Christopher was the MEP for Shropshire and Stafford from 1979 to 1994 during which he came to lead the British contingent of Conservative MEPs. He was elevated to the House of Lords and became Shadow Lord Chancellor. In 2008 he became the opposition spokesman on legal affairs, a post he held at his death in 2009. Had he not died it was widely expected that he would have played an important part in government, as he had while his party was in opposition.

Christopher also served as vice-chairman of Justice, the all-party group set up to promote the rule of law and to assist the fair administration of legal process. As an advocate he appeared before the European Court of Justice in some of the leading cases of the day including acting for the whistle-blower, Stanley Adams, against the European Commission in the 1980s and, in the 1990s, in high profile competition and free trade cases. Later he became a leading member of the environmental law bar with particular expertise in the field of waste. He was an engaging and companionable member of Chambers.

The topics of the Kingsland Moot, European, administrative and environmental law, reflect Christopher’s own practice at the Bar. Christopher prided himself in speaking without notes in the House of Lords on even the most complex legislative areas.

The Kingsland Moot aims to encourage and reward the virtues he possessed – intellectual rigor, clarity and fluency of expression and unfailing courtesy. These are qualities which are the essential tools of any advocate. FTB has a strong commitment  to academic excellence and of promoting access to the Bar – including through our academic panel of university lecturers and our sponsorship of university prizes. 

The Kingsland Cup is a vintage solid sterling silver trophy cup made in Birmingham, England in 1925 by the famous silversmiths, The Usher Manufacturing Company, founded by Charles Usher at their Vittoria Street workshops. It weighs 335.4 grams. It stands 9" tall (11 1/4" on its Bakelite base), is 3 3/4" diameter at the rim and is 6 1/8" across the handles.