University honours leading QC and Greenwich campaigner
Tim Barnes, who is a leading Queen’s Counsel and former chair of local civic group the Greenwich Society, was awarded an honorary degree, Doctor of Laws (HonLLD), by the University of Greenwich on Monday, October 19.
Tim has contributed his time and expertise to assist the teaching of law at Greenwich and to improve the employability of the university’s law graduates.
He is the chair and founder member of the university’s Law Advisory Forum which was set up three years ago to improve the employability prospects of Greenwich Law graduates. Under Tim’s leadership, the forum has assisted in providing skills workshops and career development sessions from leading law firms, secured inspirational guest speakers including the Attorney General, and helped set up two paid internships with the legal departments of HSBC and Deutsche Bank.
The forum has also established mentoring schemes with the Crown Prosecution Service and Deutsche Bank, and an annual essay competition with work experience and bursary prizes presented at a reception where students meet barristers.
Tim was ranked as a leading lawyer in criminal fraud and crime by Chambers & Partners (2008) and in fraud by The Legal 500 (2007). He has taken on both prosecution and defence cases in trials involving murder, manslaughter, terrorism, drug and sex offences. Tim also appears at disciplinary proceedings, particularly for medical professionals.
Tim also served as Chair of local civic group the Greenwich Society for a number of years before standing down in March 2010.
The awards ceremony was held in the Chapel of the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, laid out by Sir Christopher Wren, which is home to the university’s largest campus. His eulogist was Kim Everett from the Department of Law & Criminology, in the University of Greenwich’s School of Humanities & Social Sciences. Wearing a silk gown in blue and gold damask silk and a Tudor-style academic bonnet, Tim received his honorary degree alongside 120 students from the School of Humanities & Social Sciences, many of them studying law and criminology.
Tim says: “This is one of the most beautiful and historic campuses in the world. We owe a debt of gratitude to the University of Greenwich for coming here. Greenwich Law students are the best turned out, best presented and most articulate of those that attend events at our chambers. They display the commitment and enthusiasm that are crucial qualities for a legal career.”
Kim Everett, from the University of Greenwich, says: “We owe a great debt to Tim for all he has contributed to the university through the Law Advisory Forum. He firmly believes that our Law students can achieve great things and should have the opportunity to do just that.”
Honorary degrees are awarded to individuals of distinction who have made a major contribution to the work of the university, or who have earned prominence for activities associated more widely with education, business, culture, creative work and public service.
Ends
For further information and images, contact:
Nick Davison
Public Relations
University of Greenwich
020 8331 8092
n.a.p.davison@gre.ac.uk