No5 Chambers’ Silks awarded Honorary Professorships

L to R: Professor S Harris Short, Head of CEPLER; Paul Bleasdale QC; David Lock QC; Ian Dove QC; Professor A Sanders, Head of Birmingham Law School

Four Silks from No5 Chambers have been awarded Honorary Professorships by the University of Birmingham. The ceremony helped to mark the opening of the University’s Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research (CEPLER). 

The four – Paul Bleasdale QC, Ian Dove QC, Manjit Gill QC and David Lock QC – are among a number of Members of No5 Chambers – Silks and junior counsel – who support University of Birmingham Law School’s pro bono activities and collaborate on research and writing for academic journals. 

Members of No5 Chambers are giving their time to participate in workshops, seminars and deliver lectures as part of an agreement between the University of Birmingham and No5 Chambers. Barristers and Silks were also involved in the inaugural conference at CEPLER, entitled “Access to Justice in an Age of Austerity”. 

Paul Bleasdale QC, who is Head of No5 Chambers and Head of its Personal Injury team, has a particular interest in industrial disease litigation and sees the opportunity for collaborative projects in areas such as the study of epidemiology in disease cases. He says: “The other three Silks and I are honoured to have been awarded Honorary Professorships by the University of Birmingham. 

“We are very pleased to be working with Birmingham University Law School as we have a real opportunity to ‘give something back’ and contribute towards shaping the education of the lawyers of the future.” 

Professor Andrew Sanders, Head of Birmingham Law School, adds: “We are very excited that our collaboration with No5 will be taken to a new level over the next few years. I am very much looking forward to working with them all.”

Ian Dove QC, Deputy Head of No5 Chambers and a member of the Planning and Environment team, comments: “Members of No5 are relishing the opportunity of sharing their ‘court-room craft’ legal expertise and practical skills, including advocacy with the students.” 

Tony McDaid, Practice Director of No5 Chambers, concludes: “I believe that the awards are a mark of the high regard that the University has for our Silks and barristers. We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with the University of Birmingham Law School and enhancing the reputation of this City as a centre of legal excellence.”