Marina Wheeler
Encyclopedia
Marina Wheeler is a British
barrister
, author
and columnist
. As a lawyer, she specialises in public law
, including human rights
, and is a member of the Bar Disciplinary Tribunal. She is married to Boris Johnson
, Mayor of London
.
and half India
n, the daughter of BBC
correspondent Sir Charles Wheeler
and his second wife Dip Singh. She was educated at the European School of Brussels, and then in the early 1980s at the University of Cambridge
, where she wrote for the student magazine Cantab
. At the European School, she became a friend of Boris Johnson
, the future British Conservative
politician. Her sister is Shirin Wheeler, now the BBC's Brussels
correspondent.
, practising from chambers
in London
at One Crown Office Row. In her work as a barrister, Wheeler specialises in mental health
matters and discrimination claims. In January 2004 she was appointed to the B-Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown. In 2009, she joined the Bar Disciplinary Tribunal as a barrister member.
Of her work in discrimination law, Wheeler has written
In 1993, Wheeler married her childhood friend, Boris Johnson, after they met again in Brussels, where he was covering the European Parliament
for The Daily Telegraph
. Together they have four children, Lara Lettice, Milo Arthur, Cassia Peaches and Theodore Apollo.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
. As a lawyer, she specialises in public law
Public law
Public law is a theory of law governing the relationship between individuals and the state. Under this theory, constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law are sub-divisions of public law...
, including human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, and is a member of the Bar Disciplinary Tribunal. She is married to Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
, Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
.
Early life
Wheeler is half EnglishEnglish people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and half India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n, the daughter of BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
correspondent Sir Charles Wheeler
Charles Wheeler (journalist)
Sir Charles Cornelius Wheeler CMG was a British journalist and broadcaster. Having joined the BBC in 1947, he became the corporation's longest serving foreign correspondent, serving in the role until his death...
and his second wife Dip Singh. She was educated at the European School of Brussels, and then in the early 1980s 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...
, where she wrote for the student magazine Cantab
Cantab (magazine)
Cantab was the title of a magazine produced by students at the University of Cambridge between 1981 and 1990. It was unusual among British student magazines in being independent of student unions...
. At the European School, she became a friend of Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
, the future British Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. Her sister is Shirin Wheeler, now the BBC's Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
correspondent.
Career
After Cambridge, Wheeler returned to Brussels and worked there for four years. In 1987 she was called to the BarCall to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
, practising from chambers
Chambers (law)
A judge's chambers, often just called his or her chambers, is the office of a judge.Chambers may also refer to the type of courtroom where motions related to matter of procedure are heard.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at One Crown Office Row. In her work as a barrister, Wheeler specialises in mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
matters and discrimination claims. In January 2004 she was appointed to the B-Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown. In 2009, she joined the Bar Disciplinary Tribunal as a barrister member.
Of her work in discrimination law, Wheeler has written
In 1993, Wheeler married her childhood friend, Boris Johnson, after they met again in Brussels, where he was covering the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
for The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
. Together they have four children, Lara Lettice, Milo Arthur, Cassia Peaches and Theodore Apollo.
External links
- Marina Wheeler, Tribunal Practice - Tips and Tactics, text online at humanrights.org.uk
- Marina Wheeler, The Unruly Article 8, text online at 1cor.com
- Philip Havers QC & Marina Warner, Human Rights Update 2005, text online at 1cor.com