Tribute to Roger Law, 1951 - 2024

Roger worked to help so many of us get legally challenging public interest stories over the line, and always with such clarity, wisdom and wit. His Herculean efforts on the Paradise Papers were astonishing. He will be so greatly missed.

Having Roger sitting beside me in the Have I Got News For You gallery gave me complete confidence. He would allow the programme as much leeway as possible so it retained its reputation for being right on the edge. I think he enjoyed being part of a comedy team too! To be described by Michael Crick as ‘the best ever lawyer in this history of broadcast journalism’ is some accolade. I hope he realised how respected and well loved he was. A marvellous colleague.

Roger was one of a kind, and indeed v kind. I well remember on numerous occasions him returning home late, 11pm etc, and me calling him before he even made it from the car to the house. He would always take the call and provide calm, sage and brilliant advice. I also remember during various co-ordinated projects involving international leaks etc, he appeared to be simultaneously advising the entire BBC. His capacity, kindness and wry little chuckles were all brilliant. I'll miss you Roger. Sorry I couldnt make the funeral - but there's a candle alight in my local church. Gail x

Roger was a gentleman and a wonderful person to work alongside. His kind, calm, understated demeanour concealed an iron-clad nerve when putting allegations of wrong-doing to intimidating people and organisations. Journalism ran through Roger's veins and I'm sure I'm just one of hundreds of people who learned many things from him. Regardless of the pressure we were under, Roger had a dry-wit and a reassuring aura that we all benefitted from. He wasn't just a lawyer, he was often the best filmmaker in the room. He didn't just make great films, he was a great person, and will be sorely missed by many.

I was always glad when I knew that Roger was the lawyer for any story that I was working on because he was an enabler. I can remember one story where he approved transmission, even although he said we didn’t have enough hard evidence to win a court case, as X would be extremely unlikely to sue because he would be afraid that we had more damaging information that would come out during a trial.

I remember many moments in rooms in the Newsnight office with small teams of producers and reporters hunched around Roger as he went through a script in a deft and wise and scrupulously methodical manner. I’d always come away from these meetings having learnt something new as well as feeling reassured. But more than that I remember a man who was dryly funny, with an underlying warmth and kindness that shone through every encounter. I always thought he should have been nominated for one of those RTS lifetime achievement awards. Lawyers are key to every difficult piece of journalism and are rarely recognised. Roger was the very very best.

Roger was remarkable. My very first File On 4 resulted in extremely scary letters from the lawyers of the person we were exposing. I was new to investigative journalism and utterly terrified by their tone. Roger was so calm, so determined we wouldn’t be scared off the story, and his scrutiny gave me confidence. He was the unsung hero behind so much of the best of the BBC’s journalism. A brilliant mind.

Roger was a stellar human - so supportive, calm - that was often sorely tested - and always a brave ally for public interest investigative journalism. Over the years I spent days and days locked in edits and script meetings with Roger. He was a brilliant media lawyer, a great editorial mind, and a genuinely lovely man. Thanks to him, things that needed to be uncovered , held to account, brought to light - were. (He was also hilarious)

Roger was a real - if too often unsung - hero of public service journalism. He epitomised the BBC at its best. An enabler, with a backbone of steel, he made things happen - getting stories out into the public domain that might otherwise have remained hidden. But he was also courteous, mischievous, twinkly - great fun. And above all, decent.

Roger was a magnificent media lawyer, and a pleasure to work with. And he had magic eyebrows.

Roger was always an enabler when it came to journalism and helped make some of our best investigations possible - he always found a way we could do the story to hold power to account. He will be much missed by all in the BBC newsroom

Roger was a wise, funny and kind man. He was simply a pleasure to work with and his advice was always right and delivered in a calm and reassuring way. He made our programmes and us - his colleagues - better. He will be much missed. RIP Roger.

When I worked in BBC Radio Comedy, there would be moments where we had to contact legal - usually tricky or stressful moments but I often looked forward to it, especially when Roger Law was on the other end of the phone. Roger was wonderful - so deeply reassuring. I wished for that rare level of lucidity, clarity and presence of mind. He had a wonderful voice too! Working in comedy sometimes meant walking a line and having someone like Roger at the other end of the line was so helpful. Thinking of his family at this difficult time.

As someone working in Local Radio, no subject was too trivial for Roger. You could call him at any time of the day or night just to check that your copy was legally sound. Countless morning newsreaders are forever thankful for seeing the phrase "Legalled by Roger Law" in their scripts.

So many BBC producers & reporters will be eternally grateful to Roger for getting their films on air over the past four decades. He was a legendary figure, perhaps the best-ever lawyer in history of broadcast journalism. Roger would grill you at length over your story, to the extent you were convinced he would never allow it on air. Then suddenly, once convinced the story was right, he would do all he could to get it broadcast - I always thought he was a journalist at heart. Roger was brilliant at rewording a script so that it was no longer defamatory or a risk, but said almost the same thing. Roger saved the BBC from many potential embarrassments over the years, yet in a world of so many egos he was a humble and decent man, who never wanted praise or limelight. My sincere and heartfelt condolences to his wife Margaret and their family.

Calm, sharp, always on good form, Roger was a pleasure to work with and a great champion for Have I Got News For You. He really knew a joke when he saw one and used his unmatched knowledge of the rulebook to help us get away with what we could! Thanks for everything, Roger.