TMC is very sad to announce the death of Gopal Hooper

The Members of Thomas More Chambers are very sad to announce the death of Gop Hooper, who passed away suddenly on 2nd February 2025, aged 78.

The following tribute by Bernard Eaton was published by the South Eastern Circuit:

Gopal Hooper was a member of the Bar of England and Wales in its finest tradition. His personal backstory, involving his oppression and imprisonment by the then Southern Rhodesia’s illegal apartheid regime, eventually had him arrive in the UK in the late 60s with his wife Manuela to make a fresh and free start. Gop was of mixed-race parentage with a white British father and an African-Indian mother. Gop’s wider family was a metaphor for one of the driving forces of his life: race doesn’t matter, who you are as a person does. He was a man of grace, fairness and courage. All his opponents spoke well of him and faced a man of real integrity and generous disposition. He was a master of his craft and taught dozens of pupils their trade. He had been a law lecturer in his time so was naturally patient and clear.

He was a founder member of the Chambers of the late Ronald Grey QC in the mid-70s (which evolved in time to 187 Chambers). At the time of his death he was a member of Thomas More Chambers which he joined in 2012, and though retired was still regularly seen in chambers. Both sets will miss his avuncular and loyal friendship as well as the hard work he put in after court - as a treasurer, a member of finance, pupillage and tenancy committees and as a level-headed strategist. Anyone who failed to say, inside or outside his chambers, ‘Gop, do you mind if I run something by you?’ looked a gift horse in the mouth; for he was a wise counsellor and a loyal friend.

He reached many great heights in his practice which was mainly, though not exclusively, criminal. He was a fair prosecutor and unflinching as a defender. He was so highly regarded that, following independence, he was seconded in the early 90s by the FCO to be number 2 to the AG in Zimbabwe to help develop a balanced criminal justice system in the western part of that country. Based in Bulawayo, he hosted many visitors from the UK in the 3 years he spent there – all of them able to testify how well thought of he was by lawyers and Judges alike there. He wasn’t back in the UK long before he was tapped to do a similar job in Tanzania in the late 90s. It was sure he could have ridden that service to greater personal advantage. Gopal Hooper was absolutely not that man. He resented patronage and had little time for ‘place men’. He had a thirst for social justice and fair play. Eventually, however, he succumbed to the blandishments of the LCD and in time applied for the role and sat regularly as a Crown Court Recorder. He did this for many years, thoroughly enjoyed it and had a good reputation amongst staff and practitioners, always welcomed back for repeat visits wherever he sat. He never took silk, though many believed he would have made an excellent occupant of the front row.

His wonderful marriage to Manuela ended early by her untimely death too many years before his own. He missed her every day. They had four wonderful children, Glynn, Ayesha, Stephen and David, a credit to them both and of whom he was very deservedly proud. He had a growing crop of grandchildren whom he also enjoyed. Gop retired from the Bar at 70 and from sitting as a Recorder at 72 but boy did he use his time well! He toured the world in his retirement visiting family and friends all over as well as places he had never seen. Naturally, he was in Malawi often and his roots drew him back to Africa regularly. Gop was a great conversationalist and a wonderful companion. He died unexpectedly on Sunday 2/2/25 watching his beloved Arsenal play. Being a lifelong Arsenal fan might be considered, by some of those who loved him most, as his only flaw. One cannot describe so rich a life and one so well lived as having been cut off early at age 78, but it was too soon for his many family and friends. Gop will leave a hole in many lives which will prove impossible to fill. May he rest in peace.