We are delighted to announce that Keir Monteith KC of the Garden Court Criminal Defence Team has been named Times Lawyer of the Week.
Keir Monteith KC led the legal team, alongside Audrey Cherryl Mogan of Garden Court Chambers, representing Ademola Adedeji in the Manchester 10 Appeals, instructed by Zachary Whyte and Ruby Breward of Sperrin Law. On Wednesday 15 January, the Court of Appeal quashed Ademola Adedeji’s conviction for conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.
In The Times, Keir stated the biggest challenges of this case was:
“Raising institutional racism and racial bias — a key factor — was a massive challenge. The Court of Appeal did not adopt our submissions, but did say: “It is vital in any case to avoid the unfair stereotyping of individuals, based on their race, as members of gangs.” However, guidelines to prevent the use of racial stereotypes are urgently required.”
This historic and important win came following a two-day appeal in December 2024, where JUSTICE, a cross-party law reform and human rights charity intervened, and compelling fresh evidence was called. Tommy Seagull of Garden Court has supported the appeal by undertaking further research and analysis of the evidence.
The case received nationwide media coverage, including in The Guardian, New York Times, ITV News, The Justice Gap, Inside Times, Novara Media, The Lead, About Manchester and BBC Radio 4’s World At One.
Keir Monteith KC is a highly sought-after leading silk who represents clients facing heavyweight criminal allegations. He is ranked for criminal law in Chambers UK and the Legal 500, and is also ranked in Tier 1 for Fraud in the Legal 500. Keir also sits as a Recorder [part-time Crown Court judge], and is a training tutor for the Judicial College.
Keir was appointed as an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Manchester within the School of Social Sciences in August 2024. He is a founding member of Art Not Evidence campaign, launched at the end of 2023 to advocate for a restriction on the use of creative expression as evidence in criminal trials.
In Autumn 2022, the report ‘Racial Bias and the Bench’ was published, co-authored by experts from The University of Manchester and Keir Monteith KC in response to the Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (2020-2025). It raised urgent questions about racial attitudes and practices in the legal system in England and Wales. Keir Monteith KC undertook this work as a Simon Fellow at The University of Manchester. Read the report here.
For more information see the full article on the Times website.
