Garden Court Chambers is delighted to announce that Anya Lewis and Sam Robinson of the Garden Court Chambers Criminal Defence Team will be formally appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2021.
The title of QC is awarded to those who have demonstrated particular skill and expertise in the conduct of advocacy. QCs are appointed by The Queen, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor. He is in turn advised by an independent Selection Panel which receives and considers each application and makes recommendations as to appointment.
Anya Lewis is an experienced criminal defence advocate who specialises in intricate and sensitive cases including those involving allegations of murder (including baby-shaking), fraud and serious sexual offences. She is consistently ranked in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500.
Anya is regularly instructed in cases of complexity and sensitivity including those involving vulnerable defendants and witnesses. She is currently ranked as a Leading Junior in Tier 2 for Crime in the Legal 500 2021. She has particular skill and experience in cases involving Non-Accidental Head Injuries and the challenges of the medical issues involved in this area. She appears in multi-handed murder, firearms and drugs cases. She has a wealth of experience in representing defendants charged with sexual offences including historic allegations. Anya is also ranked in the Legal 500 2021 as a Leading Junior for Crime: Fraud.
Anya has always enjoyed representing those involved in offences connected to public protest and the challenge of the legal issues which often accompany such cases. She was involved in the early part of her career in representing a number of defendants involved in campaigning against the introduction of GM crops (in both the Magistrates Courts and the Crown Courts). She has also represented those involved in campaigning against the Iraq war, animal cruelty, arms fairs, climate change and the student riots of 2015.
Anya has experience of representing children and young people particularly when they are charged with serious violence and sexual offences in both the Crown Court and on certificates for counsel in the Youth Court. She was invited by the Michael Sieff Foundation to contribute to a roundtable seminar on Youth Justice and has spoken on the issue of jury trial access for children at the Just For Kids Law Youth Justice Summit 2018.
Sam is a highly regarded and experienced leading junior. He is regularly instructed in murder, serious violence, complex conspiracy and fraud cases. He was appointed as a Recorder to the Crown Court in 2019.
Sam is instructed regularly, as both leading and junior counsel, in cases with difficult defendants and particularly challenging defences. He is well regarded for his thorough and imaginative approach to both legal argument and tactics.
He is well known for his excellent witness handling (both in cross-examination and evidence in chief) and his imaginative and persuasive closing speeches. He has an excellent rapport with lay clients and is often instructed as a result of him being requested by defendants who have observed him in court. Sam is increasingly instructed as leading counsel in ‘paper heavy’ serious and complex fraud cases.
Prior to joining Garden Court Chambers in October 2013, Sam practised at Tooks Chambers. Before being called to the Bar, Sam was a speech writer and regularly briefed and wrote speeches for a number of government ministers including Gordon Brown, John Prescott and David Blunkett.
