Sir Sydney Kentridge KC’s 100th birthday

04/11/22

The members and staff of Brick Court Chambers wish to offer Sir Sydney their congratulations and best wishes on the momentous occasion of his 100^th birthday on 5^th November. We are sure we speak for the entire legal community (and many others) when we take this opportunity to record our admiration and respect for, and thanks to, such an inspirational individual.

Sydney Kentridge is widely regarded as one of the great advocates of the 20^th century. He practised in South Africa for some 30 years, where he is most famous for having represented numerous high-profile anti-apartheid figures, although his practice in fact covered all areas of the law. He is perhaps best known for having (uniquely) represented three Nobel Peace Prize winners – Albert Luthuli, Nelson Mandela (at both the Treason Trial and the Prison Trial) and Desmond Tutu, and also for having represented the family of Steve Biko at the inquest into his death in police custody.

He then moved to England, where he practised from Brick Court Chambers from 1978 to 2013. He enjoyed a pre-eminent career at the English bar, appearing in a wide range of commercial and constitutional cases, and characteristically celebrated his 90^th birthday by appearing before the Supreme Court.

Last year Sir Sydney and Lord Sumption recorded one of the Brick Court centenary podcasts in which they discussed their careers, their cases against each other, trial advocacy vs appellate advocacy, learning how to cross-examine … and whether or not one should keep score!  Listen to that podcast here (and click here to find all the other centenary podcasts).