Maura McGowan QC, Nicholas Lavender QC & Stephen Collier Bar Council Officers 2013

The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has elected the following officers for the 2013 calendar year:

• Chairman: Maura McGowan QC
• Vice-Chairman: Nicholas Lavender QC, and
• Treasurer: Stephen Collier.

Maura McGowan QC will be Chairman of the Bar for 2013. She is currently the Vice-Chairman. Maura was Called to the Bar in 1980 and took silk in 2001. She is a criminal practitioner at 2 Bedford Row in London and Lincoln House Chambers in Manchester.  A Deputy High Court Judge since 2010 and a Recorder since 1996, Maura is an elected member of the Bar Council (serving on the Law Reform Committee and as Vice-Chairman of the Professional Practice Committee).

Nicholas Lavender QC practises commercial law from Serle Court Chambers.  Called to the Bar in 1989 and taking silk in 2008, he has acted in a wide range of commercial disputes, in particular in banking cases. He has appeared in courts in England and the Caribbean, in the European Court of Human Rights and before arbitral tribunals in England, France, Sweden and Finland.

Stephen Collier is currently the Treasurer of the Bar Council and will continue in that role in 2013.  Stephen is Group Chief Executive of General Healthcare Group, one of the largest privately-owned companies in Britain. He was Called to the Bar in in 1980 and, after a period in chambers, worked as a corporate counsel. He has since worked in a variety of legal, corporate strategy and general management roles.