Chambers is very sorry to announce that Sir Desmond de Silva QC, Privy Councillor, Bencher of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, former Head of Argent Chambers and door tenant of our Chambers has sadly passed away over the weekend. Sir Desmond was born in 1939 and was called to the Bar in 1964 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1984. He was one of the top lawyers of his generation and most notably, acted as the UN Chief Prosecutor in the War Crimes Special Court for Sierra Leone. Sir Desmond was knighted in the 2007 New Year Honours and is also a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of Saint John and a Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I. He was sworn in as a Member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in October 2011. Sir Desmond also became known as football’s greatest defender after representing players such as John Terry, Lee Bowyer and Hans Segers as well as former Manchester United manager Ron Atkinson. His memoir “Madam, Where Are Your Mangoes?” was published in September 2017.
Not only was he is a distinguished lawyer, and wonderful raconteur, he was a delightful man, who provided much support to chambers over the years. Along with many others, we shall miss him greatly and wish to extend our deepest sympathies to Sir Desmond’s family and many friends. There is likely to be a memorial service in London later in the year and we will provide further details as soon as possible.
