Henry Milner (1956-65)

18-10-2024 • 48 minutes

Joining Jill and Doron on the 30th episode of the podcast, the eleventh of our second season, to tell us his story is British criminal defense lawyer Henry Milner.

From Carmel, Henry studied law at the London School of Economics. For over forty years now, Henry has been the go-to lawyer for some of Britain's most notorious criminals. Chambers Directory described his eponymous law firm, formerly based in London’s Hatton Gardens and now in Marylebone, as “a Rolls-Royce outfit”. In his book ‘No Lawyers in Heaven’, published in the year 2020, Henry - to whom the Sunday Times referred to as 'The Mr Big of Criminal Briefs' - offers a fascinating insight into life at the top of the profession, lifting the lid on the psychology of those who end up on the wrong side of the law and those who defend them. The book includes a chapter (which can be found at https://www.carmelcollege.co.uk/the-road-from-carmel-podcast) on Henry’s time at Carmel. He followed up with a second book, the novel ‘Murder at the Bailey’, two years later. He lives in Hampstead Garden Suburb with his wife, with whom he has two children, one a barrister, the other an abstract artist.

Hear Henry talk about why - chez Milner - Shabbat often finished at 2pm, Kopul apologizing to him, bullfights in the Carmel library, his unbroken high jump record, fainting at a Stamler family occasion, his love of Americana music, and how to handle professional criminals.

Thank you, Henry Milner, for turning us again to Carmel days!

Dedication: at Henry’s request, this episode is dedicated to the memory of his fellow pupil Anthony Batiste (brother of former MP Spencer Batiste), who tragically passed away in 1960 at the age of 14 from a rare heart condition while representing Carmel at an away match.

Personal mentions in this episode: