Having represented the World Uyghur Congress in its successful application for judicial review against the National Crime Agency, Jonathan Fisher KC tells NLJ about his career path, inspirations and challenges
What was your route into the profession?
It was a conventional route—a law degree followed by a post-graduate law degree, then the Inns of Court School of Law, followed by pupillage with HH Peter Rook KC and HH Patrick O’Brien at 5 King’s Bench Walk, subsequently renamed Red Lion Chambers. Gray’s Inn supported me with a Senior Award, for which I was very grateful.
Initially I assumed I would become a solicitor, but I became involved with student mooting and did surprisingly well in the competition run by The Observer. One of the judges, Lord Sydney Templeman, introduced me to his former chambers and I was offered a pupillage in chancery. However, my head of studies advised me strongly to arrange a criminal/common law pupillage instead. He said I was a lively young man who should be out and about and not sitting at a desk drafting pleadings! He sent a letter of recommendation to Sir Michael Havers, then head of chambers at 5 King’s Bench Walk, and the rest is history.
I shall never forget that at the interview, one of the panel members told me that chambers was a modern set and would not charge me a pupillage fee!
What has been your biggest career challenge so far?
Without doubt, it was maintaining my practice while undergoing medical treatment and returning to court after a one-year gap.
To re-enter advocacy in R (on the application of World Uyghur Congress) v National Crime Agency [2024] EWCA Civ 715, [2024] All ER (D) 86 (Jul) was fantastic, listed in Court 4 of the Royal Courts of Justice before the Lady Chief Justice, her two colleagues, and with Sir James Eadie KC and David Perry KC sitting on the other side of the court!
I must give a ‘shout out’ here to my fantastically supportive team: Tom Forster KC, Anita Clifford, Russell Hopkins, Admas Habteslasie, and solicitors Dearbhla Minogue, Leanna Burnard and their colleagues at Bindmans. Thank you.
Which person within the legal profession inspires you most?
Please forgive me—I cannot identify just one person. I have been inspired (and nurtured) by many great people!
My pupillage supervisors are top of my practitioner list, closely followed by Anthony Arlidge and Sir Louis Blom-Cooper.
Then there is my academic list: Jeremy Horder and David Kershaw, who were my doctorate supervisors at LSE; also, Glanville Williams and Dick Gooderson at Cambridge; and Christopher Champness and Paul Dobson at what has now become London Metropolitan University.
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you choose as an alternative career?
An antique dealer.
Who is your favourite fictional lawyer?
Horace Rumpole. Atticus Finch comes a very close second, while the escapades of John Deed and Martha Costello provide great entertainment. But ultimately it will always be Rumpole of the Bailey for me.
What change would you make to the profession?
I’d bring in measures to encourage greater flexibility to move between public sector and private sector practice, at all levels.
How do you relax?
Family time, travelling to interesting places, visiting the theatre, walking around antique fairs, watching football, reading, and gym workouts (but nothing too vigorous, it hardly needs to be said).
Jonathan Fisher KC practices in financial crime cases at Red Lion Chambers. He is also a senior fellow and visiting professor at the London School of Economics. In October 2023, he was appointed to chair the government’s Independent Review into Disclosure of Unused Material in Criminal Cases and Fraud Offences.
