MISHCON, VICTOR, BARON

MISHCON, VICTOR, BARON (1915– ), British solicitor and politician. Educated at the City of London school, in 1937 Mishcon founded a one-man firm of solicitors in Brixton, south London. From 1988, after growth and merger, it was known as Mishcon de Reya and had become one of the largest and most prestigious firms of solicitors in Britain. It represented Princess Diana in her divorce proceedings against Prince Charles and acted for American historian deborah lipstadt in the libel suit brought against her in 2000 by David Irving. Victor Mishcon served as a Labour member on many public bodies and was chairman of the London County Council in 1954–55. In 1954–57 he served as a member of the controversial Departmental Committee of Inquiry into Homosexuality and Prostitution. Mishcon was made a life peer in 1978 and was Opposition spokesman in the House of Lords on Home Affairs in 1983–90. In 1990–92, most unusually for a solicitor, he served as shadow lord chancellor, a post normally reserved for a senior barrister, and in 1992 was the first practicing solicitor to be appointed an honorary Q.C. Mishcon was associated with many Jewish and Israeli causes. He was president of the Anglo-Jewish Association and served as vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. (William D. Rubinstein (2nd ed.)