One of the most in-demand criminal silks in the business, it was David Perry, 51, to whom the Crown Prosecution Service turned to advise on the highly political issue of whether charges should be brought in the cash-for-honours inquiry. Widely held to be at the top of his game, his judgment is said by colleagues to be “impeccable”. From 2001 to 2006 he was Senior Treasury Counsel, prosecuting all the top cases in crime, extradition, fraud, judicial review — and with some commercial and civil cases thrown in. He has been in every big criminal appeal in the past five years — including 56 hearings in the House of Lords. He is also a deputy High Court judge. His cases have included Blue Arrow, Barlow Clowes, Brent Walker (in all of which he defended); and more recently he prosecuted the Muslim cleric Abu Hamza. His hobbies are reading and gardening — he “doesn’t do sport”. A Catholic, he went to grammar school in Leicester. He is separated from his Spanish wife and has no children.

Back to the full Law 100 2008

Did we get it right? Tell us your picks

Law 100: women | Law 100: corporate and business | Law 100: public, criminal and human rights | Law 100: judges

Explore Law

• Corporate Law

• Public Law

• Columnists

• Law Panel

• Student Law

• Law Reports

Times Recommends

• Hacker in final plea to stop extradition
• Lawyers? They're simply riveting . . .
• Companies slash legal spending