Home » Our People » Gavin Millar QC
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Doughty Street Chambers
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Gavin has a wide-ranging practice covering media, public, employment and discrimination law. Much of his media work is for clients asserting free speech rights. He undertakes defamation, privacy, contempt and reporting restriction cases. He is the co-author of Media Law and Human Rights (2009 Oxford University Press) and sits on the Board of the Centre for Investigative Journalism at City University. He is a Council of Europe expert on freedom of expression. In this capacity he regularly speaks and advises on media law at Strasbourg and in the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. In November 2008 he represented the journalist, Sally Murrer, whose conversations with an alleged police source had been bugged by Thames Valley Police. The judge directed an acquittal on the basis of interferences with her right to freedom of expression. In 2009 he advised the DPP on the free speech issues arising in the police investigation into Damien Green MP. He recently represented the UK media before the Court of Appeal in R (On the application of Binyam Mohammed) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. In 2010 he represented the Crown in connection with media coverage of criminal proceedings against John Venables. Gavin specialises in discrimination and trade union law, although he covers all aspects of employment law. He often represents public sector workers. He is currently acting for thousands of claimants in the equal pay "multiples" issued against local authorities across Wales. As well as employment cases, his public law practice covers parliamentary, local government, education and election law. He is currently defending the former MP, Jim Devine, charged with offences in relation to his House of Commons allowance claims. The Court of Appeal hearing on the preliminary issue of whether Parliamentary privilege precludes prosecution took place in June 2010. He has appeared at a number of major public inquiries including those into the Clapham Junction rail disaster and the Westminster City Council "homes for votes" scandal. He was an elected member of a London council between 1985 and 1994, serving on its Housing and Social Services Committees. Gavin is recognised as a leading election law specialist. He has appeared in numerous election petition cases. In March 2008 he appeared for the claimant at the Slough Central Ward election trial which exposed the unlawful electoral practice of "roll-stuffing", enabling postal votes to be cast on behalf of non-existent voters. He is currently representing Phil Woolas MP in election petition proceedings challenging his election in Oldham East at the 2010 general election. He is acting for the Petitioner in proceedings against the Returning Office in LB of Croyden. This petition alleges inadequate polling station provision on 6 May 2010. Gavin was described as an "incredible cross-examiner" in the defamation/privacy section of Chambers & Partners 2006. He was described as "excellent" in a Legal Week article entitled "The Entertainers" and was listed as one of the The Lawyer's "Hot 100" lawyers for 2007. He was shortlisted for the Law Society's "Barrister of the Year" award in 2008. 2009 Chambers & Partners listed him as a leading silk in employment and defamation/privacy, quoting observers who spoke of his "ruthless efficiency, problem-solving skills and uncanny ability to speak common sense". He is listed again in these categories in the 2010 edition. He is also listed in the defamation section of Legal Experts 2010. Recent cases include: Media, defamation and privacy
Employment and discrimination
Public Law
Recent publications include: Whither the Spirit of Lingens? Human Rights Law Review, Issue 3, 2009 |
Year of Call1981 Queen's Counsel2000 EducationBA (Hons) Jurisprudence Email AddressClick for contact detailsSpecialist TeamsTeam leader : Member : |
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