The Legal 500

Within Administrative and public law (including local government), tier 4

One Crown Office Row features the ‘absolutely fantastic’ Philip Havers QC, who has ‘great strategic skill’. Neil Garnham QC is recommended, and Angus McCullough QC is ‘absolutely excellent’. Robert Kellar is ‘careful and hardworking’, and has healthcare sector experience.

Within Children law (including public and private law) Children law (including public and private law) – Leading Silks

Within Civil liberties and human rights (including public inquiry law and actions against the police) Civil liberties and human rights – Leading Juniors

Within Clinical negligence and healthcare, One Crown Office Row (Chambers of Philip Havers QC) is a first tier firm,

One Crown Office Row is ‘one of the pre-eminent clinical negligence sets’, with ‘extremely capable barristers at every level’. It is highly praised for its ‘helpful clerks’ and its ‘large number of experienced and good quality counsel’. James Badenoch QC is ‘in a class of his own’, Philip Havers QC is ‘absolutely excellent’, Paul Rees QC, hailed as ‘one of the best clinical negligence QCs’ is ‘a great brain, who sees the bigger picture and is always well prepared’. Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel QC is a ‘phenomenal, standout performer’. Terence Coghlan QC is ‘really very good’. Margaret Bowron QC is ‘exceptionally user-friendly’ and is a ‘solid and sound negotiator’. Kieran Coonan QC is ‘rated highly’. Christina Lambert QC and Philippa Whipple QC are also recommended. Juniors include John Gimlette, Henry Witcomb, Richard Booth, Caroline Neenan, Rachel Marcus, Adam Wagner, and ‘superb barrister’ David Evans. Richard Mumford is ‘approachable and capable with good tactical judgement’, and Judith Rogerson has ‘good technical knowledge and the ability to convey it’. Richard Smith and Caroline Cross are ones to watch.

Within Costs, One Crown Office Row (Chambers of Philip Havers QC) is a third tier firm,

At One Crown Office Row, Guy Mansfield QC is considered ‘extremely responsive and technically at the top of his game’, as well as being ‘an excellent advocate’. Sarah Lambert is also ‘extremely good. She knows her stuff when it comes to costs and has achieved some good results. She is also very easy to work with’.

Within Employment,

Other recommended silks include: Robert Griffiths QC at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square; FTB’s Simon Mehigan QC; Andrew Hogarth QC at 12 King’s Bench Walk, who is ‘a robust and forthright advocate and persuasive on paper’; and Gavin Millar QC of Doughty Street Chambers, who ‘always seeks strategic solutions’. At the junior end, the ‘exceptional’ Rachel Toney at Stone Chambers ‘demonstrates a keen grasp of the law and is a formidable asset in any Employment Tribunal case’; Ben Collins of One Crown Office Row has a ‘very calm, measured approach’; Tooks Chambers’ Jane Russell shows ‘excellent legal knowledge and very strong cross-examination skills’; and the ‘ten out of ten’ David Brook and ‘extremely bright’ Patrick Green at Henderson Chambers, who are also well respected in the field.

Within Environment, One Crown Office Row (Chambers of Philip Havers QC) is a third tier firm,

At One Crown Office Row, ‘highly able practitioner on specialist environmental points’ David Hart QC appeared in the Winwood v Biffa appeal. Angus McCullough QC acted for the UK government in the first complaints brought against it before the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee.

Within Family law (including divorce and ancillary relief), One Crown Office Row (Chambers of Philip Havers QC) is a third tier firm,

One Crown Office Row is recommended for matrimonial finance work. David Balcombe QC is an ‘extremely well-respected and well-liked barrister’.

Within Other New Silks Other New Silks

Within Personal injury Personal injury – Leading Silks

Within Professional discipline and regulatory law (including police law), One Crown Office Row (Chambers of Philip Havers QC) is a first tier firm,

One Crown Office Row ‘fields a number of excellent barristers for regulatory and disciplinary matters’. Kieran Coonan QC is recommended for his experience in advising doctors and dentists in disciplinary proceedings; Joanna Glynn QC is ‘thorough, patient and clear’; Neil Garnham QC is ‘first rate’; William Edis QC is ‘an outstanding advocate’; Christina Lambert QC has a ‘fantastic reputation’; and Martin Forde QC is ‘highly knowledgeable’. Among the juniors, Andrew Kennedy is singled out.

Within Professional negligence, tier 5

One Crown Office Row is a ‘consistently top quality’ set. Guy Mansfield QC is ‘impressive’, and Richard Smith is also recommended.

Within Tax: corporate and VAT,

Also recommended are the ‘very thorough, professional and concise’ Timothy Brennan QC at Devereux; tax avoidance and transfer pricing expert Michael Green QC (an ‘excellent advocate, with a clear and authoritative delivery’) at Fountain Court Chambers; Philippa Whipple QC of One Crown Office Row; Laurence Rabinowitz QC (‘intellectually outstanding with a calm, reassuring demeanour’) at One Essex Court; the ‘brilliant, smooth, polished, accessible’ Philip Jones QC at Serle Court; and ‘top-level’ silk Timothy Lyons QC, an authority on EU customs and trade duties at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square.

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