James Adair,KS (c.1743 – 21 July 1798) was anIrish-born judge,serjeant-at-law, andMember of Parliament, who spent his career based in London.
Adair was admitted toPeterhouse, Cambridge, and took aB.A. in 1764, andM.A. in 1767.[1] He was educated in law and a due course called to the bar by the society ofLincoln's Inn. In the early part of the reign ofGeorge III he was ranked among the advocates of the popular side; in 1771, he was employed as counsel in the famous case of theHouse of Commons against the printers ofLetters of Junius, and in this and other instances gave so much satisfaction to the citizens, that, on the death ofJohn Glynn, he was electedRecorder of London,[2] a post he held until 1789.[3]
In 1774, he took the degree ofserjeant-at-law and afterwards confined his practice chiefly to theCourt of Common Pleas. On his promotion to be aking's serjeant in 1782, he took the lead in that court for several years. Following the split of theWhig Party after theFrench Revolution, he attached himself to the moderate party ofEdmund Burke's division. In 1794 he was one of the counsels for the crown againstThomas Hardy,Horne Tooke, and others, but had no very active part assigned him.[2] In April 1788 he was elected aFellow of the Royal Society[4]
In 1796, he led against the crown, withThomas Erskine as his junior, in defence of William Stone, who was accused of treason but acquitted.
He was counsel to theBoard of Ordnance, and also served asChief Justice of Chester from 1796 to his death.
At different times Adair held a seat inParliament. He sat asMP forCockermouth from 1775 to 1780,[5] and from 1793 until his death was a member forHigham Ferrers.[6]
His manner as a speaker was somewhat coarse, but it was impressive. He had great copiousness and fluency of delivery, and his powers of reasoning were of the highest order.
Adair died suddenly at his house inLincoln's Inn Fields, London, on 21 July 1798.[2] He was buried inBunhill Fields burial ground.
Adair was author of several tracts.[2]
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forCockermouth 1775–1780 With:Ralph Gowland | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forHigham Ferrers 1793–1798 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chief Justice of Chester 1796–1798 | Succeeded by |
