Jean-Pierre Warner
Encyclopedia
Sir Jean-Pierre Frank Eugene Warner QC
GCOM
(24 September 1924 — 1 February 2005) was a jurist who served as the first British Advocate-General of the European Court of Justice
after Britain's entry into the European Community in 1972. Warner was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
, serving as an officer of the Rifle Brigade during the Second World War before starting his career as a barrister
. Appointed Advocate-General in 1972, he returned to England in 1981, where he was made a judge of the High Court of Justice
, retiring in 1994 and dying in 2005.
in 1938. After leaving Harrow he went to Trinity College, Cambridge
to study history before being commissioned into the Rifle Brigade as a second lieutenant
on 23 October 1943. He later served on Lord Mountbatten
's personal staff, becoming an acting major by the end of the Second World War at the age of 22. He retained a reserve commission until at least 1949. After demobilisation in 1947 he returned to Trinity College, reading law for a year and graduating with first-class honours.
He became a member of Lincoln's Inn
in 1950, being called to the Bar in the same year, and practised at the Chancery Bar, soon acquiring a strong practice. In 1961 he became junior counsel to the Registrar of Restrictive Practices
, and in 1964 became junior counsel to HM Treasury
. When Britain joined the European Community in 1972, Warner, a French-speaking lawyer, was sent to Brussels as Britain's first Advocate-General
. He was appointed Queen's Counsel
on 2 November 1972. After returning to Britain in 1981 he became a judge of the High Court of Justice
's Chancery Division on 3 March, receiving the customary knighthood
on 20 May 1981. He retired in 1994. He was appointed Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
in 1998. He was awarded honorary degrees from the University of Leicester
, University of Exeter
and University of Edinburgh
. He died on 1 February 2005.
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...
GCOM
Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
The Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a distinguished honorary order of Luxembourg. It was instituted on January 23, 1961 by Grand Duchess Charlotte. Grandmaster of the order is the Grand Duke of Luxembourg...
(24 September 1924 — 1 February 2005) was a jurist who served as the first British Advocate-General of the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
after Britain's entry into the European Community in 1972. Warner was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, serving as an officer of the Rifle Brigade during the Second World War before starting his career as 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...
. Appointed Advocate-General in 1972, he returned to England in 1981, where he was made a judge of the High Court of Justice
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
, retiring in 1994 and dying in 2005.
Life and career
Warner was born on 24 September 1924 to an English father, who died when he was 4, and a French mother. He was educated in France, first at Ste Croix de Neuilly and then at the École des Roches, before transferring to HarrowHarrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
in 1938. After leaving Harrow he went to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
to study history before being commissioned into the Rifle Brigade as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on 23 October 1943. He later served on Lord Mountbatten
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
's personal staff, becoming an acting major by the end of the Second World War at the age of 22. He retained a reserve commission until at least 1949. After demobilisation in 1947 he returned to Trinity College, reading law for a year and graduating with first-class honours.
He became a member of Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1950, being called to the Bar in the same year, and practised at the Chancery Bar, soon acquiring a strong practice. In 1961 he became junior counsel to the Registrar of Restrictive Practices
Restrictive Practices Court
The Restrictive Practices Court is a senior court of record in the United Kingdom. It was created in 1956 to foster competition through enforcement of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1956. Though the Court was overhauled in 1976, by the end of the century, the legislation was perceived as...
, and in 1964 became junior counsel to HM Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
. When Britain joined the European Community in 1972, Warner, a French-speaking lawyer, was sent to Brussels as Britain's first Advocate-General
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
. He was appointed 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...
on 2 November 1972. After returning to Britain in 1981 he became a judge of the High Court of Justice
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
's Chancery Division on 3 March, receiving the customary knighthood
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
on 20 May 1981. He retired in 1994. He was appointed Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
The Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a distinguished honorary order of Luxembourg. It was instituted on January 23, 1961 by Grand Duchess Charlotte. Grandmaster of the order is the Grand Duke of Luxembourg...
in 1998. He was awarded honorary degrees from the University of Leicester
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
, University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
and 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...
. He died on 1 February 2005.