Q&A with Andrew Powell KC
Can you share a little about your upbringing and Caribbean heritage, and how your background has influenced your personal and professional journey?
My parents are Jamaican. My Dad arrived in England as part of the Windrush generation in the early 1950s whilst my mum arrived in the 1970s. My parents instilled in me a classic immigrant work ethic of having to work harder than everyone else. Their general ethos was to “do good “and contribute to society in a meaningful way. I wanted to be a paediatrician until the age of 13 when my mum (now a retired nurse) eventually put me off the idea given the long hours junior doctors face before becoming consultants – with the benefit of hindsight that was somewhat ironic.
What first sparked your interest in pursuing a career at the Bar, and were there any particular experiences or individuals who inspired you along the way?
There were no lawyers in my family. But I suppose after thinking about pursuing a career in medicine for a while and my mum eventually succeeding in putting me off, I realised I was much better at arts subjects like English and history, and I liked public speaking, so a career at the Bar was the natural next step. The only Black barrister I recall growing up was the Black woman in the opening credits to the TV show ‘Desmonds’ in the 1990s. At university I read social anthropology. Part of my dissertation looked at children and medical treatment cases and I came across a case in which Barbra Mills appeared on behalf of the child. I discovered that Barbara was at 4PB (then 4 Paper Buildings), and she has been a role model ever since. She is now of course Barbara Mills KC and one of my joint heads of chambers. I am very privileged to be able to call her a colleague and a friend, some 22 years later after first reading about her work.
You are recognised as a leading barrister in children law, particularly fertility law, modern families, surrogacy and adoption. What drew you to these areas of practice?
My undergraduate degree was in social anthropology, and I was fascinated by different forms of family creation and the extent to which the law was able to reflect people’s lived experiences. Often these cases involve being creative with the law and developing novel legal arguments and I enjoy the academic challenge of trying to find a legal solution.
Many of your cases involve issues that have a profound impact on children and families. How do you approach balancing complex legal questions with the human realities at the heart of these cases?
Whilst I wouldn’t advise anyone seeking to work in this area of law to be a robot, it is important to compartmentalise the day job. Having empathy for people is important, but I often remind myself that all I am doing is helping to find a solution in their case. It would be difficult for me to function (in my professional and personal life) if I didn’t maintain some firm boundaries from the work I do.
You have worked on a number of notable and complex cases throughout your career. Is there a particular case or matter that has had a lasting impact on you, and why?
Some of the earlier cases in my career, where I represented parents in public law proceedings and their child faced the prospect of being placed for adoption are memorable for a number of reasons. In the cases where I worked alongside a solicitor at being able to successfully challenge a care plan for adoption, it demonstrated to me early on in my career the importance of evidence being properly tested and challenged.
You were appointed King's Counsel earlier this year. How did it feel to take silk, and what does that achievement mean to you personally and professionally?
I am still, some 3 months later on cloud 9! The day itself feels a bit like a wedding you didn’t really want. But I was thrilled that my grandmother, who is 97 later this year, was able to be there and see all the pageantry of the day. From a personal and professional perspective, I hope my appointment inspires other people from underrepresented groups that they too can take silk. We often hear the maxim that the justice system must look like the society it serves, but there are still so few Black people being appointed which is a problem.
You have been involved in initiatives aimed at improving diversity and access within the profession. How important is this work to you, and what progress would you like to see in the years ahead?
Diversity work is incredibly important to me. The Bar often feels like an exclusive club that is only accessible if you went to the right public school (I went to a state school) and went to Oxford or Cambridge (I went to neither). Women, people of colour and people with disabilities are often underrepresented not just at entry level but also throughout the profession. The work is important at not just encouraging people to come to the Bar, but ensuring they stay and progress like their peers and apply for appointments (silk and judicial). Often the burden of this work falls on the people who are already underrepresented and so I would like to see more allies taking up the baton when it comes to diversity.
Looking back on your own career, how important have mentors and role models been in your development, and what advice would you give to aspiring lawyers of Caribbean heritage?
Mentors have been tremendously important to me. In fact, mentors were a significant part of encouraging me to apply to become a silk. I would tell aspiring lawyers to lean into their heritage. Growing up with a Caribbean background often gives you resilience, adaptability, a strong sense of community and ability to navigate different cultures and perspectives – skills one needs as a good lawyer.
As you look ahead to the next stage of your career, what are your aspirations, and how do you hope to continue making an impact within the legal profession?
Most days my aspiration is just to get to dinner! But all jokes aside, I am obviously still in the very early days of being a silk, so I am much enjoying the start of this new chapter in my career. I want to use my platform to remain a visible a Black gay KC who will continue to be a mentor for the next generation of lawyers.
