The Legal 500

Within Administrative and public law (including local government), Matrix Chambers () is a second tier firm,

Matrix Chambers is ‘very good indeed’ for public law. Rabinder Singh QC ‘always has the ear of the court’, and Ben Emmerson QC is ‘very smooth and impressive’. Rhodri Thompson QC provides ‘superb and persuasive presentations’, and Tim Owen QC is recommended. ‘Exceptionally quick and thorough’, Helen Mountfield QC took silk in 2010, and notably advised the petitioner in Watkins v Woolas. Leading junior David Wolfe is a ‘fearless campaigning lawyer, and his ethical and intellectual qualities are second to none’. Alison Macdonald ‘fully lives up to her excellent reputation’, and Jessica Simor is ‘excellent’.

Within Banking and finance (including consumer credit) Banking and finance – Leading Silks

Within Civil liberties and human rights (including public inquiry law and actions against the police), Matrix Chambers () is a first tier firm,

‘One of the elite sets in civil liberties and human rights’, Matrix Chambers fields a ‘great range of human rights experts’, and is rated for its ‘cohesion and can-do attitude’, together with ‘superb clerking’. Rabinder Singh QC is recommended as ‘one of the foremost human rights silks at the bar’. Ben Emmerson QC is highly rated, alongside ‘smooth advocate’ Tim Owen QC and the ‘exceptionally good’ Clare Montgomery QC. Aidan O’Neill QC has an ‘astonishing breadth of knowledge and a bravery to argue cutting-edge points’. Raza Husain QC took silk in 2010, and has ‘outstanding intellect’ and ‘controls arguments in the courtroom’. The set also has strength at junior level: ‘good at getting down to the nub of issues’, the ‘simply brilliant’ David Wolfe is ‘excellent on his feet’. ‘At the forefront of cutting-edge litigation’, Alison Macdonald combines ‘brilliant intellect with creativity and a meticulous attention to detail’ and is a ‘real champion of those who are disadvantaged or oppressed’. Daniel Squires is ‘increasingly central to the set’s high-profile work’ and an ‘incredibly thorough and hardworking advocate’. James Laddie is ‘extremely bright’, and Samantha Knights is ‘hugely impressive’. Nick Armstrong is ‘really cerebral’ and has ‘extensive knowledge of asylum and immigration law’.

Within Clinical negligence and healthcare Clinical negligence and healthcare – Leading Juniors

Within Commercial litigation Commercial litigation – Leading Silks

Within Crime, Matrix Chambers () is a second tier firm,

Matrix Chambers’ clerks are ‘exceptionally good’. Tim Owen QC is ‘a quite exceptional appellate advocate’, Mark Summers has ‘very good knowledge of extradition case law’, and at the more junior level Alison Macdonald delivers ‘considered advice’. Clare Montgomery QC is ‘one of the best criminal silks around’.

Within Defamation and privacy, Matrix Chambers () is a second tier firm,

Matrix Chambers’ ‘pre-eminent’ Hugh Tomlinson QC is ‘professional, knowledgeable, cutting edge, and dependable’; ‘he has a real passion for the law and this is reflected in his focus and intensity’. The ‘first-rate’ Antony White QC appeared for national media in A v Independent regarding media access to Court of Protection hearings. Lorna Skinner is ‘thorough, hardworking, dedicated, highly intelligent and very pleasant to work with’, and Sara Mansoori is singled out as being ‘user-friendly’, with ‘excellent legal knowledge, combined with a practical approach that gets the job done for clients’.

Within EU and competition, Matrix Chambers () is a third tier firm,

Matrix Chambers is a ‘strong set’ with ‘friendly and efficient’ clerking. Leading individuals include the ‘bright, personable, incisive, client friendly’ Rhodri Thompson QC and the ‘very fine’ Rabinder Singh QC, who were involved in R (CGTSN and GKL) v Civil Aviation Authority concerning the compatibility of UK rules on aircraft detention with EU treaties and the ECHR. Recommended juniors include the ‘incredibly hardworking’ Eleni Mitrophanous and ‘clear, concise, natural advocate’ Christopher Brown.

Within Education, Matrix Chambers () is a second tier firm,

Matrix Chambers has a ‘very strong team of counsel’ which includes recently appointed silk Sam Grodzinski QC and highly respected senior junior David Wolfe. Wolfe is ‘brilliant, accessible and intuitive’, and the ‘safest pair of hands in the business’. Other recommended juniors include Nick Armstrong, who is a ‘particularly strong and robust advocate, and one of the best in the field’, Daniel Squires and Mathew Purchase.

Within Employment, Matrix Chambers () is a third tier firm,

The ‘highly professional and reliable’ Matrix Chambers houses the well-regarded Thomas Linden QC, who is ‘consistently impressive’ and commended for his ability to ‘master and distil complex legal issues’. Thomas Kibling is ‘very hardworking, committed and knowledgeable’. James Laddie is ‘easy to work with’. Mark Afeeva remains ‘very calm under pressure and is always unfazed by whatever is thrown at him’. Cherie Booth QC and Antony White QC are also recommended.

Within Environment, Matrix Chambers () is a third tier firm,

Matrix Chambers has a ‘genuine personal interest in issues and a willingness to explore novel approaches’. Maurice Sheridan provides ‘breadth and depth of knowledge, enthusiasm for the subject and quality advice delivered in a confident helpful way’. David Wolfe is ‘utterly convincing and can turn technical arguments into layman’s terms’. Kate Cook is ‘wonderfully easy to work with and her advice is always pitched at the right level of strategic/technical detail’.

Within Fraud: civil Fraud: civil – Leading Silks

Within Fraud: crime (including money laundering and asset forfeiture), Matrix Chambers () is a second tier firm,

Matrix Chambers has developed into ‘a superb set with some real stars’, including the ‘bright and commanding presence’ of Tim Owen QC, and Clare Montgomery QC, who continues to represent BAE in connection with corruption allegations. Andrew Bodnar has ‘a remarkable knowledge of confiscation case law’. Julian Knowles QC took silk in 2011.

Within Immigration (including business immigration), Matrix Chambers () is a third tier firm,

Clients appreciate the dynamism at Matrix Chambers, where the clerks are ‘well organised and have a realistic approach and commercial appreciation’. The ‘well-prepared’ Rabinder Singh QC ‘demolishes his opponents’ arguments, which often look childlike in comparison’, and the ‘razor-sharp’ Raza Husain QC is a ‘star performer – both knowledgeable and tenacious’. Of the juniors, Samantha Knights has ‘great attention to detail and tremendous tenacity’; and Nick Armstrong is ‘able to identify solutions that would often not occur to others’.

Within International arbitration, tier 4

Matrix Chambers has a number of barristers with excellent reputations for major international disputes, particularly investment treaty arbitrations. Among the silks, Antony White QC and Philippe Sands QC are superb. At the junior end, Zachary Douglas is among the best-known arbitration specialists in the country.

Within Media, entertainment and sport,

At Matrix Chambers, Antony White QC is ‘brilliant at distilling the most complex points into simple propositions’; and Mark Afeeva offers ‘strong client support’.

Within Personal injury Personal injury – Leading Juniors

Within Public international law, Matrix Chambers () is a first tier firm,

Matrix Chambers ‘clearly has a very strong presence in public international law’ and houses some ‘excellent’ practitioners. James Crawford SC is a ‘well-known leader in the field of public international law’, who ‘has had a profound influence on the development of international law in the context of applying the US Alien Tort Statute to allegations of international crimes’. The ‘excellent’ Philippe Sands QC is also extremely well regarded, and Alex Bailin QC is ‘easy to work with’, delivers ‘high quality work on time-sensitive issues’ and is well known for international criminal matters. Zachary Douglas is ‘the leading lawyer of his generation in foreign investment law’, and Alison Macdonald is also highly recommended.

Within Treasury Panel Lists Junior Counsel to the Crown – A Panel