Ian Dabbs

Ian graduated from Staffordshire University with an Honours degree in law in 1992. He became a Barrister in 1993 and for the next 30 years worked as a Legal Adviser in Leeds, Rotherham, Sheffield and Norwich Magistrates’ Courts.

In 1999, whilst at Leeds Magistrates’ Court, he was the Legal Adviser assigned to the case of the Hillsborough Families Support Group v Murray and Duckenfield. This was a “private prosecution” brought on behalf of the HFSG and involved some of the most eminent barristers of the time.  David Duckenfield was the Chief Superintendent and Bernard Murray the Superintendent in charge of police operations on the day of the Hillsborough stadium disaster in 1989.  They were accused of the gross negligence manslaughter of 97 Liverpool fans.

Ian was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 2008. He continued to work as a Legal Adviser in criminal, family and private courts whilst also training magistrates and Legal Advisers in various aspects of criminal and family law.  He joined Norton Peskett in 2024 and now makes legal submissions on behalf of clients rather than listening to and evaluating them.

If Ian doesn’t have his head in a law book, he’s usually hiding from his wife and three children. When that doesn’t work, he enjoys nothing more than family adventures both in the U.K. and abroad.