Keir Starmer QC—University of East London

The University of East London have awarded an honorary doctorate of laws upon ex-director of public prosecutions (DPP) Keir Starmer QC.
 
Born in Southwark in 1962, Keir Starmer QC is widely regarded as one of the foremost human rights lawyers in the UK. Educated at Reigate Grammar School, Leeds University and finally Oxford, he was called to the Bar in 1987 and appointed Queen Counsel in 2002. 
 
He practised from Doughty Street Chambers since its inception in 1990 and was appointed head of chambers in 2007. Conducting cases at the highest level and all over the world in those fields, he is also the author of several leading legal textbooks and is a visiting fellow at Essex University.
 
From 2003-2008, Keir was the human rights advisor to the Policing Board in Northern Ireland.  In that capacity he worked with the Policing Board to ensure that the Police Service of Northern Ireland fully complied with its obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998.
 
In 2008 he was appointed as DPP and head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).  He introduced core Quality Standards within the CPS and a robust quality assurance framework to ensure that all prosecutors provide a high quality service to the public.
 
As DPP, Keir handled many complex and sensitive issues such as assisted suicide and cases in which members of the House of Commons and House of Lords have been charged with criminal offences. He also led on publishing important guidance for prosecutors—for example, those on assisted suicide, assessing the public interest in cases affecting the media, joint enterprise, social media and just before ending his successful five year term as DPP in early November, issued pivotal interim guidelines for child sexual abuse cases.