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Banking And Finance (including Consumer Credit)

Essex Court Chambers

South Square

4 Stone Buildings

Gough Square Chambers

Leading Silks

Adrian Beltrami KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Adrian has a first-class brain, and commercial and tactical judgement.’

Richard Coleman KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Richard is razor-sharp, able to succinctly summarise very complex points with ease. Highly recommended.’

Richard Handyside KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Richard is unbelievably good at the strategy. When he makes a strategic call, he’s always ahead of the game and it’s staggering how often his decisions turn out to be absolutely spot on. He’s brilliant on his feet, totally calm under pressure, resilient, and treads just the right line of assertive before it tips over into unnecessarily aggressive.’

Timothy Howe KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Richard Lissack KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is an excellent choice for a leading silk with exceptional advocacy skills.'

Tim Lord KC –Brick Court Chambers

‘Tim is a go-to barrister for the most complex commercial disputes, including banking and other financial services litigation.’

Ali Malek KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘A persuasive advocate who gets straight to the point.'

Philip Marshall KC –Serle Court

Ewan McQuater KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Ewan is a top level banking and financial services silk. He exudes gravitas, has a sharp mind and strong attention to detail and he instinctively knows which points to take and which to leave. He can always see the wood for the trees on complex cases.'

Andrew Mitchell KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Andrew Onslow KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Hugely experienced and greatly respected. He commends great respect in the court room and his advocacy is exceptional. Always able to see the points to press and those to concede.'

David Quest KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Highly intellectual: a brilliant mind, a creative thinker and a first-rate cross-examiner.’

Laurence Rabinowitz KC –One Essex Court ‘Laurence is at the top of his profession. Very bright, very forensic, with huge expertise and first rate judgement. He's not afraid to give a view - and he can win over the room with ease. Exceptional with clients, including in difficult circumstances.'

David Railton KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Patricia Robertson KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘In court Patricia's advocacy is strong, clear and systematic. Out of court her advice is commercial and pragmatic as well has having an exceptional technical grounding. She can be direct and robust as well as being pleasant to to deal with.'

Joe Smouha KC –Essex Court Chambers 'Joe is a first rate silk and excellent advocate.'

Bankim Thanki KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Absolutely top of the barrister tree for banking and finance work. No other barrister has his depth of experience. He’s an outstanding advocate, and judges have enormous respect for him.’

Sonia Tolaney KC –One Essex Court ‘Sonia is stupendously bright and works stunningly hard, but she manages to combine it with a sense of fun which brightens the team dynamic. Unlike some silks she is never aloof and if she thinks a junior’s draft needs reworking she will get it into a state which will convince the judge without ever undermining the junior. She has fabulous judgement.’

Daniel Toledano KC –One Essex Court ‘Daniel is an excellent advocate combining the key attributes: he listens to colleagues and the other side, meaning he presents the best case for his client and is responsive to the case presented by the counter-party, he prepares and he argues calmly, clearly and persuasively. He is polite, persistent and principled in cross-examination.’

Lord Wolfson KC – One Essex Court 'David is formidably clever and has enormous energy but is always user friendly and easy to work with. He can hold down a huge case load but be on top of every detail. He is sensible and thoughtful of his team and the commercial goals of his client.'

Duncan Matthews KC – Twenty Essex

David Allison KC –South Square ‘David is at the top of his trade. He is responsive, thorough and insightful. A pleasure to deal with.'

Stephen Auld KC –One Essex Court ‘He is practical, thorough, attentive and commercial.'

Simon Birt KC –Brick Court Chambers

'Simon is super intelligent, and will get to the heart of any issue extremely quickly to identify the critical points. As an advocate Simon carries with him great authority - judges trust him and he achieves excellent results time after time.'

Jeffrey Chapman KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Alain Choo Choy KC –One Essex Court ‘Alain is a superb advocate, both on his feet and on paper. He is articulate and highly intelligent but very accessible to clients. He works immensely hard and is always available. A real team player.'

Jonathan Crow KC –4 Stone Buildings

Helen Davies KC –Brick Court Chambers

Rhodri Davies KC –One Essex Court ‘His advice is clear, he gets to grips with the issues quickly and he builds a good rapport with the client.’

Jonathan Davies-Jones KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Clever, diligent, rolls his sleeves up and doesn’t leave stones unturned. Well-prepared and a good court manner. Nice guy to work with – collaborative.’

Paul Downes KC –Quadrant Chambers ‘Superb advocacy, tenacious in his approach and extremely good with clients. He is the silk for the most challenging of cases and is always up for the fight.'

Patrick Goodall KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Paddy is excellent, and has a gravitas ahead of his years. He advocacy is skillful and polished, and he has the makings of the one of the handful of KCs who will become well-known names for their pre-eminence.'

Matthew Hardwick KC –3 Verulam Buildings

Richard Hill KC –4 Stone Buildings ‘Richard goes from strength to strength. Always well-prepared, he is an excellent advocate who never misses a point.’

Stephen Houseman KC –Essex Court Chambers

Mark Howard KC –Brick Court Chambers

‘Certainly remains in the top handful of barristers in the country. A devastating cross-examiner.’

Adam Kramer KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Adam is a fiercely intelligent and sharp-minded barrister who is as able to deploy clear and persuasive argument in written and oral submission.’

Paul Lowenstein KC –Twenty Essex ‘A very good strategist and a hugely experienced advocate, super at cross examination.’

Roger Masefield KC –Brick Court Chambers

‘Roger has an exceptionally sharp mind, is hard working and not afraid to roll up his sleeves and a very client friendly manner. Despite his intelligence and unlike some silks he does not have airs and graces and is not as dry as a stick but is fun to work with. His advocacy is lively and persuasive.’

Jonathan Nash KC –3 Verulam Buildings 'Immensely intelligent; good and easy communicator across all mediums; client likes him! Effective advocate across written and oral work before court. Great strategic approach to complex litigation which to date has ensured the client's preferred procedural approach to the case has worked out.'

Craig Orr KC –One Essex Court ‘Craig is superb. He is unbelievably intelligent and very commercially aware. Clients love working with Craig and feel that he is a safe and reassuring pair of hands.’

Philip Riches KC – Twenty Essex ‘Philip has good client skills, excellent attention to detail and great advocacy in the High Court and Court of Appeal.’

Jamie Riley KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Jamie is a true silk. His legal arguments and drafting skills are exceptional. He can certainly pull a rabbit out of a hat in dire situations. He is extremely effective in difficult cases.’

Anthony de Garr Robinson KC –One Essex Court ‘Tony enjoys a mental challenge and furthermore debating points - this is invaluable in a modern Silk. His preparation is thorough and his command of detail is impressive. His advocacy is clear and compelling.’

Richard Salter KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Knows the law, and knows his audience and tailors his drafting and submissions to meet them. This makes him very effective.’

Simon Salzedo KC –Brick Court Chambers

'He gets to the heart of the case, and gives clear advice on key points of case strategy. Very user friendly, notwithstanding an extremely busy practice. Pleasure to work with.'

Tony Singla KC – Brick Court Chambers

‘Tony is very hard-working and very thoughtful. He considers points in very thorough detail before giving his view but then is very much able to give a strong and definitive view.’

Tom Smith KC –South Square ‘Tom is a formidable advocate and master strategist with a towering intellect. Yet, despite his status, he rolls his sleeves up and mucks in.’

Nigel Tozzi KC –4 Pump Court ‘Nigel is a supreme advocate who is excellent with clients. His preparation and case management are second-to-none.’

Adam Zellick KC – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Adam is tough and fearless when it comes to advancing the arguments: he isn’t going to back down in the face of anything but the stiffest resistance. He is also highly intelligent and willing to be creative.’

Jonathan Hough KC – 4 New Square Chambers ‘He’s practical, precise, and good with understanding the broader context.’

Andrew Ayres KC –Twenty Essex ‘He is a charming advocate who is not afraid to put his client's interests first.'

Daniel Bayfield KC –South Square ‘Daniel has unparalleled experience of investment bank insolvencies. He is excellent on his feet and is able to deal with difficult points when they arise.’

Camilla Bingham KC – One Essex Court ‘Very hard-working and focused on the detail - really rolls up her sleeves and spends time on the matter. Reads judges well and takes instructions as appropriate in court. Very client-friendly and an absolute delight to work with - she makes every case good fun, no matter the challenges.'

David Blayney KC –Serle Court ‘David has excellent strategic judgment and is a real team player, which positions him superbly in large complex litigation. He is fiercely intelligent and has a natural ability with numbers. He conveys complex ideas straightforwardly and persuasively.'

Raymond Cox KC –Fountain Court Chambers

Nicholas Craig KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Nick is a confident and effective advocate. Good and clear advice; great at thinking around issues a finding practical solutions. Very user friendly.’

James Cutress KC – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Extremely diligent, details-oriented and a fluent advocate.’

David Davies KC – Essex Court Chambers

Peter De Verneuil Smith KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘His straightforward and engaging manner wins the trust of the court. He is a genuine expert on section 90 and 90A FSMA claims.’

Jasbir Dhillon KC –Brick Court Chambers

‘Jasbir is one of the elite financial services barristers who has a super-rare combination of first-class analytical ability plus compelling courtroom ability. He is extremely persuasive in submissions and then he can really step it up when the time comes to tear apart dishonest testimony in cross-examination.’

Richard Fisher KC – South Square ‘Flawless reasoning and legal knowledge. Always able to innovate and advance creative arguments, and willing to take on difficult positions. Richard is a source of immensely calm and collected advocacy delivered in compelling arguments.’

Andrew Fulton KC - Twenty Essex 'Intellectually very able, extremely knowledgeable on trade and banking. Andrew always fights the clients’ case with vigour, is able to cut to the heart of the dispute quickly and understands the pressures of private practice and the need to adopt a commercial approach rather than giving ivory tower solutions.'

Jonathan Gaisman KC –7 King’s Bench Walk ‘One of the best, if not the best, advocate at the Bar. Always supremely well-prepared for trial.’

Andrew George KC –Blackstone Chambers

‘The complete package - compelling advocacy, a laser mind and a delight to deal with at all times.’

Orlando Gledhill KC –One Essex Court ‘Orlando is superb and always delivers.'

Jeremy Goldring KC –South Square ‘Jeremy is very knowledgeable about banking matters across a wide variety of subjects. He understands the documents and the wider drivers of the case. His advocacy is very measured but persuasive.’

Jamie Goldsmith KC – One Essex Court ‘A great thinker and technically brilliant. He has a brilliant manner within the court room and has thought of every argument.’

Lord Grabiner KC – One Essex Court ‘Super authoritative but also charming and pleasant to deal with as instructing solicitor. A compelling advocate.’

Andrew Green KC –Blackstone Chambers

‘Great focus and fabulous on his feet.'

Christopher Harris KC – 3 Verulam Buildings

David Head KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘David is a very engaging advocate, and is great at reading a judge and knowing what tone to strike in key moments. He is a fantastic person to deal with and is very personable. His written submissions are persuasive and compelling.'

Javan Herberg KC –Blackstone Chambers

‘Javan is terrifically bright, astute with excellent judgement, but he is also a thoroughly lovely person to work with.’

Louise Hutton KC – Essex Court Chambers ‘Calm and clear under pressure. Totally unflappable but responsive and direct when necessary. Thinks very creatively and has a track record of coming up with the winning point others have missed.’

Barry Isaacs KC –South Square ‘Barry has a brilliant way of getting into the intricacies of financial details on a matter and a fabulous work ethic when called in to save the day. Barry’s manner in court is excellent, meticulous and persuasive even when under intense fire from the judge.’

Charles Kimmins KC –Twenty Essex ‘Excellent attention to detail with an ability to make very difficult and complex issues seem quite straightforward. Tenacious and a good advocate.'

Hodge Malek KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Hodge is always well-prepared and ready and willing to get into the details in preparing for a case or in advising the client. He is very pragmatic and honest in his assessment, which is truly appreciated by the lay client. He is simply excellent and top-notch. Excellent as well in dealing with cultural differences given legal practice in Asia which is a rare skill.’

Paul McGrath KC –Essex Court Chambers 'Paul is a stand out silk.'

Tom Montagu-Smith KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Tom is an excellent lawyer and draftsman and advocate.’

Zoe O’Sullivan KC – Serle Court ‘Zoe possesses a profound understanding of civil litigation and commercial disputes.’

Rosalind Phelps KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Ros is excellent to work with. She is very insightful and able to remain focused on detail within the context of the overall framework and strategic aims. She is responsive and easy to deal with. She engages fully with the case and clients love her.'

Nathan Pillow KC –Essex Court Chambers

Thomas Plewman KC – Brick Court Chambers

'Thomas is likeable and professional.’

Iain Quirk KC – Essex Court Chambers ‘Very user-friendly.’

Rupert Reed KC –Serle Court ‘Rupert is, for good reason, widely renowned as one of the foremost advocates in the Middle East, not only because of his Arabic-speaking skills but also because his profound expertise in common and civil law principle and practice and amiable user-friendly approach. Rupert has an unparalleled knowledge of Middle Eastern civil law and the quirks of DIFC common law and is an incredible hard-working, astute and technically superb lawyer.’

Daniel Saoul KC – 4 New Square Chambers ‘Dan is excellent – he is incredibly bright, very commercial and always brings a sense of calm and reassurance to the client and their team. Dan quickly digests information and his written work is excellent.’

Akhil Shah KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Akhil provides clear, concise advice quickly – he is very responsive in fast moving situations. He has quiet, assured style of advocacy.’

Sharif Shivji KC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Sharif is a commanding advocate and cross-examiner: always polite, but analytically precise and utterly tenacious.’

Stephen Moverley Smith KC –XXIV Old Buildings

Ben Strong KC –One Essex Court ‘Ben stands out in his strategic insight and approach to litigation. He combines that approach with a deep knowledge of financial law and the financial industry. The way he manages to present the case in his submissions and is able to expose weaknesses in witness evidence and expert evidence in cross-examinations is impressive.’

Felicity Toube KC –South Square

Ben Valentin KC – Fountain Court Chambers ‘A thoughtful and measured advocate who produces thorough and clear written work and is a pleasure to work with.’

James Willan KC – Essex Court Chambers ‘James is a star in this area.’

David Alexander KC –South Square ‘Extremely experienced – good gravitas in his advocacy.’

Hannah Brown KC – One Essex Court

James Collins KC – Essex Court Chambers ‘James is without doubt a top choice of leading counsel. He is incredibly hard-working, strategically and tactically astute, and a compelling advocate.’

James Counsell KC –Outer Temple Chambers

‘Excellent on the law, good personality and emotional intelligence, and able in conference with a calm manner in court.’

James Counsell KC – Outer Temple Chambers

‘Excellent on the law, with good personality and emotional intelligence.’

Edward Cumming KC –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Ed is a go-to counsel for high value, complex cases. He is like a dynamo, and his positive energy carries the whole team. He is aggressive when needed, but also subtle. An absolute star of the Bar.’

Derrick Dale KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Derrick has considerable charm in the way he operates in court and is excellent at establishing rapport with a judge; he has a very effective advocate with a compelling turn of phrase.’

Andrew de Mestre KC – 4 Stone Buildings ‘Extremely user-friendly and down to earth, Andrew masters financial data extremely quickly and provides relaxed and persuasive advocacy.’

Philip Edey KC –Twenty Essex ‘Clever and has the ear of the tribunal - he has great depth of experience.’

Saima Hanif KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Saima is a shrewd operator who provides clear and concise legal advice combined with strategic nous – her wealth of experience in the area shines through in the advice she gives and helpfully informs her opinions.’

Andrew Hunter KC –Blackstone Chambers

'Andrew is incredibly impressive.'

Laura John KC – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very polished and sophisticated, excellent on her feet in court. She has good instincts and a pragmatic approach, but also a top-notch intellect when required. She is also a pleasure to work with and is responsive and approachable – a natural extension of the solicitor team.’

Neil Kitchener KC – One Essex Court

Stephen Midwinter KC – Brick Court Chambers

'Stephen is excellent.'

Martin Moore KC –Erskine Chambers ‘Martin is far and away the most experienced barrister on Part VII transfer schemes, having acted on the majority of the large transfer schemes during his career. This, alongside his ability to recall every specific detail of those schemes going back many years, is tremendously valuable on transactions and as an advocate. He also has a clear and concise way of explaining complex matters, which judges and clients seem to greatly appreciate.’

David Mumford KC – Maitland Chambers ‘David has a razor-sharp mind, works incredibly hard, is excellent on his feet, can distil the most complex point into something easy to understand, has the respect of the court and is great with clients – he is the complete package.’

Tamara Oppenheimer KC – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Tamara takes command of the room, is effortless agile as an advocate and has the ear of the judges.’

Matthew Parker KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Matthew is an excellent advocate – balancing strong legal rigour with personable skills; he achieves results while remaining a pleasure for solicitors and clients to work with.’

Tim Penny KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Tim leaves no stone unturned, always trying to find the weaknesses in our own case in order to address the same at an early stage. He combines that approach with good advocacy in order to achieve successful outcomes.’

Mark Phillips KC –South Square

Fionn Pilbrow KC – Brick Court Chambers

‘Fionn immerses himself in the details of the case, and offers pragmatic, direct advice in high pressure situations.’

Benjamin Pilling KC –4 Pump Court ‘Ben is one of the finest advocates on his feet, which is belied by his mild-mannered approach and easy charm. He defends his clients’ interests as robustly as necessary whilst maintaining the confidence of judges and tribunals. He is a class act.’

Toby Riley-Smith KC –Henderson Chambers

Charles Samek KC –Littleton Chambers ‘Charles is a colossus in legal practice. Profoundly intelligent strategist and very persuasive to the judiciary.'

Paul Sinclair KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Paul is a master of the skills required by an advocate in the commercial court. He can present a complex legal or factual argument briefly and clearly, with unadorned simplicity.’

Andrew Sutcliffe KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Andrew has a gravitas that means he can be put in front of a board of directors and immediately command their respect. His work as a Deputy High Court Judge gives him a perspective that others lack. His advocacy is of the highest order and the fact that he is also a warm and kind person makes him very easy to work with.’

John Taylor KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘John is absolutely first-class. He is clever, thoughtful, measured and extremely robust on his feet not least because his preparation is immaculate.’

Francis Tregear KC –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very good advocacy. Unruffled and easy to deal with.’

Henry Warwick KC – Henderson Chambers ‘Razor-sharp, in writing and on feet. Imaginative and thorough, leaving no stone unturned.’

Ian Wilson KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Ian presents clearly to clients, who take great confidence from his counsel. He is a go-to advocate for banking appeals and a class act.’

John Brisby KC –4 Stone Buildings

Laurence Emmett KC – One Essex Court

Catherine Gibaud KC – 3 Verulam Buildings

Thomas Grant KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Incredible tenaciousness and beyond-thorough preparation make Thomas an excellent choice. He is intellectually astute but is out to win the case and is a very strong advocate, ready to disarm his opponents.’

Lexa Hilliard KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Lexa is relentless, never stops thinking, researching and investigating ways to get the best outcome for a client. Her advocacy is a joy to behold. She puts so much personality into her presentation and is extremely persuasive.’

Henry King KC – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Henry is an excellent opponent, makes effective oral and written submissions and cross-examines incisively. He has the stamina and diligence required for big trial work.’

Jonathan Kirk KC – Gough Square Chambers ‘The Rolls-Royce of leaders in the Consumer Law field, quite simply people listen to what he says.’

Conall Patton KC –One Essex Court ‘He’s the complete package. One of the stars at the Bar. Always on top of the detail and a first-rate advocate.’

Rajesh Pillai KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very bright, he identifies and gets into the key issues quickly. He brings a great deal of common sense and practicality to the team - he is responsive and approachable for any member of the instructing firm. An effective advocate who reads the court well.’

Richard Slade KC –Brick Court Chambers

'Richard is a highly skilled and experienced leader and convinces both with his considered written and oral advice and his advocacy skills. He is very good with clients and a real team player.'

Giles Wheeler KC – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Giles is a superb oral advocate coupled with excellent written advocacy skills. Giles is a go-to barrister for banking disputes, payment disputes as well as fintech disputes.’

2022 Silks

Sarah Abram KC –Brick Court Chambers

‘Sarah has great technical skills, but also fantastic at explaining complex legal issues with ease, and this is why clients really like her. She is also a fantastic advocate.’

Tony Beswetherick KC –Twenty Essex ‘Tony is a true star on the rise. Through the course of our engagement he has often pitted again more senior barristers on the other side but he routinely out performs them. He is preparation is unrivalled, really getting under the skin of matters to ensure he can navigate way through hearings, often picking new points along the way.'

Mark Fell KC –Radcliffe Chambers

‘Mark is excellent at describing complex issues in terms that are simple to understand to the layperson. He has a thoughtful approach, and constructs well reasoned and compelling arguments.'

Sebastian Isaac KC –One Essex Court ‘A stellar junior silk; fantastically clever and responsive; he is all over the detail but delivers big-picture strategic thinking. His advocacy is robust and engaging - he always grips the most difficult issues in a case. A go-to for anything really complicated!'

Farhaz Khan KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘He brings a practical analysis to complex disputes, breaking things down into user friendly work product, which is great for client management. He has an excellent sense of judgment and how a court would weigh the arguments.'

James MacDonald KC –One Essex Court ‘James is extremely easy to work with as well as having a shrewd legal brain. His calm personality inspires confidence with clients as does his advocacy. His advice is always clear even on the most complex points.'

Alexander Milner KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Alex is very quick-witted, hard-working and pragmatic.'

Alexander Polley KC –One Essex Court

Stephen Robins KC –South Square ‘Stephen is an absolutely excellent barrister. He is a detailed and creative thinker. He has particular expertise in insolvency-related issues but is also very adept at interpretation of finance documents more generally. He is a very impressive advocate - one who quickly gains the trust and confidence of the tribunal.'

Emily Wood KC –Essex Court Chambers

2023 Silks

Simon Atrill KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘A thoroughly deserved new silk appointment.’

Richard Eschwege KC –Brick Court Chambers

'Richard is superb.'

Craig Morrison KC –Brick Court Chambers

'Highly responsive, very smart, and very quick to get to the point.'

Luke Pearce KC – Twenty Essex ‘An excellent young silk. Clear, confident and a pleasure to deal with. He has a very bright future.‘

Henry Forbes Smith KC –One Essex Court ‘One of the most hardworking and academically intelligent lawyers solicitors know.’

2024 Silks

Oliver Assersohn KC –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Oliver is an outstanding team player and brings commerciality as well as excellent analytical skills to the team.'

Adam Al Attar KC –South Square ‘Technically strong, dynamic and commercial and approachable. Strong advocacy skills.'

Richard Blakeley KC –Brick Court Chambers

‘Richard has true northern grit. He is level headed, calm and measured whatever the challenges. He is happy to roll up his sleeves and not afraid to take a view. As well as having a razor sharp intellect, he has a rarer ability amongst barristers of his standing of being able to make his points succinctly and in a client-friendly down-to-earth manner.’

James Duffy KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘James is a brilliant junior and would be my top choice for just about any case. He’s extremely bright, has excellent commercial judgement, handles clients very well, is first rate at drafting, and really excellent on his feet in court.’

Fred Hobson KC –Brick Court Chambers

'Fred stands out for his succinct, lucid and highly effective advocacy. Quick-thinking and impressively analytical, he gets straight to the point in argument. Judges respect him, and he is a formidable opponent.'

James Sheehan KC –Essex Court Chambers ‘James is silk material.’

Leading Juniors

Rupert Allen –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Rupert is an superstar junior who is completely first-rate. Thorough, meticulous and a match for any other junior and indeed other KCs.’

William Edwards –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very insightful and reliable on the way a court is likely to look at something.’

Simon Hattan –Serle Court ‘Simon rolls up his sleeves, very easy to deal with, displays good judgement and is commercial.’

Georgina Peters –South Square ‘Georgina’s strengths are her attention to detail, exquisite drafting, deep experience and knowledge of banking and commercial law, and that she is user-friendly and very hard-working.’

Sandy Phipps –One Essex Court ‘Sandy is incredibly easy to work with, always approachable and responsive, and respectful of others’ boundaries and working patterns. His advocacy is calm, measured and persuasive.’

Scott Ralston –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very intelligent with a forensic attention to detail. Certainly someone you would want in your corner.’

Adam Sher –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Adam has been in the key fraudulent misrepresentation cases over the last several years. He has superb knowledge of the law and is able to articulate complex concepts in clear, client friendly terms.’

Julia Smith –Henderson Chambers ‘Julia is very efficient and responsive on often quite time-sensitive instructions. Her technical expertise is clear from her advice, and she has a very logical approach.’

Ruth Bala – 4 Pump Court ‘Ruth is simply the best for detail and can be trusted to get to the core issues whilst pulling no punches about weaknesses in our case. Her advice and document work is clear. She is fantastic to work with, easily approachable and very quick to respond and work to clients’ deadlines requirements.’

Stewart Chirnside –Quadrant Chambers 'Stewart is impressive.'

Michael D’Arcy –One Essex Court ‘Hard-working, intelligent with a good balance of commercial and strategic awareness.'

William Day – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Extremely intelligent and able to distil large quantities of information and complex law into clear summaries – both orally and in writing.’

Charlotte Eborall –3 Verulam Buildings ‘She is a superb barrister with a great mix of analytical skills whilst also client friendly. Her drafting is thorough, precise and persuasive. She is a fine advocate. An understated, collected but effective style which plays well with the Judiciary.'

Hannah Glover – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Meticulous, pragmatic and extremely capable.'

Christopher Harrison –4 Stone Buildings

William Hibbert –Henderson Chambers

Ian Higgins –3 Verulam Buildings

Emma Jones –One Essex Court ‘Emma is an incredibly talented barrister, with a superb legal mind. She is exceptionally hard-working, writes beautifully, and thoroughly deserves her stellar reputation. She is definitely one of the future stars of the Bar.’

Ciaran Keller –Essex Court Chambers

Geoffrey Kuehne –Brick Court Chambers

'Geoff is very bright and insightful. A real pleasure to work with who is sought out by top KCs for difficult cases. He has a calm but forceful style in court that makes him an effective advocate.'

Lisa Lacob –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Lisa is highly intelligent, great with clients and passionate in all she does. Lisa goes above and beyond for her clients - she is always contactable, offers quick advice when needed and very commercial is her overall strategy.'

Liisa Lahti –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very user-friendly, she understands the commercial pressures of the clients that she works with and is an outstanding team player. Clients thoroughly enjoy working with Liisa. She is incredibly smart, dedicated and commercially minded.’

Nico Leslie – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Nico is super intelligent, pragmatic, calm, authoritative, user-friendly, commercial, practical and extremely hard-working. He is the complete package. He has no weaknesses.’

Iain MacDonald –Gough Square Chambers ‘Iain is very responsive, calm under pressure, good on his feet and has good client management skills.'

Stephen Neville –Gough Square Chambers ‘Fantastic knowledge of financial services and consumer credit law and practice that he has built up over many years and has a commercial and practical approach. A pleasure to work with.’

Fred Philpott –Gough Square Chambers 'Fred is second to none. Utterly outstanding in his field, and his advice is uniquely tailored to clients' specific concerns.'

Simon Popplewell –Gough Square Chambers ‘Simon is extremely bright and very approachable. He knows the law inside out and back to front and can summarise it clearly. He is also an excellent advocate. Clients love him.'

Alan Roxburgh –Brick Court Chambers

'Possibly the best junior at the Bar. Absorbs a huge amount of complex material and produces written work of the highest calibre.'

Emily Saunderson –Quadrant Chambers ‘Emily’s advice is excellently put together. She is user-friendly and responsive.’

Nehali Shah –One Essex Court ‘Nehali remains at the top of anyone's wish-list of junior counsel. She is a rare combination of being extremely clever but also intensely practical and responsive. Phenomenally hard-working.’

David Simpson –3 Verulam Buildings ‘David is an indispensable member of any legal team. He is completely across the detail and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law, so can therefore provide sound strategic advice, spotting potential obstacles before they arise. He is also down to earth and user friendly.’

Justina Stewart –Outer Temple Chambers

‘Very knowledgeable, clear understanding of client needs, proactive in moving difficult issues forward.'

Charlotte Tan – Brick Court Chambers

'Charlotte is very committed - not even the smallest detail escapes her.'

Alastair Tomson –4 Stone Buildings ‘Great work ethic, likes to think outside the box and work towards creative solutions. A great team player.’

William Willson –South Square ‘William's strengths are his prodigious output and legal acumen. He is a master of detail and has an incredible memory. He knows a winning argument.'

Tom Wood – Brick Court Chambers

‘Tom is simply first rate. He is extremely intelligent, his drafting is clear and precise, and he has a very nice manner with clients. He is very easy to work with.’

Ben Woolgar – Brick Court Chambers

'Hard-working, very bright star of the future.'

Nicola Allsop –Quadrant Chambers ‘A joy to work with and an extremely adept advocate.'

Alex Barden – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Friendly and approachable. Asked sensible questions to help us understand a complex product.’

Sarah Bayliss –XXIV Old Buildings

Natasha Bennett –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Natasha is fantastically bright, her written product is absolutely superb and she is incredibly responsive; a definite future star KC in the making.'

Ian Bergson – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Exceptional attention to detail, getting to grip with all the facts and exploring the applicable areas of law.’

Christopher Bond –3 Verulam Buildings

Joanne Box – Brick Court Chambers

'Joanne's oral advocacy is well prepared and persuasive.'

Laurie Brock – Fountain Court Chambers 'Laurie is one of the leading junior barristers in the banking and finance world. He has been in many of the leading cases and is a favourite of many of the leading light silks.'

Christopher Burdin – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Christopher is a fantastic junior. He is an excellent lawyer, he has a brilliant grip of both detail and big-picture strategy, his drafting is universally first-class and he is a great person to be stuck in the trenches with.’

Marianne Butler –Fountain Court Chambers

Oliver Butler –One Essex Court ‘Oliver is an excellent junior - he has a clear and incisive sense of the law and how it applies practically, his drafting style is concise, clear and persuasive and he is extremely quick on the uptake and efficient.’

Cleon Catsambis – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Cleon is a diligent barrister and develops a great control over documents and facts in a case such that he is an asset to any legal team. He is a great asset to the team.’

Nick Daly – Fountain Court Chambers ‘An excellent, reliable junior who drafts beautifully and has a good feel for which points will work with different tribunals. Easy to work with.’

Jonathan Dawid –Brick Court Chambers

'Exceptionally bright and always willing to tackle a problem from a different perspective.'

Stephen Doherty – Outer Temple Chambers

‘Stephen is fiercely bright and can absorb enormous quantities of information and documentation extremely quickly.’

Anton Dudnikov –Essex Court Chambers

Daniel Edmonds –Fountain Court Chambers ‘An absolutely excellent counsel: stellar technical skills, very responsive and easy to work with, popular with clients and a great tactician. Daniel has an extraordinary ability to quickly assimilate complex fact patterns, find the critical pieces and come up with excellent strategic solutions. A hugely valuable counsel on any piece of complex litigation.’

Joseph Farmer – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Extremely diligent and can be trusted to be absolutely all over the detail. Never misses a deadline and the work product is consistently good. He’s a great person to have on your team.’

Tom Ford –Essex Court Chambers ‘Tom is very smart and very hard-working. His legal analysis is matched by very few at the Bar.’

Daniel Carall-Green – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Daniel’s written advocacy is superb. ‘

Richard Hanke –3 Verulam Buildings ‘A very strong performer. Richard is incredibly bright and his written work is of the highest quality. He is user friendly, responsive and hard working. His advice is always clear and considered and he is excellent on his feet. Very popular with instructing solicitors and clients and a real asset. Strongly recommended.'

Joe-han Ho – 39 Essex Chambers 'Fantastic intellectual ability, very responsive. Very much on top of his brief.'

William Hooper – Brick Court Chambers

'William is a standout performer. Very clever and thoughtful - good on strategy and strong written advice.'

Sophia Hurst – Essex Court Chambers

Alexia Knight –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Alexia’s knowledge of this area is great, and she is good with clients.’

Michael Lazarus –3 Verulam Buildings

Owen Lloyd – Essex Court Chambers

Andrew Lodder – One Essex Court 'Andrew is excellent.'

Rebecca Loveridge – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Rebecca has extremely good judgement, is exceptionally bright and a real pleasure to work with. She is also a clear and calm advocate who delivers the points very effectively.’

Alec McCluskey –Maitland Chambers 'His ability to grasp key issues and to explain them to finance professionals is extraordinary. His drafting is a very strong suit.'

Duncan McCombe - Maitland Chambers

David Mcllroy – Forum Chambers ‘David has been operating at KC level for a number of years. His technical ability, particularly in connection with complex issues over causation and regulatory aspects of banking, is exemplary.’

Richard Mott –One Essex Court ‘Excellent intellect, great judgement, great at keeping solicitors informed and proactively updating on timing, great with clients, very adept at going through voluminous materials.’

David Murray –Fountain Court Chambers ‘David shows excellent attention to detail and insightful analysis of the issues. His drafting is elegant and his advocacy is calm and measured. Clients are very impressed with him.’

Simon Oakes –Quadrant Chambers ‘Detailed, bright and great with clients.’

Elizabeth Ovey –Radcliffe Chambers

Simon Paul – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Simon strengths are his strong drafting skills and his ability to form coherent and convincing written arguments that are then delivered persuasively in both in person and remote hearings.’

James Potts – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Brilliant advocate. Unflappable on his feet – exudes calmness. Very responsive. Written work is excellent. Clear and succinct.’

James Ruddell – One Essex Court ‘James is London’s best kept secret. He is just excellent – extremely bright, commercial and responsive – an absolute pleasure to work with.’

Adam Rushworth –One Essex Court ‘Adam is a real talent – he is very quick to pick things up, excellent on the law and also has really good common sense judgement - solicitors trust him on everything they delegate to him. He is going to have a stellar career.’

Michael Ryan –7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Michael is a good advocate who is excellent in his legal analysis, the case throwing up a number of complex legal issues.'

Thomas Samuels – Henderson Chambers ‘He is an expert in the field of defending Consumer Credit Act cases.'

Jonathan Scott – Brick Court Chambers

‘A very gifted junior: quick, responsive and brilliant.’

Turlough Stone –Quadrant Chambers ‘Turlough is an extremely bright barrister, with a depth of knowledge and experience in the credit, asset finance and leasing sector. He is the go-to counsel for complex and high-value defended claims.’

Joseph Sullivan –Quadrant Chambers ‘An excellent barrister – very commercial whilst still delivering legal work of the highest quality. Appreciates the demands of large clients in a complex area. Very strong oral and written advocacy skills.’

Adam Temple –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Adam is a pleasure to work with, speedy in turning around complex and difficult pleadings and advisory work, highly articulate and clever with a real eye for detail and a deep knowledge of the legal principles and authorities on specialist areas of practice that the case have thrown up.’

Charlotte Thomas – Brick Court Chambers

'She is outstandingly bright, an excellent lawyer, very hard working and a very positive presence on any team.'

Sarah Tulip – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Sarah is a force of positivity. She attacks all problems with a smile and enormous energy. Her legal reasoning is spot-on and she gets to grips very quickly with extremely complicated problems. She is greatly in demand as a junior for all of these reasons and has a fantastic future ahead of her.’

Craig Ulyatt –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Clear and sophisticated advocacy, both written and, especially oral – where he is a more effective oral advocate than various recently made up KCs and can be quite punchy when appropriate. Admirably quick on his feet and alert to advantage of his client. A pleasure to work with – he is user-friendly, pragmatic and both proactive and quick to respond.’

Kate Urell – Gough Square Chambers ‘Kate is a go-to barrister for Consumer Credit Act matters. She has in depth and entrenched knowledge of the issues both at hand and prevalent in the market in general.’

Karishma Vora – 39 Essex Chambers 'Karishma brings a true knowledge of both the Indian and English legal markets which really valuable in cross-border disputes involving those jurisdictions where you have elements of law from both.'

Mark Wassouf – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Mark is solutions-driven and practical in his advice, and is very responsive.’

Nik Yeo –Fountain Court Chambers

Rebecca Zaman –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Impressive junior who is able to distil in clear and understandable terms complex and lengthy issues. A pleasure to work with.’

Tom Asquith –4 New Square

Nathaniel Bird – One Essex Court ‘Excellent and solid commercial advice.’

Jonathan Butters – Devereux

Nazeer Chowdhury –Henderson Chambers ‘Nazeer has all the technical expertise needed in a financial regulatory lawyer, but his particular strength is his commercial acumen. He’s very easy to work with – almost like a member of the client team.’

Harrison Denner – Henderson Chambers ‘Harrison is a safe pair of hands. He’s able to grapple with papers and issues in dispute quickly and he has a good intuition for how a case is progressing. Any questions Harrison poses are always relevant, and he has a good commercial awareness – namely higher value and more complex claims warranting a greater proportion of time.’

Peter Dodge – Radcliffe Chambers

‘Excellent advocate, good drafting skill, pleasure to work with.’

Max Evans –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Max is a really excellent barrister. He is extremely intelligent. He thinks strategically and is good at identifying the strongest points. He is regularly instructed in the biggest cases in banking and finance and is very popular with clients.'

Lee Finch – Gough Square Chambers ‘A silk in the making Lee is dedicated, reliable and bright, but personable and real pleasure to work with. Judges have always taken a real shine to his style, which is firm and direct, but polite and respectful at all times.’

Rosanna Foskett - Maitland Chambers

Jocelin Gale - 7 King's Bench Walk

Tom Gentleman – 4 Stone Buildings ‘Tom is an exceptionally strong lawyer, and fantastic team player. His written advocacy is of a uniformly high standard: well structured, clear and persuasive.’

Timothy Goldfarb – One Essex Court ‘Academically excellent, focused and user friendly. No obvious weaknesses. He is reliable and absolute star.’

Philip Hinks – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Polished and articulate, he prepares strong submissions on technical areas of foreign law.’

Richard Hoyle – Essex Court Chambers ‘Tenacious and diligent, and a good fighter in court.’

Robin Kingham - Gough Square Chambers

James Knott – 4 Stone Buildings ‘James’ attention to detail is very strong. The matter in which we are instructing him is an appeal on a narrow question of law – James is extremely thorough in understanding everything there is to know on this area; his knowledge is encyclopaedic.’

Christopher Langley – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Chris is very clear and concise with his advice and is client-friendly. He is always able to spot the difficult issues in advance, which affords you an opportunity to be well-prepared for the road ahead. He is a pleasure to work with.’

Kyle Lawson – Brick Court Chambers

'An absolute pleasure to work with. A calm and considered mind.'

Anna Lintner –39 Essex Chambers

Andrew Maguire –Littleton Chambers 'Andrew is a great barrister. Very user friendly, and accessible. He is a team player, and clients really like him.'

Anna Medvinskaia – Gough Square Chambers

Simon Mills - Radcliffe Chambers

‘Simon has an encyclopedic knowledge on all things asset-based lending, as well as being the king of injunctions. He is an exceptional lawyer on his feet in court. He is also very user friendly.’

Alexander Pelling –XXIV Old Buildings

Saaman Pourghadiri –4 New Square

John Robb –Essex Court Chambers

James Ross –Gough Square Chambers

Leonora Sagan – Fountain Court Chambers ‘Leonora is an outstanding talent. She has a clear insight and understanding of banking issues. She is able to provide solutions of difficult problems. Her written advocacy is strongly persuasive.’

Theodor Van Sante – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Theodore has great knowledge of statutory regimes.’

Sean Snook – Twenty Essex ‘An excellent all-rounder who produces excellent written work and advocates in a clear and compelling way. Sean can be relied on to manage a case with or without support from leading counsel, which is very reassuring.'

Andrew Thomas –Brick Court Chambers

Niranjan Venkatesan –One Essex Court ‘Niranjan is an intellectual powerhouse and an extremely user-friendly barrister. His written advocacy is particularly persuasive and noteworthy.'

Rising Stars

Ryan Ferro – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Ryan is incredibly capable and operates at a level which is far beyond his call. His attention to detail is first class and he secures results.’

Ravi Jackson – 3 Verulam Buildings

Philippe Kuhn – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Extremely knowledgeable, client-friendly, enthusiastic and proactive. Philippe is technically excellent and has a great ability to boil down complex issues to their basic principles, making it easy for clients to decide on a course of action.’

Benjamin Lewy – One Essex Court

Georgia Purnell – 3 Hare Court ‘Very user friendly, commercial, and client focused. Robust in submissions and doesn’t back off a tricky argument.’

Henry Reid – Outer Temple Chambers

‘Henry is very approachable and user-friendly. He is an excellent advocate – punches far above his weight and holds his own against those much more senior.’

Veena Srirangam – One Essex Court

Alyssa Stansbury – One Essex Court ‘Alyssa is an absolute star. She’s on top of everything and has nous beyond her years.’

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) in London Bar

Tier 1 sets

3 Verulam Buildings

3 Verulam Buildings are the ‘go-to set for banking litigation‘ with a ‘clear, demonstrable strength in depth‘ in their bench. Members of the set engage on some of the area’s defining cases involving major international banks and prominent individuals. One such example this year is the case of Re an application for directions by Golden Belt 1 Sukuk Company BSC in which Richard Salter KC led Sarah Tulip acted for the claimant bond trustee and its delegate on their application for a declaration that the limitations imposed by the declaration of trust and agency on the power of certificate holders to pass resolutions. Barristers from the set have also been regularly instructed on international and cross-border cases, such as Jonathan Davies-Jones KC and David Simpson representing Siam Commercial Bank in Suppipat v Narongdei, a large civil fraud claim concerning an alleged attempt to wrest control of a wind energy company. Alongside this, the set covers disputes covering all parts of the globe, with significant instructions received from global events such as the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Juniors Ravi Jackson and Ryan Ferro are names to watch from the set, with both instructed on high-value, complex banking and finance disputes.

Testimonials

‘3VB have an excellent clerking team. Richard Ansell is a standout and is always accommodating and on point with his recommendations. He and his team always ensure that service levels are high and response times and delivery are as expected.’

‘3VB’s clerks are responsive and easy to work with.’

‘3VB are the go to set for banking litigation. They have a clear, demonstrable strength in depth and I have instructed barrister from all ranges of the call spectrum. Their training sessions are always excellent.’

‘A friendly set, with real strengths in the banking arena.’

‘Good for financial services litigation.’

‘3VB have a high calibre of advocates and are often one of the first chambers I look to instruct in relation to complex banking and finance litigation.’

‘Strong chambers at all levels.’

Work highlights

Fountain Court Chambers

Being ‘packed full of some brilliant and incredibly intelligent lawyers,’ Fountain Court Chambers has been at the forefront of some of the recent substantial banking and finance litigation, both domestically and internationally. The set specialises in managing disputes that have a significant impact on the financial sector, with one such example being cases related to the Quincecare duty when banks suspect fraud: these include Federal Republic of Nigeria v JP Morgan Chase NA which saw Rosalind Phelps KC, David Murray and Aaron Taylor instructed in a successful defence of a $1.5bn claim against the bank. Alongside this, Patricia Robertson KC and Christopher Langley were instructed to act for HSBC in defence of a claim in relation to an alleged breach of the Quincecare duty, brought by the liquidators of Allen Stanford's Ponzi scheme (Stanford International Bank Ltd (in liquidation) v HSBC Plc). Richard Coleman KC has a diverse practice, including acting in a number of cases involving judicial review in the banking space, while Nico Leslie is a standout junior for his work on high-profile banking disputes.

Testimonials

‘Luke Diebelius in the clerks room is very experienced and very responsive.’

‘The clerks room is very efficient. Its a pleasure to work with Sian Huckett and Luke Diebelius.’

‘The Fountain Court clerks are always pleasant, responsive, and easy to work with. Alfie Harper in particular stands out for his responsiveness and willingness to assist.’

‘The clerks are excellent. Particular commendation for Katie Szewczyk, Deputy Senior Clerk who is very switched on and responsive, and knows exactly what we need. The service we get is commercial and consistent.’

‘Fountain Court is packed full of some brilliant and incredibly intelligent lawyers and is becoming my go-to set.’

‘Fountain Court is one of the very best sets for complex banking and financial disputes. It has strength in depth, from its top QCs to its baby juniors.’

‘They are the leading banking and finance set and generally our go to for that sort of work.’

‘Fountain Court is of course well known as a leading banking and commercial set.’

Work highlights

One Essex Court

One Essex Court is known for its ‘consistently high performing barristers‘ who have cemented their position as a preeminent set in banking and finance, with regular instructions received from all the major bank panel law firms. Some of the set’s recent highlights includes Philipp v Barclays, which dealt with the possible extension of Quincecare duties owed by banks to corporate clients to retail customers, which saw members such as Sonia Tolaney KC and James Ruddell acting for UK Finance in a Supreme Court appeal. Laurence Rabinowitz KC is regularly instructed in relation to commercial litigation and high profile disputes in overseas courts, while Lord David Wolfson KC has acted for a number of high profile banks like PrivatBank over the past year. Henry Forbes Smith KC and Marcos Dracos KC were both appointed as silk in 2023. Nathaniel Bird joined the team in October 2023.

Testimonials

‘One Essex Court have an excellent senior clerking team in Darren Burrows and Rob Smith. Both are excellent.’

‘Darren Burrows is a legend.’

‘Jackie Ginty is No.1 in any set of Chambers I have worked with for responsiveness and sheer devotion to the role.’

‘Brilliant; in particular Rob Smith. Great with clients and gets client demands.’

‘The clerks are responsive and helpful. We have had good experiences with Rob Smith and Jade Cassell.’

‘Consistently high performing barristers and extremely responsive clerks.’

‘It is a brilliant set. The set breads a type of barrister that is technically extremely good.’

‘Top set for banking and commercial work, real strength in depth.’

Work highlights

Tier 2 sets

Brick Court Chambers

Members of Brick Court Chambers continue to be instructed in significant banking and finance cases, concerning a broad spectrum of national and international lending. Tim Lord KC is sought after by both investors and banks in high profile banking and finance litigation – he is instructed for the claimants in Loreley Financing v Credit Suisse, a case concerning the allegedly negligent sale and structuring by Credit Suisse of residential mortgage-backed securities. James McClelland KC is an established silk who has taken the lead in leading commercial disputes, having been involved in test cases for PPI mis-selling – he also handles cases involving heavyweight public law issues. Ben Woolgar is noted for his practice handling both commercial banking, including complex bond and note transactions, and retail banking.

Testimonials

‘Paul Dennison is responsive, professional and keen to please.’

‘Tony Burgess is very commercial and responsive.’

‘Paul Dennison is excellent, as is Tony Burgess.’

‘The clerks are professional and pleasant.’

‘Clerks are incredibly user-friendly and commercial.’

‘An eminent set.’

‘A stellar set.’

‘Strength in depth.’

Essex Court Chambers

Essex Court Chambers' members high-profile and high-value international banking and finance litigation, with members receiving instructions from a number of magic circle and US firms. Louise Hutton KC, who is ‘calm and clear under pressure,’ has been involved in leading banking cases this year, including Stanford International Bank v HSBC, a case involving the Quincecare duty with its factual origins in Allen Stanford's Ponzi scheme. Joe Smouha KC is a notable name in this space, while Stephen Houseman KC has developed a strong cross-border practice, in areas including Singapore, Dubai and the Cayman Islands. Ciaran Keller is noted for his cross-border work on high-profile cases acting for and against banks, hedge funds and private equity. Angeline Welsh KC, Siddharth Dhar KC and Ruth Den Besten KC were all appointed silk in 2023.

Testimonials

‘Essex Court are at the top of most people’s list: packed with talent.’

‘Good.’

‘The clerks have always been responsive and any issues have typically been resolved well and commercially.’

‘Clerks are excellent.’

‘Very responsive and informed.’

Work highlights

South Square

The ‘go-to set for all restructuring and insolvency mandates,‘ South Square has established an international presence in banking and financial litigation, having appeared in high-profile disputes including cases which give rise to issues of significant market importance, generally crossing over with the set's pre-eminence in the insolvency space. One such example is the case of Galapagos Bidco SARL v Kebekus; Barings (UK) Ltd v Galapagos which saw Tom Smith KC, Daniel Bayfield KC, David Alexander KC, Henry Phillips and Ryan Perkins appear in a dispute arising out of a €1bn multi-jurisdictional finance restructuring, raising novel issues in relation to enforcement powers under intercreditor agreements, after a German court had wound up the company which was subject to an English administration petition. Richard Fisher KC has a good practice advising banks, hedge funds and trade parties in relation to structured finance issues and derivatives contacts, while Georgina Peters is noted for her work in high-profile banking disputes involving securisations, capital markets issuances and derivatives using ISDA contracts.

Testimonials

‘Excellent – Marco Malatesta in particular.’

‘All of the clerks have been amazing. Particular shout out to Dylan Playfoot and Luke Clark.’

‘The go-to set, still, for all restructuring and insolvency mandates.’

‘South Square is unquestionably the top Chambers for restructuring and insolvency, with a strong banking and finance practice, including incredible strength in depth.’

‘Remains by far the pre-eminent set for corporate insolvency work.’

‘Very strong set.’

‘South Square are an excellent set of Chambers. They have lost one or two of their most prominent leaders to the bench, but there are some truly excellent juniors coming up through the ranks and still several Silks at the top of their game. They would always be my first choice on any matter touching on Insolvency and increasingly my go to set for commercial or finance litigation too.’

Work highlights

Tier 3 sets

4 Stone Buildings

Banking and finance remains a key area for members of 4 Stone Buildings, who handle disputes which arise in connection with the raising of loan or share capital, and in situations of insolvency or weak markets. Members have been involved in domestic and international high profile and high value cases such as Republic of Mozambique v Credit Suisse, which saw Richard Hill KC, Sharif Shivji KC and Tom Gentleman involved in a high-value multi-party casein relation to a collapsed banking facility connected to the “tuna bond” scandal.

Testimonials

‘4 Stone Buildings are my go-to set for commercial and commercial chancery work. They have a great bench, both at KC and junior level and the clerking team are user-friendly.’

‘One of a long line of exceptionally talented barristers at 4 Stone Buildings – something of a lesser known gem, and very good value for money.’

‘4 Stone Buildings work well together as a team.’

‘Clerks are responsive and helpful.’

Work highlights

Gough Square Chambers

‘Strong in advising on regulatory law,’ Gough Square Chambers has a particular focus on this space on retail products, acting for most of the UK’s major banks, alongside receiving instructions from government bodies including HM Treasury and the FCA. Iain MacDonald has a broad banking and financial services practice, with a focus on retail banking, while Simon Popplewell has dealt with numerous cases before the FCA Regulatory Decisions Committee and other major, including Various SAM Borrowers v Bank of Scotland, with Simon acting for the bank in respect of a challenge to shared appreciation mortgages, where the amount to repay is linked to the price of the property at the time of redemption. The challenges were made on the basis of the unfair relationship provisions in the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Anna Medvinskaia is a notable junior in the team.

Testimonials

‘The clerking team is outstanding and go above and beyond to assist, particularly with the availability of counsel. Jack Bradshaw and Richard Bryant, have always come back to me extremely quickly with options for counsel and fee quotes whenever I have needed them and are always very personable and cheery on the phone!’

‘The set is strong in advising on regulatory law, with multiple counsel at different levels of seniority, meaning that there is usually someone available to assist urgently.’

‘Gough Square have an excellent team of financial services counsel, who are always willing and eager to assist with any instructions sent their way.’

‘Gough Square Chambers are my ‘go to’ for all things Consumer Credit.’

‘Very good set with lots of options for this type of work.’

Work highlights

Henderson Chambers

Henderson Chambers is described by one client as ‘one of – if not the – leading set of consumer finance‘ and is focused on advising on consumer credit and consumer protection, with members acting predominantly for banks. Some of the set’s highlights include advising and acting for the UK’s five largest retail banks on a range of matters, including financing of FSMA regulated mortgage contract businesses. Toby Riley-Smith KC has experience in litigation involving consumer credit and hire agreements, alongside William Hibbert being a leading junior in consumer credit and consumer-facing financial services, including regulated credit and secured borrowing. Julia Smith is a specialist in banking and financial services, regularly receiving instructions advising banks and other businesses as to issues arising under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Testimonials

‘Jason Housden has done a fantastic job in attempting to fill the large shoes left following the retirement of John White during the pandemic. Jason is good at marketing new members and the broad clerks. Joe Sutton is also very well thought of. Joe is creative and tenacious in doing his best to respond to requests.’

‘Joe Sutton always finds the required Consumer Credit Act expertise.’

‘Henderson are a go-to set. Excellent clerking team.’

‘Henderson Chambers must be one of – if not the – leading set of consumer finance regulatory barristers. Henderson appears to have evolved with the times and expanded its consumer finance expertise to cover general banking and financial technology expertise.’

‘The service provided by Chambers is impeccable.’

Work highlights

Quadrant Chambers

Quadrant Chambers are ‘well-regarded and respected for banking litigation‘, in work both related and unrelated to the set’s well-known expertise in international trade and shipping. Paul Downes KC and Nicola Allsop acting for Liberty Steel entities in various proceedings against lenders in Anns Middle East FZE v LIQS PTE Ltd. Turlough Stone advises and acts for a wide range of domestic and international institutions and individuals, while Emily Saunderson is noted for her work in a range of financial markets claims relating to breach of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and broker’s duties to their clients.

Testimonials

‘Led by the superb Simon Slattery, he delivers the best level of service and knows his barristers (and us) inside out.’

‘The clerks are all very good but the stand out is Daniel Westerman who is always helpful and a pleasure to deal with.’

‘Well regarded and respected for banking litigation.’

‘Quadrant are excellent all round.’

‘Overall an excellent set with some real stars amongst its ranks.’

‘Excellent strength-in-depth and innovative training.’

‘I have always been impressed by the strength in depth at Quadrant and their willingness to go above an beyond.’

Serle Court

Serle Court continues to be instructed on high-profile and complex banking and finance cases, both in the domestic courts and international courts. One such example was the case of Eternity Sky Investments Limited v Zhang, in which Philip Marshall KC and James Mather were instructed in relation to a claim brought by Huarong Banking Group, which raised issues on public policy and illegality regarding enforcement of guarantees and Hong Kong arbitration awards. David Blayney KC has been involved in large banking cases including the RBS Rights Issue Litigation arising out of the insolvency of Lehman Brothers, while Rupert Reed KC is noted for his cross-border banking practice in the Middle East and London, with significant experience of cases involving Islamic finance. Zoe O’Sullivan KC has a broad commercial and Chancery practice and is a recognised practitioner in the DIFC courts.

Testimonials

‘Dan Wheeler and Paul Ballard are exceptionally user-friendly and helpful. It is always a pleasure to work with them.’

‘Serle Court is a very strong set when it comes to DIFC litigation, and one of the Chambers we look to first when considering counsel options.’

‘Serle court is now ubiquitous in the Middle East, in part due to Rupert’s influence, and Gregor Horgan is a junior to watch.’

Work highlights

Twenty Essex

Twenty Essex represents financial services providers and their clients in a range of fora across a full spectrum of banking, financial services, and asset management disputes. Members of the set are often instructed to obtain, or seek the discharge of, freezing injunctions and other interim relief in relation to banking and investment disputes, which include instructions both for and against major financial institutions. Andrew Fulton KC is noted as ‘intellectually very able, and extremely knowledgeable‘ on banking law, while Luke Pearce KC has appeared in a number of high-profile banking cases in recent years. Paul Lowenstein KC has an extensive practice encompassing fraud into the context of banking and finance cases involving major banks.

Testimonials

‘They are very responsive and helpful, particularly Arron Zitver and Robert Wheeler.’

‘Excellent clerks – very responsive, especially Chris Theobald.’

‘Twenty Essex offers a range of senior and junior counsel who are capable and a delight to work with. A go-to set for difficult commercial claims.’

XXIV Old Buildings

XXIV Old Buildings has a substantial banking and financial practice developed over three core areas, including hedge fund and structured investment vehicle work, international insolvencies involving banks and financial institutions, and claims against financial institutions relating to financial mismanagement. Stephen Moverley Smith KC has a practice spanning international litigation, especially those involving the BVI and Bermuda - he represented the defendant in Ivanishvilli v CS Life, a claim arising from a rogue trader fraud at a Swiss bank, with proceedings brought against its Bermudian subsidiary alleging a failure to discover the fraud – the claimant being former Georgian prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. Francis Tregear KC is noted for his ‘very good advocacy‘, and Sarah Bayliss has extensive experience of acting in mis-selling and negligence claims against financial institutions.

Testimonials

‘Paul Horsfield is doing a great job since taking over. He is very responsive and commercial.’

‘A very strong set which has a number of very strong individuals.’

‘Good set.’

Coverage By Practice AreaLondon Bar