John Megaw

Sir John Megaw, (16 September 1909 – 27 December 1997) was a British judge who eventually rose to Lord Justice of Appeal and Irish international rugby union player.

Early life and career

Born in Dublin, Megaw was the son of Irish (later Northern Irish) politician and judge Robert Megaw and the brother of the crystallographer Helen Megaw. After the creation of the Irish Free State, his father, a strong Protestant, relocated the family to Belfast. He was educated at the Royal Academical Institution in Belfast, before being elected to an open scholarship in Classics at St John's College, Cambridge. After gaining a first in Part I of the classical tripos, he switched to Law, gaining a first in Part II of the law tripos and in the LLB (which, at the time was a postgraduate law degree). He then attended Harvard Law School on a Choate fellowship. He also played rugby union internationally for Ireland, delaying his call to the bar for a term to take part in a match.

Megaw was called to the bar by Gray's Inn in 1934, having gained a certificate of honour in the bar finals. He became a pupil of Henry Willink at 3 Essex Court, and became a tenant there. Through devilling for Willink, Megaw became known to the India Office, and was regularly retained by the Indian government to appear in front of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. His practice was mainly in commercial law, in which he distinguished himself. Ireland lost both tests.