Patrick McBride

Overview

Patrick studied Arabic and Spanish at the University of Cambridge, where he received multiple prizes for academic distinction. During his studies, he spent nine months in Syria, where he worked with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency providing services to Palestinian refugees.

For over a decade before coming to the Bar, Patrick worked as an actor in theatre, television and film. He supported himself through drama school with bar work, tutoring, telemarketing and leading children’s parties, and later developed a particular interest in employment, industrial relations and discrimination law as an elected Equity union representative.

This interest was honed when, alongside his legal studies, he volunteered for the Cleaners and Allied Independent Workers Union, drafting pleadings and successfully representing members in multi-day trials in the Employment Tribunal. He also volunteered for Liberty and Advocate, providing advice on issues related to public law and equalities legislation.

Patrick obtained distinctions in both his GDL and his bar course, for which he was awarded prizes for the highest marks in his cohort in conference and in civil and criminal litigation (the first time both prizes had gone to a single student). He hopes to build a practice across the range of chambers’ specialist areas.

Academic history

• PGDip in Bar Practice, Inns of Court College of Advocacy (Distinction)
• PGDL, BPP (Distinction)
• BA Oriental Studies Combined with Modern and Medieval Languages (Arabic and Spanish), University of Cambridge (First)

Awards and prizes

• Middle Temple: Certificate of Honour, Astbury Scholarship and Harmsworth Entrance Exhibition.
• Inns of Court College of Advocacy: Red Lion Chambers Conference Prize, 23 Essex Street Michael Hill QC Memorial Prize (First place in Criminal Litigation) and Maitland Chambers Civil Litigation Prize (First place in Civil Litigation).
• BPP: Excellence Scholarship.
• Guildhall School of Music and Drama: Guildhall Trust and D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Scholarships.
• Queens’ College, University of Cambridge: Foundation Scholarship, Bailey prize for outstanding degree performance, and Dajani Prize for academic distinction in promotion of better understanding between Great Britain and the Arab world.

Professional Recommendations