. He often works at the interface between criminal and public law.
He has appeared on BBC News, BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
Today Programme and Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
on legal issues.
Professional Reputation
Chambers and Partners 2011 ranks Alex Bailin QC as a new silkQueen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in (1) criminal fraud (2) crime (3) human rights and (4) public and administrative law. Bailin is "brilliant", "closes off problems before they arise" and is "often many moves ahead of his opponent" (Chambers & Partners, Admin. & Public Law)'; is "very good on the overlap between public and criminal law" (Chambers & Partners, Human Rights); has "a great feel for the law" (Chambers & Partners, Crime); and "a fine understanding of the workings of high finance" (Chambers & Partners, Fraud: Criminal).
Legal Journalism
Bailin also contributes legal articles to The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, The Lawyer, The New Statesman
New Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
as well writing for the UK Supreme Court Blog (UKSCblog
UKSCblog
UKSCblog is a law blog dedicated to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. The blog is based on the SCOTUSblog in the US which provides commentary and information about the United States Supreme Court....
).
Criminal Fraud
- R v Railtrack plc and its former Chief Executive (corporate manslaughterCorporate manslaughterCorporate manslaughter is a criminal offence in English law, being an act of homicide committed by a company or organisation. In general, in English criminal law, a juristic person is in the same position as a natural person, and may be convicted for committing many offences...
, Hatfield rail crashHatfield rail crashThe Hatfield rail crash was a railway accident on 17 October 2000, at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK. Although the accident killed fewer than other accidents, Hatfield exposed the major stewardship shortcomings of the privatised national railway infrastructure company Railtrack and the failings of...
) - R(Redknapp) v City of London PoliceCity of London PoliceThe City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temple. The service responsible for law enforcement within the rest of Greater London is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate...
[2009] 1 WLR 2091 (corruption investigation in Premiership football)
Human Rights
- R (C & GC) v Metropolitan PoliceMetropolitan policeMetropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
[2011] 1 WLR 1230 (Supreme Court - retention of non-convicted persons' DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
) - A and others v Home SecretaryHome SecretaryThe Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
[2005] 2 AC 68 (House of LordsHouse of LordsThe House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
appeal in “Belmarsh case” - detention without trial of suspected terrorists)
Public Law
- R(Gentle) v Prime Minister [2008] 1 AC 1356 (House of LordsHouse of LordsThe House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
appeal - legality of Iraq war and duty to hold a public inquiry)
Personal life
Bailin supports Cystic FibrosisCystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
causes and is a member of the Cystic Fibrosis Fundraising Network.
Publications
- Fraud: Criminal Law & Procedure (Companies ActCompanies ActCompanies Act is a stock short title used for legislation in the United Kingdom and South Africa relating to company law....
chapter) - Human Rights & Criminal Justice (2nd ed., contributing author)
- Blackstone's Criminal Practice (Official Secrets ActOfficial Secrets ActThe Official Secrets Act is a stock short title used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, India and Malaysia and formerly in New Zealand for legislation that provides for the protection of state secrets and official information, mainly related to national security.-United Kingdom:*The Official Secrets...
chapter)
External links
- Alex Bailin Matrix Chambers Profile (Matrix Chambers)
- Alex Bailin Guardian Profile (The Guardian)