Dame Nicola Velfor Davies (born 13 March 1953) is a judge of the Court of Appeal of

England and Wales England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is ...

, to which she was appointed in 2018. At the Bar she practised in medical law. She is referred to as Rt Hon Lady Justice Nicola Davies.

Early life

Davies was born in

Llanelli Llanelli ("St Elli's llan (placename element), Parish"; ) is a market town and the largest community in Carmarthenshire and the Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is located on the Loughor estuary north-west of ...

, Wales, and grew up in Bridgend. Her father, Eric Davies, was a

chartered engineer Regulation and licensure in engineering is established by various jurisdictions of the world to encourage life, public welfare, safety, well-being, then environment and other interests of the general public and to define the licensure process thro ...

who was employed by the Steel Company of Wales, and she has a younger brother called Jonathan. She was educated at Bridgend Girls' Grammar School (now closed), where she was the last head girl. In 1971 she entered

Birmingham University The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingha ...

to read law.

Career

After graduating, Davies worked briefly in a firm of solicitors before becoming an investment analyst in the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...

. She later decided to become a barrister and did her second six-month pupillage at Carpmael Buildings, which later became 3 Serjeant's Inn. She was called to the bar at

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wa ...

in 1976. As a young barrister acting as a junior counsel to the two doctors involved in the Cleveland child abuse cases, she became recognised as a medical specialist. She also became a member of the Treasury Panels. In 1992, at the age of 39, she became a Queen's Counsel, and in 1998 she was appointed to sit as an Assistant Recorder. She chaired two Inquiries. In 1998 Davies spent six months on the Bristol heart surgeon's case, then took on the defence of the doctor and serial killer

Harold Shipman Harold Frederick Shipman (14 January 1946 – 13 January 2004), known by the public as Doctor Death and to acquaintances as Fred Shipman, was an English general practitioner and serial killer. He is considered to be one of the most prolif ...

. In 2003, Davies was appointed as a deputy High Court judge. On judicial review she quashed a decision to close some National Health Service paediatric surgery units. She was appointed a High Court judge in 2010. In 2013 Davies was appointed as a Presiding Judge of the Wales Circuit between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2017. Davies is an Honorary Fellow of

Cardiff University , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...

. She was sworn as a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in 2018. In July 2021, Davies made legal history, chairing the first all-female Court of Appeal session in Wales, sitting alongside Mrs Justice Jefford and Mrs Justice Steyn.

References

External links

The Rt. Hon. Mrs Justice Nicola Davies DBE
Judicial Appointments Commission 1953 births Living people Members of Gray's Inn Queen's Bench Division judges Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire Welsh women judges Alumni of the University of Birmingham Welsh King's Counsel 20th-century King's Counsel 21st-century Welsh judges 20th-century Welsh lawyers Lady Justices of Appeal Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom 20th-century women lawyers 21st-century women judges 20th-century English women 21st-century English women {{UK-law-bio-stub