Name Courtenay Griffiths | Role Barrister | |
 | ||
Education London School of Economics and Political Science | ||
Courtenay Grffiths QC keynote speech at the Black History Month and Launch of Black Letter Law 2010
Courtenay Griffiths QC is a Jamaican-born British barrister, notable for his defence within a number of high-profile cases, and is currently a member of London-based 25 Bedford Row Chambers
Contents
- Courtenay Grffiths QC keynote speech at the Black History Month and Launch of Black Letter Law 2010
- Courtenay griffiths qc chairman securityinafrica com conference opening speech
- Early life
- Career
- Notable cases
- Personal life
- References
Courtenay griffiths qc chairman securityinafrica com conference opening speech
Early life
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, the second youngest child of a carpenter father, Griffiths moved to England with his family in 1961 and was raised in Coventry. Educated at Bablake School, he graduated in 1978 with an LLB (Hons) from the London School of Economics.
Career
Griffiths was inspired to pursue a law career after his father told him stories about Norman Manley QC, the first Prime Minister of Jamaica. Following a period of pupillage Griffiths was called to the bar in 1980.
He next became Legal Assistant to the Greater London Council's Police Support Committee, and then spent 12 months as a Revson Fellow at City College, New York. On return to the UK he practised mainly in West Yorkshire, in the Leeds and Bradford courts. He was made Queen's Counsel in 1998.
Today he practises predominantly in criminal defense, notably in the most complex of murder cases as well as fraud and drug offences. He practices from 25 Bedford Row Chambers who were recently voted 'Crime Set of the Year'. Courtenay also sits part-time in the Crown Court as a Recorder, chairs the Public Affairs Committee of the Bar Council, and worked for several years as chair of its Race Relations Committee.
Griffiths holds honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from both Coventry University and Leeds Metropolitan University. In 2008, he gave the annual Norman Manley Lecture at the Norman Manley Law School, University of the West Indies, which aims to highlight issues of national and international public concern.
Notable cases
Personal life
Married, with two boys, Griffiths also has two children from before his marriage, with whom he maintains a relationship. He collects a wide range of music, supports Liverpool F.C. and the West Indies Cricket Team, and is a Trustee of the Bernie Grant Trust.