Patrick Neill, Baron Neill of Bladen

A son of Sir Thomas Neill, Patrick Neill was educated at Highgate School and Magdalen College, Oxford.

He became a barrister in 1951 and took silk in 1966. After heading One Hare Court, he became head of chambers of Serle Court, in Lincoln's Inn when the two merged in 1999.[1] He worked alongside Henry Fisher, Roger Parker, Gordon Slynn, and Richard Southwell QC Lord Neill left Serle Court in 2008 to join his elder brother Sir Brian Neill, a former Court of Appeal judge, at 20 Essex Street.[2]

He was Warden of All Souls College, Oxford, from 1977 until 1995, and an Honorary Fellow since 1995. He was Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University from 1985 till 1989,[3] and played a major part in the University's decision to undertake The Campaign for Oxford. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2003 University of Oxford Chancellor election.

In 1954, he married Caroline Susan Debenham, daughter of Sir Piers Kenrick Debenham.[4] They had six children:

• Timothy Piers Patrick Neill
• Robin Charles Richard Neill
• Jonathan Francis Kenrick Neill
• Harriet Susan Anne Neill
• Matthew Piers Thomas Neill
• Emma Charlotte Angela Neill, married to Rt Hon. Christopher Geidt, Baron Geidt, the former Private Secretary to HM The Queen.[5]

He died in May 2016 at the age of 89.[6]

Having been knighted in 1983,[7] Neill was made a Life Peer as Baron Neill of Bladen, of Briantspuddle in the County of Dorset, on 28 November 1997.[8] He sat in the House of Lords as a crossbencher until 18 May 2016, at which point he ceased to be a member pursuant to section 2 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014, having failed to attend during the whole of the 2015–16 session without being on leave of absence.[9]

• Personal Biography