Set Profile > Garden Court Chambers > London, England

Administrative and public law (including local government)

Immigration (including business immigration) Tier 1

'Due to its strength and depth of the expertise' with 'barristers who are highly knowledgeable on all aspects of immigration, nationality and asylum law' Garden Court Chambers is seen as 'the second to none immigration set in the United Kingdom'. In one representative instruction, Stephanie Harrison QC is involved in a significant case against the Secretary of State for the Home Department concerning the legality of the government's policy used to decide whether a person is a victim of human trafficking. The case is currently on appeal to the Court of Appeal. Also of note, Sonali Naik QC acted against the Home Secretary in a test case concerning the reasonableness of internal relocation for asylum seekers on return to Afghanistan.

Civil liberties and human rights (including actions against the police) Tier 2

Garden Court Chambers is one of the 'leading human rights sets' with its members securing numerous victories for clients in domestic, pan-European, and international courts. The head of the set's human rights team, Maya Sikand, is sole counsel to former police officer and whistleblower Peter Francis in the Undercover Policing Inquiry and was also instructed in Maria Carter (aka Maria Litvinenko) v the Government of Russia in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for breaches of the claimant's Article 2 and 3 rights. Leslie Thomas QC is currently acting in a judicial review into the decision of the First Minister to control the ambit of the Inquiry into Welsh Assembly Member Carl Sargeant's death, as well as representing families in the Grenfell inquiry. Others members of note include Joanne Cecil whose practice focuses on the intersection between criminal and civil law, and Stephanie Harrison QC is known for her immigration-related human rights work.

Crime Tier 2

'A very good set, with a good compliment of silks and juniors', Garden Court Chambers is 'strong in complex crime cases and has a strong mix of barristers at different levels of experience and expertise'. With a strong reputation for publicly funded defence work, alongside challenging murder and sex offence cases, chambers has had members involved in a range of politically charged matters, with terrorism and criminal appeals among other areas of expertise. It also remains 'the go-to set when it comes to representing vulnerable defendants'. Stephen Kamlish QC secured a stay for an abuse of process after a drug trial collapsed – the prosecution argued that an hour and a half surveillance tape was missing and must have been incriminating, but was throughout in their possession and innocuous. James Scobie QC represented Siddique Kamara, a drill musician under the name "Incognito" and member of the Moscow17 group, who was acquitted of the murder of a member of the Zone 2 group. Criminal appeals are an area of expertise: Clare Wade QC represented Sally Challen, whose 2011 conviction for murdering her husband with over 20 blows of a hammer was overturned following fresh evidence demonstrating coercive control – a guilty plea to manslaughter on that basis was accepted, and the sentence imposed was covered by time served. Dexter Dias QC, Tom Wainwright, Owen Greenhall, and Jacob Bindman represented various members of the "Stansted 15", a group of activists who were convicted of an aviation security offence, but all avoided immediate custody, for breaking into Stansted airport and chaining themselves to a Boeing 767 to halt a deportation charter flight. Bill Evans returned to the independent Bar in September 2018, joining the set from LP Evans Solicitors and Advocates, and Helen Butcher joined the month before from One Pump Court.

Inquests and inquiries Tier 2

Garden Court Chambers has a 'wide selection of excellent barristers for inquests' and members of chambers regularly act for the bereaved in inquests after deaths with some degree of state involvement. Leslie Thomas QC, in addition to being lead counsel representing eleven families in the Birmingham Pub Bombings inquests, represented the family of former Welsh Assembly Member Carl Sargeant in the inquest into his death . Brenda Campbell QC represents the family of Steven Colwell, who was shot and killed after failing to stop at a Police Service of Northern Ireland checkpoint in April 2016, in the inquest into his death. Other members are also instructed in IICSA and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry - Thomas QC is instructed by firms including Anthony Gold, Birnberg Peirce & Partners and Duncan Lewis Solicitors to represent the "G11 Group" of bereaved, survivors and residents.

Children law (including public and private law) Tier 2

Social housing Tier 2

Garden Court Chambers has, according to one client, 'a huge cadre of talented barristers, and the clerks will bend over backward to ensure you have excellent cover, if necessary'; housing practice manager Tim Hempstead is 'very good at ensuring that you get a response'. The set has had significant involvement in the Grenfell Tower inquiry, with it representing circa 280 bereaved individuals, survivors and residents (BSR) core participants. As part of the ‘G4’ team, the work entails detailed scrutiny of the actions of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Tenant Management Organisation, police and fire brigade. Members are also representing former tenants in disputes involving various issues, particularly rehousing allocation. Elsewhere, the set excels in all types of general housing disputes, and is also outstanding in more specialised cases (such as public law homelessness appeals and accommodation-related community care judicial review claims). Illustrative of its excellent record in cases of the utmost significance, Tim Baldwin represented the defendant at the Court of Appeal in LB Hackney v Yavuz Yildiz; this case concerns succession to a secure tenancy and the interplay between Ground 15A of Schedule Two of the Housing Act 1985 and Section 83. In another matter before the Court of Appeal, Edward Fitzpatrick and Justine Compton acted for the defendant in Paragon Asra Housing Limited v James Neville, a test case on disability discrimination and the extent to which the Equality Act 2010 can be raised at the eviction stage of a possession claim where there was a previous suspended possession order.

Court of Protection and community care Tier 3

Garden Court Chambers is described by some as a ‘very good set overall with members who are willing to assist’. The set's members act in Court of Protection matters at all levels and undertake health and welfare cases as well as covering property and affairs matters for the Official Solicitor, professional advocate litigation friends, family members, and public bodies. It ‘has a wide range of excellent, talented, and skilled barristers who are often willing to step in even at the last minute to help with urgent and complex cases.’ Representing the local authority in T (A Child), Amanda Weston QC acted in a leading Court of Appeal decision which considered whether a ‘Gillick competent’ transgender teen, in the care of an LA, could be deprived of their liberty under the court’s inherent jurisdiction where no secure accommodation was available.

Fraud: crime Tier 3

At Garden Court Chambers, Ali Naseem Bajwa QC represented the defendant in R v Sovu, a case which concerned charges of conspiracy to make and supply technology for fraudulent use, namely credit card reader fraud; the defendant was sentenced to 11-years imprisonment in his absence after absconding from the country during his trial. Meanwhile, Keir Monteith QC represented the defendant in R v Kazz Neufville, a multi-defendant insurance fraud case worth £1m, concerning fake claims for damages at a number of commercial premises across the UK; the defendant was found not guilty.

Sport Tier 3

International crime and extradition Tier 3

Planning Tier 3

Employment Tier 4

Environment Tier 4

Education Tier 5

Set overviews: England and Wales

In the words of one source: ‘Think civil liberties… think Garden Court Chambers’. The multidisciplinary set is ‘peppered with excellence’, ‘champions the vulnerable and is a voice for the voiceless’ across immigration, inquest law, actions against public authorities, and ‘works effectively within the increasingly hostile environment of the criminal justice system’, including the youth justice system. Counsel are ‘client-minded, not fee-minded. They have been instructed even where funding has been at risk and continued to work diligently. Their barristers always share their knowledge, they always give 110% to you’. David Emanuel, Hossein Zahir, and Keir Monteith took silk in 2019 and the crime team was strengthened by the arrival of senior junior and former solicitor Hugh Mullan and Gerwyn Wise from 187 Fleet Street Chambers. ‘Any clerks’ room that is led by Colin Cook is destined to success.’ The set’s ‘legendary’ director of clerking is ‘an approachable and reliable person to deal with. The rest of his team follow his example.’ The ‘absolutely class’ immigration team is led by Lisa O’Leary and he deputies, Helen-Louise D’Agostino and Harriet Massie. Housing practice manager Tim Hempsted provides ‘an excellent, prompt, and above all professional service that surpasses expectations’. Civil deputy practice manager Joe Fraser is ‘extremely attentive and organised in arranging counsel and managing cases’. In the crime team, practice manager Charlie Tennent ‘particularly impresses for his personable style and efficiency’; deputy practice managers Michael Barrett and Luke Harvey are ‘always eager to help and are a pleasure to deal with’. Naomi Bridge has joined from Cornerstone Barristers as the new deputy practice manager in the family team. Offices in: London