“Harry Potter” lawyer filmed delivering submission during double yellow line dispute
Those with a keen eye will have noted that well-known solicitor-advocate Lord Harley of Counsel — otherwise known as Alan Blacker — appeared on yesterday evening’s episode of ITV’s Parking Wars.
The show, which airs every Tuesday at 8pm, documents the struggles between parking wardens and the general public.
While focusing on issues surrounding parking more generally, last night’s episode also depicted footage from inside several parking dispute tribunals.
The appeal hearings — which are held at many locations across the country — allow members of the public to argue why a parking fine is unfair in front of an independently-appointed adjudicator.
Harley, who appears at 1:02, 7:02, and 8:30 minutes in the show (available on catch-up here), is seen entering a tribunal and arguing a case in relation to a silver Chrysler people-carrier that was parked on a double yellow line.
Just prior to Harley’s appearance at 8:30 in the footage, one adjudicator describes briefly the types of people he gets to see.
You get, at the one level, people who really haven’t thought about it, they just turn up and think it’s kind of like a mediation and if they have a nice chat with you they’ll be let off. All the way through to people who do treat it like it’s a High Court hearing.
Cue Lord Harley of Counsel appearing on screen, in a mustard waistcoat and colourful bowtie, arguing a point of law.
Interestingly, during the very brief cameo, Harley — who qualified as a solicitor-advocate via the non-graduate Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) route — is referred to as “Mr Blacker” by the adjudicator and not Lord Harley of Counsel. The latter title was a major bone of contention during Blacker’s famous dust-up last year in Cardiff with circuit judge David Wynn Morgan, where has was criticised for, among other things, dressing “like something out of Harry Potter”.
However, judging by Blacker’s continued use of “Lord Harley of Counsel” on LinkedIn, it seems that he is allowed to use the title, despite no one seeming to be quite sure where it came from.
It is not clear from last night’s footage whether Harley is representing himself or is acting in a professional capacity. However, viewers will note that Harley refers to himself in the first person when arguing a point on parking law.
Harley’s moment of TV fame, although very brief, was spotted by a couple of Twitter users.
Lord Harley of Counsel appearing at the Parking Adjudicator on ITV. #InterestingTimes
— StirredNtShaken (@StirredNtShaken) September 15, 2015
Lord Harley is on ITV in a dashing mustard waistcoat #parkingwars
— Dudley A H Beal (@dbgeaunbomb) September 15, 2015
Last month, Legal Cheek revealed that Harley had received a written apology from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in relation to a miscommunication regarding a lost file.
Despite Harley taking to LinkedIn to claim that the apology was in relation to “racism”, the SRA made clear that these grievances were not upheld by the independent complaints body.
Harley did not responded to Legal Cheek’s request for comment this morning.
You can watch the episode in full here.
Previously:
Solicitors Regulation Authority says sorry to Lord Harley for ‘causing distress’ [Legal Cheek]