City elects London sheriffs for 2024-2025

Alderman Gregory Jones KC and David Chalk were today elected as the next Sheriffs of the City of London at the Guildhall's Common Hall.

They will take up their posts on Friday 27 September, for a period of one year, and succeed Alderman Dame Susan Langley and Alderman Bronek Masojada.

The office of Sheriff of the City of London, a prerequisite for becoming Lord Mayor, is one of the oldest in existence and dates back to the Middle Ages.

Sheriffs' current duties include supporting the Lord Mayor in his civic duties and serving – both at home and abroad – as ambassadors for the UK-based financial and professional services sector, in promoting the UK as a great place to do business. Based at the Old Bailey, the office is an integral part of the city's support for the rule of law.

Gregory Jones studied law at New College, Oxford (MA), where he was elected president of the Oxford Law Society and treasurer of the Oxford Union. He was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn, completed an LLM (Master of Laws) at University College London and worked at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. He currently practices law at the Francis Taylor Building, Temple, specializing in infrastructure, planning, environmental, climate change and EU law.

David Chalk was educated at Chigwell School, Radley College and the University of Edinburgh. He spent 20 years working in the city in research and strategy at the Henley Center for Forecasting, marketing group WPP and Smithfield-based think tank the Future Foundation. His career in marketing led him to develop financial services for seniors while working at Age Concern Enterprises, after which he founded a regional home care business aimed at enabling seniors to live independently in their home for as long as possible.

Sheriff Alderman-elect Gregory Jones KC said:

“I am delighted to have been elected The Sheriff and I look forward to supporting the Lord Mayor in his aims, together with my fellow Sheriff, David Chalk.

“The English legal system is the foundation of the City of London's success as the world's leading financial center and, in my final year, I will promote the rule of law, with the Old Bailey serving as the ideal platform to defend the symbiotic system. relationship between the law and the City.

Sheriff-elect David Chalk said:

“Being elected to the high office of Sheriff of London is a great honor and I am deeply grateful to everyone who made this possible.

“As well as working to increase people's understanding of the workings of the Old Bailey and its judges, I would like to spend time addressing an issue close to my heart and which is of national importance, in particular: some of the financing issues related to aged care, bringing together financial services, policy makers and care professionals.

In addition to their duties and responsibilities of assisting the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs play a key role in supporting Her Majesty's Judges at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) in promoting the importance of the rule of English law to businesses, schools, diplomats, charities, the City Livery and leading artistic figures.

The Central Criminal Court, where sheriffs work and reside throughout their year, is recognized as the most famous criminal court in the world and is owned and operated by the City of London Corporation.

ENDS