Prof. Bill Bowring

PREVIOUS POSITIONS/EMPLOYMENT 

1974: Called to the Bar – Middle Temple

1975-1990: Full-time practice at the Bar

1990-1995: Senior Lecturer then Principal Lecturer in Law, Polyrechnic then University of East London

1996-2000: Lecturer then Reader in Law, Director of the Pan-European Institute, University of Essex

2000-2006: Professor of Law, University of North London, then London Metropolitan University

2006-2024: Professor of Law, Birkbeck College, University of London.

2024 continuing: Emeritus Professor of Law, Birkbeck College, University of London.

MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES

Barrister, Member of the Bar of England and Wales

Fellow, Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS)

Honorary President, European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights (ELDH)

International Secretary, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers

Founder and Executive Committee Member, Bar Human Rights Committee

Trustee of Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights

Fellow, Human Rights Law Centre, University of Essex

Society of Legal Scholars

International Law Association (British Branch) 

International Bar Association, Institute for Human Rights

RELEVANT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: 
1) Contracted Adviser on "Access to Justice and Rights Issues in Russia" for the UK Government-DFID/Know How Fund (June 1997-Dec 2004). This includes provision of expert advice, monitoring and appraisal, as well as the drafting of project proposals and concept notes.
2) Key expert for the project "Promotion of International Human Rights Standards in Kazakstan", Norwegian Institute for International Affairs, for UNDP, commenced summer 2002.
3) Legal Expert for the EU TACIS Project "Developing Local Democracy and Self-Government in the Russian Federation" No. 221210.217034.00, 2002-2004
4) Expert for the World Bank, on judicial reform in the Russian Federation - diagnostic mission, early 2002.
5) Expert for the Council of Europe: (1) Compliance of Georgia with its Human Rights Obligations; (2) Russia and the Framework Convention on National Minorities; (3) Russia's draft Criminal Procedural Code; (4) Minorities and Education (Rapporteur)
6) Consultant on Law and Legislative Policy to the Russian-European Trust for Welfare Reform, in its Project for UK Department for International Development, in Kemerovo, Russia, "Supporting the Development of Services for the Elderly in Kemerovo and Kemerovo Oblast".
7) Expert for the OSCE's High Commissioner on National Minorities, in Almaty, Kazakstan in 1999 and 2000, in Ukraine and Russia in 2000, and Kazakstan in 2001.
8) Expert on legislative compliance with the UN human rights standards, for the OSCE's ODIHR, in Kazakstan and Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Kazakstan and Tajikistan projects are continuing.
9) Short-term Expert for the EU TACIS contract concerning "Strengthening the State of Law and Legal Education Under New Market Relations", working with the Russian Foundation for Legal Reform and the Higher School of Law, Moscow. This project included legislative comment and drafting, as well as teaching in Russia.
10) Consultant on Law and Legislative Policy to the Russian-European Trust for Welfare Reform, in its EU TACIS contract "Developing a System of Social Services for Vulnerable Groups" (started January 1997). Work included detailed comment on a number of federal and regional draft laws, and proposals for the development of a system of "social treteiskii courts".
11) Teaching courses in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and practice to university lecturers and students, from CIS countries, in Russian, at Russian universities, at the Central European University, Budapest, in Almaty, Kazakstan, and in other locations.
12) Expert advice for Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, UNDP (on CIS laws, 1999), and OSCE (on compliance of the constitutions and laws of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakstan with their obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture, 1999-2000).
13) Acting as Trial Observer for Amnesty International in the treason trial of Alexander Nikitin, St Petersburg, Russia, 20-23 October 1998; at the appeal in the Russian Supreme Court in Moscow, 4-5 February 1999; and at the re-trial in December 1999. Nikitin was acquitted.
14) Legal Adviser to the UNDP's "Crimea Integration and Development Programme", in Crimea and to Kyiv in June, July, and October 1996, writing reports and helping to organise a Round Table Meeting between representatives of the Crimea Tatars and the Ukrainian Government on the question of citizenship.

PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER ACTIVIITES:

1) Professional practice in the European Court of Human Rights, on behalf of clients in cases against Turkey, Latvia and Russia. Successful cases include Aktas v Turkey (App no. 00024351/94, date of decision 24 April 2003), Podkolzina v Latvia (App no. 00046726/99, date of decision 9 April 2002), Ozgur Gundem v Turkey (App no. 00023144/93, date of decision 16 March 2000).
2) Vice-Chairman (to 1998) and Executive Committee member (to present) of the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales, since 1995
3) Trustee of REDRESS (reparation and compensation for victims of torture) since 1997
4) Member of the Rule of Law Council of the International Helsinki Federation, since 1999