UKSC President captained Balliol College Oxford
A photo has emerged showing UK Supreme Court President Lord Reed captaining Balliol College Oxford on the popular student quiz show University Challenge.
Legal academic and Oxford contemporary Simon Lee (Oxon 1976-79), posted on Twitter what appears to be the features section of a Balliol College newsletter.
In an academic paper published in 2016, Lee reminisces about his time being tutored as an undergraduate at Balliol College, Oxford by the “world’s leading legal philosopher” the late Joseph Raz contemporary.
“Meanwhile,” Lee continues, “in the college law library with its 24 hour access, a doctoral student and our University Challenge quiz captain reigned supreme, namely Robert Reed, now Lord Reed, previously Lord Advocate and now one of our Supreme Court Justices from Scotland.”
Enjoyed #universitychallengeat60 but they missed a couple of @BalliolOxford captains: Robert Reed, now President of @UKSupremeCourt, & @jamessflee who not only led from the front but who also might well have nominated Baker more than any other captain has ever nominated anyone. pic.twitter.com/uJdHEYNYdA
— Simon Lee (@paradoxbridge) August 29, 2022
Lord Reed studied law at Edinburgh University and went on to undertake doctoral research in law at the University of Oxford. It is unclear how successful the now Supreme Court President was on the show, but we do know Reed could not steer Balliol College to the final.