David Lock

Professional Associations

Midlands Committee member of the Employment Lawyers Association (1994-6), Member of Employment Law Bar Association.

Education

1979-1982: Jesus College, Cambridge
M.A. (Cantab) [Upper second in Theology]
1983- 1984: Central London Polytechnic
Diploma in Law
1984 -1985: Inns of Court School of Law
Bar Finals (placed 20th out of c. 2,550)
Wilson Scholar (Gray’s Inn 1985)
President of Gray’s Inn Students Society

Profile

Management Trainee with GEC Telecommunications (1982./3), then returned to college to study law
Qualified as a barrister in 1985. Following pupillage, practised in chambers in Birmingham from 1987 to 1997, starting with all areas of civil law and then specialising in employment and commercial cases
Appeared in several leading commercial cases in the Midlands and was heavily involved in the establishment of the Birmingham Mercantile Court. Commended by Chambers Directory as one of the leading employment and commercial barristers in the Midlands prior to election to Parliament in 1997
Acted for both employers and employees, being instructed regularly by all the leading firms in the Midlands, including Wragge & Co, Pinsent Curtis, Edge Ellison (now Hammond Suddards Edge) and others

Political History

1982-1997 Wide experience in the Labour Party in the Midlands including service as a local councillor, chair of Council committees etc.
May 1997 Elected to Parliament as the Labour Member for Wyre Forest
Secretary of All Party Cycling Group, Treasurer of All Party Anglo-Swiss Parliamentary Group, Vice-Chair of All Party Textiles, Footwear and Carpet Industries Group.
Member of British - US Parliamentary Group and delegate to United States in 1999.
December 1997 Parliamentary Private Secretary to Geoff Hoon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Lord Chancellor’s Department. 
July 1998 Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor
July 1999 Parliamentary Secretary to the Lord Chancellor’s Department June 2001
As a Government Minister was responsible for policy for the Department’s Legal Aid budget (c £1.700 M per year), IT policy, the Public Records Office, the Law Commission, Statutory Publications Office, Northern Ireland Court Service and the Department’s international relations. 
Also responsible for all aspects of the reform of civil law and the operation of the civil courts, including the introduction of IT into the legal process. Published the IT strategy for the civil legal system “civil justice 2000” and was responsible for securing £43 M in the SR2000 budget setting process for modernising the IT system in the civil legal world. 
Took the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) Bill and the Police and Criminal Justice Bill through the Commons.
Closely involved in reforming fees for lawyers undertaking legal aid work and maintaining relations with the legal profession, as well as answering for the Lord Chancellor’s Department in Parliament. 
June 2001 Lost the Wyre Forest Parliamentary seat to an “independent” candidate, contesting the removal of local Accident and Emergency Services at a local hospital.

Interests

Family, cycling, squash, tennis, windsurfing, friends.