The Legal 500

Within Clinical negligence and healthcare, Crown Office Chambers (Chambers of Andrew Bartlett QC) is a second tier firm,

Crown Office Chambers is a ‘very good set’ and ‘well balanced’, offering a broad range of expertise levels. In the clinical negligence arena, standout performers include Dennis Matthews, who ‘knows the subject area very well’, and Gordon Catford, who is ‘always well prepared’ and ‘good with clients’. Toby Gee is highly praised for his ‘incisive mind’ and ‘tremendous attention to detail’, and Alexander Antelme and Claire Toogood are ‘both incredibly bright’.

Within Commercial litigation Commercial litigation – Leading Silks

Within Construction, Crown Office Chambers (Chambers of Andrew Bartlett QC) is a second tier firm,

Crown Office Chambers has ‘a wide range of experience’ and delivers ‘technically strong and practical advice’ to its clients. The ‘first-class’ Andrew Bartlett QC has ‘phenomenal intellect’, and ‘works formidably hard but remains calm and extremely approachable at all times’. Roger ter Haar QC is ‘a silent assassin in court’, and Andrew Rigney QC, who took silk in 2010, is also highly regarded. At junior level, Cyril Chern (of ‘the highest calibre’) and the ‘excellent’ Anna Laney are well-respected barristers. Jane Davies retired in 2011.

Within Consumer and product liability, Crown Office Chambers (Chambers of Andrew Bartlett QC) is a second tier firm,

Crown Office Chambers is a leading set for product liability issues, ‘particularly for lengthy pharmaceutical group action cases’. Michael Spencer QC has ‘more experience than any other in this field’, and Jonathan Waite QC is ‘superb with clients, thorough and extremely clever’. Of the juniors, James Medd is a ‘formidable opponent’ and specialises in product liability, sale of goods and contract law; Shaun Ferris focuses on pharmaceutical and chemical group litigation; and Simon Antrobus specialises in food safety and trading standards consumer law. The ‘clear and pragmatic’ Alexander Antelme recently advised on the haemophiliac/blood litigation.

Within Costs, Crown Office Chambers (Chambers of Andrew Bartlett QC) is a third tier firm,

Crown Office Chambers has several leading names, including Andrew Bartlett QC, who is praised for ‘his excellent courtroom style’, particularly in insurance-related cases, and the ‘very personable and user-friendly’ Simon J Brown whose ‘knowledge of costs law is second to none and whose advice, both tactical and technical, is excellent’.

Within Health and safety, Crown Office Chambers (Chambers of Andrew Bartlett QC) is a first tier firm,

The ‘market-leading’ Crown Office Chambers is ‘the go-to set for health and safety work’, where ‘members all have different strengths which complement one another’. ‘There is a barrister to suit everyone’, although the set is particularly strong at junior level, where Simon Antrobus, ‘one of the most talented and knowledgeable health and safety barristers in the UK’, acted in the Buncefield criminal trial. John Cooper’s ‘wealth of knowledge is unrivalled’, and Dominic Kay’s ‘demeanor is spot on – he is an extremely eloquent presenter’. A John Williams has ‘an eye for detail and the ability to make the most complex of cases clear to a jury’; Mark Balysz ‘can have judges and magistrates eating out of the palm of his hand’; and Harry Vann is ‘approachable, and excellent with clients’.

Within Insurance and reinsurance, Crown Office Chambers (Chambers of Andrew Bartlett QC) is a third tier firm,

Crown Office Chambers is ‘invariably able to put forward a high-quality candidate for any instruction in this area’, such as the ‘very capable’ Roger ter Haar QC and Andrew Bartlett QC, who employs ‘meticulous forensic analysis’ and is ‘just ruthless’ in court. With a ‘dependable legal brain’, Michael Curtis QC led a team of three juniors in a multimillion-dollar international arbitration. At junior level, Rebecca Taylor, Suzanne Chalmers and Anna Laney (‘no praise is high enough’) are highly rated.

Within International arbitration, tier 4

Crown Office Chambers has a ‘number of talented barristers at various levels’, and is noted for its expertise in construction disputes. Roger ter Haar QC is ‘an exceptional lawyer and advocate, whose advice and judgement is well respected by clients’. The ‘excellent’ Andrew Bartlett QC is also ‘top quality’. The ‘very approachable’ Andrew Rigney QC has ‘has a very calm, knowledgeable manner,’ and is ‘excellent with clients’. Dr Cyril Chern is ‘excellent both as an advocate and an arbitrator’.

Within Personal injury, Crown Office Chambers (Chambers of Andrew Bartlett QC) is a first tier firm,

Crown Office Chambers has ‘significant strength’, and its clerks are ‘approachable, efficient, friendly and helpful’. Christopher Purchas QC is ‘one of the leading silks in this field’, the ‘doyen of the PI bar’ and the ‘go-to leader for difficult cases’. Michael Kent QC has a ‘high level of technical capability combined with an easy charm’. Juniors include Andrew Davis, who has ‘particular strength in jurisdictional matters’, and Shaun Ferris, ‘one of the best senior juniors in personal injury’. Patrick Blakesley is ‘a superb advocate’ and Steven Snowden ‘shines as a particularly good example of the strengths of the set’.

Within Professional negligence, Crown Office Chambers (Chambers of Andrew Bartlett QC) is a third tier firm,

Crown Office Chambers is ‘an efficient set that is pleasant to deal with’. Roger ter Haar QC is ‘a real star’, and appeared in the notable case of Jones v Kaney, which examines whether expert witnesses are in any way immune from suit. Michael Harvey QC is ‘a fantastic advocate’. Leading juniors include ‘the extremely personable’ Ben Quiney; John Greenbourne, who is ‘very capable and good on his feet’; Simon Howarth, who ‘really knows his stuff’; the ‘excellent’ Jason Evans-Tovey; and Suzanne Chalmers, who is ‘efficient, concise and user friendly’.

Within Tax: corporate and VAT Tax: VAT – Leading Silks