Inspiring Alumni in Law | 19
INSPIRING ALUMNI IN LAW
Earl Pinnock Criminal Defence Barrister
Keele alumnus Earl Pinnock graduated from Keele in 1989 with a degree in Law and American Studies . He is currently a criminal defence barrister and prosecutor at No5 Barristers ' Chambers , where he has worked for over 16 years .
“ I had tremendous enjoyment at Keele . I made some great lifelong friends , who I still meet up with annually ”.
“ One of the things I really liked about Keele was the diversity of students . There were a lot of students from the African continent , Malaysia , Hong Kong . I was given the opportunity to meet people from places I would never have been able to meet from my background in Birmingham .”
“ I also worked alongside my studies at Keele . I had a lovely job at the University Library where I worked a couple of nights a week . I also worked in a nightclub in town as a glass collector – so it was nice to be able to get involved in the local community .”
Whilst reflecting on his academic achievements , Earl said that one of the most positive elements of his time at Keele was the opportunity to study a combined degree . Earl knew that he wanted to study Law , but also wanted to further explore his passion for American Studies .
“ I knew I wanted to study Law , but I wanted to explore other subjects , too . It was very rare to have the opportunity to study a mixed Law degree , and Keele was only one of four or five universities back in the 1980s where this was possible .”
When Earl graduated , he decided to have a break from studying , and began teaching Law at a further education college in Birmingham .
A few years later , Earl joined No5 Barristers ’ Chamber , where he still works today . He routinely appears in highprofile cases , including the largest ever NHS dental fraud and what is reputedly Britain ’ s largest burglary : Tamara Eccleston ' s . His dedication to criminal justice was recently recognised when he was named Barrister of the Year at the 2022 Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards .
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