Amanda Pinto KC

(Elected 2025)

Oration

It is my great honour to present Amanda Pinto KC to be admitted as a Fellow of Birkbeck, University of London.

Amanda’s career exemplifies excellence in the law, deep commitment to public service and an enduring belief in fairness, equity and opportunity – values that speak to the very heart of Birkbeck’s mission.

Amanda began her remarkable journey at St Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith, before reading Law at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, receiving her Master’s Degree in Law in 1982. She was part of the very first cohort of women admitted to the College – a pioneering beginning that foreshadowed her lifelong advocacy for equality within the legal profession.

At Cambridge, Amanda’s energy, leadership and team spirit were already clearly in abundance and would come to define her professional life. She served as President of the College Law Society, Treasurer of the Shadwell Society, Cox of the First Boat and Netball Captain.

After graduating, she was called to the Bar in 1983, joining 5 Paper Buildings Chambers, and later moving to 33 Chancery Lane and Three Raymond Buildings, where she continues to practise. Over four decades, Amanda has built an outstanding reputation in financial crime, specialising in cases of fraud, money laundering, often with an international dimension.

Her career has been one of sustained achievement and service. She was appointed a Recorder of the Crown Court in 2004 and in 2006 took silk as Queen’s Counsel. She co-authored the leading text Pinto and Evans on Corporate Criminal Liability, now in its fourth edition, a cornerstone reference for practitioners and scholars alike.

In 2020, Amanda was elected Chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales and her tenure was marked by her principled advocacy for diversity and inclusion and for ensuring that the legal profession truly reflects the society it serves. She was shortlisted for Chambers and Partners Outstanding Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion Award.

She was a driving force behind the Council’s Bar Leadership Programme, designed to support barristers from underrepresented backgrounds to reach senior positions within the profession. She also led a determined effort to improve diversity at the Bar, addressing barriers that prevent women, those with disabilities, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and LGBT+ barristers from progressing and building thriving practices. Liaising with government and the judiciary, she was instrumental in enabling the justice system to operate during Covid.

Amanda’s commitment to social justice extends into society more broadly. Since 2022, she has served as a Trustee of the Race Equality Foundation, the leading national charity promoting race equality in public services. Her work there reflects her conviction that the law must not only uphold fairness but model it – that justice, to be credible, must be inclusive.

Her peers describe her as 'a superb advocate,' 'a brilliant team leader,' 'clear-sighted and pragmatic,' 'charming with the court,' and 'a formidable market leader.' Yet what most distinguishes her is not only her intellect and advocacy, but her humanity - her conviction that justice must be accessible, fair and compassionate.

Amanda’s commitment to equality is embodied in her role as Patron of the First 100 Years Project, which celebrates the centenary of women’s admission to the legal profession. In her own words, “The First 100 Years project is both a wonderful celebration and an important reminder that the place of women in our legal system has been hard fought and that headway has been made by the resolute determination of practitioners. Every career progression and every judicial appointment changes the norm for our justice system and improves the perception of access to justice to everyone’s advantage.”

Amanda’s words remind us that equality is not a static achievement but a continuing endeavour – one that depends on courage, solidarity and persistence. Amanda, herself, has said that she hopes to help change the landscape, started 100 years ago into one that is more equal, inclusive – and more effective as a result.

Amanda’s continuing passion for the visual arts led her to study for a Diploma in the History of Art at Birkbeck, graduating in 1991. Like so many of our students, she embraced Birkbeck as a place for exploration and renewal.

Her love of art continues to shape her life. She served as Deputy Chair of the Tate Members Council between 2017 and 2020, as a Trustee of the Tate Members Charity, which raises funds for the Tate Galleries. Amanda is now a Trustee of Paintings in Hospitals, which brings art and creative practice into healthcare settings with the aim of improving wellbeing.

Amanda’s enduring connection to Birkbeck has been a gift to our community. As a long-standing volunteer mentor in our Mentoring Pathways programme, she has guided and inspired students navigating their own professional journeys. In 2024, she was named Birkbeck Mentor of the Year.

Her mentee wrote: “She uplifted my spirits when I needed it most. I wholeheartedly thank her for her support. She truly deserves Mentor of the Year award, not just as an outstanding lawyer and mentor, but as a remarkable human being.”

Amanda herself has said: “The highlight of mentoring is when you see your mentees get through everything from their own efforts – but with a bit of help and discussion from me.”

This humility, generosity and belief in the potential of others reflect the very best of Birkbeck’s values. Her life and work remind us that education and empathy together have the power to change not only individual lives, but the professions and communities they touch.

Amanda’s family – her husband Charles and their children, William, Charlotte, and Sophie – join us today to celebrate this occasion.

Vice-Chancellor, it is with great pride that I present Amanda Pinto KC – a distinguished barrister, champion of equality, advocate for the arts and devoted mentor – to be admitted as a Fellow of Birkbeck, University of London.