Who? Howard Smith, 41, partner at Harrow firm Lynch Hall & Hornby, specialises in civil litigation.

Why is he in the news? Represented the parents of Giles Van Colle, who were awarded £50,000 in a landmark judgment against the police, after the Hertfordshire Constabulary failed to protect his life. The 25-year-old optician was murdered in November 2000, days before he was scheduled to give evidence in the theft and fraud trial of Ali Amelzadeh, who also called himself Daniel Brougham. Mr Van Colle had employed Brougham, whom he knew as Lee Jordan, as a laboratory technician for three months. He is alleged to have stolen optical equipment from Mr Van Colle and other former employers. Mr Van Colle became the main prosecution witness. He had reported a series of death threats and intimidatory incidents, including the firebombing of his car, to Hertfordshire police in the run-up to the case, but the force took no action to protect or relocate him, or revoke his murderer's bail. Brougham was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for Mr Van Colle's murder in 2002. Mrs Justice Cox awarded £15,000 in respect of Mr Van Colle's distress in the weeks leading up to his death and £35,000 for his parents' grief and suffering. A spokeswoman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said it was still considering whether to appeal.


Background: Law degree at Middlesex Polytechnic followed by the Chester College of Law legal practice course and articles with his current firm. He qualified in 1990 and became a partner in 2001.


Route to the case: 'I know Irwin Van Colle, one of the claimants, through a local business group.'


Thoughts on the case: 'This is a very interesting and important judgment. The court found that the police failed in their positive duty to protect a life under article 2 of the 1998 Human Rights Act and to ensure respect for family life under article 8. Before the Human Rights Act 1998, it would have been even more difficult to succeed in a case like this.'


Dealing with the media: 'This was quite unusual for me - I have hardly had any dealings with the media in the past and I found it a little daunting. The media focus, however, was obviously on the clients and they were more than able to deal with the press. In general, the media was supportive and understanding, although there was one article in a broadsheet that failed to understand the Human Rights Act points and reported that the family would fail.'