October 2024 will see Garden Court Chambers – whose motto is ‘Do right. Fear no one’ – mark 50 years since it was founded in 1974 by six young barristers recently out of pupillage. In the ensuing half century, it has grown to become the biggest set in London, with over 200 barristers (including 30 silks) and a substantial staff team.

Garden Court is known for its commitment to social justice and has been involved in multiple cases that have shaped UK society, including the Mangrove Nine, the Bradford 12, the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, the Birmingham Six, Rwanda, Windrush, Hillsborough, and the Sally Challen appeal. More recently, its barristers have acted in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

Two founder members, Marguerite Russell and Michael House, remain in practice in its criminal defence team. A third, David Watkinson, a former housing law barrister, is now a practising mediator. In 2005, Watkinson won the first-ever Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year award made to a barrister, in recognition of his exceptional contribution to protecting tenants’ rights. At the 2024 LALY awards, Garden Court community care and education barrister Ollie Persey was named Legal Aid Newcomer of the Year, praised for his expertise in relation to Equality Act claims.

Garden Court members are regular and longstanding contributors to Legal Action and have authored many books published by LAG.

Aika Stephenson, founder of the charity Just for Kids Law, first worked with Garden Court barristers as a trainee solicitor nearly 20 years ago and continues to instruct its members to defend young people going through the criminal justice system. ‘One of Just for Kids’ values is courage, and I feel that’s also embodied in the barristers who are there,’ she said. ‘They are only interested in doing right by the client.’