Jo Sidhu

Jo Sidhu QC (Punjabi: ਜੋ ਸਿਧੁ) (born in 1966 in London) is a leading British criminal law barrister.

Jo Sidhu

QC Esq.
ਜੋ ਸਿਧੁ
Jo Sidhu QC speaking at an event in parliament
Born
London
NationalityBritish
Alma materLondon School of Economics
University of Oxford
OccupationBarrister
Years active1993–present

Career

Sidhu has worked as a criminal law barrister since 1993.[1]

He is the chairperson for the Society of Asian lawyers, the biggest BAME lawyers’ society in the UK representing over 3,000 members[2] and since 2001 he has been the Vice chair of the Equality & Diversity Committee at the Bar Council.[3]

In 2012 Sidhu was appointed to the highest position within his profession by being appointed to become a Queen's Counsel which is awarded to only 8 per cent of barristers.[4] He is one of approximately 100 BAME QCs in Britain and one of only a handful from the Sikh community.[5]

Sidhu has particular expertise in terrorism cases, homicides and conspiracies involving frauds, robberies and drug trafficking[6] and has worked hard to expose corruption in the British justice system. As a result he was the target of death threats and online harassment lasting 12 months in 2015. After police were unable to provide assistance due to a lack of resources, Sidhu was forced to hire a private forensic computer expert at considerable expense to track the cyber-criminal behind the smear campaign, who was then subsequently jailed for 5 years.[7]

Sidhu has said that the government must do more to tackle cyber threats of this nature.[8] He also supports the use of law in protecting the right to freedom of speech.[9]

Awards and recognition

In 2016, Sidhu was awarded the UK's Asian Professional of the Year Award 2016.[10]

References
  1. "Jo Sidhu QC | Counsel for Leadership". www.counselforleadership.com. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  2. "British Punjabis 9th August 2014 (p. 13)". British Punjabi Magazine. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  3. "The Legal 500 > 25 Bedford Row (Chambers of Paul Mendelle QC, George Carter-Stephenson QC and Je) > London, ENGLAND > Lawyer profiles > Jo Sidhu QC". www.legal500.com. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  4. Gates, James (12 March 2012). "Ealing barrister attains highest of legal honours". getwestlondon. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  5. "Queen's Counsel statistics - Bar Standards Board". www.barstandardsboard.org.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  6. "Fraudster jailed for stalking barrister". Kent Online. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  7. "Barrister hit with death threats in revenge for his war on corruption". Evening Standard. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  8. "This is why the government must do more to tackle cyber threats". Metro. 2 January 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  9. "Law should protect, not curtail, freedom of speech". Law Society Gazette. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  10. ABPL. "2016". www.abplgroup.com. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
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