Hands-On Law Job For Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer
www.LawFuel.co.nz - The Law Jobs and Legal NewsWire
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer has joined the firm's London office. Lord
Falconer, a barrister, joins the firm as a senior counsel. He will be a hands-on lawyer in the firm.
Lord Falconer served in various capacities at the highest level in the 10-year administration of former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair, during which he was instrumental in leading and delivering change in a wide range of areas. Most
recently, he served as the first Secretary of State for Justice and as Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. He was the
architect of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, which changed the relationship between the executive and judicial
branches of government and led to the creation of a first-ever Supreme Court for the United Kingdom and of a new
commission to appoint judges.
Lord Falconer said, "I am very much looking forward to returning to private law practice, and Gibson Dunn is the right
place for me to begin this next phase of my career. Gibson Dunn has a first-class litigation practice, a solid
international platform in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and a keen ambition to build an even more
international presence without diluting its focus on maintaining the highest standards of quality legal service."
“We are delighted that Charlie has chosen to join our firm,” said Gibson Dunn Managing Partner Ken Doran. “Charlie has
had an extraordinarily accomplished career and is highly regarded not only within the United Kingdom, but within the
international legal, business and political communities. His addition will support our strategic effort to further
broaden our presence and profile on the international stage. Charlie is a consummate problem-solver – bringing a very
practical and commercial approach to the most complex problems. His extensive experience and understanding of government
and regulation in the U.K., and abroad will be of significant value to our clients.”
“Charlie has had a very distinguished career in the law and public service. He brings to Gibson Dunn many years of
commercial and political experience; much of it gained at the highest level in the British government," said Tom Budd,
Co-Partner in Charge of the London office. “At the firm, Charlie will be an active, ‘hands-on’ lawyer, working as a
integral part of our existing UK dispute resolution team to advise clients on a wide range of dispute resolution
matters.”
About Lord Falconer
Lord Falconer joined the Blair government as Solicitor-General for England and Wales in 1997, moving a year later to the
Cabinet Office as Minister of State.
In 2001, after the general election which took place in that year, he became Housing, Planning and Regeneration Minister
and, in 2002, he became Criminal Justice Minister. He implemented important public service reforms, including reforms
related to the planning system and the criminal justice system.
In 2003, Lord Falconer became Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor. In conjunction with the
then Lord Chief Justice, he formulated a new relationship between the judiciary and the executive, which was embodied in
the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. The Act provided for the creation of a Supreme Court, a judicial appointment
commission and the introduction of an elected speaker for the House of Lords.
In 2007, Lord Falconer became the first Secretary of State for Justice, bringing together courts, prisons and justice
policy for the first time. He was responsible for leading a department with a budget of over £10 billion and over 80,000
employees. Lord Falconer stepped down from his ministerial posts when Tony Blair was succeeded by Gordon Brown as prime
minister.
Prior to entering public service, Lord Falconer was a commercial barrister with Fountain Court Chambers from 1974 to
1997, becoming a Queen’s Counsel in 1991. During his legal career, he was involved in a number of high-stakes matters,
such as industrial disputes in the newspaper and airline industries, including those involving The Times and British
Airways; and in the litigation which followed the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) collapse.
ENDS