Gerald Fitzmaurice
Encyclopedia
Sir Gerald Gray Fitzmaurice GCMG
, QC
(24 October 1901 – 1982) was a British
barrister
and judge
.
He was born on 24 October 1901, the younger son of Vice-Admiral Sir Maurice Swynfen Fitzmaurice
and Mabel Gertrude Gray. He studied at Malvern College
and at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
, where he gained a Bachelor of Laws
in 1922. He became a Barrister-at-Law at Gray's Inn
in 1925 and worked for the Foreign Service
from 1929. He spent time as the Second Legal Advisor from 1945 until 1953, having been invested as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
in 1946. Also that year he was part of the United Kingdom's delegation to the UN Assembly.
Fitzmaurice was the UK Counsel to the International Court of Justice
at The Hague
between 1948 and 1954 and served as the Senior Legal Advisor between 1953 and 1960. In 1954 he was advanced to a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George. In 1956, he was appointed Vice-President of the Grotius Society
. Fitzmaurice was a member of the International Law Commission
of the UN between 1955 and 1960, and was made a Queen's Counsel
in 1957. In 1960, he was appointed a judge at the International Court of Justice, the main judicial organ of the United Nations, and he held that position until 1973. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of Order of St Michael and St George in 1960, and the following year became a Bencher
of Gray's Inn.
Fitzmaurice was a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration
between 1964 and 1973 and a Senior Judge of the International Court of Justice between 1967 and 1973. He became a Judge of the European Court of Human Rights
at Strasbourg
in 1974. During his long career in the law he received honorary degrees of Doctor of Law from the University of Edinburgh
in 1970 and the University of Cambridge in 1972.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, QC
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...
(24 October 1901 – 1982) was a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
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...
and 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...
.
He was born on 24 October 1901, the younger son of Vice-Admiral Sir Maurice Swynfen Fitzmaurice
Maurice Swynfen Fitzmaurice
Sir Maurice Swynfen Fitzmaurice CB, KCVO, CMG, was an officer of the Royal Navy, who rose to the rank of vice-admiral....
and Mabel Gertrude Gray. He studied at Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
and at Gonville and Caius College, 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...
, where he gained a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1922. He became a Barrister-at-Law at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1925 and worked for the Foreign Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service is the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom, dealing with foreign affairs, as opposed to the Home Civil Service, which deals with domestic affairs...
from 1929. He spent time as the Second Legal Advisor from 1945 until 1953, having been invested as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
in 1946. Also that year he was part of the United Kingdom's delegation to the UN Assembly.
Fitzmaurice was the UK Counsel to the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
between 1948 and 1954 and served as the Senior Legal Advisor between 1953 and 1960. In 1954 he was advanced to a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George. In 1956, he was appointed Vice-President of the Grotius Society
Grotius Society
The Grotius Society was a British society founded in 1915 during World War I. In 1958, it was dissolved on the merger with the Society of Comparative Legislation, founded in 1895, to form the British Institute of International and Comparative Law....
. Fitzmaurice was a member of the International Law Commission
International Law Commission
The International Law Commission was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 for the "promotion of the progressive development of international law and its codification."It holds an annual session at the United Nations Office at Geneva....
of the UN between 1955 and 1960, and was made a 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...
in 1957. In 1960, he was appointed a judge at the International Court of Justice, the main judicial organ of the United Nations, and he held that position until 1973. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of Order of St Michael and St George in 1960, and the following year became a Bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
of Gray's Inn.
Fitzmaurice was a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration
Permanent Court of Arbitration
The Permanent Court of Arbitration , is an international organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands.-History:The court was established in 1899 as one of the acts of the first Hague Peace Conference, which makes it the oldest institution for international dispute resolution.The creation of...
between 1964 and 1973 and a Senior Judge of the International Court of Justice between 1967 and 1973. He became a Judge of the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
at Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
in 1974. During his long career in the law he received honorary degrees of Doctor of Law from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in 1970 and the University of Cambridge in 1972.
Personal life
He married Alice Evelina Alexandra Sandberg on 15 September 1933 and the couple had two sons, James Alexander Swynfen Fitzmaurice (born 6 July 1936) and Maurice Evelyn Forbes Fitzmaurice (born 26 February 1939).Literature
- J. G. Merrills, Judge Sir Gerald Fitzmaurice and the discipline of international law, Kluwer Law International, 1998, ISBN 90-411-o538-7, 347 pages, url