Josie Fathers

Stephanie Harrison KC | Garden Court Chambers Stephanie Harrison KC is a leading public law barrister. Her multi-disciplinary practice spans the breadth of public law and civil liberties and includes cases arising from unlawful detention, nationa...

The #LALY25 judges award for ⭐️⭐️Outstanding Achievement ⭐️⭐️- sponsored by Matrix Chambers – goes to Stephanie Harrison KC @gardencourtlaw
gardencourtchambers.co.uk/barrister/st...

She starts by thanking the crowd and the awards, saying this is the award that matters most

Westfield, Stratford, London

@stolenride.bsky.social my partner’s bike was stolen between 8-10pm this evening outside Westfield (1 Endeavour Square) - photo of bike below

I'm proud to be a member of @gardencourtlaw.bsky.social alongside some incredibly talented and dedicated barristers. But it is wrong and it undermines the rule of law to attack a set of chambers for the clients some members represent.

A cell of left-wing activists? Or a group of professionals representing their clients

As you might have guessed, the article is actually an attempted hit job on us collectively. There's a serious point here, made very well by @joshuarozenberg.bsky.social in this article: open.substack.com/pub/rozenber...

The radical barristers who really lay down the law in Britain The facade of Garden Court Chambers in Lincoln’s Inn Fields is reassuringly traditional. The barristers who work there occupy buildings which were once home to the Earl of Sandwich and the Tory prime ...

The Spectator on @gardencourtlaw.bsky.social:
'…lawyers of undoubted intellect and skill…’
‘…idealists, gifted advocates and politically passionate…’
‘…radically effective…’
‘…no doubting the skill or zeal…’
‘…Garden Court racks up victories…’
www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-...

6) the wider context of the Tories doxxing immigration lawyers is a backhanded swipe at Starmer (a lawyer) and the kind of far right populist bullying that has already led to attempts to kill and maim immigration lawyers and asylum seekers. Jenrick should be ashamed of himself.

5) I am not personally close friends with Greg or anything, but you can't be an immigration lawyer and not know of the absolutely sterling high quality of his work and of his generosity with his time and skills. He is funny and acerbic and he is a role model for many.

4) For someone like Greg, being a part time judge is a form of public service. He's earning less than he might doing other work when he's sitting as a judge, but when top lawyers sit as judges we are lucky to have their expertise contributing to the protection and development of the law.

3) Judges are recruited from a wide cross section of society. There are immigration judges who were Home Office employees before they became judges and there are immigration judges who have only represented individual immigration claimants in the past. That doesn't mean they won't apply the law.

2) When a lawyer becomes a judge they are from then on expected to present appropriately in their public communications. But that doesn't mean they can never in their lives have expressed a political opinion. Greg only recently became a judge and these tweets are more than 10 years old mostly.

1) When politicians and the media pick on judges like this it is simply bullying, because the judge is not permitted to respond or defend themselves. If Greg (an exceptionally bright, articulate and generous-spirited lawyer) could he would *wipe the floor* with a disingenuous weasel like Jenrick.

I have seen that Jenrick, the Times and Daily Mail have been targeting expert immigration lawyer Greg Ó Ceallaigh KC, who is also a part time immigration judge (a deputy Upper Tribunal judge). A couple of quick points about the misinformation involved in this.

“There are clear choices facing our profession. We can choose to remain silent and allow these acts to continue or we can stand for the rule of law and the values we hold dear. We call upon the entire profession, including lawyers who serve in elected positions, to speak out against intimidation.”

UK-based lawyers for Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai targeted by Chinese state Exclusive: Barristers at Doughty Street Chambers say they have been subject to surveillance, hacking and rape threats

It's enraging & frightening to see friends & colleagues targeted for their #humanrights work - & their treatment only hints at the threats/punishment faced by those unable to speak out. Respect & solidarity to @caoilfhionn.bsky.social Tatyana, Jonathan & Jen
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

Thank you @aoifenolan.bsky.social & everyone who sent such lovely, supportive messages this morning following this @theguardian.com piece.

The ultimate target of these vile tactics is one man: our client, #JimmyLai. We’re not letting these threats silence us. And we hope others will speak out, too.

UK-based lawyers for Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai targeted by Chinese state Exclusive: Barristers at Doughty Street Chambers say they have been subject to surveillance, hacking and rape threats

Solidarity with my excellent and brave @doughtystreet.bsky.social colleagues @caoilfhionn.bsky.social , Tatyana Eatwell, Jonathan Price & Jen Robinson in the face of this appalling and disgusting intimidation by the Chinese government

Court finds neo-Nazi planned terrorist attack at immigration law firm - Free Movement Cavan Medlock has been found by a court to have prepared a terrorist attack at Duncan Lewis, an immigration law firm, after reading an attack article in the

From yesterday: Court finds neo-Nazi planned terrorist attack at immigration law firm | Colin Yeo https://freemovement.org.uk/court-finds-neo-nazi-planned-terrorist-attack-at-immigration-law-firm/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=court-finds-neo-nazi-planned-terrorist-attack-at-immigratio…

Pointless, ineffective, cruel, legally offensive - and hugely expensive

If you want to know how your MP voted in the #AssistedDying debate, you can see here👇

votes.parliament.uk/votes/common...

Interesting letter in support of the Assisted Dying Bill , including noting in relation to the ‘slippery slope’ argument that both domestic courts and the ECHR have been reluctant to intervene in this area

this is very good

Can never understand the logic of "slippery slope" arguments when we have a system where the House of Commons decides nearly everything. It's only a slippery slope if in the future the Commons changes its mind on something- which guess what, it can do at any time.

Gisèle Pelicot addressing her choice to keep the surname "Pelicot":

"When the trial began, my children were 'ashamed' of the name. I have grandchildren called that. I want them proud. My name is known worldwide now. They shouldn't be ashamed. Today we will remember Gisèle Pelicot."

What a woman.

'Anywhere But Here' is now available to pre-order on Kindle, too. amzn.eu/d/cJVl80J

The grass is green and the sky is blue over here

UK charity declares ‘refugee homelessness emergency’ as numbers hit record high Naccom report says gaps in state support have led to more than 1,940 refugees having no accommodation

People get recognized as refugees, but far from supporting them properly (as per its international obligations) government dumps them out of the asylum support system to, well, nowhere. A shameful piece of neglect.

Word of the Day, should you need it, is ‘latibulate’, a 17th-century verb meaning to find a corner somewhere and hide in it.