Helena Kennedy
Baroness Helena Kennedy is a leading British criminal lawyer as well as a life peer - she was eleveated to the House of Lords in 1997. Her practice of law as a barrister – she is a member of the Doughty Street Chambers in London – has involved a large number of prominent cases. These include the Brighton Bombing, the Michael Bettany espionage trial, the Guildford Four appeal and the bombing of the Israeli embassy. She has also acted for many battered women who have killed their husbands. Kennedy is a frequent broadcaster and journalist on law and women's rights and was the creator of the BBC television series Blind Justice in 1987[1]. Her award-winning book on women in the British criminal justice system, Eve was Framed, was published in 1992. She has received 19 honorary doctorates from universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland and two from Russia. She was awarded the UK 'Woman of Europe' award in 1995, and a 'Making a world of difference' award from the National Federation of Women's Institutes in 1996. She was also the recipient of The Times' 'Lifetime Achievement in the Law' award from the Women Lawyers' Conference in 1996. A foundation to help disadvantaged students into higher education has been established in her name: The Helena Kennedy Foundation. Kennedy grew up in Glasgow.
Affiliations
Past
- CIBA Commission into Child Sexual Abuse, 1981–1983
- BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Commissioner, 1990 and Inquiry into the future of the BBC, Member,
- Bar Council 1990–1993
- Hamlyn National Commission on Education Commissioner, 1991–1993
- Howard League for Penal Reform Council, 1992–2002, Commission of inquiry into violence in penal institutions for young people, Chair (report: Banged Up, Beaten Up, Cutting Up, 1995)
- Charter 88 Chair, 1992–1997
- Atomic Weapons Establishment Inquiry into health, environmental and safety aspects, Chair (report: Secrecy vs Safety, for Reading Borough Council, 1994)
- Oxford Brookes University, Chancellor, 1994–2001
- London International Festival of Theatre Chair, 1994–2002
- Further Education Funding Council Committee on widening participation in further education, Chair 1995–1997 (report: Learning Works, 1997)
- International Bar Association Task Force on Terrorism, 2001–2003
- Hampstead Theatre Board
- New Statesman and Society Board
- Hillcroft College President
- London Marriage Guidance Council President
Current
- British Council Chair, 1998-
- Human Genetics Commission Chair, 2000-
- International Bar Association Task Force on Terrorism, 2001–2003
- Royal College of Pathologists and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Investigation of Sudden Death in Infancy, Chair, 2003-
- National Children's Bureau President
- School of Oriental and African Studies President
- Association of Women Barristers Vice President
- Haldane Society Vice President
- Club of Three tri-lateral network of countries comprising UK, France, Germany, Trustee
- KPMG Foundation Trustee
- Tablet Trust Trustee
- Royal Society of Arts Fellow
- City and Guilds of London Institute Fellow
- Foreign Policy Centre Advisory Council (current)
- International Centre for Prison Studies, King's College London, Advisory Board
- World Bank Institute External Advisory Council
- Independent News & Media Board
- Académie Universelle des Cultures
Contacts
info@helenakennedy.co.uk
References
- ^Pettitt, Lance (2000), Screening Ireland: Film and television representation' retrieved July 11th 2007 from http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/images/cinema/pettitt/pettitt00.htm
- ^ Information taken from Helena Kennedy website[2]
