Helena Kennedy

Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws

Throughout her legal career Helena Kennedy QC, Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws, has spent her professional life giving voice to those who have least power within the system, championing civil liberties and promoting human rights. She was called to the Bar in 1972, became a QC in 1991 and was made a life peer in 1997, accepting the Labour Party whip. She was then appointed Chair of the British Council in 1998 and has also chaired the London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT), one of the most innovative and cutting-edge arts promoters and producers in the UK. She currently chairs the Human Genetics Commission which advises the UK government on the ethical, social and legal issues arising from developments in genetic science. Baroness Kennedy became a Futureversity patron in 1996.