The Legal 500

Within Administrative and public law (including local government), Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a second tier set,

Brick Court Chambers’ standout silks include the ‘superb’ David Anderson QC, who is ‘brilliant with clients’; and Richard Gordon QC, who is ‘imaginative and innovative and always looking for the best angle to defend or probe a case’. New silk Jemima Stratford QC is recommended for her ‘straightforward but effective advocacy’, and fellow new silk Marie Demetriou QC is ‘absolutely excellent’. Of the juniors, Martin Chamberlain is ‘absolutely first class’, and Maya Lester has ‘an eye for the detail without losing sight of the bigger picture’.

Within Aviation, Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a third tier set,

At Brick Court Chambers, Andrew Lydiard QC has ‘a powerful intellect and extensive experience in aviation and cross-border disputes’. He recently acted in a claim for the loss of two Boeing 747 aircraft. Mark Brealey QC is recommended for his competition law expertise. Neil Calver QC has recently acted in a number of large-scale arbitrations.

Within Banking and finance (including consumer credit and financial regulation), Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a second tier set,

Brick Court Chambers is a popular choice for major banking disputes. ‘There is no finer QC in this area’ than Mark Hapgood QC, whose ‘advocacy skills are extraordinarily good’ and who has ‘an uncanny knack of predicting the other side’s next move’. The ‘formidable’ Mark Howard QC ‘gives clever, shrewd and realistic advice and excels in cross-examination’. Tim Lord QC is ‘one of the first choices for institutional investors in disputes with large investment banks’, and Richard Slade QC has ‘the ability to cut straight to the point and express clear and unequivocal views, while also being very approachable’. Neil Calver QC’s ‘ability to cut through detail and grasp complex issues is first rate’. The ‘excellent, meticulous’ Jasbir Dhillon ‘adds tremendous value’ and ‘quickly grasps the intricacies of complex documentation’. The ‘completely brilliant and pragmatic’ Simon Birt ‘always listens to and takes account of contrary opinions with a modest and unassuming air’.

Within Civil liberties and human rights (including public inquiry law and actions against the police), Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a second tier set,

Brick Court Chambers’ standout barristers include Richard Gordon QC, a ‘very astute lawyer who reads a court well’, and the renowned David Anderson QC. Junior Martin Chamberlain is ‘clearly an expert on human rights law’, as is the ‘fiercely bright and hardworking’ Maya Lester.

Within Commercial litigation, Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a first tier set,

Leading commercial super set Brick Court Chambers fields ‘many stars’, including Mark Hapgood QC, who has ‘a wealth of experience’ and ‘goes out of his way to help and be available even on short notice’; and Mark Howard QC, who is ‘exceptionally clever and able to digest complex and detailed cases with ease’. ‘Superb strategist’ Neil Calver QC is ‘quick to spot issues’, and Simon Salzedo QC ‘has made a seamless transition into silk’ thanks to his ‘extraordinarily broad practice expertise, excellent judgement calls and strong rapport with clients’. Roger Masefield ‘develops a complete understanding of the factual issues that surpasses even that of the client who has lived through the matter’. The ‘sharp, quick, responsive and incisive’ Colin West has ‘a deep knowledge of jurisdictional issues and is at home dealing with complex cases’.

Within EU and competition, Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a first tier set,

Brick Court Chambers is a ‘standout set’ with a list of names that ‘reads like a “who’s who” of EU and competition law experts’. Nicholas Green QC, who appeared in BAA v Competition Commission, is a ‘strategic thinker with a firm grasp of tactics’. ‘One of the most experienced and accomplished English advocates before the European courts’, David Anderson QC has ‘a compendious knowledge of the law’. Daniel Jowell QC is ‘bright, commercial, user friendly and a master of diplomacy’, and appeared in Competition Commission and Ryanair v BAA. Helen Davies QC is ‘first choice for senior input at the competition Bar’, and James Flynn QC has ‘huge experience before the European courts and the Competition Appeal Tribunal’. Mark Brealey QC is ‘easy to work with and enormously impressive’, Jemima Stratford QC is ‘very sound in her tactical appraisal of cases’, and Mark Hoskins QC is ‘incisive, has a pragmatic approach and is an excellent advocate in court’. Among its juniors, telecoms, pharma, and technology expert Kelyn Bacon is ‘outstandingly clever’, and Sarah Ford’s advice is ‘concise and considered’. Sarah Abram is ‘very much in demand and on her way to the very top’, and Sarah Lee is ‘bright, hardworking and utterly reliable’.

Within Energy, Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a second tier set,

Brick Court Chambers has played a key role in a number of high-profile energy disputes, including Berezovsky v Abramovich. Recommended silks include Mark Howard QC, who is ‘pre-eminent in international energy disputes’, and Helen Davies QC, who stands out for her ‘outstanding brainpower, speed of thought and clarity of expression both orally and in written form’. Charles Hollander QC offers ‘crystal-clear advice on difficult subjects in a client-friendly form’, and new silk Michael Bools QC ‘has grown in stature and confidence’. Roger Masefield is also recommended.

Within Environment Environment – Leading Silks

Within Fraud: civil, Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a second tier set,

At Brick Court Chambers, nine members continue to act in the long-running Berezovsky v Abramovich trial. Mark Howard QC and Mark Hapgood QC draw praise, and Michael Swainston QC is singled out for his ‘ability to identify the core issues of a case and provide solid advice’. ‘Star junior’ Roger Masefield and the ‘fantastic’ Fionn Pilbrow are also recommended.

Within Information technology,

Other recommended practitioners include Quadrant Chambers’ Simon Croall QC; Alan Gourgey QC at 11 Stone Buildings; Graham Read QC of Devereux; 7 Bedford Row’s Derek Sweeting QC; Nicholas Saunders at Brick Court Chambers; new silk Lawrence Akka QC at 20 Essex Street, who has an ‘excellent grasp of complex matters’; One Essex Court’s Geoffrey Hobbs QC and Philip Roberts, who is ‘very strong on his feet’; the ‘clear and persuasive’ Mark Shaw QC at Blackstone Chambers, which is well known for its telecoms expertise; and Cyril Chern of Crown Office Chambers, who has ‘exceptional knowledge and experience in IT both in the UK and throughout Europe’.

Within Insurance and reinsurance, Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a third tier set,

At the ‘very client-friendly’ Brick Court Chambers, Jonathan Hirst QC recently acted for a P&I club in Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines v Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association, relating to the frustration of an insurance contract. ‘Star performer’ Simon Salzedo QC acted for the claimant in Standard Life v ACE, concerning an insurance policy for compensation paid to investors in Standard Life’s pension sterling fund. Neil Calver QC’can be relied upon to advise on complex issues in a straightforward and uncomplicated manner’. ‘All-round top-notch junior’ Stephen Midwinter’s advice is ‘punchy and practical’, and the ‘user-friendly and responsive’ Simon Birt is also recommended.

Within Intellectual property,

Also recommended are Michael Bloch QC at Wilberforce Chambers; Serle Court’s Michael Edenborough QC, who is valued for his ‘attention to detail and responsiveness’; the ‘charismatic’ Ian Mill QC at Blackstone Chambers; the ‘very commercially astute’ Mark Engelman at Hardwicke; and Nicholas Saunders at Brick Court Chambers, who is developing a specialist practice focusing on the interface between IP rights and competition law. The ‘highly intelligent’ Madeleine Heal moved from Hardwicke to New Square Chambers in 2011.

Within International arbitration, Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a second tier set,

At Brick Court Chambers, Mark Howard QC is ‘a master at weaving treaty law and fraud principles into his cross-examinations’, and Michael Swainston QC is ‘an excellent and very persuasive advocate and a great master of detail’. Clients who experience Neil Calver QC ‘never want to go elsewhere’, thanks to his ‘first-rate written and oral advocacy’ and his willingness to attend ‘meetings and conference calls at short notice’. The ‘hugely talented’ Simon Salzedo QC is ‘a pleasure to work with, very responsive, and remains unusually calm under pressure’. Among the juniors, Jasbir Dhillon is ‘an excellent, meticulous lawyer’ who ‘leaves no stone unturned in his rigorous approach to cases’. The ‘very impressive’ Klaus Reichert SC is ‘an exceptional lawyer’ with ‘superb cross-examination skills’.

Within Media, entertainment and sport, Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a third tier set,

At Brick Court Chambers, Charles Hollander QC is recognised for his expertise in media and sports law, and Jonathan Hirst QC ‘oozes authority’. Nicholas Green QC advised LOCOG on dispute resolution systems for the 2012 Olympics. Recommended juniors include Tony Singla, who is ‘quick, efficient and not afraid to make his views known’, and ‘brilliant written and oral advocate’ Oliver Jones.

Within Product liability Product liability – Leading Silks

Within Professional negligence, Brick Court Chambers (Jonathan Hirst QC and Nicholas Green QC) is a second tier set,

Brick Court Chambers is ‘renowned’ for its professional negligence expertise. Among the silks, the ‘clear, commercial and decisive’ Mark Howard QC has ‘an edge of hard steel’, and the ‘impressive’ George Leggatt QC is ‘user friendly’ and ‘prepared to get stuck in’. The ‘eminent’ Mark Hapgood QC, ‘experienced’ Charles Hollander QC and ‘highly regarded’ Tom Adam QC are also recommended. Standout juniors include Jonathan Dawid, the ‘fantastic’ Fionn Pilbrow and the ‘excellent’ Peter Irvin.

Within Public international law Public international law – Leading Silks

Within Shipping,

Also recommended are Brick Court Chambers’s Richard Lord QC, for dry shipping matters; 4 Pump Court’s Sean O’Sullivan, who is ‘phenomenally talented with a loyal following’; the ‘affable and approachable’ Nicholas Craig at 3 Verulam Buildings; James Watthey at Hardwicke, who is noted for his wide range of knowledge; and Stephen Dennison QC at Atkin Chambers.

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