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  1. Commercial litigation – Leading Sets
  2. Commercial litigation – Leading Silks
  3. Commercial litigation – New Silks
  4. Commercial litigation – Leading Juniors

Commercial litigation – Leading Silks

Commercial litigation – Leading Juniors

Brick Court Chambers will have a Jonathan Sumption QC-sized hole to fill now that its joint head of chambers is becoming a judge at the Supreme Court. Regardless of his departure, few dispute the set’s position among the elite. Jonathan Hirst QC, who has recently been involved in the high-profile ITV v STV dispute, ‘oozes authority in and out of court and is extremely decisive, which inspires confidence in clients’. Mark Hapgood QC is ‘approachable, extremely hands on and hardworking, and retains a sense of humour throughout’. Mark Howard QC, who is leading for Michael Cherney in his claim against the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, is ‘an extremely good advocate’. Andrew Popplewell QC is ‘the finished product, completely polished and on the top of his game’. Neil Calver QC is ‘very good with clients and also a strong advocate and tactician’. Clients rate Helen Davies QC who, ‘unlike many of her peers, is not remotely afraid of sticking on her tin hat and making a judge listen’. Simon Salzedo QC has ‘excellent judgement and always produces the highest-quality oral and written submissions’. Among the juniors, Andrew Henshawunderstands what solicitors need. He has excellent attention to detail and is a first-rate draftsman’.

One Essex Court is ‘a seriously classy outfit, with extremely talented practitioners at every level’. Lord Grabiner QC is valued for ‘his fabulous rapport with clients, particularly those needing a reassuring presence’. A recent highlight for Grabiner was representing Christian Candy’s company, CPC, in its successful action against Qatari Diar over the development of the Chelsea Barracks site. Ian Glick QC is ‘one of the giants of the Bar, however there is not a trace of pretension’. Jeffery Onions QC is ‘a forceful and first-class advocate and cross-examiner who can change his style so that he always connects with the judge’. Stephen Auld QC is ‘every solicitor’s ideal combination: extremely personable with the cutting edge and legal excellence that stands him apart as one of the best of the best’. The ‘truly superbLaurence Rabinowitz QC has been involved in some of the largest disputes on the market, not least his representation of Boris Berezovsky in his litigation against Roman Abramovich. Among the juniors, Clare Reffineffortlessly gets on top of all the detail’ and ‘inspires great confidence’.

Essex Court Chambers has ‘leaders who are undoubtedly at the top of their field’. Andrew Hochhauser QC is ‘an extremely incisive and tenacious lawyer, drilling down very quickly to the important legal issues but also bringing a very practical, common-sense edge to his advice’. David Foxton QC is ‘a star of the not very distant future’, and ‘a great advocate who is highly intelligent and a delight to work with’. Graham Dunning QC’s ‘tremendous experience engenders confidence in the legal team he is leading’. Paul McGrath QC, who recently took silk and has been representing the claimant in Boris Bereovsky v Estate of the late Mr Patarkatsishvili, is ‘an expert courtroom bruiser with a good eye for the winning argument’. David Davies, who has been involved in the massive Fiona Trust dispute, is a ‘remarkable combination of a Rolls Royce technical lawyer, soft people skills and judgment far beyond his call’.

Fountain Court Chambers is ‘one of the very best chambers’, with ‘the most enjoyable people to work with’. Anthony Boswood QC is ‘full of gravitas’ and ‘insightful and practical advice’. Michael Brindle QC, who has been representing Roman Abramovich in his ongoing dispute with Boris Berezovsky, ‘brings vast experience and strong strategic input to large litigation’. Guy Philipps QC is ‘one of the cleverest barristers around. He is extremely quick at getting to the point, prepares terrific documents and is a first-rate advocate’. Patrick Goodall is ‘someone to watch, he is very practical as well as super bright and always delivers’. Rosalind Phelps is ‘first choice for cases with difficult contractual issues’. Simon Atrill is ‘a star of the future. He is very clever and understated, and has the ability to get his point across without ever causing offence’.

3 Verulam Buildings is ‘a quality set which scores on all points’ and has ‘strength from top to bottom’. Head of chambers Ali Malek QC is ‘a first-class lawyer’ who is ‘intellectually able, extremely conscientious, commercially savvy and experienced’. ‘Few counsel are quicker on their feet’ than Ewan McQuater QC, who has ‘a great ability to get up to speed in a very short space of time’. Paul Lowenstein QC is ‘an exceptional lawyer’ and ‘a fearless advocate, robust in his advice and very savvy in his dealings with both instructing solicitors and opponents’. Jonathan Davies-Jones is ‘one of the brightest commercial juniors at the Bar and also one of the most pleasant to instruct’. Michael Lazarus is ‘at the very top of his game’, and recently acted in Merchant International v Naftogaz. Felicity Maherhas an excellent technical understanding of restitutionary claims and proprietary remedies’.

The ‘very service-focused, practical, client-friendly and unstuffyBlackstone Chambers is a firm favourite for general commercial litigation. The ‘very cleverIan Mill QC is ‘an excellent draftsman and pugnacious advocate’. Thomas Beazley QC, who has been representing the defendant in the $9bn fraud case Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi and Brothers v Maan al-Sanea, is ‘a very safe pair of hands, very reassuring with clients’. Barbara Dohmann QC is ‘a formidable advocate’ and has ‘a piercing intellect and the ability to see straight to the heart of the matter’. The ‘unflappableRobert Howe QC is ‘very numerical and computer literate. His use of technology is better than any other I have come across at the Bar’. Among the juniors, Tom Weisselberg is ‘highly intelligent and charming, and always has the ear of the court’.

20 Essex Street has ‘a very good selection of silks and juniors’ and ‘has punched its way out of being a niche shipping and insurance set, and is up there with the best’. Iain Milligan QC is ‘is extremely analytical, and he is prepared to engage in debate on legal and other issues and justify his conclusions’. Duncan Matthews QC, who has been involved in the multibillion-dollar litigation BTA v A, ‘will be a supersilk in a few years without any doubt’. Philip Edey QC is ‘a young and energetic QC with a great presence in the courtroom’. Malcolm Jarvis is ‘very quick and willing to master complex details, and his formulation of written arguments is excellent’.

Very well regarded for commercial insurance 7 King’s Bench Walk has ‘a number of good barristers’ and is ‘more realistic on fees than some other sets’. Jonathan Gaisman QC provides ‘outstanding analysis and advice and will not pull punches’. Head of Chambers Gavin Kealey QC, alongside Stephen J Phillips QC, has been representing the claimant Mr Munib Masri in his breach of contract dispute with Consolidated Contractors Company, which is one of the longest-running cases in the Commercial Court. Siobán Healy QC is noted for her ‘astonishing grasp of detail’, and is ‘careful, meticulous and hardworking’. Among the juniors, James Brocklebank is a ‘top man’, ‘clever, very hardworking and extremely easy to get on with’.

Maitland Chambers has ‘gravitated to the top of commercial Chancery as a result of bench strength and value for money’. Anthony Trace QC, ‘an excellent cross examiner’, has been involved in several major cases in the past year, notably JSC BTA Bank v Ablyasov & Othrs. Paul Girolami QC is ‘a first-class operator who is easy to work with and produces consistently good paperwork’. Matthew Collings QC is ‘as robust an advocate as one could wish for’. James Aldridge is praised for his ‘hard work and empathy with the client’s position’. ‘Clients loveBenjamin John, who is ‘bright and inventive, and has the ability to produce results’.

Serle Court is ‘establishing itself as a go-to set amongst the larger City firms’. ‘Its barristers provide excellent value for money without sacrificing any intellectual horsepower’. Patrick Talbot QCis very good at finding the right touch’, and ‘judges respond well to him’. Dominic Dowley QC, who has been involved in the epic Fiona Trust litigation, is ‘a complete pleasure to work with. He is responsive, available and good humoured’. Philip Marshall QC is ‘very hardworking and responsive, and always provides incisive and practical analysis’. One of ‘the intellectually brilliantPhilip Jones QC’s most significant matters has been representing the second defendant Henry Cameron in Sibir v Tchigirinsky. The ‘bright and enthusiasticDavid Blayneythinks constructively when faced with difficult legal problems’.

New Square Chambers is ‘one of the market leaders in blending the traditional Chancery with heavy-duty commercial skills’. Stephen Smith QC is ‘a star performer’, particularly for fraud-related matters, where he is ‘the main go-to person’. Smith, alongside ‘the exceptionally bright and hardworkingSimon Adamyk, both worked on the BTA Bank litigation, alongside four other members of chambers. Nigel Hood is valued for his ‘energy and tenacity’. James Bailey is ‘approachable, very thorough and conscientious and with an exceptional eye for detail’.

4 Pump Court’s clerks ‘are very responsive, and the set offers a range of QCs and juniors who are clearly leaders in their field’. Nigel Tozzi QC, who has been representing the claimants in Various v Dresdner Kleinwort, is ‘very easy to deal with and responsive’. Aidan Christie QChas it all, he is clever but pragmatic, a good advocate and has a very good client manner’. Sean O’Sullivan is ‘one of the leading commercial juniors of his generation’. Alexander Hickeyis very good at focusing on the real heart of a matter and doesn ’t get distracted by side issues’.

Quadrant Chambers is very well known for commodities, shipping and transport, but the ‘commercially minded set’ also has a good track record for broader commercial disputes. Lionel Persey QC is ‘one of the really big players in commercial litigation cases, especially those with a shipping or energy element’. Simon Rainey QC is a ‘super advocate’, ‘very capable, very hardworking and a great tactician’. Yash Kulkarni is ‘bright, always on top of the facts and in control’.

3-4 South Square is often first choice for insolvency-related matters and is also highly recommended for general commercial litigation. Antony Zacaroli QC is ‘incredibly bright, and any documents he produces are without exception faultless’. Robin Dicker QC is ‘a real brain and a very stylish advocate’. David Allisonis extremely responsive and never fails to deliver documentation or advice on time’. Tom Smith combines ‘excellent technical precision and knowledge with good commercial common sense’. Ben Valentin is ‘very intelligent, very hardworking and brilliant with clients’.

At Wilberforce Chambers, Tom Lowe QC is ‘a very subtle and effective advocate’ and has the ‘ability to digest in record speed a large number of complex transactional documents’. John Wardell QC is ‘equally good on paper and in person, and is a very effective advocate both in terms of legal submissions and cross-examination’. Joanna Smith QC is ‘a pleasure to work with, both in client handling and negotiations with the other side’. Clare Stanley is ‘extremely bright, has a fantastic memory, and is very user friendly and knowledgeable about the law’.

Enterprise Chambers is ‘extremely well clerked’ and has ‘a number of up-and-coming stars’. Bernard Weatherill QC is ‘very able, very hardworking and conscientious’. Linden Ife is praised for her ability to ‘draw the court’s mind to the real issues in a persuasive and effective manner’. Geoffrey Zelin is ‘a first-class Chancery counsel’ and ‘robust in his approach’, and James Pickering is a ‘hands-on, practical and brilliant orator’, and a ‘very effective cross-examiner’.

Erskine Chambers is an undisputed leader for company law, and many of its barristers are recommended for broader commercial matters. The ‘responsive and excellentDavid Chivers QC represented RBS in the high-profile litigation arising from the contested takeover of Liverpool FC. Michael Todd QC is ‘a great team player and very user friendly’. Nigel Dougherty is valued for his ‘excellent drafting, good handling of clients and speedy responses’.

At Littleton Chambers, Clive Freedman QC is ‘bright, tenacious, creative, strategically aware and exceptionally hardworking’. Charles Samek QC is ‘good on injunctive matters and very diligent’. Stuart Ritchie is ‘good under pressure and has an eye for detail’. Rupert D’Cruz’s ‘advocacy is excellent’, and he ‘succeeds in obtaining the relevant responses without being aggressive’.

XXIV Old Buildings is ‘undoubtedly one of the leading Chancery sets’ and comes highly recommended for its offshore work. Alan Steinfeld QCcommands a strong sense of calm to a case and is respected for taking good points’. Elspeth Talbot Rice QCcombines charm with a great fighting spirit and cannot fail to instil confidence in both solicitors and lay clients’. Nicole Langlois offers ‘a proactive mixture of high-level intelligence and knowledge of the law’.

At Radcliffe Chambers, Keith Rowley QC is seen as ‘a genuine alternative to some of the big-name sets’. Dov Ohrenstein’s ‘response times are excellent’, and ‘he gives value for money’. Ulick Staunton is ‘strong on his feet’ and ‘a complete master of his brief in court’. Shantanu Majumdar is valued for his ‘outstanding legal and technical expertise, his undoubted oral abilities at court hearings, and his ability to understand clients ’ needs’.

Considered ‘one of the go-to sets for commercial disputes and general Chancery advice’, 4 Stone Buildings offers ‘good value for money and some excellent juniors’. John Brisby QC is ‘tenacious, aggressive and, above all, fearless in court’, and Robert Hildyard QC has ‘great experience and knowledge, and is an excellent advocate’. Richard Hill is ‘an excellent junior who is exceptionally bright and proffers very sound advice’.

11 Stone Buildings’ commercial litigation offering was significantly enhanced by the arrival of Jeremy Cousins QC from Selborne Chambers. The set has ‘a real star’ in Alan Gourgey QC, who is ‘a first-rate trial advocate and tactician’ whose ‘understanding of complex expert accounting and forensic issues is second to none’. Tina Kyriakides is noted for her ‘quiet approach, which cuts through the issues to produce excellent outcomes’.

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