 Kenyon 's next rise came about as a result of his introduction to the Duke of Richmond , who was struggling with Sir James Lowther for the control of several Parliamentary constituencies . Kenyon went with Richmond to Carlisle and Cockermouth as his lawyer , and secured the constituencies for Richmond ; as a result , Richmond chose to employ Kenyon as his lawyer from then onwards . In 1780 he successfully defended Lord George Gordon for high treason , assisted by Thomas Erskine , and the resulting fame was enough to propel him further up the ranks of his profession and within the political sphere . At the same time he became friends with Lord Thurlow , and when the holder of the Chief Justiceship of Chester died that year , Thurlow ensured that it was given to Kenyon . The rise of Kenyon 's work in the Court of Chancery was also attributed to his friendship with Thurlow , who as Lord Chancellor was the head of the Court . 
