Advocacy & Anecdotes: Clive Coleman in conversation with Peter Joyce KC

Senior Partner Clive Coleman recently interviewed the legendary criminal barrister Peter Joyce KC at an event celebrating his stellar 55 year career.

Peter has appeared in many, if not most, of the East Midlands’ most high-profile trials – including in excess of 300 murder cases. It is especially fitting that Clive, the former BBC Legal Affairs correspondent, and himself a barrister and distinguished writer, had the opportunity to take Peter through some career highlights. Among other topics, they discussed the art of advocacy and the toll on counsel of appearing in long, distressing and violent cases. Peter spoke eloquently of the imperative of using clear and simple language, the critical importance of a barrister’s independence, and how even the most complex cases were ultimately about one central issue.

The event took place on 14 September in the historic and fitting setting of one of the courtrooms at the National Justice Museum in Nottingham, before a specially invited audience of Peter’s colleagues past and present, family members and distinguished guests including the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire and the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the East Midlands. Peter was introduced by His Honour Judge Steven Coupland, himself a former member of 1 High Pavement, Peter’s set, who served as his junior in many serious trials.