Eleanor V.E. Sharpston
Encyclopedia
Eleanor V. E. Sharpston, QC
(born 1955) Advocate General
at the Court of Justice of the European Union
.
The UK Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Communities since 10 January 2006, Eleanor Sharpston QC studied economics, languages and law at King’s College, Cambridge (1973–77), followed by university teaching and research at Corpus Christi College, Oxford
(1977–80). She was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple
in 1980 and was a barrister
in private practice from 1980–87 and 1990-2005 Queen's Counsel
: 1999; Bencher of Middle Temple (2005). In the intervening years she worked as Legal Secretary (referendaire) in the Chambers of Advocate General, subsequently Judge
, Sir Gordon Slynn later Lord Slynn of Hadley (1987–90). She was also a Lecturer in EC and comparative law
(Director of European Legal Studies) at University College London
(1990–92) and then a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law (1992–98), and subsequently Affiliated Lecturer (1998–2005), at the University of Cambridge
. She was Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Legal Studies of the University of Cambridge (1998–2005) and remains a fellow
of King’s College, Cambridge (since 1992).
Advocate General Sharpston is also a member of the Irish Bar and the Gibraltar Bar. She has published books and articles on EU law. Having spent her childhood in Brazil
and then her adolescence and half her practising life in continental Europe, she speaks a number of European languages. Her off-duty activities include: playing classical guitar and violin, rowing and squash (in both of which she got University "blues"), sailing square riggers, skiing and scuba diving.
She served as joint head of Hailsham Chambers in London, with her colleague Michael Pooles QC, from 2003-2006. Amongst her many high-profile cases at the Bar she was perhaps best known for acting (together with her colleague Philip Moser) for the prosecution in the case of the Metric Martyrs
, Thoburn v Sunderland City Council
.
In 1991 she married David Lyon, a maritime historian and also a "Kingsman" whom she met through their mutual nautical interests. They had just finished lecturing on a Caribbean cruise when David - an enthusiastic underwater archaeologist - suffered a brain haemorrhage while diving on a wreck in the Bahamas and died in a Miami hospital in 2000.
On 7 October 2008, she was appointed First Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Communities for one year.
On 21 July 2011, she was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Nottingham Trent University
.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born 1955) Advocate General
Advocate General
An Advocate General is a senior law officer of a country or other jurisdiction, usually charged with advising the courts or Government on legal matters.-India:In India, an Advocate General is a legal adviser to a state government...
at the Court of Justice of the European Union
Court of Justice of the European Union
The Court of Justice of the European Union is the institution of the European Union which encompasses the whole judiciary. Seated in Luxembourg, it has three sub-courts; the European Court of Justice, the General Court and the Civil Service Tribunal.The institution was originally established in...
.
The UK Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Communities since 10 January 2006, Eleanor Sharpston QC studied economics, languages and law at King’s College, Cambridge (1973–77), followed by university teaching and research at Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
(1977–80). She was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1980 and was a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in private practice from 1980–87 and 1990-2005 Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
: 1999; Bencher of Middle Temple (2005). In the intervening years she worked as Legal Secretary (referendaire) in the Chambers of Advocate General, subsequently Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, Sir Gordon Slynn later Lord Slynn of Hadley (1987–90). She was also a Lecturer in EC and comparative law
Comparative law
Comparative law is the study of differences and similarities between the law of different countries. More specifically, it involves study of the different legal systems in existence in the world, including the common law, the civil law, socialist law, Islamic law, Hindu law, and Chinese law...
(Director of European Legal Studies) at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
(1990–92) and then a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law (1992–98), and subsequently Affiliated Lecturer (1998–2005), at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. She was Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Legal Studies of the University of Cambridge (1998–2005) and remains a fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of King’s College, Cambridge (since 1992).
Advocate General Sharpston is also a member of the Irish Bar and the Gibraltar Bar. She has published books and articles on EU law. Having spent her childhood in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and then her adolescence and half her practising life in continental Europe, she speaks a number of European languages. Her off-duty activities include: playing classical guitar and violin, rowing and squash (in both of which she got University "blues"), sailing square riggers, skiing and scuba diving.
She served as joint head of Hailsham Chambers in London, with her colleague Michael Pooles QC, from 2003-2006. Amongst her many high-profile cases at the Bar she was perhaps best known for acting (together with her colleague Philip Moser) for the prosecution in the case of the Metric Martyrs
Metric Martyrs
The Metric Martyrs are a British advocacy group based in the United Kingdom who campaign for the freedom to choose what units of measurement are presented. The group states that it believes that vendors should have the freedom to mark their goods with any units they choose. This can be solely...
, Thoburn v Sunderland City Council
Thoburn v Sunderland City Council
Thoburn v Sunderland City Council is an important English constitutional law case. It advances the theory that there exists a hierarchy of Acts of Parliament, whereby those Acts affecting "the legal relationship between citizen and State" or "fundamental constitutional rights" form a special and...
.
In 1991 she married David Lyon, a maritime historian and also a "Kingsman" whom she met through their mutual nautical interests. They had just finished lecturing on a Caribbean cruise when David - an enthusiastic underwater archaeologist - suffered a brain haemorrhage while diving on a wreck in the Bahamas and died in a Miami hospital in 2000.
On 7 October 2008, she was appointed First Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Communities for one year.
On 21 July 2011, she was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
.