The Legal 500

Within Administrative and public law (including local government) Administrative and public law – Leading Juniors

Within Banking and finance (including consumer credit and financial regulation), tier 4

Outer Temple Chambers is a top-notch set for financial services regulatory matters. Richard Lissack QC is ‘clearly one of the leading silks in this area, with a great deal of experience in the regulatory side of banking and finance’. The ‘extremely bright and phenomenally hardworking’ Nicholas Medcroft is ‘the first person to turn to when it comes to matters relating to financial crime and banks’. The ‘knowledgeable, calm and authoritative’ Oliver Assersohn is recommended for contentious financial services work, where ‘his experience is almost unique’.

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

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

Within Clinical negligence and healthcare, Outer Temple Chambers (Philip Mott QC) is a third tier set,

Outer Temple Chambers benefited from the recent arrival of Doughty Street Chambers’ Christopher Gibson QC, who brings ‘a wealth of experience and an assured approach that puts clients at ease’. Christopher Wilson-Smith QC is also recommended, as is David Westcott QC, who ‘adds enormous weight to a case with his exceptionally forensic approach’. At junior level, Harry Trusted has ‘brilliant advocacy skills’, Eliot Woolf ‘can be relied upon to go the extra mile’, Cara Guthrie has ‘a strong grasp of difficult legal issues’, and Rachel Vickers impresses with her ‘intellectual sharpness’.

Within Crime, tier 4

Also recommended are: Anthony Berry QC and David Hughes at 9 Bedford Row; 9-12 Bell Yard’s Mukul Chawla QC, Philip Katz QC and Mary Poku (‘her success rate has been outstanding’); Michael Wood QC and William England at Carmelite Chambers; Martin Rutherford (‘an imposing and commanding figure’), ‘first-rate advocate’ Sally O’Neill QC, the ‘calm and highly professional’ Jon Swain and Oliver Blunt QC at Furnival Chambers; and Outer Temple Chambers’ Fiona Horlick, who is ‘very good on her feet’. The well-regarded Michael Neofytou is now practising at newly established LDP Artesian Law.

Within Education,

Also recommended are the ‘tactically astute’ Oliver Hyams at Devereux; the ‘superbly analytical’ John McKendrick at Outer Temple Chambers; Radcliffe Chambers’ Francesca Quint, who is ‘extremely knowledgeable’ on charity matters related to schools; 3PB’s Lachlan Wilson, whose experience as a teacher gives him ‘invaluable insight’; and Mary Hughes at 1 Pump Court, who has ‘the necessary expertise to understand the overlap between education law and family law’.

Within Employment, tier 4

Outer Temple Chambers has the ‘phenomenal’ Andrew Short QC, who demonstrates ‘great attention to detail’; and Richard Lissack QC, who is also highly regarded. Of the juniors, Daniel Barnett is ‘very energetic and purposeful’, and Keith Bryant is ‘commercial and extremely pragmatic’. Clients also appreciate the ‘very personable approach’ of Benjimin Burgher, who ‘tackles any challenge with a smile’.

Within Fraud: crime (including money laundering and asset forfeiture), Outer Temple Chambers (Philip Mott QC) is a third tier set,

At Outer Temple Chambers, Michael Bowes QC is ‘one of the most experienced members of the Bar when it comes to prosecuting FSA matters’. Richard Lissack QC is ‘both insightful and client friendly’, and Nicholas Medcroft has ‘a calm and methodical approach’. Philip Mott QC and Robert Rhodes QC are also widely respected.

Within Health and safety, Outer Temple Chambers (Philip Mott QC) is a first tier set,

At Outer Temple Chambers, the well-established and hugely impressive Richard Lissack QC is ‘streets ahead’ of other health and safety practitioners; very ‘user friendly’ and ‘the most impressive’ barrister at the Bar. Philip Mott QC successfully acted in the acquittal of a heating engineer who was charged with gross negligence manslaughter in relation to a faulty hotel boiler, which led a fatality due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Stephen Climie focuses on with criminal cases, and recently defended a manager charged with fire safety offences following multiple deaths in a hotel fire. Fellow junior James Leonard is ‘thorough’, ‘enthusiastic’, ‘good with clients’ and ‘an excellent advocate’.

Within Pensions, Outer Temple Chambers (Philip Mott QC) is a second tier set,

Outer Temple Chambers’ barristers have appeared in some of the most significant pensions cases of recent times, and the set continues to give its competitors ‘a good run for their money’. Andrew Spink QC demonstrates ‘great leadership and tactical nous’, and is complemented by the ‘personable and intellectually sharp’ Andrew Short QC and Nicolas Stallworthy QC (‘at the cutting edge of legal thinking’), both of whom are building impressive reputations following their appointments in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Among the juniors, Richard Hitchcock displays ‘mastery of technical issues’, Keith Bryant is ‘approachable and thorough’, and David Grant delivers ‘dogged analysis of very complex points’. Farhaz Khan and James Rickards are ‘ones to watch’, and Naomi Ling gives ‘very clear advice’.

Within Personal injury, Outer Temple Chambers (Philip Mott QC) is a third tier set,

At Outer Temple Chambers, Gerard McDermott QC is ‘a force to be reckoned with’ and David Westcott QC is ‘an intellectual giant’. Christopher Wilson-Smith QC delivers ‘advocacy of the very highest level and has unrivalled cross-examination skills’. Recommended juniors include the ‘highly intelligent’ Eliot Woolf, who is commended for his client care; Patrick Sadd, who has ‘a sharp mind and tactical nous’; and Nathan Tavares, who is ‘destined to take silk’. Ben Bradley is ‘a star of the future’.

Within Professional discipline and regulatory law (including police law), Outer Temple Chambers (Philip Mott QC) is a second tier set,

Outer Temple Chambers fields a number of ‘outstanding barristers’, and the clerks are ‘of an exceptionally high calibre’. ‘One of the leading QCs in this area’, Richard Lissack QC is both ‘insightful and client friendly’, and Gordon Bebb QC is ‘very good at clearly putting forward difficult legal arguments’. Brendan Finucane QC’s ‘methodical approach makes him the perfect silk to work with’; he ‘works phenomenally hard and leaves no stone unturned in defending his clients’. Fiona Horlick is ‘at the top of her game’ and ‘combines charm, charisma and an unbending will to succeed’.

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