
John Larkin
John Larkin QC was Attorney General for Northern Ireland from May 2010 to June 2020. Educated at Queen’s University Belfast, he was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in Michaelmas term 1986 and later to the Bar of Ireland. Between 1989 and 1991 he was Reid Professor of Criminal Law in Trinity College Dublin. He took silk in Michaelmas term 2001. John remains in private practice in Northern Ireland, working mainly in public and commercial law. His publications for Policy Exchange include The ECHR and the Future of Northern Ireland’s Past and Ten Ways to Improve the Overseas Operations Bill (with Professor Richard Ekins).

Related Posts & Publications


Human Rights Law Reform
by John Larkin | Dec 11, 2021
Related Content How and Why to Amend the Human Rights Act 1998 This paper is the text of the submission made on behalf of Policy Exchange’s Judicial Power Project to the Independent Human Rights Act Review, chaired by Sir Peter Gross. This paper argues that the Human...
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill: myth and reality
by John Larkin | Jul 7, 2021
Related Content This paper examines some of the criticisms offered against part 3 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. It finds, in summary, that most of these are misplaced or overblown. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill can certainly be...
Ten Ways to Improve the Overseas Operations Bill
by John Larkin | Jan 20, 2021
Related Content This short paper sets out ten ways in which the Overseas Operations Bill could be amended to improve its effectiveness and to minimise the risk of unintended consequences. None of the proposed changes are wrecking amendments. Like many...
Overseas Operations Bill
by John Larkin | Sep 23, 2020
Related Content A Policy Exchange Research Note While one might question the Bill in many ways, says John Larkin QC, former Attorney General for Northern Ireland, it is badly mistaken to portray as “impunity” the Bill’s attempt to make limited provision for the future...Support Us
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