1 Mitre Court Buildings

Chambers was founded over 30 years ago with the aim of representing all sectors of the community. Chambers has since grown and developed to cover many areas of practice, but we remain committed to that original principle of ensuring that all members of society can enjoy access to justice through first-class representation. We have always been passionate about fighting injustice and inequality in whatever forms they take. Chambers has an informal and friendly working environment. We strive to be approachable and accessible for both professional and lay clients alike, whilst always ensuring that we offer the highest standards of preparation and representation.

History

We were formerly based at 8 King's Bench Walk in Inner Temple. In November 2006, due to expansion in terms of members and workload, Chambers moved to much larger – and fully renovated – premises at 1 Mitre Court Buildings. We have the latest IT facilities, 3 conference rooms and a modern library.

Chambers was founded in 1977 as a radical set; from the early years it developed a reputation for civil liberties work. It owes its present character to the leadership of Len Woodley Q.C. who was head of Chambers for the twelve years from 1988 to 2000. During those years, Chambers grew from being a relatively small group to being the large, successful set which it is today.

Ethos

Len was a brilliant criminal barrister. His genius was to be radical without being showy. He remains totally committed to the advancement of people's rights, but is modest to the point of shyness. His achievement was to be one of the first black barristers to be Queen's Counsel, Recorder and Bencher of the Inner Temple, while retaining complete integrity and devotion to the service of his clients and fellow members of Chambers. He endowed the Leonard Woodley Scholarship, to be awarded to black or Asian students at the Inner Temple.

In 1988 Len Woodley invited Nelson Mandela, who was then serving a life sentence, to be an honorary door tenant. The invitation, offered as a mark of solidarity with the South African freedom struggle, was accepted by Mr Mandela, and his name was on our board until he became President of South Africa in 1994.

Len Woodley's influence did much to make Chambers the set it is today, where quality of service is paramount. We care deeply about fighting oppression and achieving justice. Our members are not about pomposity and arrogance. We pride ourselves on showing humanity and understanding in getting the best results possible for our clients.

Excellence

Since early 2001, Chambers has been headed by Lord Tony Gifford Q.C. Tony has always been known as a radical lawyer. But, as he would constantly tell his pupils and other members of his Chambers, being radical means nothing if you are not better at the job than your opponent. Steep yourself in the facts of your client's case, and know all the relevant law. These are precepts which are practised daily at 1 Mitre Court Chambers, and that is why he agreed to join Chambers as head.

Chambers comprises members who are experts in a number of areas of law. Some cover a number of fields, for we believe that excellence does not require narrow specialisation. Chambers prides itself on its multi-disciplinary character so that barristers who practise in one area of law can call on the expertise of our colleagues in other teams. Whatever the area of expertise, members are all passionate about excellence in terms of representation, advocacy, and giving a voice to those who need it most.