The lawyer Gareth Peirce

[DalmationCalledStripe]

Just watched the press conference thing after the Shamima Begum appeal. I thought they must have the name wrong of the lawyer that was speaking as they called her Gareth. But a google confirms it's her name. I'm interested to know if she was named Gareth at birth (unusual!) or if she's adopted it as a male name is more likely to succeed in her field? She's obviously an amazing legal brain but my google skills haven't managed to find the answer and I'm curious. Anyone know?

Wikipedia says she was born Jean and changed her name to Gareth but hasn't said why.

Thanks, didn't even see a Wikipedia for her - I'm worse than I thought at google sleuthing it seems 😭

Very interesting that she changed her name. I have suspected many times that a male name in my field would have opened more doors. Probably too late to change now sadly. And an absolute shame that's it's something any woman would need to do.

Watch ‘in the name of the father’- Emma Thompson plays her.

Oh my goodness is that who she is? Her role in that film is fantastic.

Yes! That’s her

Good I feel old. I recognised the name today due to her work representing Provisional IRA members.

I'll look that film up, thank you. I love Emma Thompson anyway so it sounds right up my street

She’s been around yonks, usually defending the unpopular and lost causes.

Garett rocks. Love her.

She represented the Guildford Four - not sure if that is who a PP meant when they referred to her representing the IRA - but they were found innocent in a court of law.

She is also Julian Assange's solicitor.

According to Wiki 'She changed her name from Jean to Gareth during her formative years but never divulged to anyone the reason for doing so.'

Sorry to bring up and old thread but just watching Miner's Strike 1984 on C4 an she's popped up again! Fascinated by the Welsh male name and pleased I've learned about her existence.

Gareth Peirce is a very well known 'radical' (left wing) lawyer. She famously has always refused to say why she has changed her name from Jean.

Peirce looks what she isn't – a timid figure. She is in her early 60s, married and with grown-up children, but has a fringe that dangles over her eyes like a gauche schoolgirl's response to the intolerableness of being looked at. She will not talk about herself, not even to tell me why she decided to be known not by her birth name Jean, but as Gareth. Yet this is the woman who has represented some of the highest-profile human rights cases in recent British legal history.

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2010/oct/12/gareth-peirce-fight-human-rights

If you are interested, there are a number of videos of her being interviewed or giving lectures on youtube. Here's one:

The Guildford Four weren't members of the IRA. That was the whole point.