in 1272 giffard acted with roger de meyland bishop of lichfield in treating with llywelyn ap gruffudd of wales. in may 1273 he was sent abroad with nicholas of ely, bishop of winchester, and walter bronescomb, bishop of exeter, to meet king edward i on his return from the holy land. he was made a commissioner along with roger mortimer to investigate certain grievances of the oxford scholars, and in 1278 acted as an itinerant justice in hertfordshire and kent.