Our Chambers is located in the historic St James’ Hall Building in Phillip St, Sydney. Our Chambers was the first to occupy the building when it became available for use as barristers’ chambers. In 2016 11 St James’ Hall Chambers celebrated its 25th anniversary, having formally opened on 25 October 1991 in a ceremony presided over by the Hon. Murray Gleeson AO, then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
A plaque in our reception area commemorating our opening reads:
The Athenians raised a statue to the genius of Aesop, and placed the slave on an imperishable pedestal, to show that the path of honour is open to all and that glory is the attribute of worth and not of lineage.
The philosophy commemorated by the words inscribed on the plaque has remained a principal value of our Chambers and its barristers.
Our Chambers’ inaugural heads of Chambers were John Spender KC and John Stowe KC. Our current head of Chambers is Martin Einfeld KC.
Throughout the history of our Chambers, we have been proud to have seen a number of our former members elevated to judicial office. Those members are:
Other notable appointments include former head of Chambers John Spender KC’s appointment as Australia’s Ambassador to France and Monaco in 1996. Mr Spender also served as Australia’s ambassador to Portugal from 1996 to 1998.