Dexter Dias (OS 1981) was born in India and came to the UK as a two-year-old, where his family first lived in the East End and south-east London. He was awarded a free place at Sevenoaks School and subsequently attended Durham, Cambridge and Harvard universities.
He was called to the Bar in 1988, specialising in human rights, public law and crime, conducting cases involving murder, terrorism, crimes against humanity and deaths in state custody. He has done pro bono work across four continents, with a particular emphasis on the rights of women and children and has successfully advised parliamentarians in both Houses to effect legislative change to strengthen safeguarding, transparency and accountability.
He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2009, Recorder in 2012, authorised to sit as a Judge of the High Court in 2019 and appointed Deputy High Court Judge in 2021. He has been authorised to sit at the Old Bailey and in Serious Sexual Offences and has sat as a Deputy High Court Judge in the Family Division, the Administrative Court and the King’s Bench Division more broadly.
He has been a Human Rights Adviser to UNICEF UK and inaugural Chair of the Global Media Campaign to End FGM, resulting in the endorsement of FGM in the East Kenya region to fall from 89% to 5%. He has conducted pro bono work across four continents, with particular emphasis on safeguarding women and children.
Our congratulations to Dexter who was sworn in by the Lady Chief Justice on 16 October 2024 and becomes known as The Honorable Mr Justice Dexter Dias.
