Appendix: Nicola Williams' curriculum
vitae
Employment
From 30.3.2012-Accredited Mediator, London School
of Mediation; member, CIAMA (Cayman Islands Association of Mediators
and Arbitrators).
From 23.10.09 - Appointed to the judiciary of England
and Wales as a Crown Court Recorder. Sitting on the London and
South-Eastern Circuit hearing a variety of criminal trials and
appeals from the Magistrates Court.
From 17.8.09-15.8.15
Complaints Commissioner for the Cayman Islands
Office of the Complaints Commissioner (OCC)
P.O. Box 2252
202 Piccadilly Centre
28 Elgin Avenue
George Town, Grand Cayman
KY1-1107, CAYMAN ISLANDS
Sole Ombudsman office for the Cayman Islands and
head of a staff of 6. The OCC investigates complaints against
93 government entities. In addition, the OCC conducts major investigations
of national importance; the resulting Reports on these investigations
on issues such as pensions mismanagement, health and safety in
the construction industry, and whistleblowing have been widely
reported nationally and globally.
Along with the Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission,
the OCC is the leading human rights organisation in the Cayman
Islands.
1.4.2004-31.3.2009:
Commissioner,
Independent Police Complaints Commission,
90 High Holborn,
London WC1V 6BH.
The Commission is the guardian of the police complaints
system for England and Wales. In this role, I had particular responsibility
for Kent, Sussex and the Ministry of Defence Police Forces, as
well as part of the Metropolitan Police Service. This involved
not only dealing with complaints of the utmost gravity, including
fatalities involving police (shootings, road traffic incidents,
deaths in custody), but also encouraging both the public and the
police to have full confidence in the police complaints system
by ensuring it operates in a fair and impartial manner. To this
end I regularly had meetings with police officers of all ranks
up to and including the highest seniority; members of the public,
individually as well as community groups; and other key stakeholders
such as the Mayor's office. I also had conduct of, and ultimate
responsibility for, a number of significant nationally reported
cases, & have been interviewed on several occasions on television
and radio, and in print.
I was the lead Commissioner responsible for drafting
IPCC guidelines on investigating allegations of discriminatory
conduct by police officers.
I was also a member of the IPCC Resources and Diversity
Committees.
1.9.01-31.3.04:
Board Member,
Police Complaints Authority
Great George Street,
Westminster, London, SW1.
My responsibilities in this post were broadly similar
to those in my role at the IPCC, but for different forces, including
Merseyside and North Wales police.
1.10.85-31.7.01: Barrister in private practice
I was a barrister in private practice for nearly
16 years before accepting my appointment at the Police Complaints
Authority. During this time I practiced in a number of fields
in the High Court, Crown Court and Court of Appeal, specialising
in Criminal Law - including three successful Commonwealth death
penalty appeals before the House of Lords sitting as the Privy
Council. I remain a door tenant at Chambers of Lord Gifford QC,
Mitre Court Buildings, Temple, London EC4
Professional Achievement
Part of a delegation sponsored by the British Council,
lecturing Turkish police inspectors on Human Rights.
I will complete a Certificate in International Human
Rights Law (Nottingham University) in October 2014.
Three times listed as one of the 100 most influential
Black people in the U.K (1998; 2007-8; 2008-9).
Winner, Cosmopolitan magazine Woman of Achievement
Award (Professions).
From 1.1.2014-Member, UK Association of Women Judges.
From 30.3.2012-Accredited Mediator, London School
of Mediation; member, CIAMA (Cayman Islands Association of Mediators
and Arbitrators).
Vice-President, Caribbean Ombudsman Association 2010-13.
Legal expert on BBC World for the OJ Simpson trial
verdict in 1995.
Founder Member, Independent Advisory Group to the
Metropolitan Police Service (following recommendations arising
from the Macpherson Report into the death of Stephen Lawrence
[1999]).
Member, Bar Council Equality & Diversity Committee
(January 2008-April 2009).
Former Trustee, African Caribbean Diversity.
Member, Virdi Enquiry Panel.
Author of the legal thriller, "Without Prejudice",
published in 1997 in both the U.K. and U.S.
Former Chair, London Regional Advisory Council, BBC.
Member, Advertising Advisory Committee, BCAP (January
2009-August 2010).
Presenting papers at a number of conferences, notably:
· International
Funds Conference, Grand Cayman, January 2010 (paper on transparency)
· "Confidentiality-A
Key to Integrity", Caribbean Ombudsman Association Conference,
Curacao, November 2010.
· "The
Principles of Public Administration and the Role of the Ombudsman"-Centre
for Justice conference, Bermuda, March 2012
· "Delivering
More With Less"-10th World Conference of the International
Ombudsman Institute, New Zealand, November 2012.
· Speaker
on Whistleblowing and good governance, UCCI International Conference,
March 2014.
Was actively involved in the Speakers for Schools
programme, which encouraged young people from disadvantaged and
under-represented communities to enter the U.K. legal profession.
Education
BA (Hons) Law, 1984
Bar Finals: called 1985
Pupillage: Farrar's Buildings, Temple, EC4; and 8
King's Bench Walk, Temple, EC4.
Table 1: Recruitment
of Service Complaints Commissioner
Candidate information from On-line Political Activity Declaration
|
Title
| Ms |
Forename
| Nicola |
Surname
| Williams |
Obtained office
| N |
Stood as Candidate
| N |
Spoken on behalf
| N |
Acted as Agent
| N |
Held office local branch
| N |
Canvassed or helped
| N |
Other Political Activity
| N |
Made recordable donation
| N |
None of the above
| Y |
Name of party
| |
Comments
| |
Source: Nicola Williams' application
|