Page 7 - SA Chamber UK-NOV News letter 2023

L-R: John Battersby, Sir Nick Stadlen and his son, Tommy Stadlen at the 2022 Chamber Awards where Sir Nick
was awarded an Exceptional Achievement Award for his significant contribution to South African history.

As became clear from the eulogies of his three sons – Matthew, Tommy and William at
his funeral attended by 300 people in St James Church, Holland Park on 30th October–
Nick did not allow his professional life as a top commercial barrister detract from his
role as a dedicated father and husband.

“We don’t always recognise greatness when we live in its presence… let alone when
it emerges in the shape of our own father,” said Matthew Stadlen, Nick’s eldest son

in his eulogy at the funeral. “But Dad, like his mother before him, was a great human
being.” said Matthew. “He was a giant who walked among us.”

The painstaking research, hands-on filmmaking and advocacy over a decade was a
radical change for a retired High Court judge.

Nick’s legendary 119-day opening speech in the epic 256-day civil case in which he
represented the Bank of England against the liquidators of the collapsed BCCI bank in
2004, stands as the longest court address in British legal history.

One of the juniors in that case, Ben Valentin KC, described Nick as “one of the most
persuasive, fearless and stylish advocates of his generation”. The BCCI liquidators not
only lost their claim for £1bn (R23.5bn) in compensation but had to pay the Bank of
England’s costs of about £75m (R1.8bn) as well as estimated BCCI costs of a similar
order.

Nick was happiest when he was organising debates or seminars on issues of the day such
as the role of law in securing South African democracy, the role of the UK parliament
in approving Brexit and whether it is ever justified to break the law – all debates he
chaired during two years as a fellow at St Anthony’s College, Oxford.

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SA CHAMBER UK NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2023