Sydney Kentridge KC* SC turns 100 years old in November 2022. There can be no doubt that Kentridge's brilliance and hard work made a dramatic difference to many of his clients and indeed the wider community.

Kentridge is regarded as the best advocate (barrister) in the English-speaking world in the past 50 years. He was born in Johannesburg to Jewish parents whose ancestors had originally come from Eastern Europe. After interesting and daunting service in the air force during World War 2 and then legal studies at Oxford he commenced practice as an advocate at the Johannesburg Bar.

His practice started with smaller briefs which demonstrated his aptitude and dedication to each case he took on. He practised at the Johannesburg Bar for about 20 years before gradually and ultimately moving to practise full time in all manner of cases at the London Bar.

In London, Kentridge argued many of the most significant cases from the House of Lords to the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights. He continued practising as a barrister into his nineties.

On his 90th birthday, he argued as one of 15 barristers in a gruelling three-day tax case in the...