Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

Index of tables

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading sets
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading silks
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – New 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
- Adrian Beltrami QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A very surefooted operator, who inspires total confidence.’
- Michael Brindle QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘An excellent and formidable silk, who is not afraid of arguing innovative points of law.’
- Raymond Cox QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘The chess grandmaster, who has a very measured, logical and persuasive style of advocacy.’
- Mark Hapgood QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘He has a masterful ability to make very difficult concepts easy to understand.’
- Mark Howard QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Deserves his stellar reputation.’
- Tim Lord QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘A brilliant advocate with a user-friendly style and a powerful intellect.’
- Ali Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘One of the outstanding practitioners in the banking area.’
- Laurence Rabinowitz QC - One Essex Court ‘Very commercial and strategic; one of the best silks at the Bar.’
- David Railton QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘An exceptional advocate, who is extremely gifted both on his feet and in conference.’
- Bankim Thanki QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Outstanding and like a guided missile.’
- Sonia Tolaney QC - One Essex Court ‘A formidably effective advocate, who gives clear and commercial advice.’
- Daniel Toledano QC - One Essex Court ‘At the top of his game as a silk for derivatives and structured product litigation.’
- Malcolm Waters QC - Radcliffe Chambers ‘An absolute star in the consumer credit world.’
- David Wolfson QC - One Essex Court ‘He is very responsive, extremely bright and provides creative solutions to complex issues.’
- Antony Zacaroli QC - South Square ‘A dream for solicitors and clients alike, and a cut above the rest.’
2
- Stephen Auld QC - One Essex Court ‘One of the leading silks to go to in matters adverse to the financial institutions.’
- Richard Coleman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He has unparalleled knowledge of the legal and factual issues surrounding hedging.’
- Robin Dicker QC - South Square ‘Among the best.’
- Charles Flint QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘His depth of knowledge and wisdom with regard to financial services regulation is invaluable.’
- David Foxton QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘He combines formidable intellectual ability with a terrific work ethic and great charm.’
- Lord Grabiner QC - One Essex Court ‘An unrivalled courtroom presence.’
- Richard Handyside QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is tremendous for banking litigation and presents his cases in a no-nonsense manner.’
- Ewan McQuater QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Authoritative and robust in his advice, and a strong advocate, who is straight to the point.’
- Robert Miles QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘A go-to leading counsel for debt capital markets disputes.’
- Jonathan Nash QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A true expert in complex banking and structured finance matters, and a smooth advocate.’
- Andrew Onslow QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A very knowledgeable banking silk, who is incredibly user-friendly and accessible.’
- Richard Salter QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Brilliant at unravelling the most complex deal and identifying the key legal issues.’
3
- Derrick Dale QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A turn-to barrister when you have a complex matter requiring a calm and careful approach.’
- Rhodri Davies QC - One Essex Court ‘An extremely user-friendly, fabulous advocate, who is a pleasure to deal with.’
- Anthony de Garr Robinson QC - One Essex Court ‘He is the real deal – an outstanding advocate with impeccable judgement.’
- Dominic Dowley QC - Serle Court ‘He is very user-friendly and has an ability to persuade judges in court.’
- Andrew Green QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘You want him on your side because you certainly don’t want him against you.’
- Javan Herberg QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Unparalleled in his knowledge and advocacy in matters in front of the FCA.’
- Timothy Howe QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He has a considered approach to giving advice and terrific advocacy skills.’
- John Jarvis QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Impresses with his understanding and immediate grasp of the issues in a case.’
- Richard Lissack QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘An expert on money laundering, who is exceptionally responsive and commercial.’
- Hodge Malek QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Very good on disputes regarding contract interpretation.’
- Philip Marshall QC - Serle Court ‘Charming with clients and also very clear.’
- Paul McGrath QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘A persuasive advocate with very impressive gravitas on matters of civil fraud.’
- Andrew Mitchell QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A real joy to work with.’
- Craig Orr QC - One Essex Court ‘A persuasive advocate, who is exceptionally hardworking and good with clients.’
- David Quest QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He is extremely bright, easy to deal with and goes the extra mile with his cases.’
- Joe Smouha QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘A very strong lawyer, who is great to work with.’
- William Trower QC - South Square ‘He is clear and analytical in his approach, and provides clear commercial advice.’
4
- James Ayliffe QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘He sees the wood from the trees and always adopts a practical, commercial approach.’
- Michael Blair QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Charming and authoritative, and particularly good as an expert to explain English financial services law.’
- David Blayney QC - Serle Court ‘A fabulously clever barrister with poise, excellent judgement and disarming humility.’
- Michael Bowes QC - Outer Temple Chambers ‘Excellent advice and sound judgement on regulatory and investigation issues.’
- Jeffrey Chapman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A good strategist, who is bright and user-friendly.’
- Alain Choo Choy QC - One Essex Court ‘He is good with clients and provides excellent analysis.’
- Matthew Collings QC - Maitland Chambers ‘A user-friendly silk.’
- Paul Downes QC - 2TG – 2 Temple Gardens ‘He is very responsive, provides robust advice and gets quickly into the details.’
- James Eadie QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Stellar – his ability to analyse a complicated case at speed is quite outstanding.’
- Clive Freedman QC - 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Rigorous in his analysis, and creative and bold in the applications he makes.’
- Jeremy Goldring QC - South Square ‘He has very sound judgement and great enthusiasm.’
- Patrick Goodall QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A great barrister, who works magnificently with the solicitor team.’
- Jeffrey Gruder QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Very user-friendly, intelligent and experienced.’
- Matthew Hardwick QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He is extremely hardworking, has great interpersonal skills and sucks up the detail.’
- Richard Hill QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Be it a trial or a simple case management conference, he leaves no stone unturned.’
- Barry Isaacs QC - South Square ‘At the top of his game, and extremely accessible and good with clients.’
- Richard Mawrey QC - Henderson Chambers ‘Unquestionably a leading name in consumer credit.’
- Richard Millett QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Always on top form – one of the first choices for heavy commercial matters.’
- John Odgers QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very focused, totally unflappable and a good tactician.’
- Guy Philipps QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘One of the few advocates with real experience of handling FCA matters in the Upper Tribunal.’
- Mark Phillips QC - South Square ‘He is authoritative in court and gives sensible, practical advice.’
- Patricia Robertson QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Absolutely all over the detail.’
- Pushpinder Saini QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘First class – quick and decisive, getting to the core very quickly.’
- Simon Salzedo QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Superb; it is not often you get a barrister who thinks in a truly different way.’
- Akhil Shah QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A calm, thorough and persuasive advocate.’
- Marcus Smith QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He has a fabulous intellect, a real command of his subject and is incredibly user-friendly.’
- Nigel Tozzi QC - 4 Pump Court ‘He has a good intellect and gives well-considered advice in a clear manner.’
- Anthony Trace QC - Maitland Chambers ‘A tenacious fighter, who is massively enthusiastic in all he does.’
5
- Tom Adam QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Very bright, able and user-friendly, and a good advocate.’
- Andrew Baker QC - 20 Essex Street ‘Sensationally good.’
- Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is exceptionally hardworking, a good team player and leads from the front.’
- John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘A great person to have on your side when things are tough.’
- Monica Carss-Frisk QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘She is simply faultless’
- Jeremy Cousins QC - Radcliffe Chambers ‘A high-quality silk, who provides in-depth research and analysis.’
- Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘A superb advocate and intellect.’
- Jonathan Davies-Jones QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He is extraordinarily clever while retaining a pragmatic and very-user friendly approach.’
- Barbara Dohmann QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Remains one of the shrewdest counsel.’
- Philip Edey QC - 20 Essex Street ‘An excellent adviser with a thorough understanding of the law.’
- Jonathan Fisher QC - Red Lion Chambers ‘He does a lot of work in this area and has a good hybrid criminal practice.’
- Vernon Flynn QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘That great breed of 21st century barrister, who is a real team player.’
- Jonathan Gaisman QC - 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘He is fantastic and does a lot of banking work.’
- Stephen Houseman QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Very bright but also very user-friendly, he will go from strength to strength.’
- Andrew Hunter QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘He commands the courtroom and grapples with complex legal issues in a very clear way.’
- Elizabeth Jones QC - Serle Court ‘A supremely stellar talent, who is outstanding as an advocate and as a team player.’
- Dominic Kendrick QC - 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Performs superbly, with deft advocacy.’
- Nicholas Lavender QC - Serle Court ‘A good choice for a difficult case; he can always be relied upon.’ *since publication, Nicholas Lavender QC has been appointed to the bench.
- Roger Masefield QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘An excellent strategist and leader of teams.’
- Gabriel Moss QC - South Square ‘Excellent – he has real gravitas and is great with clients.’
- Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A very able and agile intellect, giving both safe and more adventurous analysis.’
- Terence Mowschenson QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Experienced in offshore banking disputes.’
- Richard Slade QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘He is very user-friendly, and excellent at cutting to the heart of the matter.’
- Tom Smith QC - South Square ‘The complete package – enormously bright, unbelievably hardworking and a real team player.’
- Ben Strong QC - One Essex Court ‘Definitely one to watch, he is incredibly impressive.’
- Andrew Sutcliffe QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Highly regarded for banking disputes.’
- Michael Swainston QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘A strong silk, who works very much as part of a team.’
- John Taylor QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is incredibly astute and sharp on the detail, leaving no stone unturned.’
- Adam Tolley QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Incredibly approachable and knowledgeable on financial services disputes.’
- Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Notwithstanding his great intellect and experience, he is also a great team player.’
- Nicholas Vineall QC - 4 Pump Court ‘Highly recommended for financial services regulatory matters.’

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – New silks

1
- Daniel Bayfield QC - South Square ‘He is user-friendly and combines a sound legal approach with pragmatic advice.’
- Richard Edwards QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘The most knowledgeable and experienced claimant-side barrister in interest rate hedging disputes.’
- David Head QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very attentive to detail and very user-friendly.’
- Brian Kennelly QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘A great guy to have by your side when you are developing strategy.’
- Julian Kenny QC - 20 Essex Street ‘He has a very strong track record in ISDA-related disputes.’
- David Mumford QC - Maitland Chambers ‘Very astute and perceptive, and his transition to silk was fully justified.’
- Tim Penny QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Great for complex asset tracing cases.’
- Rosalind Phelps QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A solicitor favourite, who is wonderfully bright.’
- Thomas Plewman QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘A very hardworking, tenacious barrister, who is incisive and clear-thinking.’
- Toby Riley-Smith QC - Henderson Chambers ‘A real leader in banking and finance; his appointment to silk was fully justified.’
- Sudhanshu Swaroop QC - 20 Essex Street ‘He has no difficulties tackling cases involving various areas of law.’
- Ben Valentin QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Technically excellent and very commercially savvy.’

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading juniors

1
- Simon Hattan - Serle Court ‘He has an unrivalled understanding of the banking industry and financial concepts.’
- Laura John - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very quick and very clever – solicitors are happy to have her up against a silk.’
- Henry King - Fountain Court Chambers ‘His knowledge of banking law and procedure is comprehensive and very impressive.’
- Adam Kramer - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A definite star in the making, who likes to get into large and complex cases.’
- Matthew Parker - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Clients love his hands-on approach and ability to distil the most complex legal issues.’
2
- Simon Atrill - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A very experienced junior with a strong reputation with regards to mis-selling claims.’
- Richard Brent - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Truly excellent on paper.’
- Hannah Brown - One Essex Court ‘Just brilliant in every respect, with a great knowledge of financial services and regulation.’
- Peter De Verneuil Smith - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He is very diligent, very authoritative, and has the confidence level of a silk.’
- William Edwards - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A very effective and useful junior, with insightful and valuable contributions.’
- Mark Fell - Radcliffe Chambers ‘A responsive, diligent and impressive barrister with an expert knowledge of the law.’
- Orlando Gledhill - One Essex Court ‘A leading junior with exceptional intellect and an unrelenting work ethic.’
- Jamie Goldsmith - One Essex Court ‘A star of the future – he leaves no stone unturned.’
- William Hibbert - Henderson Chambers ‘Hugely experienced in finance and consumer credit law.’
- Louise Hutton - Maitland Chambers ‘Super-responsive, self-assured, very collaborative and a delight to work with.’
- Ben Jaffey - Blackstone Chambers ‘Excellent – there is no one better for FCA work at his level.’
- Edmund King - Essex Court Chambers ‘A very good banking junior.’
- Michael Lazarus - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very experienced, highly intelligent, and comfortable leading large banking cases.’
- Professor Eva Lomnicka - 4 New Square ‘Highly rated for non-contentious financial services advice.’
- Iain MacDonald - Gough Square Chambers ‘A recognised leader in his field, who provides a first-class service.’
- James MacDonald - One Essex Court ‘He has a very bright future ahead.’
- Nicholas Medcroft - Fountain Court Chambers ‘The first person you’d think of when faced with a significant financial crime claim.’
- Stephen Midwinter - Brick Court Chambers ‘He is extremely bright and able, and works at incredible speed.’
- Elizabeth Ovey - Radcliffe Chambers ‘A strong communicator on paper, and a capable and versatile advocate.’
- Conall Patton - One Essex Court ‘A very intelligent advocate with an excellent understanding of complex financial products.’
- Fred Philpott - Gough Square Chambers ‘He has been the best in the business for years.’
- Simon Popplewell - Gough Square Chambers ‘Extremely knowledgeable – you wouldn’t want to be on the other side of him.’
- Stephen Robins - South Square ‘A standout junior with massive energy, who is very straightforward, but nice with it.’
- Julia Smith - Henderson Chambers ‘A technically strong, user-friendly and responsive barrister; she exudes quality.’
- Ian Wilson - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Brilliant, both in terms of his drafting and advocacy.’
- Nik Yeo - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He has familiarity with structured finance products, which is rare at the Bar.’
- Adam Zellick - Fountain Court Chambers ‘His drafting is first class and his advocacy is measured and persuasive.’
3
- Oliver Assersohn - Outer Temple Chambers ‘A truly excellent barrister, who knows the ins and outs of FCA regulations.’
- Ruth Bala - Gough Square Chambers ‘A standout barrister with a personable demeanour.’
- James Barnard - 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square ‘Extremely thorough – his paperwork is excellent as is his advocacy in court.’
- Marianne Butler - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Pound for pound she is the crème de la crème and an absolute dream to work with.’
- Stewart Chirnside - 2TG – 2 Temple Gardens ‘He has an amazing work ethic, a client-friendly approach and excellent advocacy skills.’
- Edward Cumming - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Starting to enter star territory; he always does a great job.’
- David Davies - Essex Court Chambers ‘He shows excellent judgement and legal analysis, and is tremendous in his presentation.’
- James Duffy - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He knows his stuff and has a good appreciation of client service.’
- Laurence Emmett - One Essex Court ‘He is collaborative and bright, and takes a constructive approach to solving tricky problems.’
- Alex Hall Taylor - 4 New Square ‘He is technically excellent and provides firm and clear advice.’
- Sebastian Isaac - One Essex Court ‘He is user-friendly, responsive and delivers good quality work on time; he has a bright future.’
- Ciaran Keller - Essex Court Chambers ‘Outstanding – his ability to grasp technically difficult issues sets him apart.’
- Farhaz Khan - Outer Temple Chambers ‘Very useful on his feet for commercial and banking matters.’
- James McClelland - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Extremely bright, diligent and delightful to work with.’
- Deepak Nambisan - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A terrifically hard worker.’
- Stephen Neville - Gough Square Chambers ‘He has a thorough knowledge of consumer credit law, the market and commercial drivers.’
- Luke Pearce - 20 Essex Street ‘A good draftsman with an excellent ability to grasp complex technical issues.’
- Joanna Perkins - South Square ‘He has a formidable mind and power of expression, and cuts straight to the point.’
- Richard Perkoff - Littleton Chambers ‘He is technically effective and inspires confidence.’
- Sandy Phipps - One Essex Court ‘A pleasure to work with and very tactically astute.’
- Fionn Pilbrow - Brick Court Chambers ‘Very solid, reliable and thorough.’
- Rajesh Pillai - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Hardworking, very bright and accessible.’
- Alexander Polley - One Essex Court ‘He absorbs very large amounts of information effortlessly to get to the crux of matters.’
- Scott Ralston - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He has a formidable intellect and excellent ability to think strategically.’
- James Ross - Gough Square Chambers ‘Excellent technically, he assimilates complex issues and returns commercial solutions.’
- Sharif Shivji - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Superb to work with – incredibly bright, thoughtful and responsive.’
- David Simpson - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A standout barrister, who is highly intelligent and a very good analyst.’
- Paul Sinclair - Fountain Court Chambers ‘An excellent barrister, who cuts to the heart of a case and has a certain presence.’
- Tony Singla - Brick Court Chambers ‘A robust and thoughtful junior with an unfussy, practical and elegant approach.’
- Andrew Thomas - Brick Court Chambers ‘He formulates arguments that please the court and clients.’
- Henry Warwick - Henderson Chambers ‘He has a good grasp of the lay client’s priorities and is focused on delivering.’
- James Willan - Essex Court Chambers ‘Very good at undertaking a forensic analysis and getting to grips with complex issues.’
4
- Sarah Abram - Brick Court Chambers ‘One of the most intellectually able juniors.’
- Rupert Allen - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very good for swaps litigation.’
- Tom Asquith - 4 New Square ‘He is excellent and has expertise and wisdom beyond his years.’
- Chris Boardman - Radcliffe Chambers ‘Fantastic – good tactically and completely unflappable.’
- Andrew Bruce - Serle Court ‘A very good banking junior.’
- Nazeer Chowdhury - Henderson Chambers ‘A very intelligent, hardworking guy with a down-to-earth personality.’
- Sarah Clarke - Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘An excellent speaker, whose background as a regulator gives added edge.’
- James Counsell - Outer Temple Chambers ‘Highly experienced in mis-selling and negligence claims.’
- Michael D’Arcy - One Essex Court ‘The ideal addition to any banking litigation team.’
- Andrew De Mestre - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Ferociously bright – one of the most impressive juniors at the Bar.’
- Charlotte Eborall - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very good for financial services disputes.’
- Richard Eschwege - Brick Court Chambers ‘He is absolutely outstanding and his writing is flawless.’
- Richard Fisher - South Square ‘Superb on his feet and highly recommended for any litigation with an insolvency angle.’
- Henry Forbes Smith - One Essex Court ‘Very clever.’
- Andrew Fulton - 20 Essex Street ‘He is a pleasure to work with and provides commercially focused advice without any fuss.’
- Christopher Harris - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He is very incisive in his analysis and strong on his feet in the courtroom.’
- Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘He is incredibly client-friendly and has an excellent grasp of complex documents.’
- Fred Hobson - Brick Court Chambers ‘His advice, advocacy and cross-examination skills are fantastic.’
- Edward Levey - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He provides clear, concise and accurate advice, and is extremely user-friendly.’
- Sophie Mallinckrodt - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Diligent and hardworking; a good junior to have on your case.’
- Alec McCluskey - Maitland Chambers ‘A strong tactician and an excellent advocate.’
- Alexander Milner - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Good at turning work around quickly and making time to deal with difficult points.’
- Craig Morrison - Brick Court Chambers ‘An absolutely standout junior with an encyclopaedic recall of both facts and law.’
- David Murray - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is clearly extremely bright but wears it lightly and is very down to earth.’
- Sam Neaman - Littleton Chambers ‘He is always ready to roll his sleeves up and provides sensible pragmatic advice.’
- Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A genuine specialist in retail derivatives disputes.’
- Jonathan Mark Phillips - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He provides excellent analytical skills and calmness under pressure.’
- James Purchas - 4 Pump Court ‘He is responsive and engages with understanding client objectives.’
- Robert Purves - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Excellent at understanding the Financial Ombudsman Service mindset.’
- Dennis Rosenthal - Henderson Chambers ‘An extremely good communicator with a very in-depth knowledge of the subject.’
- Emily Saunderson - 2TG – 2 Temple Gardens ‘She is plainly an extremely accomplished and high-flying junior.’
- Nehali Shah - One Essex Court ‘She picks up things very quickly and is great to work with; she has a bright future at the Bar.’
- James Sheehan - Essex Court Chambers ‘Extremely bright, practical, clear and a great team player.’
- Marcus Staff - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Extremely bright, dedicated and hardworking.’
- Kate Urell - Gough Square Chambers ‘Excellent and really growing into her practice.’
- Emily Wood - Essex Court Chambers ‘An outstanding junior – she is unbelievable.’

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The growing complexity of banking litigation, and the increased need for specialist litigators and judges, was recognised in 2015 with the launch of the Financial List. This specialist court, aimed at the most complicated financial disputes, draws experienced judges from both the Chancery and the commercial divisions and guarantees that they will remain on the docket throughout the entire case. Several disputes have already made it onto the List and the development has been well received within London’s legal community. It reaffirms London’s position as the most reliable venue for resolving disputes of this nature, and confirms the more specialised direction banking disputes are taking. Banking and finance law is no longer open to part-timers, something reflected by the experience of the barristers ranked in this table.

An ‘easy-to-deal-with, friendly and commercial’ set, 3 Verulam Buildings is considered by some to be ‘the go to set for financial services litigation with outstanding senior counsel and a strong crop of juniors’. The departure of Sonia Tolaney QC and two juniors to One Essex Court and Laura John to Fountain Court Chambers was significant, but the set has more than enough highly regarded counsel to keep the market happy. Chambers has several barristers acting on different sides of the RBS rights issue litigation and also has members on both sides of Banco Santander Totta v Portuguese transport companies, the first case on the new Financial List.

Fountain Court Chambers is ‘a top-class set in every way’ and ‘the premier chambers for banking litigation’; ‘even if your preferred barrister is unavailable, you are always confident that any alternative will be excellent’. Members are involved in a steady stream of market-leading cases, including the RBS rights issue litigation, Property Alliance Group v RBS, and Deutsche Bank v Unitech. As well as some lateral hires on the commercial side, the investigatory practice was strengthened by the recent arrival of numerous counsel, including Richard Lissack QC from Outer Temple Chambers.

One Essex Court contains ‘a wide range of practitioners at all levels specialising in banking litigation, which allows for the structuring of strong and efficient teams with relevant expertise’. The banking and finance practice grew significantly following the arrival of three barristers from 3 Verulam Buildings, including highly rated silk Sonia Tolaney QC. Banco Santander Totta v Portuguese transport companies and Terra Firma v Citibank feature among chambers’ recent work highlights.

Blackstone Chambers has ‘an excellent reputation’ and is praised as ‘enormously strong in the FCA field, regarding both contentious and non-contentious matters’. Chambers has had several members involved in some of the banking sector’s most high-profile cases, including R (Holmcroft) v KPMG LLP and others, Libyan Investment Authority v Société Générale, and FCA Investigation v the London Whale.

Brick Court Chambers is a ‘leading set for commercial and banking disputes’. Members regularly act for both the claimants and the banks, and have taken lead roles in headline disputes such as Terra Firma v Citibank, Bank St Petersburg v Arkhangelsky, and Property Alliance Group v RBS.

Essex Court Chambers has a ‘very strong spread of barristers across the board’; ‘the intake is always of high quality and the silks are very user-friendly’. Members have been involved in several key cases – notably Barclays Bank v Unicredit and Lehman Waterfall part C – as well as several significant banking arbitrations.

South Square has ‘cornered the market with regards to structured finance disputes’ and provides much more than its undoubted expertise in insolvency. Major cases involving several silks and juniors include BNY Mellon v Taberna Europe and Landsbanki v UBS.

4 Stone Buildings is ‘an excellent set’, where ‘the barristers seem to share in the ethos that counsel should be approachable both in terms of legal advice and client relations’. Chambers contains some of the most active silks in this area, involved in blockbuster cases such as Libyan Investment Authority v Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank v Unitech.

20 Essex Street is a ‘first choice when looking for counsel in London’, particularly among foreign clients. Clients also praise the ‘responsive and thoughtful’ service. Members have taken lead roles on several significant cases including Libyan Investment Authority v Goldman Sachs.

‘All the barristers are very strong’ at Gough Square Chambers, which is praised as ‘very approachable, very receptive and promoting good client relationships’. The set is best known for its ‘unrivalled experience and expertise in consumer credit’.

Henderson Chambers is ‘one of the top, if not the top set for consumer credit and financial regulation’, with ‘excellent strength in depth and availability of counsel’. Members are highly recommended for contentious and non-contentious matters.

Maitland Chambers is ‘a really excellent set; the quality of the counsel is very high and the service they provide is second to none’. The set provides a strong blend of Chancery and commercial barristers and has been heavily involved in the Lehman Brothers client money litigation.

‘The service is first rate’ at Radcliffe Chambers, which remains very strong on regulatory and consumer credit matters. The arrival of Jeremy Cousins QC and Chris Boardman from the now-defunct 11 Stone Buildings, has added greater strength in general banking disputes.

Serle Court comes highly recommended for its expertise in commercial and Chancery-related banking disputes. Several members are involved in the RBS rights issue litigation, while other key mandates include Carlyle Capital v Conway and RBS v Dongbu Insurance.

XXIV Old Buildings is a popular choice, particularly for offshore-related banking disputes. Solicitors also appreciate that the set is ‘responsive to client needs’. Members appeared on opposing sides in First Newland Bank v The Winterbotham Trust Co.

4 Pump Court has made a strong push into banking and finance work in recent years. As well as acting on commercial banking cases, several members are particularly noted for their FCA-related advice.

7 King’s Bench Walk houses a selection of excellent silks with sterling reputations for advocacy work. Highlights included acting for RBS (and four directors) on the defence of shareholder claims arising from the 2008 rights issue.

Outer Temple Chambers is particularly noted for regulatory issues and bank investigations. Richard Lissack QC was among the team that recently departed for Fountain Court Chambers, but chambers’ offering of quality silks and juniors remains strong.

Wilberforce Chambers provides a strong combination of expertise in offshore and fraud-related banking disputes. The ranks were also strengthened by the arrival of several barristers from 11 Stone Buildings.

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Nicola Sharp and Syedur Rahman explain how changes to the way the FCA investigates cases will make it easier for companies and individuals to negotiate the best possible outcome.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors

OBTAINING A DPA

With deferred prosecution agreements (DPA’s) becoming more common, Aziz Rahman considers how a company under investigation can enhance its chances of obtaining one in order to avoid prosecution.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors

WHAT THE CRIMINAL FINANCES BILL MEANS FOR ASSET SEIZURE AND FORFEITURE

Syedur Rahman and Nicola Sharp examine the changes likely when the Criminal Finances Bill becomes law.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors

Press Releases in the UK

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

Pitmans crowned as top firm for trainee work/life balance

Pitmans has been awarded winner of the best work/life balance in the 2016 Lex 100 - a survey that is recognised as the most comprehensive valuation of training opportunities at law firms across the UK.

- Pitmans LLP

Gender Pay Gaps: The Latest Reporting Requirements

On average, male employees are paid more than female employees. In 2015, men working full-time were paid approximately 9.4% more than women working full-time. As a result, the government is working to introduce measures with the aim of reducing this gap.

- Pitmans LLP

Pitmans acts on Westcoast’s acquisition of Art Systems Holdings Ltd

Pitmans LLP has acted on behalf of its longstanding client, Westcoast (Holdings) Limited on its acquisition of Art Systems Holdings Limited.

- Pitmans LLP

Insolvency Update: Changes that take effect from April 2016

The Department of Justice has issued a practice direction in connection with the new insolvency express trials pilot.

- Pitmans LLP

The Apprenticeship Levy

Following last year’s autumn statement, HMRC has now published draft legislation which introduces the proposed new apprenticeship levy. The levy will have effect from 6 April 2017.

- Pitmans LLP

Coutinho -v- Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Ltd Judgment 29 April 2016

SOUTHAMPTON -- LV=, represented by Pitmans LLP, have won a case involving a fraudulent household insurance claim worth almost £50,000.

- Pitmans LLP

Pitmans promotes two Partners

Pitmans today announced that Oliver Kelly (corporate) and Matt Heyworth (private client) will become partners as of 1 May 2016.

- Pitmans LLP

Pitmans advised the acquirer and the management team on the £12M MBO of Westfield Medical

The management team were backed by Maven Capital Partners with PNC providing debt facilities.

- Pitmans LLP

Supreme Court ruling will lead to increase in business rates

Many businesses will be liable for increased business rates following last year’s Supreme Court ruling in Woolway (Valuation Officer) v Mazars LLP.

- Pitmans LLP

Pitmans advises Premier Marina Ltd on Noss Marina Acquisition

Pitmans has advised Premier Marinas Limited on its acquisition of Noss Marina, which is just outside Dartmouth, from the Administrators Duff & Phelps.

- Pitmans LLP

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