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David Lock KC, a former Head of Landmark Chambers’ Public Law team, has announced his retirement from practice and will be appearing in court for the last time, this week. David is widely recognised by his peers as an expert in NHS and social care law. In his time at Landmark, David has been involved in hundreds of significant cases for the NHS and social care sector, many of which had profound consequences for individuals and the public bodies involved. He has had an extensive practice advising NHS bodes but also acted for victims of the infected blood scandal for several years pro bono before securing improvements in the payment regime and was part of the team that pushed for the Public Inquiry, now nearing its completion under the chairmanship of Sir Brian Langstaff. He is also the lead author (with Hannah Gibbs) of the only practitioners’ book on the law of the NHS, “NHS Law and Practice” and appeared in a series of significant social care cases such as R (Cornwall Council) v Secretary of State for Health in the Supreme Court which changed the way ordinary residence of disabled children was understood. His technical expertise as a public lawyer has been recognised by his appointment as one of the joint editors (along with David Blundell KC) of the leading journal “Judicial Review”. He is a Visiting Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics. Before moving to Landmark in 2014, David practised from Chambers in Birmingham and was the Birmingham Law Society “Barrister of Year” in 2011, the year he was awarded silk. His wide-ranging public law practice was recognised by being awarded Public Law Silk of the Year by Legal500, in 2020. David is frequently cited in the Legal Directories and was described in Chambers and Partners as “an amazing barrister”, “cerebral, academic and knowledgeable” and as having “an absolutely brilliant mind”, David’s diverse and impressive career has spanned politics, involvement with public bodies and life at the Bar. David was a local councillor from 1995 to 1997, when he was elected as the Labour Member of Parliament for Wyre Forest. He was Parliamentary Secretary at the Lord Chancellors’ Department for two years. In 2002, David was appointed as Chair of the Service Authorities to the National Crime Squad and the National Criminal Intelligence Service and continued to work part-time as a barrister. He resumed full-time practice in 2003 as Head of the Healthcare Practice at Mills & Reeve solicitors, and returned to the Bar in 2008. Despite juggling the demands of a successful practice, David also established the Landmark Chambers’ Health and Social Care Newsletter, whilst serving as the Head of the Chambers’ Public Law group from 2018 – 2021. The Joint Heads of the Public Law Group at Landmark Chambers commented: “From all of us at Landmark, we wish you all the best for your retirement from full-time practice. Your vast contribution to Chambers and to the development of Landmark’s Public Law practice is immeasurable and we are grateful for your hard work, dedication and your invaluable leadership over the years. You will be greatly missed by all of us at Landmark and we hope to see you frequently between your trips cycling all over the world.” Samantha Broadfoot KC “David’s advice and guidance have been invaluable to the vast majority of us in the public law team at Landmark. He has been a fantastic supporter of young talent and his championing of those from diverse backgrounds has made a material contribution not just to Landmark, but to the Bar as a whole. It is his humanity that we will most remember - David never forgets that our work is about people and his care for them should be the most important legacy he leaves.” Fiona Scolding KC David will continue as an Associate member of Chambers and will continue to sit as a part-time High Court Judge and Recorder. He will also remain as a visiting professor at LSE and will endeavour to produce a new edition of “NHS Law and Practice” with the joint editor, Hannah Gibbs, in the new year. David will start his retirement by taking a long-planned bike ride with his partner cycling across South-East Asia beginning in Bangkok on 4 January 2023. We wish you safe travelling and all the best in a well-earned retirement.
