Chambers are delighted to welcome Paul Harris SC joins Chambers from Monday, 6 February 2023.
Paul Harris is an immensely experienced civil and public lawyer. He is a senior counsel in Hong Kong where he practised for many years and was Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar in 2021-2022. He has now returned to full-time practice in England.
In addition to his Hong Kong connection, Paul has extensive experience of Africa dating back to a previous career in overseas aid. In 2013-2015 he was a war crimes investigator for the Swiss organisation Civitas Maxima in relation to crimes committed in the Liberian civil wars at the turn of the century.
Paul is a former chairman of the Bar Human Rights Committee and a prolific author. His most recent book is “Freedom’s Banner – how peaceful demonstrations have changed the world” (2nd edition, 2022). He is also the author of the current edition of Johnston & Harris on Conflict of Laws in Hong Kong, which is the standard textbook on the subject. He also has published articles on developments in the law relating to demonstrations; on the right of self determination in international law; and on the problems of defamation via the internet.
More broadly, Paul has extensive experience in Equity and Trusts having appeared in the high profile “Magic Score” litigation about breaches of fiduciary duty by a bank and in Housing Law, including a successful Article 8 claim on behalf of a mentally ill man facing eviction from a hostel. He also has ranging experience in Property Law, including adverse possession claims, boundary disputes and lease claims (both residential and commercial).
Paul speaks fluent French German and Spanish and regularly translates legal documents from those languages. He also has a good working knowledge of Cantonese Chinese and can conduct conferences in Cantonese. He has a basic knowledge of Arabic.
Paul is a qualified civil and commercial mediator. He is direct access qualified.