Doughty Street Chambers wins in 3 categories in the Advocate Bar Pro Bono Awards 2025

Doughty Street Chambers is delighted to have been recognised at the Advocate Bar Pro Bono Awards 2025. Since 1997, the annual Bar Pro Bono Awards have been a unique opportunity in the legal calendar to recognise and celebrate the remarkable pro bono achievements of the Bar in England and Wales. 

We were awarded Pro Bono Chambers of the Year in recognition of our central values of social responsibility and commitment to promote human rights and civil liberties, achieving access to justice across a spectrum of practice disciplines and legal jurisdictions. Over the past year, our barristers have worked on a vast range of legal challenges and initiatives, death penalty cases and crimes against humanity, as well as championing pro bono with training and key advisory work.

We also extend our sincere congratulations to Edward Fitzgerald KC, recipient of the Pro Bono KC of the Year award, and to Adam Wagner KC who has been recognised as the International Pro Bono Barrister of the Year.

Edward is legendary for his pro bono work representing prisoners in the Caribbean facing the death penalty. His fearless efforts to correct miscarriages of justice have been recognised to the extent of earning his reputation as the ‘King of Pro Bono’.  Edward is tireless in ensuring access to justice for the marginalised, having inspired a generation of barristers in the UK to undertake pro bono cases as an integral part of their practice. Junior barristers have benefited from his support and valuable experience in taking on pro bono work outside their comfort zone. 

Adam has been ceaselessly advocating for British families whose loved ones were held hostage in Gaza. Together with a team at Mishcon de Reya, Adam was instrumental in facilitating high level discussions with key figures, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Qatari ambassador, to urge support for the families of the hostages.  This commitment to securing justice and the safe return of hostages highlights the profound human element and incredible power of pro bono work, not just in legal terms, but in standing up for humanity in times of crisis.