‘Pannick on the streets of London’ – Clive Coleman comments on Lord Pannick KC’s technique in BBC News

The Premier League has charged Manchester City with numerous alleged breaches of the financial rules that govern English football’s top division. The club has instructed perhaps the country’s best known barrister, Lord Pannick KC of Blackstone Chambers to represent the club in defending the allegations.

One of the UK’s most highly regarded advocates, Pannick’s storied career has included representing Topshop owner Sir Philip Green, Shamima Begum and Boris Johnson. The latter’s high-profile 2019 attempt to prorogue parliament had Pannick opposing the government in the Supreme Court. Maltin PR Senior Partner Clive Coleman, then the BBC’s Legal Correspondent won the Bar Council’s Legal Reporting Award for his coverage of the case. He put Pannick’s success down principally to his extraordinary ability to simplify complex arguments.

Commenting in the BBC online profile on the clarity of Lord Pannick’s court advocacy, he characterised his approach as “never be afraid of stating the obvious, never be afraid of stating the obvious time and time again,  never be afraid of stating the obvious time and time again even to the most brilliant judges.”

Likening Lord Pannick’s style in court to having a conversation in the pub, he continued “everyone, I don’t care how brilliant a judge they are, everyone wants clarity.”

Read Clive’s comments in BBC News, here.