Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

Index of tables

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) - Leading sets
Leading Silks
2018 Silks
2019 Silks
Leading Juniors

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) - Leading sets

Leading Silks

1
- Stephen Auld QC - One Essex Court ‘ Good at cutting through knotty issues to get to the heart of things. ’
- Adrian Beltrami QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ He is first class – incredibly clear-minded, highly responsive and a great advocate. ’
- Richard Coleman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Excellent technical knowledge in the banking sphere and very user friendly. ’
- Raymond Cox QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Very calm and unflappable. ’
- Robin Dicker QC - South Square ‘ Highly sought after for complex disputes. ’
- Richard Handyside QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ One of the leading banking silks currently in practice, he is at the top of his game. ’
- Mark Howard QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ You always want him on your team as he adds incredible value – expensive but worth every penny. ’
- Tim Lord QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Very creative and a fantastic advocate – he's very personable and fun to work with. ’
- Ali Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A first-class banking litigator. ’
- Ewan McQuater QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Very strong on the technical banking stuff, and he's a fighter, which we like. ’
- Robert Miles QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ His cross-examination skills are measured and effective. ’
- Laurence Rabinowitz QC - One Essex Court ‘ He is a serious heavyweight when you have a problem that you don’t know the answers to. ’
- David Railton QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Extremely bright, hugely experienced, and unflappable under pressure, as well as being very personable and client friendly. ’
- Bankim Thanki QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ He's now in the band of the real elite at the commercial Bar, and rightly so. ’
- Sonia Tolaney QC - One Essex Court ‘ Not only is she technically superb and a silky smooth advocate, she is just such a pleasure to work with. ’
- Daniel Toledano QC - One Essex Court ‘ Phenomenal on his feet – always charming and unflustered and judges really listen and trust him. ’
- Malcolm Waters QC - RADCLIFFE CHAMBERS ‘ A top-notch consumer finance barrister. ’
- David Wolfson QC - One Essex Court ‘ Absorbs enormous amounts of information with ease and explains highly complex and intertwined issues with enviable clarity. ’
2
- David Blayney QC - Serle Court ‘ His intellect has truly frightening firepower, but he wears it lightly and is incredibly easy to work with. ’
- Alain Choo Choy QC - One Essex Court ‘ Very intelligent, likeable, open-minded and works with you as part of the team. ’
- David Foxton QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Combines immense charm with encyclopaedic knowledge of the law, along with boundless energy and tireless persistence in court. ’
- Jeremy Goldring QC - South Square ‘ A pleasure to work with – he is very clever and has excellent judgement. ’
- Patrick Goodall QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Absolutely top rate. ’
- Matthew Hardwick QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Showed outstanding attention, patience and mastery of the papers. ’
- Timothy Howe QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A smooth and eloquent advocate who has the ear of the court. ’
- Richard Lissack QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Deeply impressive knowledge of banking and finance law, and advocacy skills. ’
- Richard Mawrey QC - Henderson Chambers ‘ Among the best barristers you'll work with. ’
- Andrew Mitchell QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ He has a highly authoritative and effective advocacy style that judges really warm to. ’
- Jonathan Nash QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ He is an incredible silk. ’
- John Odgers QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A cerebral and formidable counsel. ’
- Andrew Onslow QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Clearly a leader in his field in relation to banking disputes. ’
- Craig Orr QC - One Essex Court ‘ He is superb on his feet – calm and unflappable – and top drawer at cross-examination. ’
- David Quest QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Careful, thoughtful, has a strong specialist knowledge and is an effective advocate. ’
- Anthony de Garr Robinson QC - One Essex Court ‘ Outstanding – a leading advocate in the area of banking litigation. ’
- Richard Salter QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A top-flight lawyer who can bring an alternative analysis to matters, which clients appreciate. ’
- Simon Salzedo QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ A top performer. ’
- Joe Smouha QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ One of the most exceptional silks in the City, he is also brilliant with clients. ’
- Nigel Tozzi QC - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ Very easy to work with but remains a formidable advocate at any hearing. ’
3
- David Allison QC - South Square ‘ A very good advocate who cuts through the noise and tells the court what it needs to hear. ’
- Jeffrey Chapman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A great communicator – explains the complex clearly and cuts through to the nub of matters. ’
- Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ A very effective advocate, focused on the main issues, and calmly persuasive. ’
- Derrick Dale QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A star banking silk. ’
- Rhodri Davies QC - One Essex Court ‘ A no-nonsense, fabulous advocate and a pleasure to deal with. ’
- Dominic Dowley QC - Serle Court ‘ Extremely responsive and helpful in a time-pressured case. ’
- Paul Downes QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ A highly skilled advocate and a devastating cross-examiner, he absolutely hates to lose and clients can really tell that. ’
- Andrew Green QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ An excellent advocate and cross-examiner. ’
- Barry Isaacs QC - South Square ‘ A great advocate, both orally and on paper: he is concise, incisive, well-measured, nimble, and judges like and appreciate his style. ’
- John Jarvis QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ He has a very broad range of experience, particularly in finance, fraud and insolvency matters. ’
- Hodge Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Extremely well regarded for banking litigation. ’
- Philip Marshall QC - Serle Court ‘ One of the best courtroom advocates at the commercial Bar. ’
- Paul McGrath QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Incredibly clever and creative, with great legal knowledge, particular in the area of fraud. ’
- Martin Moore QC - Erskine Chambers ‘ Hugely experienced in bank ring fencing schemes ’
- Mark Phillips QC - South Square ‘ An excellent silk for heavy litigation, especially where you know you're in for a scrap. ’
- Patricia Robertson QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ She is in complete control, and has a critical eye but a calm and easy manner that instils confidence and makes her a delight to work with. ’
- Tom Smith QC - South Square ‘ He is top class – very clever, gets to the nub of matters quickly, and a fantastic advocate. ’
- Ben Strong QC - One Essex Court ‘ A real team player, he gets to grips with the detail and is very responsive. ’
4
- Andrew Ayres QC - Maitland Chambers ‘ Very precise in his written work and works well with the team. ’
- Michael Blair QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Extremely experienced across a broad range of banking issues. ’
- Michael Bowes QC - Outer Temple Chambers ‘ A top choice for civil and criminal banking matters. ’
- Jonathan Davies-Jones QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ His analysis is second to none. ’
- Jasbir Dhillon QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Phenomenally rigorous and incisive – a true strategic thinker. ’
- Catherine Gibaud QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ An excellent banking silk. ’
- Lord Grabiner QC - One Essex Court ‘ A leader of the Bar. ’
- Jeffrey Gruder QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A very wise lawyer who has a good bedside manner. ’
- Javan Herberg QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ He is responsive, great analytically and is a very good advocate and team player. ’
- Stephen Houseman QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Easy to deal with, proactive and a good combination of strategic oversight plus willing. ’
- Roger Masefield QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ A very good, bright advocate who runs a team very well. ’
- Benjamin Pilling QC - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ Very easy to work with and banks like instructing him. ’
- Akhil Shah QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A real team player with great analytical ability. ’
- Andrew Sutcliffe QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A superb banking silk. ’
- John Taylor QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ An outstanding banking practitioner. ’
5
- Simon Birt QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ He is unflappable and remains serene however pressured the situation. ’
- Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Approachable, knowledgeable and a gifted advocate – my first port of call with a complex commercial dispute. ’
- John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Outstandingly clever with a compelling court style and a pleasure to work with. ’
- Jeremy Cousins QC - RADCLIFFE CHAMBERS ‘ Strong commerciality and excellent detailed legal analysis. ’
- Helen Davies QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Always accessible, easy to work with and finds time to deal with any query. ’
- Philip Edey QC - Twenty Essex ‘ A fiercely intelligent silk. ’
- Richard Edwards QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Excellent at cross-examination, including of technical experts in the field of banking, especially complex derivatives. ’
- Jonathan Gaisman QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ The best advocate at the Bar – he has built a strong profile for banking and finance work. ’
- Andrew George QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Has an exceptional mind which allows him to distil complex legal problems almost instantaneously. ’
- Richard Hill QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Leaves no stone unturned when it comes to assessing details and evidence and is usually thinking a step or two ahead of his opponents. ’
- Andrew Hunter QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Exceptionally bright, he has a laser-focused mind. ’
- Elizabeth Jones QC - Serle Court ‘ Her intellectual powers are outstanding, as is her tenacity. ’
- Paul Lowenstein QC - Twenty Essex ‘ A silk who can be relied upon to deal soundly with difficult hearings. ’
- Catherine Newman QC - Maitland Chambers ‘ She’s forthright, hardworking, able, and great fun to work with. ’
- Ros Phelps QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A star – excellent judgement beyond what you might expect for a relatively junior silk. ’
- Nathan Pillow QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ He is incredibly easy to work with, brilliant with clients, and has a great eye for the detail as well as overall strategy. ’
- Alistair Schaff QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ He is very, very thorough and is an appealing advocate. ’
- Richard Slade QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ He fits into the team like a glove – never authoritative, but consultative and decisive. ’
- Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Guided the case through the Commercial Court with astonishing aplomb. ’
- Adam Tolley QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ An excellent silk. ’
- Felicity Toube QC - South Square ‘ Her written opinions should stand as an example of precisely what clients and instructing attorneys want to see – clear, concise and reliable. ’
- Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Very strong and very easy to work with from a client perspective. ’

2018 Silks

1
- Hannah Brown QC - One Essex Court ‘ Excellent to work with, very intelligent, and is always all across the case law. ’
- Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A very personable silk who is great with clients and gives commercial, direct advice. ’
- James Cutress QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ He has a formidable intellect and can always see creative solutions to the most difficult problems. ’
- Edmund King QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ He lives and breathes his cases – judges listen to him because he's always on top of the detail. ’
- Paul Sinclair QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Measured and eloquent in court and entirely professional in his dealings, he is an effective and intelligent cross-examiner. ’
- Ian Wilson QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A great practitioner who is building a stellar practice. ’

2019 Silks

1
- Christopher Harris QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ He stepped up to the plate and helped us massively. ’
- Nicholas Medcroft QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Great on the fine details of cases as well as the big picture. ’
- Andrew de Mestre QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Charming, down-to-earth and highly responsive, with first-rate client-care skills. ’
- Fionn Pilbrow QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Enthusiastic and engaging, and produced analysis and written work of the highest quality. ’
- Peter De Verneuil Smith QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Very punchy with his intellect and advice, he delivers a star turn. ’

Leading Juniors

1
- Rupert Allen - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Exceptionally clever, hardworking, highly responsive and very effective and experienced. ’
- Simon Atrill - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Highly recommended, you should not hesitate in instructing him. ’
- Michael D'Arcy - One Essex Court ‘ He provides forensic analysis, clear advice and excellent drafting. ’
- William Edwards - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A formidable advocate who has the ability to make incisive points at key moments. ’
- Simon Hattan - Serle Court ‘ Absolutely brilliant – a real all-rounder who you can totally trust on a range of commercial and financial litigation. ’
- Laura John - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ An excellent banking junior. ’
- Farhaz Khan - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A very able junior who is confident in his written and oral work and is a pleasure to deal with. ’
- Adam Kramer - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Brilliant on paper, he can work through the most complex case and distil it into a persuasive, easy to understand submission. ’
- James MacDonald - One Essex Court ‘ One of the leading banking juniors at the Bar. ’
- Matthew Parker - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Extremely hardworking, and just as good on paper as he is on his feet. ’
- Conall Patton - One Essex Court ‘ One of the leading banking litigation juniors of his generation. ’
- Scott Ralston - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ His preparation is excellent, which allows his submissions to be focused and tight. ’
2
- Oliver Assersohn - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Very responsive and hardworking, his input is always measured and valuable. ’
- Ruth Bala - Gough Square Chambers ‘ Has a great knack for translating hugely complex material and law into advice clients understand and act upon. ’
- Marianne Butler - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ She gives down-to-earth, accurate advice, and the clients adore her – she's a star of the future. ’
- Stewart Chirnside - Quadrant Chambers ‘ A very bright, solid, persuasive, reliable and pleasant general commercial counsel. ’
- James Duffy - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A brilliant banking and finance junior – he's great to work with, has a good sense of strategy, and drafts very well. ’
- Richard Eschwege - Brick Court Chambers ‘ An incredibly bright junior who works phenomenally hard. ’
- Mark Fell - RADCLIFFE CHAMBERS ‘ An expert in the consumer credit field, superbly responsive and supportive. ’
- Richard Fisher - South Square ‘ As assured with clients as he is with the court, he will no doubt be in silk very shortly. ’
- Jamie Goldsmith - One Essex Court ‘ Without a doubt a fantastic barrister. ’
- William Hibbert - Henderson Chambers ‘ Has vast experience of consumer credit disputes. ’
- Sebastian Isaac - One Essex Court ‘ Very strategic and extremely supportive – obtains fantastic results. ’
- Liisa Lahti - Quadrant Chambers ‘ She is excellent – very hardworking and thorough. ’
- Michael Lazarus - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Highly responsive, personable, and unparalleled attention to detail matched by astute strategic and commercial skills. ’
- Iain MacDonald - Gough Square Chambers ‘ He is diligent, on top of the detail and commercial in his advice, and also an impressive advocate. ’
- James McClelland - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ He has fantastic analytical skills, never misses a point, and has a good strategic mind. ’
- Tamara Oppenheimer - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Skillful, analytical, innovative, and very user friendly. ’
- Luke Pearce - Twenty Essex ‘ An excellent junior counsel – very straightforward and efficient. ’
- Fred Philpott - Gough Square Chambers ‘ Very fast at assimilating and analysing information, and excellent at legal interpretation. ’
- Sandy Phipps - One Essex Court ‘ Extremely user friendly and responsive, with an excellent client manner. ’
- Alexander Polley - One Essex Court ‘ A great team player – he absorbs and digests very large amounts of information effortlessly. ’
- Simon Popplewell - Gough Square Chambers ‘ Gives practical advice with excellent legal reasoning and background knowledge. ’
- Stephen Robins - South Square ‘ Has proved excellent for us. ’
- James Sheehan - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Extremely knowledgeable, hardworking, and has a very good attention to detail. ’
- Sharif Shivji - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He really is first class, he combines charm and an ease of manner with a deft touch and strategic acumen. ’
- David Simpson - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Very affable and a pleasure to work with. ’
- Julia Smith - Henderson Chambers ‘ Commercial and practical, and very user friendly. ’
- James Willan - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Absolutely outstanding in every imaginable way. ’
- Nik Yeo - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ His knowledge of the area of law and of how structured finance products is very good. ’
3
- Natasha Bennett - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A top-quality junior who produces excellent work product. ’
- Chris Boardman - RADCLIFFE CHAMBERS ‘ A very approachable barrister who always has a clear strategy on cases from the outset. ’
- Charlotte Eborall - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ She is always excellent. ’
- Laurence Emmett - One Essex Court ‘ A very intelligent, methodical and hardworking barrister who quickly digests complex financial transactions. ’
- Andrew Fulton - Twenty Essex ‘ Particularly knowledgeable on trade and banking instruments, he is an excellent advocate and always fights the clients' case with enthusiasm. ’
- Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Very erudite and thorough to a tee. ’
- Fred Hobson - Brick Court Chambers ‘ A brilliant banking junior with experience that belies his years. ’
- Louise Hutton - Essex Court Chambers ‘ She has a tremendous grasp of the relevant caselaw and great technical knowhow. ’
- Ciaran Keller - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Very bright, commercial, accessible, a good team player and a pleasure to work with. ’
- Lisa Lacob - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Organised, clear in her written advice and pleadings and an effective advocate. ’
- Alec McCluskey - Maitland Chambers ‘ An excellent all-round counsel, his swift mastery of complex facts and technical points of law always adds value. ’
- Alexander Milner - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Absolutely outstanding, incredibly bright, and a great person to have on your team. ’
- Craig Morrison - Brick Court Chambers ‘ A superb junior and an up-and-coming star. ’
- Stephen Neville - Gough Square Chambers ‘ Exceptionally knowledgeable on the complexities of consumer credit regulation. ’
- Elizabeth Ovey - RADCLIFFE CHAMBERS ‘ Well regarded for banking litigation. ’
- Georgina Peters - South Square ‘ An excellent junior, she has a glowing future ahead of her. ’
- Jonathan Mark Phillips - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A leading expert on promissory notes and really nice to work with. ’
- Rajesh Pillai - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Super efficient and structured, he is also extremely hardworking and a real pleasure to work with. ’
- James Ross - Gough Square Chambers ‘ He is very user friendly and has a great knowledge of the regulatory framework. ’
- Emily Saunderson - Quadrant Chambers ‘ An accomplished and confident advocate, her ability to effectively communicate the finer points of the case to the court is invaluable. ’
- Nehali Shah - One Essex Court ‘ Extremely efficient and very thorough. ’
- Adam Sher - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ He has a first-rate mind, a wonderful drafting style, unstinting energy and is a real pleasure to work with. ’
- Tony Singla - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Particularly impressive ability to be completely on top of the detail of a very fact-heavy case but also cut through to its key points. ’
- Henry Forbes Smith - One Essex Court ‘ Fantastic on black letter law issues, particularly jurisdiction. ’
- Justina Stewart - New Square Chambers ‘ A highly intelligent and tenacious litigator, she is also far more financially literate than most barristers. ’
- Andrew Thomas - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Extremely easy to get on with and patient with in-house counsel. ’
- Henry Warwick - Henderson Chambers ‘ Excellent with clients and really gets the pressures of an instructing solicitor. ’
- Emily Wood - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Has excellent judgement across the whole spectrum of skill sets. ’
4
- Sarah Abram - Brick Court Chambers ‘ An exceptional lawyer, extremely good to deal with, very sharp, with excellent drafting and presentation. ’
- Tom Asquith - 4 New Square ‘ Extremely bright, has a charming manner with clients and is a strong advocate. ’
- Adam Al Attar - South Square ‘ Brilliantly clever, his advocacy is crystal clear and his control of the courtroom superb. ’
- Christopher Bond - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Balances thorough legal analysis with a practical approach to identifying which are the issues that really matter to the outcome of a case. ’
- Oliver Butler - One Essex Court ‘ Smart, imaginative and hardworking. ’
- Nazeer Chowdhury - Henderson Chambers ‘ Highly experienced in consumer credit issues. ’
- David Davies - Essex Court Chambers ‘ An excellent junior, very user friendly and responsive. ’
- Tom Ford - Essex Court Chambers ‘ He is unflappable, dealing with each challenge efficiently and effectively through a combination of determination and charm. ’
- Emma Jones - One Essex Court ‘ A very responsive, hardworking junior. ’
- Edward Levey - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A very smart lawyer and also a really nice barrister to work with. ’
- Andrew Maguire - Outer Temple Chambers ‘ He has an excellent eye for detail, and has a good entrepreneurial style to his practice which often allows deals to be done where they otherwise would not. ’
- Sophie Mallinckrodt - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Very efficient, she gets stuck into the papers and gives clear advice. ’
- David Murray - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ He is excellent to deal with, and has a good, user-friendly manner which appeals to clients and solicitors alike. ’
- Sam Neaman - Littleton Chambers ‘ Sam is exceptional – hugely personable, dynamic and good humoured. ’
- Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Clever, imaginative in solving problems, hardworking, and a pleasure to work with. ’
- Dennis Rosenthal - Henderson Chambers ‘ Deals with all instructed matters professionally, efficiently and with a pragmatic approach. ’
- Alan Roxburgh - Brick Court Chambers ‘ He simply processes facts and law, and comes up with the right answer, he is also a delight to work with. ’
- Thomas Samuels - Gough Square Chambers ‘ He is a strong advocate and has dealt spontaneously with issues as they occur whilst in court. ’
- Marcus Staff - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A very bright barrister who has excellent technical skills. ’
- Turlough Stone - Quadrant Chambers ‘ Very strong, especially on asset finance disputes. ’
- Joseph Sullivan - Quadrant Chambers ‘ Very knowledgeable, hardworking, responsive, and really easy to work with. ’
- Adam Temple - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ Great at spotting killer points, and developing and testing arguments at a technical level. ’
- Alastair Tomson - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Great to work with. ’
- Giles Wheeler - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ He is a strong advocate with great client-handling skills. ’

3 Verulam Buildings 'continues to thrive as a first-rate set,' and is a 'clear market leader in this field', according to instructing solicitors, who add that on 'all banking and finance matters they can offer genuine expertise and huge strength in depth'. The set's silks and juniors are regularly called upon to act on the market's largest and most technically challenging banking disputes. Recent examples using multiple members include PJSC Commercial Bank Privatbank v Kolomoisky & Others, in which Ali Malek QC and Matthew Parker represented Gennadiy Bogolyubov. Another highlight was PCP Capital Partners v Barclays Bank Plc, in which Ewan McQuater QC represented Barclays, while Andrew Onslow QC advised the Serious Fraud Office in related parallel criminal proceedings.

Fountain Court Chambers 'continues to excel in the area of banking and finance' and has 'great strength in depth' with 'a number of eminent barristers', according to sources. The set, which typically represents banks, has a broad spread of barristers covering every aspect of banking law, from the advisory to the crossover between the criminal and the regulatory spheres. A significant highlight saw Bankim Thanki QC lead the Ukraine's defence in the Court of Appeal against a $3bn Eurobond claim brought by Russia. Other notable cases included Property Alliance Group v RBS, in which Richard Handyside QC succesfully represented RBS in the Court of Appeal, and Marme v RBS, in which Timothy Howe QC, Laura John and Simon Atrill successfully represented the bank.

One Essex Court is 'one of the pre-eminent sets for financial markets disputes' with 'a range of barristers, the quality of whose advice and advocacy is unfailingly excellent', say instructing solicitors. Members regularly act on both sides of the table, although the calibre of its silks has led to it being an increasingly favoured choice of the banks. Recent highlights include Sonia Tolaney QC leading the successful defence of Barclays Bank against a £1.6bn claim by Compucredit. Another lead case was Red Kite Management Limited & Ors v Barclays Bank PLC, in which Alain Choo Choy QC and Laurence Rabinowitz QC were on opposing sides.

Brick Court Chambers is a 'top-class, go-to set for banking litigation' which solicitors note is 'able to deploy strong teams across all levels of seniority'. Unlike the sets in the top tier, the set's origins are not fixed in the banking world, so barristers have typically been a lot more versatile in acting for and against banks. Members have also been seeing a lot of Russia and fraud-related banking disputes; notable highlights including Bank St Petersburg v Arkhangelsky, in which Tim Lord QC led Simon Birt QC and Richard Eschwege, and The Federal Republic of Nigeria v JP Morgan Chase Bank NA, where Roger Masefield QC represented Nigeria.

Essex Court Chambers is a 'high-profile, high-quality set' whose members have an enviable track record when it comes to complex and highly technical banking litigation. In recent years chambers has been involved in several insolvency-related banking disputes, such as the Lehmans Waterfall litigation relating to the distribution of over $1bn from the Lehman's estate. Another highlight involving numerous members was the Hellas II litigation – Hosking v Apax Partners, Deutsche Bank & Others, in which Joe Smouha QC and Ciaran Keller faced a team including David Foxton QC.

South Square has an excellent reputation for handling technically challenging and knotty banking issues, often with an insolvency and fraud angle. The credit crunch saw the set's members embark on an impressive run of high-profile mandates, which continues to this day. Highlight instructions include Primeo Fund v HSBC, in which Tom Smith QC and Richard Fisher represented Primeo before the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal, the Lehman Waterfall I, II, and III applications, and SAAD v AHAB, which involves several members including Mark Phillips QC. William Trowers QC has recently been appointed a High Court judge and assigned to the Chancery Division.

4 Stone Buildings houses a strong complement of highly experienced banking silks and juniors. The set can often be found on complex mandates, usually with an insolvency or regulatory bent. Notable cases included Singularis Holdings Limited v Daiwa Capital Markets Europe Limited, in which Robert Miles QC and Andrew de Mestre QC represented the claimant, and Jonathan Crow QC the respondent. Richard Hill QC, Sharif Shivji and Alastair Tomson also represented the claimaint in Al Khorafi v Bank Sarasin-Alpen before the DIFC.

Blackstone Chambers 'offers great talent, and recommendations from the clerks can be trusted with little worry', say instructing solicitors. The set's expertise spans the crossover between complex banking, fraud, and regulatory matters, and it fields an especially strong cadre of experienced silks. Notable highlights include R (Holmcroft) v KPMG LLP and others, in which Javan Herberg QC represented KPMG.

Gough Square Chambers offers 'deep knowledge across the set as a whole' and is 'excellent in consumer finance affairs', according to sources, who note how chambers fields a selection of 'hugely experienced barristers who have seen it all'. The set's members, including Fred Philpott and Ruth Bala, have been involved in the defence of several significant group actions, including payday lender claims. In Various v Shawbrook Bank Ltd, a case which concerns the mis-selling of solar panel systems, Iain Macdonald and Thomas Samuels are among four members representing the defendants.

Henderson Chambers has 'a very good range of counsel, from QCs to impressive juniors, to very competent junior juniors', according to one instructing solicitor. The set has an excellent reputation for consumer credit issues, where its members are among the most experienced in the market. The set's members, including Richard Mawrey QC, William Hibbert and Julia Smith, have been involved in several key recent consumer banking cases, including DGOFT v First National Bank, OFT v Lloyds TSB Bank, and Wadham Stringer v Meaney.

Serle Court has 'good-quality barristers' and its 'juniors are often better value for money than those at some of the leading banking sets', according to clients. The set punches well above its weight with members such as David Blayney QC and Simon Hattan having been instructed on several blockbuster cases, most notably the RBS Group litigation, where they were key members of the team that represented RBS.

XXIV Old Buildings has several barristers who have built up a strong reputation for banking work. The set is especially noted for its expertise in offshore banking and fund-related disputes and insolvencies. Notable highlights on this front include Michael Black QC and Marcus Staff's role in Al Sadik v Investcorp BSC in the Cayman Islands.

4 PUMP COURT is praised for helping 'make the whole solicitor-counsel-firm-chambers dynamic feel like a proper team'. The set has made strong inroads into the banking arena, and has a talented cadre of juniors coming through to support the more well-established silks. Members have been involved in several major cases, including Golden Belt v BNP Paribas and Fortress Securities v BNP Paribas, in which Nigel Tozzi QC represented the claimants in the consolidated claims.

Maitland Chambers is a popular choice for complex banking cases and has several top silks and juniors among its ranks. A recent highlight was Red Kite Management Ltd v Barclays Bank Plc, in which Catherine Newman QC and Alec McCluskey both acted.

Quadrant Chambers has invested heavily in the banking and finance arena and now boasts an impressive cohort of well-respected and highly experienced silks and juniors. The set's members can be increasingly found on some of the most significant banking claims to hit the markets, including N v Royal Bank of Scotland, where Paul Downes QC led Emily Saunderson on behalf of the claimants.

RADCLIFFE CHAMBERS has 'excellent strength in depth, particularly in the retail banking sector'. The set fields a selection of high-quality silks and juniors, including Malcolm Waters QC and Mark Fell, with a strong grounding in consumer credit issues and regulatory matters, and those, such as Jeremy Cousins QC, who are highly experienced in broader banking claims.

Twenty Essex fields a selection of high-end silks and juniors well-versed in complex banking and trade finance disputes. Members are also experienced in derivatives claims and banking-related cyber fraud. Highlights included Fundo Soberano De Angola and ors v Jean-Claude Bastos De Morais and ors, in which Philip Edey QC and Andrew Fulton represented the corporate respondents.

Interview with...

Law firm partners and practice heads explain how their firms are adapting to clients' changing needs

DAVID JOSSE Q.C.

Head Of Chambers At 5 Sah And Specialist Human Rights And Extradition Silk, 5 St Andrews Hill (Chambers of David Josse QC)

GC Diversity and Inclusion Report

In partnership with...

'Ultimately there are as many barriers as you put up yourself, you can put up being female and black as an excuse or use it as a weapon of defiance.'

SANDIE OKORO, GENERAL COUNSEL, HSBC GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT

View more interviews from GC Magazine's Diversity and Inclusion Report UK

International comparative guides

Giving the in-house community greater insight to the law and regulations in different jurisdictions.

Select Practice Area

The Legal 500 United Kingdom - Events

Enterprise GC - UK

Enterprise GC provides a unique platform to address the evolving needs of the leading General Counsel from the UK's largest enterprise.

Search News and Articles

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

Court of Justice rules on source of income for Derivative Residence applications

On 2 October 2019, the Court of Justice delivered its judgment in Bajratari v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Directive 2004/38/EC) Case C-93/18 which concerns Chen applications and the source of funds for self-sufficiency.

- Richmond Chambers
End of the ‘centre of life test’ in Surinder Singh cases?

In the recent case of ZA (Reg 9. EEA Regs; abuse of rights) Afghanistan [2019] UKUT 281 (IAC ), the Upper Tribunal found that there is no basis in EU law for the centre of life test, as set out in Regulation 9(3)(a) of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 (the “Regulations”). It further found that it is not to be applied when Judges assess Surinder Singh cases that appear before them.

- Richmond Chambers
Terms of employment as a sole representative

In this article we examine the working arrangements of sole representatives, looking at the terms and conditions of employment that the Home Office will expect a sole representative to have in order to qualify as a representative of an overseas business.

- Richmond Chambers
Can Sole Representatives Be Shareholders?

The Immigration Rules require that an applicant for a sole representative visa is not “a majority shareholder in the overseas business”.

- Richmond Chambers
Immigration Skills Charge - A Guide for Employers

As a Sponsor, you may be required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) each time you sponsor a migrant in the Tier 2 General or Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) Long-term Staff subcategory.

- Richmond Chambers
5 FAQS about paragraph 320(11)

In applications for entry clearance where the applicant has a negative immigration history in the UK, the application may be refused under the general grounds for refusal, which are found in part 9 of the Immigration Rules. Where an applicant has ‘previously contrived in a significant way to frustrate the intentions of the Immigration Rules’, the application could be refused under paragraph 320(11). In this post we look at five frequently asked questions about paragraph 320(11).

- Richmond Chambers
Multiple nationality and multiple citizenship (including dual nationality and dual citizenship)

British nationality law permits multiple nationality and multiple citizenship, including dual nationality and dual citizenship.

- Richmond Chambers
Applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the Exceptional Talent or Promise Category

The Exceptional Talent and Exceptional Promise categories are for individuals who are recognised leaders or emerging leaders in their field of expertise. There are a number of endorsing bodies for lots of different fields of work, including artists and musicians , architects , digital experts , scientists and academics . While there isn’t an endorsing body for every expert, the growing list means that many individuals could enjoy the flexibility that this category has to offer.

- Richmond Chambers
PARALLEL PROCEEDINGS – CIVIL AND CRIMINAL

Syedur Rahmanconsiders the factors that determine when civil proceedings can go ahead before,or at the same time as, criminal proceedings relating to the same circumstances.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
Rights of appeal after the Immigration Act 2014

The Immigration Act 2014 (“the 2014 Act”) reduced the circumstances in which the refusal of an immigration application will give rise to a right of appeal. The explanatory notes to the 2014 Act state that the Act was intended to restructure rights of appeal to the Immigration Tribunal. Previously, a right of appeal to the Immigration Tribunal existed against any of the 14 different immigration decisions listed in s.82 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (“the 2002 Act”). As explained below, whether or not the refusal of an immigration application currently generates a right of appeal depends on the subject matter of the application rather than its categorisation.

- Richmond Chambers

Press Releases in the UK