Boris Johnson’s Partygate lawyer: who is Lord Pannick KC - and client list including Queen and Manchester City

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced a grilling from MPs investigating claims he misled parliament over Partygate.

Johnson, who stepped down as PM in October 2022, was questioned about the incident for three hours by the Privileges Committee and insisted there is not a “shred of evidence” that he lied to MPs. Pictures of the former PM were presented during the meeting which showed Johnson raising a glass in a room where people were not socially distancing.

The MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip could face suspension from parliament. He is being defended by Lord Pannick KC, who became a hit with Manchester City fans after he was hired to represented the football club. So, who is his lawyer Lord Pannick and who are some of his previous clients? Here’s everything you need to know.

Who is Lord Pannick?

Lord David Pannick, was born in London and has been a practising lawyer for over 40 years. Described as “one of the UK’s most highly regarded advocates” by law firm Blackstone Chambers, the 67-year-old studied law at Oxford University and went into the profession after he graduated.

Throughout his career he has represented a variety of cases and in 2008, Pannick was awarded a crossbench life peerage in the House of Lords and was given the title Baron Pannick.

According to the Guardian he is known for having high legal fees, charging approximately £5,000 an hour.

Is he representing Boris Johnson?

Lord Pannick represented the former PM in his interview with the Privileges Committee on Wednesday (22 March). The barrister led Johnson’s bid to prove he did not “intentionally or recklessly” mislead MPs with partygate.

He was hired by the government to examine the Committee’s approach. Reported by i News, in September he argued it was “fundamentally flawed” and would have a “seriously chilling effect on MPs”. The Committee rejected this, accusing him of a “systematic misunderstanding of the parliamentary process”.

Reaction to his decision to take on the case has been mixed, with Lord Pannick himself stating: “Those who think that Boris Johnson is a martyr and should never have been removed, think I am a hero; those who are opposed to Boris Johnson think I’m a disgrace.”

He added: “I have had a number of emails saying I should resign – I’m not sure from what. I advise people, I represent them, it doesn’t matter if they are Boris Johnson or an asylum seeker, they get my view.”

Who are his former clients?

Lord Pannick has represented many well-known figures throughout his illustrious career including Queen Elizabeth II, BBC Director-General Mark Thompson, Shamima Begum and the Manchester City football team.

His first case after graduating was representing a man in Singapore who was facing the death penalty. Speaking to Sally Penni MBE on the Talking Law podcast he explained: “We lost.”

He continued: “Our client was hanged. That’s not a good way to start your practice - you can only get better after a start like that. I tell that to clients - some are reassured, some are not.”

In the 1990s, he represented gay servicemen and women who had been dismissed from the army due to their sexuality. In 2005 he defended BBC Director-General Mark Thompson against a Christian group trying to prosecute the BBC for blasphemy over broadcasting Jerry Springer the Opera.

In 2019 he was on the opposite side of the PM, leading a team arguing against Johnson’s attempt to prolong parliament during deadlock over Brexit legislation. In November 2020 he also appeared on behalf of Shamima Begum in the Supreme Court aguring against then Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s decision to remove her British citizenship.

Does he represent Manchester City?

Lord Pannick has become a popular figure amongst Manchester City fans who paid homage to the football club’s lawyer in February 2023. The barrister is defending the club against charges from the Premier League, during a match fans unveiled a huge banner which read: “Pannick on the streets of London”, a nod to the song of the same name by The Smiths.