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Leading Silks

Rachel Ansell KC4 Pump Court ‘Rachel remains one of the hardest working, sharpest minds at the Bar and is absolutely at the top of her game. Her work ethic knows no bounds.’
Stephanie Barwise KCAtkin Chambers ‘Stephanie knows the sector inside out. Her command of the detail, and ability to weave a narrative to put her clients in the best possible position, is exceptional.’
Sean Brannigan KC4 Pump Court ‘Sean is strategically and tactically savvy. A strong litigator. Good under pressure and an impressive advocate.’
Stuart Catchpole KCAtkin Chambers ‘Stuart’s advocacy is particularly impressive. He is incredibly well-prepared and a devastating cross-examiner.’
Anneliese Day KCFountain Court Chambers 'Anneliese is very knowledgeable, commercial and super easy to deal with. She has the ability to let the opposing party keep talking and bides her time until the appropriate moment and then calmly and precisely takes apart what her opponent has just said. Incredibly effective and gets results.'
Chantal-Aimée Doerries KCAtkin Chambers ‘Chantal brings a huge amount of gravitas and experience in international construction disputes. She is a trusted source of advice - be it in legal and technical issues or matters of strategy. She is able to distil complex problems into key issues and deal with them in a concise manner.'
Simon Hughes KCKeating Chambers ‘Simon is authoritative, diligent, and hugely commercially savvy.  His instincts are second to none, and he is guaranteed to be a safe pair of hands on any complex construction and engineering dispute.  A smart advocate, he responds well to changing circumstances, with an uncanny ability to read the room and fine-tune his advocacy as required.  Simply put, instructing Simon is a no-brainer for anyone wanting the best in the business.’
Simon Lofthouse KCAtkin Chambers ‘Simon is very thorough and detailed in his preparation. You can be assured that he has read every document and considered every point. He is very good on even the most technical and specialist points. His cross-examination is always effective, no matter the witness.'
Manus McMullan KCAtkin Chambers ‘Manus is very experienced and knows the facts of a case inside out. He is super smart, quick thinking, with a great sense of humour and excellent communication skills vis-à-vis the client and the co-counsel, making everybody feel at ease. He engages with everybody and makes collaboration very pleasant.’
Alexander Nissen KCKeating Chambers ‘Alexander is a genius in everything he does. He has an amazing breadth of experience, and there is nothing he hasn’t seen or done in the past or is able to advise upon in an authoritative but user-friendly manner.’
Paul Reed KCGatehouse Chambers ‘Paul is very thorough and extremely responsive. He does not sit on the fence and his sense of how complex issues will play out before a tribunal is second-to-none.’
Andrew Rigney KCCrown Office Chambers ‘Andrew’s intellectual strength goes without saying. But in addition, Andrew is a superb advocate with his quiet understated style belying a razor-sharp cross-examiner. He has turned a judge 180 degrees to his way of thinking on a number of occasions with persuasive but straightforward and very well-constructed arguments. Lastly, he is without any doubt the most client and solicitor-friendly KC at the construction Bar.’
David Streatfeild-James KCAtkin Chambers ‘David is an intellectual powerhouse. A very reassuring presence.'
David Thomas KCKeating Chambers ‘David is excellent at determining a strategy, getting the team to deliver and persuading the decision makers. All round, he is very successful at winning.'
Andrew White KCAtkin Chambers ‘Andrew is a silk at the top of his game. Very detail-driven and really rolls his sleeves up and gets stuck into the detail. Excellent strategist.'
Paul Darling KC39 Essex Chambers ‘Paul is an intensely passionate barrister who has the unique gift of being extremely commanding in both conferences with clients and in court. Extremely client-friendly and relishes in dealing with the most complex contractual scenarios. Thoroughly innovative and creative in formulating arguments, and is especially good on his feet. Super responsive and a go-to KC for the most complex matters.’
Stephen Dennison KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Stephen is an outstanding advocate. His ability to dissect the issues in a matter and articulate them is second-to-none. He is excellent with client communication.’
Riaz Hussain KCAtkin Chambers ‘Riaz is extremely attentive to key strategic issues. His advocacy is sharp and powerful, hitting on the key issues underpinning the case.'
Jeremy Nicholson KC4 Pump Court ‘Superb all-rounder. Fantastic advocate: calm under pressure and has the ear of the court, because he has the ability to pick out from a mass of detail only the key important points and present them in simple terms to the judge. Lovely drafting too.'
Fiona Parkin KCAtkin Chambers  ‘Fiona insists on being on top of all the detail such that her advocacy can be well-structured, targeted and concise. Fiona is happy to take on board challenges and work as part of a team. She will work extremely hard to try and get the best possible result.’
Benjamin Pilling KC4 Pump Court ‘Benjamin is skilled on paper, drafting clearly and precisely, and with surprising speed. He has an impressive ability to cut through large swaths of material to the heart of complex issues, and to provide solutions, including innovative solutions when required. His knowledge of English law is impressive, as is his ability to pick up and understand points of foreign law, and his ability to understand complex construction issues.'
Dominique Rawley KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Dominique gives clear and practical advice. She is able to assimilate large amounts of information and distil the points which are most relevant and important to the case. She has an excellent understanding of PFI and PPP projects and what makes those projects, and the parties, tick.'
Marion Smith KC39 Essex Chambers ‘Marion is an excellent advocate, with a profound grasp of how to simplify complicated scenarios and obtain an effective outcome for clients.'
Steven Walker KCAtkin Chambers ‘Steven is an excellent adviser and advocate. His written advocacy is superb: he presents even the most complex legal issues in a clear and understandable way. His knowledge of PFI and PPP projects is unsurpassed.  On top of all that, he is also a joy to work with.'
Martin Bowdery KCAtkin Chambers ‘Martin provides unbelievably robust advice, which clients love. Not afraid to go into battle for seemingly lost causes, and comes out on top. He is the most imaginative barrister and his advocacy is feisty and mischievous.’
Veronique Buehrlen KCKeating Chambers ‘Veronique's ability to untangle convoluted technical, delay and quantum issues and present them in a clear and unambiguous style is genuinely impressive.'
Jonathan Acton Davis KCAtkin Chambers ‘Jonathan is a very good advocate. He has a calm and understated manner and is able to guide tribunals through complex matters. He is a highly skilled cross-examiner, who can lay subtle traps for both fact witnesses and experts. He has an urbane and charming manner that comes across well with tribunals. He is calm and composed and fills clients with confidence.'
Nicholas Dennys KCAtkin Chambers ‘Nicholas is calm, smooth, and confident. He exudes all that a KC should and more; super knowledgeable but great at client delivery; strong oral arguments; patient and diligent mediator; massive brain; great to have on your side and as a mediator you are immediately confident in his ability to get the matter resolved.'
Lucy Garrett KCKeating Chambers ‘Lucy is very bright, responsive, has an excellent bedside manner and is an absolute pleasure to work with.'
Karim Ghaly KC39 Essex Chambers ‘Karim is a wonderful advocate, with a particularly methodical and devastating cross-examination. His ability to learn a complex case, break it down into the key issues on which the matters actually turn and devise effective strategy is also particularly impressive.'
Andrew Goddard KCAtkin Chambers ‘Andrew is good at analysing complicated legal, technical and factual issues. His advocacy is smooth and well-structured. He is able to explain complicated matters in a logical and easy-to-understand manner. He is also responsive and understands the need of solicitors.'
Simon Hargreaves KCKeating Chambers ‘Simon is immensely knowledgeable, enthusiastic and hands-on. Great at getting stuck in and brings a calm authority. He is also terrific fun to work with.'
Alexander Hickey KC4 Pump Court ‘Alex is excellent to work with, very low maintenance and user-friendly. An excellent cross-examiner and advocate with an innate sense of what will resonate with a tribunal.’
Vincent Moran KCKeating Chambers ‘Vincent is a very good KC. He demonstrates an ability to manage very difficult and complex high-value litigation. He has a good tactical insight.’
Ben Quiney KCCrown Office Chambers 'Brilliant advocate and excellent with clients.'
Adam Robb KC39 Essex Chambers ‘Adam is incredibly thorough and never lets you down.'
Jonathan Selby KC – Keating Chambers ‘Jonathan is a brilliant advocate - in a trial, there cannot be many better. He has fantastic attention to detail, a probing and inquiring mind and is therefore devastating on technical and factual cross examination. His written and advisory work is excellent - commercial and authoritative.'
Piers Stansfield KC – Keating Chambers ‘Piers has a razor-sharp intellect and is able to distil the complex into the easy and understandable. Advice is always presented with the client reader in mind. Clients trust him and will ask for him again. Piers very much works as part of the team which makes working with him easy and enjoyable. Basically, he’s first-class.’
Sean Wilken KC – Keating Chambers ‘Sean is very bright, has a detailed understanding of the law, can get to grips with technical issues and is a very able advocate who can compete with the best in the business.’
Neil Hext KC4 New Square ‘Neil is absolutely first-rate – very well-prepared, bright, hard-working and an extremely good advocate and cross-examiner.’
Michael Curtis KCCrown Office Chambers ‘Michael provides clear, concise advice and can cut through complex issues so that they are easy to understand. His work ethic is unparalleled and he has an impressive attention to detail.'
Sarah Hannaford KC – Keating Chambers ‘Sarah is a superb advocate and a great adviser. She is authoritative, very clear with solicitors and clients, and rightly has a great reputation as one of the best in the public procurement world. Her preparation for advocacy is absolutely meticulous, delving right into the detail, and coming up with additional points to support her advocacy. Her cross-examination skills are first-class. She is also very responsive, working extremely hard to get everything done to the best of her ability.’
James Howells KC – Atkin Chambers ‘James is a highly intelligent and hard-working KC who is always a pleasure to deal with. His legal and strategic analysis is excellent, and his advocacy is considered and persuasive.'
Nigel Jones KCGatehouse Chambers ‘Nigel is the most user-friendly senior member of the Bar imaginable. He is charming to his clients, shares credit with his team, thinks and expresses himself in the clearest way to clients, opponents and the court alike, and he deservedly is seen as being the leading barrister in his field.’
Krista Lee KCKeating Chambers ‘Very sharp-minded and always calm in high-pressure situations. Incisive and direct in advocacy and great at reading people and assessing the best approach. A go-to for construction.’
Lynne McCafferty KC4 Pump Court ‘Lynne is an excellent barrister, dives straight into the detail and provides consistently high-quality strategic advice. She is a determined and robust advocate, combining the skill of putting clients at ease and being a fierce cross-examiner of witnesses and experts in the box. Her cross-examination skills are second to none. She is especially gifted at very complex and detailed cases with an ability to quickly absorb a lot of detail and hone in on the critical issues.'
Justin Mort KCKeating Chambers ‘Justin as an absolute warrior on his feet. Attention to detail. Always available and goes the extra mile for his clients.'
Ben Patten KC – 4 New Square ‘Exceptionally bright, commercial, good with clients, a real team player, very hard working. Goes the extra mile to deliver.'
Marc Rowlands KCKeating Chambers ‘Marc is clever, astute and understands the client and business implications of what he is advising on. Advice is clear and to the point, getting to the heart of the questions posed. He is client-friendly and quickly gains confidence from clients, and he is an in-demand rail counsel.’
David Brynmor Thomas KC39 Essex Chambers ‘David's advice is very clear and easy to understand for those instructing and clients. He can distil several complex problems into straightforward answers.'
Crispin Winser KC – Crown Office Chambers ‘Crispin brings a reassuring and calm manner to his work. He has a wealth of specialist experience and adds significant value to matters.’
Michael Ashcroft KCTwenty Essex ‘Michael remains as grounded and user-friendly now as he was when he was a junior, which is a great attribute when combined with his considerable intellectual power. He gets to the crux of a problem very quickly and offers sound, practical and very well-considered advice.'
Serena Cheng KCAtkin Chambers 'Serena is amazing. She works incredibly hard and pushes the team to deliver excellent results.'
Mark Chennells KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Mark is super bright and has an uncanny ability to make something which seemed hideously complex, straightforward and compelling. His drafting and clarity of thought are refreshingly clear. He is always on top of the detail, which clients appreciate and does it all while retaining his sense of humour and purpose.'
Isabel Hitching KCCrown Office Chambers 'Isabel is a highly capable advocate who is able to cut through the issues and give sensible and commercial advice. Calm and composed on her feet and more than a safe pair of hands.'
James Leabeater KC4 Pump Court ‘James is very thorough. He provides sensible and coherent advice that is applicable to the commercial realities of the matter.'
Christopher Lewis KCAtkin Chambers ‘Exceptionally clever and brilliant legal analysis skills. He is a lovely man to work with and is very good at handling clients and explaining the issues to them.'
Richard Liddell KC – 4 New Square ‘Rick is exceptionally hard-working and client-focused. His advice is clear, concise and commercial. He is easy to work with and clients love his approach.’
Siân Mirchandani KC4 New Square ‘Sian is extremely thorough and likes to get into the detail of her cases. She is an integral part of the defence team and is excellent to work with.'
Claire Packman KC4 Pump Court ‘Claire is a naturally gifted and formidable advocate and an extremely able and effective cross-examiner. She has a razor-sharp intellect but combines this with a disarming and highly personable manner. She is brilliant to work with and very down to earth.’
Jessica Stephens KC4 Pump Court ‘Jessica gives no nonsense, practical and commercial advice.'
Samuel Townend KCKeating Chambers ‘Thoughtful approach, tactical, and very personable.'

2022 Silks

Rupert Choat KCAtkin Chambers ‘Rupert is superb. Extremely intelligent and knowledgeable but also excellent at communicating with clients. He's very strategic and responsive to the need to be commercial in approach.'
Calum Lamont KCKeating Chambers ‘Calum is a phenomenal cross-examiner, a master of technical detail. The best for expert witness details, a master of delay and damages.'

2023 Silks

Paul Buckingham KCKeating Chambers ‘Paul stands out as a relatively new KC who significantly adds to Keating's bench strength.'
Jonathan Lewis KC4 Pump Court ‘Jonathan is extremely adaptable and has an excellent approach when it comes to dealing with arbitral tribunals with whom he seems to build rapport with ease. His advocacy is rapier-like and he is a great team player who isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and get into the detail.’
Catherine Piercy KCGatehouse Chambers 'A talented and able advocate.'
David Pliener KCGatehouse Chambers 'Very bright and forensic in approach – equally strong on construction and insurance coverage disputes.'
William Webb KCKeating Chambers ‘Will is an extremely confident barrister who has great communication skills with both instructing solicitors and clients alike. Will’s advocacy shines through in cross-examinations. His preparation is meticulous and this shines through when he is on his feet.’

2024 Silks

Jane Davies Evans KC3 Verulam Buildings ‘Excellent lawyer and advocate, quick-witted and helpful. Particularly good at untangling quantum matters. To be highly recommended.'
Anna Laney KCCrown Office Chambers ‘Anna is extremely talented. She is the most inclusive and team-focused barrister: her manner with everyone ranging from the client to the most junior member of the team is excellent. Her legal ability is second to none. Her advocacy is complex in its approach, but succinct and to the point. Anna is certainly the advocate you want on your legal team.’
Tom Owen KCKeating Chambers ‘Tom is friendly, clear, meticulous and has a fantastic mind for untangling thorny issues.'
Sanjay Patel KC4 Pump Court ‘Sanjay is an incredibly bright senior junior barrister and is surely a step away from KC. He integrates himself into a team and is excellent with solicitors, clients, witnesses and experts alike. His drafting is absolutely first-class and his advocacy is incisive and intelligent.’
Camille Slow KCAtkin Chambers ‘Camille is outstanding. Her advice is commercial and sensible. Her advocacy is razor-sharp and nuanced. She is adept at dealing with clients as well as judges.'
Michael Wheater KCGatehouse Chambers 'His advocacy is consistently impressive.'

Leading Juniors

James Bowling 4 Pump Court ‘A very confident and accomplished advocate, with the maturity and presence of mind of a silk. James is very personable and easy to work with.'
Cyril Chern 4 New Square ‘Cyril’s strengths include his highly skilled knowledge of commercial needs both in terms of business and the lay client’s needs.  He is truly a pre-eminent advocate and possesses one of the finest combinations of style, legal knowledge, and cutting-edge cross-examination skills.’
Nicholas Collings Atkin Chambers ‘Nicholas’ strength is his ability to clearly and concisely explain technical points of law to lay clients. Further, his written advocacy is extremely well-drafted, persuasive and effective.’
Richard Coplin Keating Chambers ‘Richard's service levels are exceptional and always gives pragmatic, commercial advice. His ability to read a situation and deliver exactly what is needed is second to none.'
Lucie Briggs Atkin Chambers ‘Incredibly efficient, clear advice, and manages to cut through difficult cases.'
Patrick Clarke Atkin Chambers ‘Patrick can get to grips with complex issues quickly and offer pragmatic and useful advice at short notice.'
Robert Clay Atkin Chambers ‘Robert is exceptionally bright and has the ability to quickly drill down into the key issues.  He has the ability to understand detailed engineering issues and calculations and explain them in clear and simple language. Robert is very approachable and clients like the safe pair of hands.'
Thomas Crangle 4 Pump Court ‘Thomas is very user-friendly. He is responsive and easy to use and get on with. He is pragmatic and exhumes confidence which the clients love. He is very good on his feet and judges listen to him.'
Andrew Fenn Atkin Chambers ‘Andrew is very commercially savvy, approachable and user-friendly.'
Simon Hale 4 Pump Court ‘A formidable advocate – his courtroom skills are second to none. He gets to the crux of complex issues quickly and provides practical, real world advice. He is a team player, ready to roll his sleeves up to get the best result for the client.’
Abdul Jinadu Keating Chambers ‘Abdul remains a doyen of construction law. He is not only highly experienced and extremely knowledgeable, but commercially astute – his tactics are effective and decisive.'
Shourav Lahiri Atkin Chambers ‘A very detail-oriented barrister who is extremely strong for fact-heavy cases.’
Kate Livesey 4 Pump Court ‘Kate has excellent judgement, is forensic, and is determined. She is an excellent advocate – well-prepared, and with a real feel for the temperature of the court and the views of the judge.’
Rachael O’Hagan – Keating Chambers ‘Rachael is collaborative but also clear and directive; a flexible advocate who adapts her style as required for the circumstances. As an advocate, she builds rapport with the tribunal, the witnesses and even the other side.'
Luke Wygas 4 Pump Court ‘A sensible, reliable barrister who responds very quickly. He is a safe pair of hands, has sound judgement and a personable manner.  He is able to cut through the noise and get to the heart of the issues very quickly.'
Ebony Alleyne Gatehouse Chambers ‘Ebony is simply phenomenal. A shining star at the construction Bar. Fiercely talented with forensic attention to detail, comprehensive and meticulously thorough in her analysis. Always well-prepared, she has a winning way with clients who can see that she speaks from experience and really knows her stuff. She’s the real deal.’
Alexandra Bodnar – Keating Chambers ‘Alex is a brilliant barrister who provides intelligent comments and sensible solutions throughout her involvement in any matter.  She is extremely efficient and reliable.  In addition, in court, Alex calmly and methodically sets out the position so it is clear to all and she does this in a manner which is engaging and lively.'
Timothy Chelmick 4 New Square ‘Tim is a delight to work with.  He is thorough, confident and knowledgeable. Tim is an outstanding advocate and, in particular, cross-examination.'
Mathias Cheung Atkin Chambers ‘Mathias is a real star for his level of call. He is extremely hardworking and he is able to turn around complex work in a short period of time. His drafting is forceful when it needs to be and very effective.'
Tom Coulson – Keating Chambers ‘Tom is one of Keating’s best juniors who punches well above his weight. He is unbelievably bright, a great strategist and can turn his hand to anything.'
Paul Cowan 4 New Square ‘Paul’s attention to detail is second-to-none. He finds every thread of a case and pulls on it. As an advocate, he is highly persuasive and thoroughly prepared. Paul remains a go-to for construction disputes.’
Omar Eljadi Atkin Chambers ‘Omar demonstrates excellent drafting skills and an astute understanding and assimilation of complex technical information. Highly recommended.’
Jennie Gillies 4 Pump Court ‘Jennie is very quick to get to grips with technically complex claims. She is commercial in terms of her advice and assessment of prospects. She is excellent on her feet - calm and persuasive.'
Daniel Goodkin  – 4 Pump Court ‘Daniel is extremely clever and one to watch as a future silk. His legal analysis is second to none, and he is effective and efficient in cross-examination. He remains calm under pressure.'
Rónán HannaAtkin Chambers ‘A supremely able technician who never makes a badly formulated submission to the court. Able to see a problem from all directions, instilling confidence in both the court and client alike.’
Emma Healiss Keating Chambers  ‘Emma is easy to work with, provides strong commercial and practical advice and is extremely proactive and gets the job done.’
David Johnson Atkin Chambers ‘David is very responsive, detail-orientated, a team player and provides practical and timely advice. He is good with clients and understands their requirements.'
Jennifer Jones Atkin Chambers ‘Jennifer is a superb construction barrister. She is a true leader in her field. Her advocacy stills are among the very best and she is able to manage very large cases with ease.’
Samar Abbas KazmiAtkin Chambers ‘Samar has great judgment, excellent legal analysis and a huge capacity for hard work.'
Zulfikar Khayum Atkin Chambers ‘Zulf is very focused and gets to grips with the details quickly. He presents well and wins the confidence of the tribunal effectively. He has an impressive range – he can be robust when needed but can also be subtle and draw a witness out in cross-examination when that is the best approach.’
Thomas Lazur Keating Chambers  ‘Tom's advocacy is excellent - he makes very difficult issues and submissions easy to understand for the judge to follow.'
Marc Lixenberg Atkin Chambers ‘Marc is a silk in the wings. His advocacy and ability to tackle difficult situations on his feet is second-to-none. Marc’s drafting is on point. He is excellent with clients.’
Sarah McCann Gatehouse Chambers ‘Sarah gives very clear and straightforward advice on matters which are often highly complex and nuanced. She is excellent at detail and working with technical experts to ensure often extremely complex technical issues and presented in the most effective way. A pleasure to work with.'
George McDonald 4 New Square ‘George is very bright. He is particularly good at cases where there is an element of data interpretation required, and at reviewing the evidence with experts. Clients and solicitors like him for his amiable charm.'
Charles Pimlott Crown Office Chambers ‘A team player and very responsive. Excellent drafting skills and attention to detail. Measured and effective advocate.'
Katie Powell Atkin Chambers ‘Katie is excellent. She has an incredible grasp of the technical areas of construction defects claims and produces high-quality product at incredible speed.'
Ben Sareen Keating Chambers ‘Ben has the ability to cut through issues and get the heart of the matter quickly; an extremely able barrister, responsive, commercial and strategic in his thought process.'
Hugh Saunders 4 New Square ‘Hugh is outstanding. As an advocate, he is masterful on his feet. As an expert in the field of construction, his knowledge of the law and ability to master the technical issues in a case is second-to-none. He always goes the extra mile.’  
Melissa Shipley 39 Essex Chambers ‘An excellent junior, who is comfortable leading cases or working with KCs. Melissa’s detailed understanding of the technical and factual issues quickly earns her the respect and confidence of clients.'
James Thompson Keating Chambers ‘James is a skilled and technically sound barrister who offers invaluable legal and commercial advice to clients in difficult situations. He is very easy to work with and is reliable, insightful and pragmatic in the way he approaches the litigation process.'
Matthew Thorne 4 Pump Court ‘Matthew is extremely intelligent and his legal research and analysis are absolutely superb. He is also a first-rate advocate, and can patiently explain the most complex points in a way which is both attractive and easy to follow. He easily operates at the level of a strong KC.’
Jennie Wild Keating Chambers 'Jennie is brilliant: clever, astute, driven, practical and leaves no stone unturned.'
Sarah Williams Keating Chambers ‘Sarah is extremely organised, into the detail and sees arguments and angles to a claim that no-one else seems to.'
Lauren Adams Atkin Chambers ‘Even in the company of silks and city partners, Lauren will be the brightest person in the room. The speed with which she grasps the key issues of a matter is startling. Lauren’s written advocacy is lucid, persuasive and concise. She is confident on her feet and handles witnesses masterfully.’
Tom Asquith 4 New Square ‘Tom is an excellent barrister. He has in-depth technical knowledge and an understanding of the construction profession. Tom is a strong advocate who is able to present a case in a clear and persuasive manner. He is friendly, polite, approachable, positive but robust and able to elicit key information from clients even on more sensitive aspects of a case.'
Mischa Balen Atkin Chambers ‘Mischa is an outstanding advocate and a formidable opponent. His written work is devastating.'
Peter Brogden Keating Chambers ‘Superb on complex construction cases.'
Paul Bury Keating Chambers ‘Paul is outstanding. He is calm, measured, intellectual and personable. Everyone who works with him is impressed. He is destined for Silk.'
Gaynor Chambers Keating Chambers ‘Gaynor has an excellent grasp of construction technicalities. She is precise, diligent and extremely professional but has a knack for putting clients at ease.'
Daniel Churcher 4 Pump Court ‘Daniel is one of the London Bar’s most promising and talented construction juniors. He is 100% committed to his cases and clients and is extremely user-friendly. Intellectually dexterous and lightning quick on his feet.’
Lucy Colter 4 New Square ‘Brilliant. Works hard to cover every angle - she is one to watch.’
Jess Connors 39 Essex Chambers ‘Very intelligent, hardworking and well-liked by clients. Always on top of the detail.'
Brenna Conroy Keating Chambers ‘Brenna is a top-notch senior junior construction barrister. She doesn’t have any weaknesses.’
Simon Crawshaw Atkin Chambers ‘Thoughtful, hard-working and determined. Plainly very clever.'
Helen Dennis - 4 Pump Court 'Helen has strong legal knowledge coupled with strong business acumen and understanding of practical implications and strategic considerations for the client.'
Felicity Dynes Atkin Chambers ‘Razor-sharp, super bright and very thorough. Felicity is a model of excellence on her feet, in written work and in conferences. A ferocious advocate against the opposition, but a delight to have on your own team. A first-choice junior.’
Matthew Finn Keating Chambers ‘Incredibly hard-working and user-friendly. A go-to senior junior for high-value, complex cases.’
Paul Fisher 4 New Square 'Paul is incredibly responsive, commercial and pragmatic, easy to deal with and, most importantly, client-friendly. He fits in seamlessly as one of the team, drafts superbly, and can really probe in cross-examination.'
Benjamin Fowler  – 4 New Square ‘Benjamin is excellent at cutting to the core of an issue. First-class drafting skills. He is a confident, coherent and charismatic advocate.  He is adept on his feet and intuitively knows when to seek instruction.’
Christopher Greenwood 4 New Square ‘Chris's attention to detail is excellent, as is his drafting. His advocacy is good, and he is a pleasure to work with.'
Dalton Hale Atkin Chambers ‘Dalton is very bright, responsive and with strong drafting skills. His ability to think on his feet in a court room and present a focused and persuasive case to a judge is impressive.’
Patrick Hennessey 39 Essex Chambers ‘Outstanding junior for his call.'
Gideon Scott Holland Keating Chambers ‘An exceptionally safe pair of hands.'
Ed Jones 4 Pump Court ‘Extremely good on detail. Very good in contentious, scrappy adjudications.'
Vivek Kapoor - 39 Essex Chambers 'Vivek is an expert in law - his ability to find novel legal solutions to some of the most difficult situations is remarkable. He is an excellent advocate - his ability to make simple arguments explaining complex points in both law and facts is a case winner. His cross-examination is effective.'
Andrew Kearney – Gatehouse Chambers ‘Andrew is a gifted construction barrister. He is a very persuasive advocate, his strategic insights are invaluable and he has the ability to shape a case in the right way.’
Saleem KhalidDeka Chambers ‘Saleem has real grit and steely determination. He is not intimidated by aggressive or confrontational litigation tactics from opponents. He holds his ground and gets the result for his client.'
Nicholas Maciolek Atkin Chambers ‘Nicholas is extremely bright and personable. His knowledge is well beyond his years. Excellent drafting, advice and handling of clients.'
John McMillanKeating Chambers ‘John is very detailed and thorough, has fantastic attention to detail and has been great with explaining in detail to the client. Incredibly good team player.'
Edmund Neuberger Atkin Chambers ‘Very good attention to detail, excellent advocacy skills, user friendly and a real team player.'
Thomas Ogden 4 New Square 'Tom is a fantastic trial advocate.'
Laurence Page – 4 Pump Court ‘Laurence has a phenomenal work rate with an unparalleled ability to turn complexity into simplicity at speed. He gives a level of assurance beyond his years and is also great fun to work with. A real one-to-watch who is destined for big things at the Bar.’
Christopher Reid Atkin Chambers ‘Christopher is excellent. A very intelligent, hard-working and commercially savvy junior. He is calm, measured and astute. He is also very personable and a pleasure to work with.'
Richard Sage Crown Office Chambers ‘Rolls up his sleeves and gets on with things; very calm and great working knowledge of adjudication; great in hearings; strong drafter and knows and understands adjudication procedures and range of knowledge and experience is brilliant; one to watch.'
David Sawtell39 Essex Chambers ‘Brilliant intellect and a true expert. Gets straight to the point.'
Robert Scrivener - 4 Pump Court 'Robert is a star in the making. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of English law and is profoundly diligent. He approaches issues intelligently, is a good strategist, and is an excellent problem solver providing sound, practical views and advice. His written work is clear, precise and well-crafted.'
David Sheard Keating Chambers 'David is a star. He is extremely intelligent, a superb draftsman, and he has a natural familiarity with procedural matters. His knowledge of the law is very strong. His advocacy is natural, calm and clear.'
Gideon Shirazi 4 Pump Court ‘Able to assimilate information quickly; a calm, persuasive advocate; easy to work with; good at developing a strategy.'
Alice SimsKeating Chambers ‘Alice is incredibly user-friendly, pragmatic, and a pleasure to work with. She immediately grasped the client’s commercial objectives and put forward strategies to achieve them.’
Harry Smith Keating Chambers ‘Extremely knowledgeable and very responsive from a solicitors perspective. Excellent on paper and on his feet. His calm and methodical advocacy is a great strength.'
Robert Stokell Crown Office Chambers ‘Robert is good at the details, thoughtful and measured in his advice, and very good on paper.’
Carlo Taczalski Crown Office ChambersCarlo is superb - extremely bright, a great lawyer and immensely hard-working. An outstanding junior.'
Quentin Tannock - 4 Pump Court 'Quentin provides a pragmatic approach to litigation. His understanding of documents and advice given is detailed and well-advanced. Quentin thinks on his feet and is very approachable. Quentin’s advocacy is persuasive and detailed. He has experience way beyond his call year which he puts to good use.'
Charlie Thompson Keating Chambers  ‘Charlie is a brilliant barrister - user-friendly, very clever, strategic and a real team player. He is also very good on his feet.'
Helena White Gatehouse Chambers 'Helena is exceptionally bright, and gives very clear and robust advice. In court she is calm, quick on her feet, and strongly argues her case.'
Dermot Woolgar Crown Office Chambers ‘Dermot is a meticulous and thoughtful practitioner. He leaves no stone unturned.’

Rising Stars

Joshua Brown Crown Office ChambersJoshua is extremely diligent, thorough, provides clear advice and is very easy to work with.'
Harriet Di FrancescoKeating Chambers ‘Harriet is very bright, personable, and confident. She gets to grips with complicated issues quickly and leads you through the process with reassuring ease.’
Kort Egan - Gatehouse Chambers 'Kort's drafting skills are first-rate. His written submissions are always very persuasive.'
George Eyre Gatehouse Chambers 'A very intelligent practitioner who remains calm under fire.'
James Frampton Keating Chambers ‘Very bright, focuses on the key issues, always prepares comprehensively, very good advocate, great manner. He is a star junior.’
Arthur Graham-Dixon - Atkin Chambers 'Arthur is very user-friendly and easy to work with and was a real value add to the team. He has an incredible ability to get to grips and understand highly scientific and technical material and analyse this from a legal perspective and then distil his thoughts into easy-to-follow written advice.'
Caroline Greenfield – Atkin Chambers ‘Caroline is an excellent junior. She has exceptional attention to detail and her work ethic is second to none. She very quickly grasps key issues and gets into the detail of the matter.’
Laura Hussey – Atkin Chambers ‘Laura is determined to get the job done and is professional and user-friendly.’
Callum Monro Morrison Keating Chambers ‘Callum is intelligent, good with clients, responsive, approachable and expresses his views very clearly.’
Ryan Turner - Atkin Chambers 'Ryan is an excellent advocate who is well-spoken and strategic in his submissions and advice.'
Max TwivyAtkin Chambers ‘Max is clearly very intelligent and knowledgeable. He has proven to be very effective in his advice. He is a very clear communicator.’

Construction in London Bar

Atkin Chambers


Retaining its firm standing as a ‘market-leading’ set for construction disputes, Atkin Chambers has continued handling high-stakes matters in the UK and internationally. As one example of the chambers’ prowess in construction-related international arbitrations, the set’s mainstay, the Third Set of Locks Project on the Panama Canal saw Manus McMullan KC  and Christopher Lewis KC represent the Panama Canal Authority in a series of high-value claims. Domestically, Dominique Rawley KC and Jennifer Jones defended Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick and Balfour Beatty Group in Northumbria Healthcare NHS v Lendlease Construction, a case concerning alleged structural defects at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, while Simon Lofthouse KC and Omar Eljadi represented one of Lendlease’s subcontractors in the related Lendlease Construction v MPB Structures counterclaims. In an expansive multi-party dispute, among others Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC and David Streatfeild-James KC acted for Morrisons against Lorien Engineering Solutions regarding alleged defects in the refrigeration systems of its pork abattoir in Colne. Stephanie Barwise KC has been advising on cladding issues and the Building Safety Act, and has made clarification submissions on Grenfell – a number of other members of chambers have been involved in litigation surrounding related issues of cladding and fire safety. Notable internal changes include Stuart Catchpole KC joining from 39 Essex Chambers and Rupert Choat KC taking silk in March 2022.

Testimonials

‘David Barnes and Justin Wilson are extremely good clerks.’

‘The Atkin Chambers clerking team is very good: they are responsive and take steps to understand the instruction. Justin Wilson is great to work with and goes the extra mile to ensure that he finds suitable counsel.’

‘The clerks – in particular David Barnes and Justin Wilson – are friendly and helpful.’

‘Atkin Chambers is our number one go-to chambers for construction barristers. Their barristers are experienced with in-depth construction legal knowledge.’

‘Atkin Chambers is one of my first ports of call when looking for construction and arbitration barristers.’

‘Atkin Chambers is market-leading in construction. They have a good range of counsel at all levels of seniority and they are experienced in appearing before the full range of Courts and tribunals applying to construction disputes.’

‘Atkin Chambers is one of the top sets for Construction and Engineering work. They have a number of top-quality barristers (both at junior and KC level) who are dedicated to providing excellent client service.’

‘Atkin Chambers is the leading construction set; the quality of its silks and juniors is unparalleled.’





Keating Chambers


As an ‘excellent specialist set’ in construction law, Keating Chambers continues to impress with its representation in an array of high-profile cases, both in the UK and abroad. In addition to the set’s global presence in arbitrations, domestic instructions include Martlet Homes v Mulalley, the first post-Grenfell cladding fire safety case to go to trial, where Jonathan Selby KC and Tom Coulson represented the claimants, while Simon Hughes KC and James Frampton acted for the defendants. Other key cases include Cambridgeshire County Council v BAM Nuttall Limited, a long-running case concerning a guided busway in Cambridgeshire, involving Piers Stansfield KC, Sarah Williams, and Harry Smith acting for the claimant. Paul Bury, acting for Resource Recovery Solutions (Derbyshire) Limited, and Lucy Garrett KC, who is representing Derbyshire CC & Derby CC, are instructed to appear on opposite sides of a dispute revolving around the termination of a PFI contract for the Derby waste-to-energy plant. The set has seen the addition of Alexandra Bodnar from 39 Essex Chambers. Paul Buckingham KC and William Webb KC both took silk in March 2023, while Adam Constable KC (as was) is now on the High Court bench.

Testimonials

‘The clerks are a pleasure to deal with, responsive and friendly. Rob Garvan is particularly excellent.’

‘The service I receive from the clerks at Keating is excellent. They always respond in a timely manner and deliver what I need when I need it. Amy Barrie and Jade Clark have been particularly helpful.’

‘James Luxmoore has grown into a superb leader in the clerks room.’

‘An excellent specialist set in construction law.’

‘There is great strength in depth within Keating Chambers, at no stage have they been unable to meet our needs within the construction sector.’

‘Keating has a very strong set of construction specialist barristers. Very impressive, and well managed.’

‘Keating Chambers are one of my go-to for construction litigation. They have an excellent range of top quality barristers from the top down.’

‘Keating Chambers is the best set for construction and engineering disputes. Simple.’

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4 Pump Court


4 Pump Court handles a myriad of substantial contentious construction matters both in the UK and abroad, offering a ‘first-class service’. In addition to the members' work in heavyweight arbitrations across Asia, the Middle East and further afield, Sean Brannigan KC and Jennie Gillies represented the claimants, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, in a high-profile case against Lendlease and Balfour Beatty resulting from the defective construction of a PFI hospital. Members of the set were enlisted by various parties to defend against claims brought forward by Shepherd Construction Limited, pertaining to alleged defects in the design and construction of cladding systems on residential blocks in London. Among them, Lynne McCafferty KC represented Drytech Façades , while Rachel Ansell KC acted for Kingspan. Jeremy Nicholson KC represented Aecom in the complex multi-party proceedings case of Willmott Dixon Construction v. Prater, Lindner Exteriors Holding, Sheppard Robson, AECOM, and AIS Surveyors, which arose from alleged defective cladding in a Woolwich Central commercial and residential development. Jonathan Lewis KC took silk in March 2023, and Fiona Sinclair KC retired.

Testimonials

‘4 Pump Court’s clerking is modern, practical and efficient. Carl Wall and Stewart Gibbs are both very experienced, competent clerks who run a very good ship.’

‘Carl Wall is very friendly and helpful. The clerking team overall takes a pragmatic and tailored approach to fees and to any unforeseen issues that may crop up, which makes our life easier as instructing solicitors.’

‘The clerks are excellent. Carl Wall and the team always provide top-notch service.’

‘Excellent set of chambers, which is our “go-to” set for our construction dispute work. Their members are both technically excellent and well-grounded in the realities of the construction sector, engaging very effectively with clients, experts and the like.’

‘4 Pump Court is always able to recommend appropriate Counsel when we require it and has great strength in depth.’

‘4 Pump Court is a powerhouse of a set with quality throughout. I know that we are in safe hands when we instruct a member of 4 Pump Court. Their counsel are easy to work with and always deliver a first-class service.’

‘A strong set for construction and engineering disputes, with a good range of KCs and Juniors.’

‘4 Pump Court has an incredible variety of counsel who deal with construction disputes and we can always find someone suitable with availability.’

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39 Essex Chambers


With a ‘great breadth of expertise’ on display, 39 Essex Chambers tackles an array of construction and engineering issues on both domestic and international fronts. Marion Smith is acting for the defendant Buro Four Project Services Ltd in Standard Life Assurance Limited v Gleeds, a claim concerning the procurement, development, and design of a mixed-use retail and residential project in West Berkshire. In the international arena, David Brynmor Thomas KC is representing Vedanta against Baker Hughes, a significant dispute arising from the supply of drilling services and materials in India. Crossing over with the set's expertise in areas such as public law, Kate Grange KC is one of a significant number of members to have had involvement in the Grenfell Tower inquiry - she was part of the counsel to the inquiry team.

Testimonials

‘Darcey Bourne is a clerk to watch.’

‘There is strength in depth. They have counsel at every level for construction disputes.’

’39 Essex Street is one of my first ports of call when looking for construction and arbitration counsel.’

‘Excellent knowledge and expertise in construction and commercial matters.’

‘Good set with great breadth of expertise in particular on arbitration, engineering and construction.’

‘Outstanding expert in international construction law.’

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4 New Square Chambers


Demonstrating ‘expertise across all levels’, 4 New Square offers representation on a variety of construction-related issues, with a particular focus on defending contractors in cases framed as professional negligence claims. Roger Stewart KC and George McDonald are acting on Sudlows Limited v Global Switch Estates 1 Limited, a series of disputes centred on a project to upgrade a data centre. The set has marked its presence in high-value cladding claims, including Hugh Saunders‘s representation of Broadway Malyan against Balfour Beatty in a dispute concerning a student accommodation development in east London. Additionally, Ben Patten KC is defending cladding consultant Cladtech Associates in Shepherd Construction Limited v Kingspan and Others, a substantial damages claim concerning fire safety and structural defects in a major London development.

Testimonials

‘Denis Peck is a superb clerk. Lizzie Stewart is also really good.’

‘4 New Square is an excellent set. From the front desk to the KCs, everybody is pragmatic and willing to help.’

‘They are one of the best chambers to work with for construction and professional negligence. They are responsive, down to earth, get the work done and get good results. They are also very nice people to work with.’

‘Highly dependable in all respects.’

‘4 New Square is a great chambers. They have a varied range of skills and expertise across all levels and are able to offer the right person for the right matter.’

‘4 New Square is always my ‘go to’ chambers.’

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Crown Office Chambers


With ‘strength in depth’, Crown Office Chambers tackles a broad spectrum of construction disputes, including construction-related professional negligence and insurance claims. In Sky, Mace & Prater v Riverstone Managing Agency and others, Andrew Rigney KC acted for the insurers in a substantial claim tied to defects and damages to the roof of Sky’s headquarters and studios in Osterley. Michael Curtis KC and Michele De Gregorio represent Simply Construct in the case of Toppan Holdings Ltd & Abbey Healthcare (Mill Hill) Ltd v Simply Construct (UK) Ltd, concerning alleged fire safety defects at a London care home, and have secured permission to appeal to the Supreme Court - at issue is if a collateral warranty is a construction contract within the meaning of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996; if it is not, the adjudicator who heard the case did not have jurisdiction.

Testimonials

‘Rob Cowup provides an excellent clerking service.’

‘Crown Office Chambers offer specialist Construction law Advice. They have a wide range of experience within chambers for matters of all levels, complexity and value.’

‘Good chambers with good strength in depth.’

‘One of the most friendly and accessible chambers I’ve worked with.’

‘Crown Office Chambers are highly regarded in the market. Their excellent reputation is well deserved.’

‘A very proactive chambers with an excellent construction offering.’

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Gatehouse Chambers


Going ‘from strength to strength’Gatehouse Chambers handles a full spectrum of construction, engineering, energy and infrastructure disputes both domestically and internationally, such as matters relating to bonds and guarantees, construction all risks insurance, professional liability matters, defects, disruption and delay. Paul Reed KC and Simon Kerry are representing Prestoplan Limited in Avantage and others v PRP and others, an insurance-backed construction dispute linked to a fire at a timber-framed care home. David Pliener KC, now newly appointed silk as of March 2023 alongside Catherine Piercy KC, acted for the refrigeration supplier, J&H Hall, in Morrison Supermarkets v Lorien et al., a multi-party dispute resulting from the redevelopment of a large abattoir. Sarah McCann served as sole counsel in Openview Security Solutions Ltd v Metropolitan Housing Trust, a case arising from non-payment and alleged defects. Meanwhile, members of the set have been involved in international disputes spanning locations from the Americas, Oceania, Asia and the Middle East. Andrew Kearney joined the team in October 2023.

Testimonials

‘James Duncan Harthill is a standout and excellent. I like dealing with him a lot.’

‘Gatehouse Chambers offers a good depth of experience, from KC down to the most junior counsel. They can offer suitable candidates for any given case, even when one of our usual preferred counsel is not available. They offer a range of training, both online and in person, which caters for all levels of experience in my team.’

‘Very collaborative approach from chambers. They were able to field various other counsel to plug gaps when required.’

‘A very good bunch; very commercial and they offer fantastic training.’

‘Gatehouse is one of my two ‘go-to’ construction sets. There are a number of barristers who I would happily instruct. Their training programmes are also very on point and useful.’

‘As a construction set, Gatehouse is unparalleled and going from strength to strength. Their offering is increasingly strong across the board. Gatehouse has a very bright future. They also offer an impressive training programme of regular webinars and in-person seminars that are well pitched and address all the hot topics and key issues in the sector.’

Work highlights