Professor Bernard Richmond KC

Appointments: 

• Recorder (2002). Bernard is authorised to try criminal cases (including serious sexual offences and appeals) and authorised to sit at the Central Criminal Court (“Old Bailey”). He is also authorised to sit in family cases. 
• Bencher, Honourable Society of the Middle Temple (2005) 
• Queen’s Counsel (2006) 
• Assistant Coroner (Inner West London) (2012) 
• Deemster & Deputy High Bailiff, Isle of Man (2016)

Called to the Bar in 1988, Bernard is a practising silk, specialising in Criminal Defence work (in the widest sense) and inquests. 

He is a member of Lamb Building Chambers in the Temple, London. He has been Head of Chambers since 2013. He is also an associate tenant at Central Chambers in Manchester. 

Bernard’s practice involves cases of high sensitivity and seriousness, particularly those which are concerned with allegations of homicide, serious violence, serious sexual assault or organised major crime. His inquest work is generally on behalf of families or individuals who are interested parties. 

He is regularly instructed in cases involving vulnerable individuals, often mental health or learning difficulty. He has significant experience in dealing with cases involving expert evidence. 

He is a dedicated and experienced advocate. He is committed to ensuring that those involved in the legal process have access to high quality representation and that they have a voice. He undertakes a substantial amount of pro bono work, particularly for families in inquests and convicted individuals who maintain that they are wrongly convicted. 

Bernard has a lengthy list of high profile cases in which he has acted. He was leading counsel for the first defendant in the “Baby P” case and was one of the leading counsel to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry responsible for vulnerability issues. As part of this he designed and led the seven days of commemoration hearings at the start of the Inquiry. 

Bernard has a long-standing interest in legal education. He is currently Director of Studies at Middle Temple Advocacy and was Chair of Middle Temple’s Education Committee from 2016-2020. He has served on many committees concerning legal education and contributed to a number of reports. 

Bernard regularly teaches both at national and international level. He is one of the leading trainers in legal skills, particularly those of case analysis, preparation & strategic planning, ethics and advocacy. He is a lead trainer for the Inns of Court on the subject of questioning vulnerable individuals. He is also responsible for Middle Temple’s programme for training advocacy trainers. 

He is committed to encouraging social mobility and diversity in the legal professions and is interested in projects which contribute positively to this aim. 

Bernard is particularly interested in both the theory and practice of advocacy, case preparation analysis & strategic planning, ethics and professional practice.

Additionally, Bernard is very interested in criminal law, evidence and procedure, vulnerability issues and inquest law. He believes that effective advocates need also to be good lawyers. 

Bernard is interested in supervising any research related to advocacy or legal practice, vulnerable individuals in the legal process, ethics, inquests and access to justice (both for litigants and those who wish to quality as legal professionals).

• Barrister 1988
• QC 2006

Bernard is currently working on a textbook on advocacy and case preparation & strategic planning.