Sir Sydney Kentridge QC’s Full CV

Qualifications

University of Witwatersrand (B.A. 1941)
Oxford University; (B.A. Hons. in Jurisprudence, 1948; M.A. 1955

Practice Profile

Sir Sydney Kentridge has a very wide experence of Commercial and Constitutional cases. He is widely regarded as one of the leading advocates of the 20th Century. In a career spanning nearly 60 years, he has undertaken some of the most challenging and interesting cases of the day.

Important Cases

  • Bancoult -v- Foreign Secretary (Chagos Islands case) ( House of Lords )
  • Virgin Media -v- BSKYB ( Court of Appeal )
  • Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran -v- The Barakat Galleries (QBD)
  • Kolden Holdings Limited -v- Rodette Commerce Limited ( Court of Appeal)
  • The President of Equatorial Guinea -v- Logo Limited ( House of Lords ) ( Privy Council )
  • Total -v- Arco ( House of Lords)
  • Connelly -v- RTZ ( Court of Appeal )
  • Patel -v- Airbus Industries
  • Commissioner of Inland Revenue -v- Orion Caribbean Ltd
  • Haydon & Ors -v- Lo & Lo & Ano
  • Tsikata -v- Newspaper Publishing Plc
  • Rees-Mogg -v- Foreign Secretary
  • M -v- Home Secretary
  • Charter Reinsurance -v- Fagan
  • "The Pioneer Container"
  • R -v- Lord Saville & Ors ex parte "A" & Ors
  • McGonnell -v- U.K.Government (The Times 22/02/2000)
  • Fairchild, Fox & Others -v- Spousal (Midlands) Ltd (Mesothelioma case) ( House of Lords)
  • Okta Crude Oil Refinery -v- Mamidoil Jetoil Greek Petroleum Company (CoA)
  • Somatra -v- Sinclair Roche and Temperley (CoA)
  • Three Rivers Districy Council -v- Bank of England (House of Lords)

Career

  • Honorary Member, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 2001.
  • Hon. LL.D. University of Witwatersrand, 2000.
  • Hon. Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers, 1998.
  • Fellow of Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, 1997.
  • Hon. LL.D. University of Sussex, 1997.
  • Hon LL.D. University of London, 1995.
  • Hon. LL.D. University of Natal, 1989.
  • Hon. LL.D. University of Cape Town, 1987.
  • Elected Hon. Fellow, Exeter College, Oxford, 1986.
  • Hon. LL.D. University of Leicester, 1985.
  • Acting Justice of the South African Constitutional Court, 1995 - 1996
  • Judge of Courts of Appeal of Jersey and Guernsey, 1988 - 1992
  • Judge of Appeal, Botswana, 1981-1989.
  • Bencher of Lincoln's Inn, 1985.
  • Appointed Queen's Counsel (England) 1984
  • Practicing barrister, England, 1977 to date.
  • Called to English Bar (Lincoln's Inn). 1977.
  • Visiting Scholar, Harvard Law School, 1973.
  • Chairman of the Johannesburg Bar Council, 1972-1973.
  • Appointed Senior Counsel, South Africa, 1965.
  • Admitted as Advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa, 1949.

  • Awarded Granville Clark Prize (U.S.A.) 1978.

Legal Directory Comments

Commercial Litigation

Chambers & Partners

  • ‘really quite amazing' (2008)
  • ‘impressive intellectual arguments,' ‘a pleasure to watch in action' (2006)
  • ‘outstanding service' (2005)
  • ‘consistent brilliance over the years' (2003/4)

Legal 500

  • ‘magisterial' (2007)

Administrative and Public Law

Chambers and Partners

  • ‘one of the greatest advocates of our generation,' ‘in a class of his own' (2008)
  • ‘legendary name,' ‘a very classy act' (2007)
  • ‘doyen' (2006)
  • ‘one the greats,' in a class of his own' (2005)
  • ‘peerless,' ‘one of the truly great advocates at the Bar' (2003/4)

Legal 500

‘evergreen' (2003)

Human Rights

Chambers & Partners

  • ‘one of the most glittering CVs of anyone still practising today'(2008)
  • ‘brings a different dimension' (2007)

Professional Negligence

Legal 500

  • ‘enormous wisdom and gravitas' (2005)

Insurance

Chambers & Partners

  • ‘especially adept at House of Lords appeals' (2008)
  • ‘you can't get anyone better for complex legal analyses,' ‘succinct and elegant' (2007)
  • ‘wonderfully persuasive advocacy that is a consequence of a brilliant intellect' (2006)
  • ‘one of the leaders at the Commercial Bar' (2005)
  • ‘probably one of the best advocates in the world' (2003/4)