Published: 8 December, 2011
by JOHN GULLIVER

IT was the legal party of the year when the human rights law firm, Leigh Day and Co, threw its Christmas party on Tuesday at the Barbican.

When I left after an hour – I was due at a meeting on “morality”, of which more next week – there were more than 100 guests still queueing for the cloakroom.

Based in Islington, Leigh Day was set up by a group of solicitors led by Martin Day after other prominent lawyers, such as Geoffrey Bindman and Wendy Mantle, had peeled off to start their own firm.

I spotted Gavin Millar QC – he is the brother of education campaigner Fiona Millar – fresh from the Leveson inquiry, where he is representing the Daily Telegraph.

Another familiar face was Richard Stein, a senior member of the Leigh Day outfit, and a one-time Camden councillor of the 1990s.