Tributes have been paid to Conor Gearty, a founding member of Matrix Chambers and a leading professor in human rights law, who died unexpectedly last week, aged 67.
Gearty was a luminary in the fields of human rights and civil liberties, shaping legal thought and inspiring generations of students, lawyers, academics, judges and campaigners.
Tributes were led by the President of the Republic of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, who said Gearty was “an inspirational human-rights figure” and praised him for his “advocacy of civil liberties and human rights”.
Gearty’s set, Matrix Chambers, said he was “a brilliant and formidable scholar, debater and advocate, and an inspirational teacher and colleague, his contributions to public law and human rights scholarship reverberated throughout courtrooms, academia and well beyond”.
The chambers added: “His voice was unique in its clarity, force and wit, and his loss is immeasurable. But his legacy will live on through the generations of students he taught, and those of us lucky to have called him a colleague and a friend. We will miss him greatly.”
Gearty was best known, much loved and widely respected for his time at the London School of Economics, where in 2002 he became the founding director of the Centre for the Study of Human Rights, a position he held until he became Professor of Human Rights in the Law School in 2009.
Born in County Longford, in the Republic of Ireland, he was educated initially at University College Dublin, qualified as a solicitor in Ireland, then studied at Wolfson College, Cambridge, before becoming a lecturer first at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, then at King’s College, London.
A bencher of Middle Temple in London and of King’s Inns, Ireland’s oldest school of law – itself a rare achievement – Gearty mainly practised in human rights law and public law, as well as in the emerging area of corporate social responsibility. He was made an Honorary King’s Counsel in 2021, partly in recognition of his ability to balance academia and practice so effortlessly, drawing praise for his insight, clarity, wit and compassion.
He appeared before the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords and served as an adviser to judges, practitioners and public authorities on the implications of the Human Rights Act and broader rights litigation. He also served as Director of the Institute of Public Affairs from 2012 to 2016.
A generous supporter of the London Irish Lawyers Association, he frequently spoke at King’s Inn and the Law Society of Ireland at Blackhall Place.
The Bar of Ireland added its own tribute, saying: “Conor was a valuable contributor to, and communicator on, legal developments and our understanding of them, most especially on human rights and international law.”
Matrix Chambers’ CEO, Rachel Holmes, said that Gearty would be “very much missed” by all his colleagues at the set.
His former clerk, Henderson Chambers senior clerk Jason Housden, added: “It was a privilege to work with Conor for many years at Matrix, having crossed paths with him prior at Tooks Chambers. He had time for everyone, and I would often visit him to catch up at the LSE.”
The vice-chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales, Doughty Street’s Kirsty Brimelow KC, said: “He was a passionate advocate with a searing intellect. Conor was also kind and gave his time to help others. Unafraid to speak his mind, the room fizzed when Conor was in it.”
His set closed its tribute to him with the Irish phrase “Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann”, meaning “We will not see his like again”.
Gearty is survived by his wife, Professor Aoife Nolan, and his children, Eliza, Owen, Éile and Fiadh.
Email your news and story ideas to: [email protected]
