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Overview

The Cardiff Bar is divided with sets which took the leap to become specialist and those which chose to develop the traditional common law model. Civitas Law is the preeminent civil and public law set and is the only holder of BARMARK in Wales. Apex Chambers is a specialist criminal and regulatory law set, and continues to attract new members and high-profile instructions. 30 Park Place and 9 Park Place are major players on the circuit in a wide range of areas. Temple Chambers, with bases in Cardiff and Newport, has strong family and criminal teams and is stealing a march over other sets on the immigration front. Iscoed Chambers and Angel Chambers are the leaders at the Swansea Bar. The Welsh government’s successful bid for increased law-making powers is a milestone for Wales.

Commercial litigation

At 9 Park Place, the ‘impressive’ Gwydion Hughes is a busy chancery and commercial practitioner, and Richard Kember has a notable probate practice. Jeffrey Littman is considered an expert on costs, and Andrew Keyser QC has a leading commercial, chancery and administrative practice. The Welsh-speaking Winston Roddick QC has a wide practice.

30 Park Place’s Andrew Green is a very strong member of the Welsh Bar. Angharad Davies has a traditional chancery practice, as does the up-and-coming Emma Sutton.

Civitas Law’s Gareth Jones is a specialist trusts barrister, and Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds routinely handles complex commercial and chancery disputes which surpass his year of call.

Mark Spackman at Iscoed Chambers is recommended for commercial litigation and insolvency matters.

Crime

Apex Chambers houses an ‘excellent team of barristers’. Tom Crowther and Daniel Williams, among other members, are currently involved in the high-profile trial of retired and serving police officers relating to the investigation into the murder of Lynette White. John Ryan holds extensive firearms knowledge and readily turns his hand to related work, and Lucy Crowther is praised for her ability to handle child victims and witnesses well. Tim Evans is a highly regarded fraud prosecutor, and Christopher Rees defends serious fraud cases. Susan Ferrier is recommended for serious and complex criminal matters. Martyn Kelly recently joined the team from 9 Park Place.

9 Park Place’s acclaimed Peter Davies handles the full gamut of criminal cases, and is particularly recommended for serious sexual offence cases, as is Elizabeth Pearson is adept at handling sexual offence cases, and Matthew Cobbe has a diverse criminal practice. David Elias is regularly involved in headline murder cases and is a ‘one to watch’. Heath Edwards is recommended for white-collar crime, fraud and money-laundering cases.

30 Park Place’s teamhead Peter Murphy QC prosecutes and defends very serious criminal cases, and Jennet Treharne has a strong reputation for handling serious sexual offences, as does Marian Lewis. Michael Mather-Lees is recommended for VAT, fraud and medico-legal cases, and Tracey Lloyd-Nesling fields a wide range of criminal instructions and has a particular interest in HSE matters. Huw Evans is recommended for his prison law advice. A large number of practitioners at this set are also involved in the Lynette White case.

Iscoed Chambers’ Elwen Evans QC has a solid reputation on circuit and is able to conduct entire trials in Welsh. John Hipkin, Ian Wright and Huw Rees are popular and experienced juniors.

Temple Chambers’ has a large criminal law team, which includes the notable Roger Griffiths, David Aubrey QC and Stephen Jeary.

Employment

Civitas Law’s ‘dynamic’ team leader Jonathan Walters, who regularly acts for institutional clients on complex cases, and Christopher Howells, who recently joined the team from Pendragon Chambers, have created a hub of specialism in this area. Anthony Vines recently handled gender reassignment and maternity-related sex discrimination cases. Joanne Williams and Simon John are also recommended.

9 Park Place’s Robert Vernon has an equally split employer/employee practice and is recommended for sensitive disability discrimination cases. Richard Kember heads up the 11-member team and is recommended for complex employment cases.

Family

30 Park Place’s James Tillyard QC and Jonathan Furness QC are key ancillary relief practitioners on circuit, and Jane Crowley QC and Ruth Henke QC have substantial childcare practices. Catrin John, Kate Hughes and Mark Allen are recommended for children cases, and Natalie Sandercock for both care and finance.

At 9 Park Place, Paul Hopkins QC has a thriving complex childcare practice. Owen Thomas handles childcare matters for local authorities and is recommended for divorce cases where family businesses are involved. Christopher Felstead is recommended for ancillary relief cases; Lisa Thomas is very active with childcare matters; and Matthew Barry has a mixed practice.

Temple Chambers’s Lynne Morgan is recommended for both childcare and ancillary relief matters, and Sheila Radcliffe and Richard Miller are childcare specialists. Rhys Taylor is strong on the ancillary relief front.

Angel Chambers’ 24-member team handles the full spectrum of family law work. Matthew Rees and Elizabeth Harris are recommended.

Personal injury and clinical negligence

Civitas Law’s clients ‘rarely uses other chambers for litigation work due to its breadth and experience’. Bryan Thomas is singled out for his knowledge regarding catastrophic and brain injury cases. Newly made up silk Theodore Huckle QC has recently been appointed to the coveted position of Counsel General for Wales; and Robert O’Leary recently represented the claimant in the Nottingham and Derbyshire Textile Deafness Litigation at the Supreme Court. O’Leary is ‘extremely efficient and always provides clear, pragmatic and detailed advice’; he also acted as junior counsel on the Phurnacite Workers Group Litigation. Nicholas David Jones specialises in catastrophic injuries. Andrew Arentsen, who is ‘not afraid to make difficult decisions’, and Michael Brace run complex and high-value cases. Joanne Williams handles health authority cases, and Simon Hughes and Victoria Hillier are popular juniors.

At 30 Park Place, Lloyd Williams QC is recommended for top-end work including catastrophic and brain injury cases; Robert Harrison is a popular junior; and Ben Davies is rated for his ability to turn papers around quickly.

9 Park Place’s claimant-focused Peter Brooks has a diverse and interesting PI practice.

At Iscoed Chambers, David Harris is very popular for PI matters; Elizabeth Marshall handles employers’ liability matters for local authorities; and Catherine Richards has a busy claimant-focused trade union practice.

Public law and planning

Civitas Law’ Graham Walters, who ‘has gravitas while also being extremely approachable, accommodating and practical’, is a standout figure at the Welsh Bar and has an impressive planning and licensing practice. Anthony Vines, who is also a consumer credit expert, handles a wide range of complex public and commercial law matters. South Wales Police regularly instruct Victoria Hillier on a range of civil applications, and Mona Bayoumi is noted for her substantial immigration practice.

Apex Chambers’ Lee Reynolds is increasingly instructed on regulatory law matters and has a particular focus on trading standards. Nicholas Gedge, who is ‘one of the few barristers in the region who combines extensive broad criminal experience with a specialist clinical-related regulatory practice’, is recommended for disciplinary work. Alex Greenwood, who is a ‘robust advocate’, is recommended for breach of trade mark and copyright cases.

9 Park Place’s Gareth Thomas is recommended for property work and substantial boundary disputes. Welsh-speaking Emyr Jones is recommended for planning matters, in particular village green and bridle path cases.

30 Park Place’s Rhodri Williams QC, who is also a procurement specialist, and David Hughes recently acted on the highly publicised Merton Green, Caerwent village green case.

Portal Chambers’ Tina Douglass has a national wind farm practice and recent instructions of note include the Scarweather Sands Offshore Wind Farm.

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