The Legal 500

Within Treasury Panel Lists Region 6

Within Commercial, insolvency and property,

At Queen Square Chambers, Charles Goodall is recommended for property-related matters.

Within Construction, planning, licensing and environmental,

2010 saw Julian Allsop at Queen Square Chambers make several appearances in the High Court, including a commercial building dispute and a complex building-related negligence case.

Within Crime,

Queen Square Chambers makes ‘every attempt to provide continuance, which solicitors ’ clients, especially those that are more vulnerable, really appreciate’. James Tucker’s ‘capacity to absorb complex material is enormous’, and he is rated for his POCA knowledge. Charles Row’s ‘preparatory work is excellent and his skill as an advocate incomparable’, and Alun Jenkins QC continues to have a solid reputation on circuit. Ian Halliday (‘clear and persuasive advocacy; agile mind’) and Robin Shellard (‘excellent all-rounder; a star performer’) are recommended. Oliver Willmott is a leading junior on serious criminal cases and is developing a strong regulatory practice.

Within Employment,

At Queen Square Chambers, Nick Smith takes a ‘very straightforward approach and provides clear and cogent analysis of a case along with practical recommendations’. Debbie Grennan’s ‘responses are prompt, apposite and down to earth; and her business acumen is faultless’. Julian Allsop is a ‘safe pair of hands, and adopts a solid and robust approach’. Allan Roberts is ‘courteous, well prepared and professional’, and Douglas Leach’s ‘technical ability shines through on complex cases’.

Within Family,

Queen Square Chambers’ Stephen Roberts is ‘always well prepared, extremely knowledgeable and is a favourite with clients’. The ‘exceptional’ Joanna Lucas has the ‘expertise to grasp the issues in a case quickly’. Fiona Farquhar is particularly strong on public and private childcare matters, and is ‘extremely diligent and thorough’. Caroline Elford handles complex care proceedings and is ‘able to pitch her approach to clients in a way that is appropriate to their needs’.

Within Health and safety, and regulatory,

Queen Square Chambers’ ‘excellent’ Nigel Fryer routinely handles complex HSE and environmental matters.

Within Overview, Queen Square Chambers (Chambers of Christopher Taylor) is a second tier firm,

With five specialist teams in place and as a holder of BARMARK, Guildhall Chambers is ‘truly a viable alternative to London chambers’. It has a national and international insolvency reputation, a niche sports law offering and an ever-growing personal injury and clinical negligence team. St John’s Chambers’ clerks ‘really do appear to consider carefully recommendations when they are asked for them’, and the set continues to have the leading family team in Bristol. Despite several losses to the bench, Albion Chambers remains a prominent crime and family set and has an ‘extremely high standard of clerking’. Queen Square Chambers is a ‘very friendly and professional set’ that continues to have a leading employment team. Outside of Bristol, 12 College Place, which is also a holder of BARMARK, and College Chambers service Southampton, as does Devon Chambers in Plymouth. The ‘very good’ Colleton Chambers and Rougemont Chambers, along with Walnut House, are the pre-eminent sets in Exeter and Taunton. Leading Bristol annexes include Old Square Chambers, whose clerks are ‘very helpful and flexible to ensure suitable counsel is available’, and 3PB that provides a ‘“Rolls-Royce” service; right from head of chambers at the top, to junior clerks’. 3 Pump Court and Doughty Street Chambers also have a presence on circuit, and No5 Chambers’ Bristol annex provides a ‘niche, almost boutique service which distinguishes itself from the Birmingham and London chambers’. 1 Paper Buildings is highly visible on this circuit, particularly in Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester. With the opening of the new Bristol Civil Court Centre, it is expected that an increasing volume of work will stay in the hands of local sets.

Within Personal injury and clinical negligence,

Queen Square Chambers’ Christopher Taylor has ‘good knowledge of catastrophic injury cases’, and is ‘authoritative but has an easy manner’. Rebecca Dennis ‘applies legal principles with an eye on the practicalities of litigation’.