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One of Chambers’ longest serving, most highly respected and best loved members, Rhodri Price Lewis QC, has retired. Earlier this month Rhodri completed his final case so now it’s time to bid him a fond farewell. From all of us at Landmark we would like to wish Rhodri a long, happy and enjoyable retirement. Rhodri has been a member of the Bar for over 45 years. He has had a stellar career in planning and environmental law and also played a critical part in the life of Chambers over the years as well. Rhodri was called to the Bar in 1975 and took silk in 2001. He has been a Deputy High Court Judge sitting in the Administrative Court, has sat in the Planning Court, been a Recorder of the Crown Court, an assistant Parliamentary Boundary Commissioner and has sat as the Inspector in many village green cases. More than that, he has provided valuable leadership to Chambers and has always been willing to lend an ear and usually a joke, with colleagues in need of his wisdom and wit. His contributions as lead guitarist of the Landmark Band are already the stuff of legend! Happy retirement Rhodri and thanks for everything you have done for all of us at Landmark throughout your long career. We will miss you very much. David Holland QC and Reuben Taylor QC Joint Heads of Chambers ‘Rhodri’s retirement marks the end of a distinguished era. I am sure that he would disown any suggestion that, rather than working, the preferred use of his time was to be at home in south Wales with Barbara and their children, following every move of the Welsh rugby team, or playing his guitar in the chambers band. However, he managed to combine these loves with a long and successful career at the planning bar with - unlike this contributor - crossing seamlessly into areas such as village greens, energy, transport, waste, minerals and more besides. As a successful deputy High Court judge, he was hardly ever overruled (which event(s) was doubtless wrong anyway). Rhodri’s jovial, cup-always-half-full style will be much missed by all his friends and colleagues. But his retirement will, happily, allow more time to be spent with friends at a certain club in Covent Garden. CLM' Christopher Lockhart-Mummery QC ‘Although I wish Rhodri an enjoyable retirement, I’m sad to see him retire from Chambers since he has been a leading member of the Bar and of Chambers and, not least, a very good friend (something to do with cats and Wagner). We were both members of the negotiating team which put together Landmark Chambers some two decades ago, which has proved to be such a success. He has also been an exponent of the best kind of legal professionalism and has provided a fine example to many. After a long a distinguished career in planning and environmental law he has also sat with distinction as a Recorder and Deputy High Court Judge. I look forward to seeing Rhodri and Barbara in retirement - and not just for Wagner.' David Elvin QC ‘Rhodri combined excellence as an advocate with good humour, and goodwill to all he came across in his career at the Bar. His skills as an advocate were honed in his early years, where he moved with ease between the Crown Court, planning inquiries and the High Court. In the later years that great ability and skill was responsible for securing permission for many incinerators and other large scale developments. Despite the fact that I know nothing about Rugby or Wales, Rhodri was kind enough to take me under his wing, from mini-pupillage, to a full 12 months as his pupil. He was immensely supportive to me as he has been to many others at the Bar. I wish him a very happy retirement entertaining his friends and neighbours in Pembrokeshire.’ Neil Cameron QC ‘I am personally very sad to see Rhodri retire as he was and will always be one of my closest friends both within Chambers and outside Chambers. He has been a true friend in every way for 30 years. Rhodri has also been unquestionably one of the leading silks in this field for many years. His loss to Landmark will be enormous. He has been a huge influence on me and many others because of his professionalism, humour and integrity. He had a deep and genuine commitment to Chambers, its members and the staff. He was always ready to give incredibly sound advice to all and his judgment was impeccable. As a Junior he was instructed on many leading cases and was led by the preeminent Lionel Read QC on many occasions. In silk he had a distinguished practice specialising in waste and the environment. He has combined an incredibly successful career both at the Bar and as a Deputy High Court judge for many years. Everyone at Landmark and in the field will wish him an incredibly long and happy retirement.' Sasha White QC 'I have had the pleasure to have shared Chambers with Rhodri Price Lewis QC for 35 years. When I first joined 4 Kings Bench Walk as a pupil in 1986, Rhodri (RPL) occupied one of Chambers’ 5 small rooms. He shared it with John Price, (now one of the Bar’s most successful criminal leading prosecuting counsel) Neil Cameron, then his most recent pupil (and a recent head of these Chambers) and the effervescent Martin Wood ( a planning lawyer, farmer and polymath ). It was a tiny room brim full of talent, inquiring minds and disorganised boxes of papers. But it was never a daunting or unwelcoming place because Rhodri ensured that it would not be. It was the room to which anyone with a problem, a knotty Divisional Court type issue or simply the need to be cheered up could resort. And, however junior the visitor, however minor the query, Rhodri would ensure that the entire room stopped what it was doing and engaged fully with whatever the matter at hand might be. And that is but a simple encapsulation of Rhodri’s wider willingness to help others, particularly those more junior and less experienced than himself. A willingness which forms an essential part (but still only a part) of Rhodri’s character. Whilst at 4KBW, Rhodri (as well as defending murders and rapes) became the junior of choice for Lionel Read QC. Lionel was at the height of his powers as a planner and Lionel and Rhodri forged a powerful professional and personal relationship. Neil Cameron and I fed hungrily from the crumbs which fell from its table and a baby planning group was formed. It was inevitable that Rhodri’s talents as a planner, his ability to charm Inspectors and (developed under the watchful eye of HHJ Verney) his capacity to cross examine efficiently would result in him becoming a more full time planning practitioner. And when the invitation came to join 2MCB, Rhodri characteristically and generously ensured that the infant planning pod (including me) were also invited. Since that time Rhodri, as Reuben and David point out has become one of the most respected planning silks in the country involved in many of the jurisdictions most important and controversial cases, a deputy High Court Judge a bencher and more. That story is told elsewhere. But the very existence of our present Chambers has also been driven in significant part by RPL. Along with Christopher Lockhart Mummery QC and others he was responsible for the merger of Eldon Chambers and 4 Breams Buildings and the formation of the unique set that is now Landmark Chambers. So, back to the man. The willingness to assist those more junior mentioned above is simply one manifestation of Rhodri’s wider humanity. He is a true friend to the wider clerks’ room, its occupants and their best interests. He will remain lifelong friends with Bill and Kevin who have clerked him for decades. He was as at home with the Thames Valley Crown Court ushers as he is sharing a beer (or more) with Lindblom LJ or Toulson JSC at Twickenham. He is a guitar playing, poetry reading, anecdote telling, Welsh speaking, political animal who rails against unfairness or discrimination in any form but with a humour which is irrepressible and irresistible. He has as a result of all of this an intellectual and social hinterland which means that retirement will be for him, an adventure. It will be plain from this note that I personally owe RPL very much more than is feasible and I will remain always so very, very grateful for all he has done for me. But I won’t miss him at all. That’s because in his retirement I will aim to see him more. I’ll see him in the Sloop Inn Porthgain, The Farmers’ Arms Ty Ddewi, at Old Deer Park Richmond, the home of London Welsh RFC and (if invited) at the Garrick. Chambers will however inevitably greatly miss his talent, humour, humanity and his quiet leadership. Diolch o galon Rhodri !! RHQC' Russell Harris QC
