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Enterprise Chambers provides ‘a higher call of barrister for a competitive rate’. It is a ‘strong set in the area of property and commercial litigation’. Hugh Jory is ‘excellent in dealing with clients and has an exceptionally good knowledge of insolvency, company and partnership law’. Jory is a ‘top-notch advocate’ who ‘fights hard for his client and is the person to have on your side in a fight’. Michael James has ‘comprehensive knowledge of legal niceties, combined with a really practical common sense’, and is ‘an efficient, if not devastating, advocate’. Margaret Griffin is ‘diligent, gets it right’ and takes a ‘client-focused approach’, and Hugo Groves ‘has strong technical skills and is a star for insolvency work; a super brain’. On the property side, Cristín Toman can ‘succinctly and easily cut through complicated issues’, and Jonathan Klein has a reputation as ‘the best property litigator at the Bar in Leeds’.

Chancery House Chambers has a great reputation in commercial and chancery work. Gregory Pipe receives praise from clients and peers in equal measure and has been involved in large shareholder disputes. 2010 saw the departure of Lisa Linklater (who specialises in insolvency, corporate, financial services and commercial litigation) to Exchange Chambers. However, the addition of Stuart Roberts adds to the set’s developing private chancery work. Other key names include William Buck and Dominic Crossley.

Members of Parklane Plowden have experience in all key commercial and chancery areas with particular emphasis on litigation, arbitration, mediation and professional negligence. Tim Hirst and Paul Brook are recommended.

Zenith Chambers’ Stephen Howd is highly regarded and praised as ‘the best advocate’, with an ‘understated courtroom presence’ and an ability to ‘approach difficult questions from all angles before finding the right direction of attack and dismantling the argument forensically.’

Park Court Chambers has ‘proved itself to be exceptionally flexible and accommodating in relation to both fees and a willingness to operate to tight timeframes’. Among those recommended include: James Normington (has ‘a robust grasp of the commercial realities of litigation allied with an ability to provide an accurate, reasoned prognosis’); Elaine Skittrell (has ‘an ability to extract the key issues quickly and succinctly, with a courtroom manner that instils confidence’); Alex Offer (‘superb’, immensely knowledgable, and ‘consistently performs way beyond his years’); and Ashley Tucker.

No. 6’s Andrew Mitchell continues to receive instructions from leading commercial firms and is highly regarded for dealing with niche claims such as cable damage and construction disputes. David Rose has a particular strength in probate work and was involved in the landlord and tenant case Perriam Ltd v Wayne & Daly.

St Paul’s Chambers’ Alun Jones is ‘extremely thorough, decisive and methodical’.

Names of note at Trinity Chambers include Antoine Tinnion, who has ‘excellent legal knowledge’ and pays ‘high attention to detail’; Simon Goldberg, who ‘stands out among his peers for his hard work and first-rate advocacy skills’; and Richard Stubbs, who is a ‘competent and sound advocate’, and gives opinions that are ‘nothing short of outstanding’.

Kings Chambers’ Michael Booth QC is ‘a ferocious advocate and has the ability to get to the root of a legal problem quickly’. Paul Chaisty QC is ‘pragmatic, knows his judges and has oodles of common sense’. Lesley Anderson QC is ‘tenacious, bright and technically excellent; a first-class operator’.

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Legal Developments in the UK

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  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW

  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW

  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW

  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW

  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW

  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW

  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

  • Premium service for tier 2 and 5 sponsors to be launched

    A premium service for sponsors will be launched by the UKBA on 6 April 2012. The service is designed specifically for companies that sponsor international employees under tier 2 and 5 of the points based system and aims to provide them with enhanced support.
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

Press Releases in the UK

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