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Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading sets
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading silks
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – 2017 silks
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – 2018 silks
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – 2019 silks
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading juniors

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading sets

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading silks

1
- Stephen Auld QC - One Essex Court ‘One of the top stars in the field, particularly for difficult cases against the banks.’
- Adrian Beltrami QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘The leading advocate for banking litigation at the bar.’
- Raymond Cox QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very sound and gives clear and well-reasoned advice.’
- Robin Dicker QC - South Square ‘An excellent silk.’
- Richard Handyside QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Excellent in the context of LIBOR and has a very good feel for the issues and potential pitfalls.’
- Mark Hapgood QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Very commercial and devastating on his feet.’
- Mark Howard QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Probably the leading commercial advocate at the Bar.’
- Tim Lord QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Rightly regarded as a go-to silk to lead large teams in the most complex and high profile disputes.’
- Ali Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Deservingly a star at the bar and a gentleman with it.’
- Robert Miles QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘A real star, probably top of this tree at present.’
- Andrew Mitchell QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A go-to silk for complicated banking litigation.’
- Laurence Rabinowitz QC - One Essex Court ‘Excellent at assimilating complex facts and adding significant value.’
- David Railton QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He has a great strength for advocacy as well as being great with clients.’
- Bankim Thanki QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A strong appellate advocate who clearly has the ear of the Court of Appeal.’
- Sonia Tolaney QC - One Essex Court ‘She has impeccable judgement, works hard, and takes the right points before the judge.’
- Daniel Toledano QC - One Essex Court ‘Assured and reassuring, good at cutting through detail, accessible and a good team player.’
- Malcolm Waters QC - Radcliffe Chambers ‘The leading building society law expert in the country and a leading expert in retail banking.’
- David Wolfson QC - One Essex Court ‘Fantastic – quick to get on top of the detail and offers clear and concise strategic guidance at short notice.’
2
- Richard Coleman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘His advice is always insightful and measured and he always deals with all the points head on.’
- Anthony de Garr Robinson QC - One Essex Court ‘An outstanding advocate; incredibly intelligent, extremely hardworking and has fantastic judgement.’
- David Foxton QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘An excellent advocate and gets to the nub of the issue very quickly.’
- Jeremy Goldring QC - South Square ‘Very strong at crafting arguments and working in a team; has a strong grasp of the issues.’
- Patrick Goodall QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘An excellent and decisive advocate who is willing to stand up and fight when really required.’
- Matthew Hardwick QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A fearless advocate in the best sense of the word, and hugely committed to his practice.’
- Timothy Howe QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Incredibly hands on and commercial.’
- Ewan McQuater QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very polished in terms of banking and fraud.’
- Jonathan Nash QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘First rate at distilling the law into digestible and easily consumable advice and submissions.’
- Andrew Onslow QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A very approachable and user-friendly advocate.’
- Craig Orr QC - One Essex Court ‘Methodical, precise and meticulous in his preparation.’
- David Quest QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘An excellent advocate; calm clear and unfazed.’
- Richard Salter QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Unbeatable when he is in his stride.’
- Nigel Tozzi QC - 4 Pump Court ‘Absolutely fantastic during trial – a real brawler.’
- William Trower QC - South Square ‘Very articulate and personable and puts across points in an extremely attractive way.’
3
- David Blayney QC - Serle Court ‘Highly recommended for banking litigation.’
- Jeffrey Chapman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A down to earth, clear thinking and impressive advocate.’
- Alain Choo Choy QC - One Essex Court ‘A very good, hardworking advocate who has an easy manner with clients.’
- Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘One of those super silks who manages to pull a rabbit out of a hat on even the most difficult cases.’
- Derrick Dale QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very personable, accurate and concise drafting and great with clients.’
- Rhodri Davies QC - One Essex Court ‘A go-to silk on difficult issues and a pleasure to work with every time.’
- Dominic Dowley QC - Serle Court ‘A quick-working, efficient and talented advocate.’
- Paul Downes QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘A brave and dogged advocate who reads a judge well.’
- Andrew Green QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Both his written and oral submissions are great, and he’s really fun to work with.’
- Barry Isaacs QC - South Square ‘Wonderfully measured advocacy style combined with a phenomenal work ethic.’
- John Jarvis QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Good at getting to the crux of a matter.’
- Richard Lissack QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘By combining civil, criminal and regulatory expertise, he really is a breed in himself.’
- Hodge Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Statesman-like and commanding, people pay attention to what he has to say.’
- Philip Marshall QC - Serle Court ‘A clever and robust, but nuanced, advocate.’
- Paul McGrath QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘A powerhouse of a litigator.’
- John Odgers QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Has a knack for expecting the unexpected and spotting pitfalls well before they’re a danger.’
- Simon Salzedo QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘An excellent, measured advocate, who is a good tactician and has a good manner with clients.’
- Joe Smouha QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘A consummate professional who brings formidable insight to everything he touches.’
- Ben Strong QC - One Essex Court ‘Brilliant advocacy, both in writing and on his feet.’
4
- David Allison QC - South Square ‘Good with detail as well as the big picture; has good judgement about the points that really matter.’
- Michael Blair QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Responsive, intellectually extraordinary, experienced, and generally fantastic.’
- Michael Bowes QC - Outer Temple Chambers ‘Easy to work with, has good attention to detail, and is a good team player.’
- Jonathan Davies-Jones QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A very good lawyer, excellent to deal with and a real team player.’
- Jasbir Dhillon QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘One of the most experienced advocates in ISDA Master Agreements in the UK.’
- Lord Grabiner QC - One Essex Court ‘An unrivalled courtroom presence.’
- Jeffrey Gruder QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Highly rated for banking litigation.’
- Richard Hill QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘An extremely hardworking and energetic QC.’
- Richard Mawrey QC - Henderson Chambers ‘Unquestionably a leading name in consumer credit.’
- Mark Phillips QC - South Square ‘Very hardworking and tenacious.’
- Patricia Robertson QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Excellent in court and on paper, grabs a superb grasp of case essentials very quickly.’
- Akhil Shah QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Highly recommended in relation to letters of credit.’
- Tom Smith QC - South Square ‘A banking litigator of choice for us, he is a great leader and team player.’
- Andrew Sutcliffe QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Extremely bright and clear strategic thinking.’
5
- Andrew Ayres QC - Maitland Chambers ‘A tremendous support and a real team player on financial markets litigation.’
- Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘An enormous help on complex multi-jurisdictional issues.’
- John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Combines intellectual rigour with a passion for his client’s case.’
- Jeremy Cousins QC - Radcliffe Chambers ‘Excellent advice, highly knowledgeable, and a strong commercial approach.’
- Helen Davies QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘An excellent advocate who inspires client trust.’
- Philip Edey QC - 20 Essex Street ‘A popular choice for banking disputes.’
- Jonathan Gaisman QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘An unbelievably good advocate and I haven’t seen his match.’
- Andrew George QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Has an outstanding brain and deep knowledge of the law.’
- Catherine Gibaud QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very pragmatic and user friendly; able to get to grips with the matter quickly.’
- Javan Herberg QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Great to work with, has an easy manner and fantastic judgement.’
- Stephen Houseman QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘A spirited and enthusiastic silk who truly knows his stuff.’
- Andrew Hunter QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘As good as it gets – great on his feet, recognises client needs and is never flustered.’
- Elizabeth Jones QC - Serle Court ‘An incredible brain and advocate.’
- Roger Masefield QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘An excellent silk with a strong practice.’
- Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Great knowledge of security law, very hands on.’
- Paul Lowenstein QC - 20 Essex Street ‘Cuts through very complex legal issues.’
- Benjamin Pilling QC - 4 Pump Court ‘Provides thorough, clear advice delivered in a timely manner.’
- Alistair Schaff QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘His written advice is always decisive, I trust his advice and experience implicitly.’
- Richard Slade QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Very good with clients; calm, straightforward, and commercial.’
- Michael Swainston QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Has a formidable reputation as a cross-examiner – forensic and to the point questions.’
- John Taylor QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Punchy, robust and authoritative.’
- Adam Tolley QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very thorough, incisive, approachable, makes himself available, and pleasant to work with.’
- Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A savvy tactician and excellent at carrying clients with him.’

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – 2017 silks

1
- Richard Brent QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Meticulous, extremely approachable and a consistently safe pair of hands.’
- James Counsell QC - Outer Temple Chambers ‘Highly recommended for banking litigation work.’
- Orlando Gledhill QC - One Essex Court ‘Very thorough, very tenacious and has a great advocacy style.’
- Ben Jaffey QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Unique in his ability to understand and apply difficult concepts to difficult commercial issues.’
- Henry King QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Especially good on accounting type issues given his dual qualification.’
- Stephen Midwinter QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Unfailingly courteous and very helpful, a star in the making.’
- Adam Zellick QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Bright, dedicated and very focused on achieving client objectives.’

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – 2018 silks

1
- Hannah Brown QC - One Essex Court ‘A very personable and tenacious advocate.’
- Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A superstar in the making and one of the youngest ever commercial silks.’
- James Cutress QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Definitely a person to turn to on anything complex requiring real brain power.’
- Edmund King QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘A tenacious and effective advocate with complete command of all the commercial and legal issues.’
- Paul Sinclair QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A real pleasure to work with.’
- Ian Wilson QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A calm presence, and able to bring clear thought to complicated issues.’

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – 2019 silks

1
- Andrew De Mestre QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Clear thinking, amazing memory and an ability to assimilate information quickly.’
- Peter De Verneuil Smith QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Stoical and robust, he delivers a star turn.’
- Christopher Harris QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Extremely bright and a pleasure to deal with.’
- Nicholas Medcroft QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A genuine team player with deep knowledge across civil and criminal aspects.’
- Fionn Pilbrow QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Great at stepping in on short notice to help with difficult situations, one of my go-to barristers.’

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading juniors

1
- Simon Atrill - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Has a very client-friendly manner, explains things clearly and talks through difficult points.’
- Simon Hattan - Serle Court ‘He is hardworking and hands on, bright, focused and very commercial.’
- William Edwards - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very insightful and thorough, and often picks up things which others leave out.’
- Laura John - Fountain Court Chambers ‘An excellent junior: clever, incisive and hardworking.’
- Farhaz Khan - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘An excellent barrister; brings his best-of-class knowledge and understanding to his advice.’
- Adam Kramer - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Absolutely first rate – an excellent lawyer and outstanding advocate.’
- James MacDonald - One Essex Court ‘A rising star senior junior; excellent at getting across a huge amount of detail.’
- Matthew Parker - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He is a rare mix because his live and written advocacy is of the same exceptional standard.’
- Conall Patton - One Essex Court ‘Fantastic – a go-to barrister on complex finance disputes.’
2
- Rupert Allen - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Exceptionally bright and easy to work with.’
- Ruth Bala - Gough Square Chambers ‘A recognised leader in her field.’
- Marianne Butler - Fountain Court Chambers ‘An excellent junior; good at grappling with large volumes of material and distilling issues.’
- Stewart Chirnside - Quadrant Chambers ‘Always willing to express a view and works well with the instructing solicitor.’
- Michael D’Arcy - One Essex Court ‘Has the kind of brain that can navigate complex financial instruments with ease.’
- James Duffy - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Absolutely outstanding, a first-rate lawyer who provides incisive and practical input.’
- Mark Fell - Radcliffe Chambers ‘Very knowledgeable, responsive and diligent, particularly in retail banking law.’
- Jamie Goldsmith - One Essex Court ‘Has terrific energy and dynamism, he throws himself into a case and is extremely responsive.’
- William Hibbert - Henderson Chambers ‘Vastly experienced in the consumer credit field and provides QC-level experience.’
- Louise Hutton - Essex Court Chambers ‘Legally and commercially astute in equal measure, with a huge amount of experience.’
- Sebastian Isaac - One Essex Court ‘A great choice for banking litigation disputes.’
- Michael Lazarus - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He sees the law as something that’s three dimensional and he has a unique style that judges appreciate.’
- Iain MacDonald - Gough Square Chambers ‘Very proactive, knows his stuff, very easy going and good with the client.’
- Elizabeth Ovey - Radcliffe Chambers ‘A heavyweight advocate, measured in her manner with clients and judges alike.’
- Fred Philpott - Gough Square Chambers ‘Outstanding, there is nothing about consumer credit the man doesn’t know.’
- Alexander Polley - One Essex Court ‘Prodigiously clever and a star – has impeccable judgement that extends well beyond his call date.’
- Simon Popplewell - Gough Square Chambers ‘In terms of consumer credit he is at the very top of his profession.’
- Scott Ralston - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Particularly adept at getting to the heart of the key issues.’
- Stephen Robins - South Square ‘A very substantial help to us – very hardworking and very responsive.’
- Sharif Shivji - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Very good at analysing complex financial structures.’
- David Simpson - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Extremely easy to deal with, clever, supportive, and always has a good idea.’
- Julia Smith - Henderson Chambers ‘A strong recommendation for banking matters.’
- James Willan - Essex Court Chambers ‘He outstanding and considerably better than most QCs he’s up against.’
- Nik Yeo - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very knowledgeable on the law and application of it to difficult products and facts.’
3
- Oliver Assersohn - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Collaborative and helpful.’
- Chris Boardman - Radcliffe Chambers ‘Excellent at assessing the mood of the tribunal and able to adapt himself accordingly.’
- Laurence Emmett - One Essex Court ‘A very strong up-and-coming junior.’
- Richard Eschwege - Brick Court Chambers ‘Outstanding – to the point and very collegiate, and even by the high standards of the Bar he is very hardworking.’
- Richard Fisher - South Square ‘Very thorough, responsive and friendly; a joy to work with.’
- Henry Forbes Smith - One Essex Court ‘A brilliant draftsman and excellent at running with difficult arguments.’
- Andrew Fulton - 20 Essex Street ‘Extremely knowledgeable on banking and trade related matters and hugely committed.’
- Fred Hobson - Brick Court Chambers ‘A pleasure to work with, very creative and excellent with challenging clients.’
- Ciaran Keller - Essex Court Chambers ‘Down to earth and a pleasure to work with.’
- Liisa Lahti - Quadrant Chambers ‘An extremely able lawyer, fantastically thorough, and really knows the details.’
- James McClelland - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A brilliant lawyer who leaves no stone unturned.’
- Alexander Milner - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He’s great: very bright, responsive and thorough.’
- Stephen Neville - Gough Square Chambers ‘Very user friendly and a go-to person for all consumer finance matters.’
- Tamara Oppenheimer - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Always highly responsive, has an immense capacity for hard work and a pleasure to work with.’
- Luke Pearce - 20 Essex Street ‘A highly impressive junior with an unflappable manner.’
- Jonathan Mark Phillips - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very thorough and diligent, he really gets to grips with challenging technical points.’
- Sandy Phipps - One Essex Court ‘Very user friendly, commercial, and has an excellent memory for facts and law.’
- Rajesh Pillai - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Incredibly bright and his drafting is superb.’
- James Ross - Gough Square Chambers ‘Excellent technical knowledge on all legal and regulatory issues relating to consumer credit.’
- Emily Saunderson - Quadrant Chambers ‘Technically very strong and able to assimilate large amounts of detail.’
- James Sheehan - Essex Court Chambers ‘His ability to grasp complex factual matters is particularly impressive.’
- Adam Sher - Fountain Court Chambers ‘One of the outstanding juniors at the Bar and a superstar of the future.’
- Tony Singla - Brick Court Chambers ‘A very fine barrister, his drafting is excellent and tight, his advocacy very impressive.’
- Andrew Thomas - Brick Court Chambers ‘Provides excellent support and is very responsive and professional.’
- Henry Warwick - Henderson Chambers ‘Very commercial and a good advocate.’
4
- Sarah Abram - Brick Court Chambers ‘Excellent technical skills allied with a fantastic capacity to analyse complex material.’
- Adam Al-Attar - South Square ‘Confident in going up against QCs and is never fazed.’
- Tom Asquith - 4 New Square ‘Very diligent and focused on achieving the client’s commercial objectives.’
- James Barnard - 1 Essex Court ‘A strong choice for banking litigation.’
- Natasha Bennett - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Has a first-rate mind and a formidable capacity for hard work.’
- Nazeer Chowdhury - Henderson Chambers ‘Well regarded for consumer finance.’
- David Davies - Essex Court Chambers ‘His written work is excellent and he gets on top of the facts very quickly.’
- Charlotte Eborall - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Clear, measured and methodical in her advice, her written work output is excellent.’
- Tom Ford - Essex Court Chambers ‘An absolutely first-rate junior combining intellect with sound practical judgement and advice.’
- Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Able, hardworking and good with clients.’
- Emma Jones - One Essex Court ‘Responsive and thoughtful, her advice is always practical.’
- Lisa Lacob - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A lively advocate, enthusiastic, and a good communicator.’
- Edward Levey - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Good fun to work with, fantastic on his feet and superb cross-examination.’
- Andrew Maguire - Outer Temple Chambers ‘Excellent with clients and coasts through the complexities of the law.’
- Sophie Mallinckrodt - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Good understanding of finance-based transactions and banking matters.’
- Alec McCluskey - Maitland Chambers ‘Combines excellent advocacy skills with well-crafted, pragmatic written advice.’
- Craig Morrison - Brick Court Chambers ‘Fearsome intellect, Trojan work ethic and perfectly calibrated judgement.’
- David Murray - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A very safe pair of hands.’
- Deepak Nambisan - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Particularly good with clients, he’s a smooth operator.’
- Sam Neaman - Littleton Chambers ‘Incredibly bright, incisive and very user friendly.’
- Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Recommended for banking disputes with an offshore element.’
- Richard Perkoff - Littleton Chambers ‘Very thorough and hardworking.’
- Georgina Peters - South Square ‘Exceptionally clever and did an extraordinary job.’
- Dennis Rosenthal - Henderson Chambers ‘Has an encyclopaedic knowledge of consumer credit law and is an exceptionally able draftsman.’
- Alan Roxburgh - Brick Court Chambers ‘Takes any legal problem and resolves it quickly and effectively.’
- Nehali Shah - One Essex Court ‘Came to every call with all the points and ready to make a real contribution.’
- Marcus Staff - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Particularly good on banking disputes and has very detailed knowledge of industry practices.’
- Justina Stewart - New Square Chambers ‘Has a very good commercial application and a way with lay clients.’
- Joseph Sullivan - Quadrant Chambers ‘A star of the future who is not afraid of anyone.’
- Alastair Tomson - 4 Stone Buildings ‘An excellent junior, in court he can go toe to toe with QCs.’
- Emily Wood - Essex Court Chambers ‘A superstar of the future – down to earth, clear and supremely smart.’

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3 Verulam Buildings is praised for its ‘strength in depth in financial disputes’, and offers a ‘stand out’ service and a ‘genuine "how can I help" attitude’. Clients note that ‘the junior silks are really superb on the banking sphere’. The set added to its already considerable ranks following the arrival of Hodge Malek QC and three juniors from 39 Essex Chambers, and Farhaz Khan from Outer Temple Chambers. The year saw the end of the RBS rights issue litigation, which involved numerous members of chambers. Other key disputes keeping several barristers busy, included PCP Capital Partners v Barclays Bank, and Red Kite Management v Barclays Bank.

Fountain Court Chambers is ‘the pre-eminent set for financial disputes’ and the ‘clerking is first rate’. The chambers has market leading barristers at every level, and offers expertise in the civil, criminal and regulatory side of banking law. Members have plenty of experience of large scale mis-selling claims, having been involved in the Property Alliance Group litigation on behalf of RBS, as well as the RBS rights issue litigation. Beyond banks, several members have been advising the Ukraine on its $3bn Eurobond dispute, Law Debenture Trust v Ukraine.

One Essex Court has ‘fantastic strength in depth when it comes to banking litigation’ with a strong offering of silks and juniors at every stage. Members have been picked in some of the leading banking disputes that the market has to offer, including PCP Capital Partners v Barclays Bank, and have also had roles on the RBS rights issue litigation, FDIC-R v Barclays, Lloyds, HBOS, RBS, Deutsche Bank and others, Herald Fund PLC v Prime Fund, and Compucredit v Barclays Bank.

Brick Court Chambers is a ‘very impressive set for financial services litigation,’ where ‘the barristers all seem intellectually a notch above those at other sets’. The set is seen to be going ‘from strength to strength across the board, with fantastic barristers from top to bottom’. Members can regularly be found on the biggest claims, acting both for and against the banks, including Law Debenture Trust v Ukraine, St Petersburg v Arkhangelsky, and Property Alliance Group v RBS.

Essex Court Chambers is a popular choice for major banking and finance disputes, particularly where there is an overlap into areas like civil fraud. Members are often involved in the most complex cases. Notable highlights include Lehman Waterfall Part C, Lehman Brothers Finance v Tschira, FDIC v Barlcays, and National Bank Trust v Yurov, Belyaev & Fetisov.

South Square has ‘a great depth of talent’ and is ‘unquestioned first choice for restructuring and insolvency’. The set has numerous barristers experienced in technical banking claims involving mis-selling and derivatives. A cohort of members were involved in the Lehman Waterfall I, II and III applications. Other key cases include Wall v RBS, Primeo Fund v HSBC, and Deutsche Bank v Dana Gas.

4 Stone Buildings is ‘a terrific set on banking and insolvency, with some real stars’, particularly among the set’s senior silks. Members have been involved in several leading mandates, including Singularis Holdings Limited v Daiwa Capital Markets Europe, and JSC BTA Bank v. Ablyazov.

Blackstone Chambers has ‘a longstanding well-deserved reputation in this field, which is matched by the strength in depth of its available counsel’. Several members within chambers were involved in PCP Partners v Barclays Bank, representing both PCP and ex-Barclays CEO, John Varley.

Gough Square Chambers is an extremely popular destination for contentious and non-contentious consumer credit matters, where clients ‘would not hesitate to instruct any member of the set as their reputation precedes them’. Major recently, highlights include Arif and others v Berkeley Burke SIPP Administration, relating to the mis-selling of self-invested pension plans.

Henderson Chambers has a broad range of ‘intellectually capable’ barristers. The set has a strong reputation for ‘commercially sensible advice’, particularly in the contentious and advisory consumer credit space where it acts for the UK’s largest banks, as well as other finance houses and lenders.

Radcliffe Chambers is ‘never short of a commercial or chancery practitioner that fits the job’. The set is especially strong on the consumer credit side, where it has some of the leading silks and juniors, as well as barristers well versed in broader banking disputes such as Rosserlane v Credit Suisse.

Serle Court houses several barristers ‘highly skilled’ in banking disputes, especially offshore and fraud-related cases. The set is also noted for its ‘good strength in depth of hardworking juniors’. Four members were involved in the RBS rights issue litigation, while other significant cases included Carlyle Capital v Conway and others.

XXIV Old Buildings has ‘a strong group of silks and juniors’ who are ‘reliable, sound, down to earth and very accommodating’. The set has a strong pedigree in banking litigation, particularly with an offshore angle.

4 Pump Court is becoming a ‘go-to set for financial litigation’, particularly for claims against the banks. Members have a broad range of expertise in cases regarding the ISDA Master Agreement, and FOREX and LIBOR manipulation. Notable highlights include Golden Belt v BNP Paribas, and Fortress Securities and others v BNP Paribas.

7 King's Bench Walk has several barristers well-versed in major ISDA Master Agreement disputes, swaps and derivatives claims, and mis-selling. Recent highlights include PDVSA v Pietro Saudi, and the RBS rights issue litigation.

20 Essex Street ‘is always willing to find someone to help’ and ‘very strong in banking and finance, and increasingly so where there are additional fraud elements’. Clients particularly appreciate its ‘range of expertise, practicality and pricing’. As well as nurturing some top-notch, home grown talent, it has also attracted leading silks, such as Paul Lowenstein QC from 3 Verulam Buildings.

Maitland Chambers is a popular choice that is singled out for its ‘excellent juniors’. The chambers is also noted for its strong crossover into banking-related fraud and offshore disputes. Notable cases include Canary Wharf Finance II v Deutsche Trustee Company, and Lehman Waterfall I Application.

Outer Temple Chambers fields several highly rated silks and juniors with a strong background in commercial and regulatory banking disputes, including Michael Bowes QC and James Counsell QC, while at the junior end, Andrew Maguire is noted for his strong track record in mis-selling claims. Farhaz Khan left to join 3 Verulam Buildings in 2018.

Quadrant Chambers enters the rankings following the arrival of highly rated Paul Downes QC, Stewart Chirnside, Emily Saunderson, and Joseph Sullivan from 2TG – 2 Temple Gardens. They add to a strong stable of commercially minded banking litigators with a strong track record in major civil disputes.

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- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
Have Changes to The Spouse/Civil Partnership Minimum Income Threshold Made A Difference?

The plight of those denied a UK Spouse/CivilPartnership Visa or a Spouse/Civil Partnership Visa extension continues to feature in the headlines. In August 2018, the Guardian reported on one young woman, driven to attempt suicide after her fiancé, an Albanian national, was not permitted to enter the country. The Home Office ruled Paige Smith, a British Citizen, did not meet the £18,600 income threshold. It later transpired the Home Office lost a crucial payslip proving that Ms Smith met the criteria, a document the department had been sent four times by a Solicitor and Ms Smith’s MP. The appeal Judge took ten minutes to rule the Visa should have been approved; however, the couple still had to wait two months for the Home Office to declare it would not appeal the decision.

- A Y & J Solicitors

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