Garden Court Chambers is delighted to learn that Courtenay Griffiths QC has been shortlisted as Crime Silk of the Year in the prestigious 2011 Chambers Bar Awards.
Recognised as a leading defence advocate internationally, Courtenay is renowned for his exceptional court room advocacy skills. Courtenay has spent the last three years in The Hague as lead defence counsel in the trial of Charles Taylor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. In August 2010, his devastating cross examination of Naomi Campbell was seen by millions of viewers worldwide when Ms Campbell testified as a witness for the prosecution. Click here to watch the proceedings.
Since then, Courtenay has acted for the defendant in the infamous "Night Stalker" case where a serial rapist had attacked elderly women over a period of two decades.
Speaking about his shortlisting, Courtenay said "I am pleased to have been recognised by the researchers at Chambers and Partners for the work I do. The reason I take on work for some of the most unpopular individuals in our society and worldwide is not because I have personal affection for them. It is because every person who faces prosecution is entitled to the very best defence available. Without that we would not have the high standards of justice that we do. This was one of the founding principles of Garden Court Chambers and it remains at the heart of what I and my colleagues do every day of our lives."
In August, as the revolution in Libya was coming to an end, the German current affairs weekly Der Speigel published an article suggesting that if Muammar al-Gaddafi were to be charged with war crimes or crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, he would be well advised to instruct Courtenay as his defence counsel. Click here to read the article (in German).
Courtenay is now lined up to act in the "Christmas bombing" terrorism trial and the Stockwell shooting trial, both to be heard in 2012.
The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on 27 October 2011.
Courtenay Griffiths QC is a member of the Garden Court Crime Team.
