Educated at Campbell College, Belfast to which he gained the top entrance scholarship, Nigel went on to read law at Pembroke College, Cambridge graduating at the age of 20. He then dropped out for six months manufacturing plastic aircraft seats in Hersham which involved a large amount of involuntary glue sniffing. He resurrected his career by going to Chester College of Law, completed articles at the city firm of Devonshires, spent three years at Speechly Bircham and 20 years at Amhurst Brown Colombotti before joining Barker Gillette in 2003.
Born in 1955, Nigel lives in Chiswick and is married with three children, twins Oliver and Emma, and their younger brother, Harry, affectionately known as "Harry Nutter".
All aspects of employment law including