Paul Harris QC

Monckton Chambers

Whether you’re someone who uses Mastercard or a fan of Manchester City, Paul Harris QC was your man to thank in 2020. From a legal perspective, it’s hard to look beyond the Monckton silk’s success in the Merricks affair, during which he set a game-changing precedent by leading his team to a Supreme Court victory in December. The case, which has now been given the green light to proceed, seeks to reclaim funds for people aged 16 or over who used Mastercard and were overcharged on transaction fees between 1992 and 2008, which could apply to 46.2 million adults in the UK.

However, as the Manchester City-loving barrister admits himself, you can’t get better than bagging a last-gasp win for your hometown club, even if it comes in the form of a judgment rather than a goal. It was back in July that the state-school lad from Manchester flew to Switzerland to represent the club in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where it faced the prospect of a two-year ban from the Champions League.

In a comeback of epic proportions, Harris successfully appealed a previous decision and reduced the club’s fine by £20m in the process.

It is often City’s star players who receive the glory for dramatic wins; however, this time it was all Harris.