Brian Napier QC
Year of Call 1986
Year of Silk 2002
Areas of Practice
Employment & Discrimination, Public Law & Equality
General information
- M.A University of Cambridge
- LL.B University of Edinburgh
- Ph.D University of Cambridge
- Visiting Professor of Law, University of London
- Standing Junior Counsel to the Scottish Executive (June 2001 – February 2002)
Brian’s first career was as an academic lawyer. After graduating from Edinburgh in 1971 he went to Cambridge and completed a Ph.D in Employment Law. He then taught there, in various capacities, until 1989. In that year he was appointed to a Chair in Law at London University. In 1990 he was called to the English Bar and for several years had a door tenancy at Fountain Court Chambers in London. In 1995 he was given a full tenancy.
Around this time Brian decided to pursue a career at the Bar and for a couple of years worked full time in London, making only a few appearances in Scotland. In 1999 Brian decided to return to Scotland. Although he retains a presence in England, and continues to have a tenancy at Cloisters Chambers, nearly all of his work in the field of Employment and Discrimination Law is now north of the border.
Brian is vastly experienced and highly regarded in his field. He has for many years been an editor of Harvey on Industrial Relations Law, and he has also contributed to a number of other standard works for practitioners. According to Chambers Directory (2008) he is someone who has an “immense grasp of technical and complex employment issues” which he can relay to clients in a "relaxed, open and approachable manner".
"One of the brightest advocates around," Brian Napier QC of Hastie Stable is "a lawyer at the very top of his profession" who impresses solicitors and clients with his "immense knowledge, supreme attention to detail and user-friendliness with clients." His "considered and gentle style" never hides his "ability to whip up clever arguments in court." - quote from Chambers Directory (2009) - Employment section