David Allen Green
Encyclopedia
David Allen Green is an English lawyer
and writer. He is also legal correspondent for the New Statesman
; and blogs as "Jack of Kent".
His articles on legal matters have been published by The Guardian
, The Lawyer
, New Scientist
, and others.
He was shortlisted for the George Orwell blogging prize
in 2010 and is a judge of the same in 2011. He was also named in 2010 as one of the leading innovators in journalism and media, and in 2011 as one of the 'Hot 100' lawyers by The Lawyer
.
. After education at Four Dwellings
comprehensive school and Halesowen College sixth-form, he studied Modern History at Pembroke College Oxford and Law
at the University of Birmingham
.
, Green was called to the Bar
in 1999 and became a solicitor
in 2001. Formerly a lawyer at Baker & McKenzie, Herbert Smith, and the Treasury Solicitor
, he is now (and since 2009) head of the media practice at Preiskel & Co.
He was involved on a pro bono
basis with Simon Singh
's successful libel defence campaign against the British Chiropractic Association
.
In 2010, he advised Sally Bercow
in her successful defence of a threatened libel action by lobby group MigrationWatch UK
and their chairman Sir Andrew Green.
He led the defence in the Twitter Joke Trial.
and on the editorial board of The Skeptic
magazine.
magazine. He appears on the legal podcast Without Prejudice.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and writer. He is also legal correspondent for 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....
; and blogs as "Jack of Kent".
His articles on legal matters have been published by The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, The Lawyer
The Lawyer
The Lawyer is a weekly British magazine for commercial lawyers and corporate directors, first published in 1981. It is owned by Centaur Media plc....
, New Scientist
New Scientist
New Scientist is a weekly non-peer-reviewed English-language international science magazine, which since 1996 has also run a website, covering recent developments in science and technology for a general audience. Founded in 1956, it is published by Reed Business Information Ltd, a subsidiary of...
, and others.
He was shortlisted for the George Orwell blogging prize
Orwell Prize
The Orwell Prize used to be regarded as the pre-eminent British prize for political writing.Three prizes are awarded each year: one for a book, one for journalism and another for blogging...
in 2010 and is a judge of the same in 2011. He was also named in 2010 as one of the leading innovators in journalism and media, and in 2011 as one of the 'Hot 100' lawyers by The Lawyer
The Lawyer
The Lawyer is a weekly British magazine for commercial lawyers and corporate directors, first published in 1981. It is owned by Centaur Media plc....
.
Personal life
Green was born and brought up in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. After education at Four Dwellings
Four Dwellings High School
Four Dwellings High School is a secondary school in the Quinton area of Birmingham, England. It opened in 1940 on Quinton Road West. This part of the school is now used by other council departments including the Quinton Neighbourhood Office...
comprehensive school and Halesowen College sixth-form, he studied Modern History at Pembroke College Oxford and Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
.
Legal career
After being awarded the Sir Thomas More and Hardwicke Scholarships by Lincoln's InnLincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
, Green was called to the Bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
in 1999 and became a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in 2001. Formerly a lawyer at Baker & McKenzie, Herbert Smith, and the Treasury Solicitor
Treasury Solicitor's Department
The Treasury Solicitor's Department is the largest in-house legal organisation in the United Kingdom's Government Legal Service.The Department is headed by the Treasury Solicitor. This office goes back several centuries...
, he is now (and since 2009) head of the media practice at Preiskel & Co.
He was involved on a pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
basis with Simon Singh
Simon Singh
Simon Lehna Singh, MBE is a British author who has specialised in writing about mathematical and scientific topics in an accessible manner....
's successful libel defence campaign against the British Chiropractic Association
British Chiropractic Association
The British Chiropractic Association was founded in 1925 and represents over 50% of UK chiropractors. It is the largest and longest established association for chiropractors in the United Kingdom...
.
In 2010, he advised Sally Bercow
Sally Bercow
Sally Bercow is the wife of the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow. She was a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother and was evicted from the house on 26 August 2011.-Early life:...
in her successful defence of a threatened libel action by lobby group MigrationWatch UK
MigrationWatch UK
MigrationWatch UK describes itself as an independent, non-political immigration and asylum think-tank, although it has been characterised as a right-wing lobby or pressure group by some commentators and academics....
and their chairman Sir Andrew Green.
He led the defence in the Twitter Joke Trial.
Activism
Green is founder and convenor of Westminster Skeptics, and sits on the advisory board of Sense About ScienceSense About Science
Sense About Science is a British charity that promotes the public understanding of science. Sense About Science was conceived in 2002 by Lord Taverne, Bridget Ogilvie and others to promote respect for scientific evidence and good science. Sense About Science was established as a charitable trust in...
and on the editorial board of The Skeptic
The Skeptic (UK magazine)
The Skeptic is a British magazine and is billed as "the UK’s longest running and foremost sceptical magazine, which examines science, scepticism, secularism, critical thinking and claims of the paranormal."-History, format and structure:...
magazine.
Social Media
Green is a prolific blogger, both on his own Jack of Kent blog and as part of his contribution to New StatesmanNew 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....
magazine. He appears on the legal podcast Without Prejudice.