The Legal 500

Within Administrative and public law (including local government), Thirty Nine Essex Street (Chambers of Robert Jay QC and Stephen Tromans QC) is a second tier firm,

‘Undoubtedly the leading set in Court of Protection work’ and also excelling in mental health cases, Thirty Nine Essex Street ‘unfailingly responds to the most difficult and urgent situations’. The ‘brilliant’ Nigel Pleming QC is currently representing Arriva Trains in a judicial review case. Robert Jay QC is a ‘leading practitioner in public law’. ‘Pragmatic advocate’ Lisa Giovannetti QC took silk in 2010, along with Eleanor Grey QC and Jenni Richards QC, who has an ‘impressive combination of intellectual rigour and ability to communicate in difficult negotiations’. Fenella Morris is ‘extremely bright’, Vikram Sachdeva has ‘real expertise in medical and disciplinary cases’, and Nicola Greaney has ‘excellent courtroom presence’. Parishil Patel is ‘bright, keen and hardworking’, and Richard Harwood is ‘always at the cutting edge of planning and environmental law’. Alexander Ruck Keene is a ‘leading light’ in mental capacity work, and Katharine Scott is ‘thoroughly conscientious’.

Within Civil liberties and human rights (including public inquiry law and actions against the police), Thirty Nine Essex Street (Chambers of Robert Jay QC and Stephen Tromans QC) is a third tier firm,

A growing set of ‘serious players in the field of human rights and civil liberties’, Thirty Nine Essex Street fields several ‘top-of-the-range barristers’. Nigel Pleming QC is a ‘superstar’ with an outstanding reputation. With ‘second-to-none’ Court of Protection experience, Fenella Morris has an ‘extremely impressive grasp of the law’, and is a ‘formidable advocate and opponent’.

Within Clinical negligence and healthcare Clinical negligence and healthcare – Leading Silks

Within Construction, Thirty Nine Essex Street (Chambers of Robert Jay QC and Stephen Tromans QC) is a second tier firm,

Thirty Nine Essex Street is ‘an excellent set for construction law, where the clerks will work tirelessly to assist and make things happen’. ‘An excellent choice for any litigation team’, Stuart Catchpole QC is ‘exceptionally talented and masterful in his contractual analysis’; and Richard Wilmot-Smith QC ‘seems at home in the senior courts and is exceptionally gifted at dealing with complex arguments in the most challenging of forums’. Of the juniors, Kate Grange is ‘tenacious and thorough’, Karen Gough has a ‘hands-on approach’, and Karim Ghaly is ‘a star of the future, with a very impressive understanding of complex issues’.

Within Consumer and product liability Consumer and product liability – Leading Silks

Within Costs, Thirty Nine Essex Street (Chambers of Robert Jay QC and Stephen Tromans QC) is a first tier firm,

The ‘pleasant, helpful and efficient’ clerks at Thirty Nine Essex Street help facilitate the set’s market-leading costs practice. The ‘impressive’ Jeremy Morgan QC is ‘very approachable and easy to work with’ and is ‘the leading authority’ in costs; he ‘knows the area of law inside out’. The ‘hardworking’ and ‘technically very competent’ Robert Marven has ‘excellent attention to detail with an eye for the wider context’, and the ‘excellent’ Benjamin Williams ‘is simply number one on costs. He is sharp, clear and a good advocate. A pleasure to work with’. The ‘extremely knowledgeable, hardworking and thorough’ Simon Edwards is praised for his ‘excellent technical knowledge’ and ‘courteous, professional and highly practical manner’. The ‘extremely technically competent, vibrant and enthusiastic’ Vikram Sachdeva is a ‘tenacious advocate’.

Within Education,

Other notable practitioners include Outer Temple Chambers’ John McKendrick, who has ‘excellent knowledge of the law’; Fenella Morris at Thirty Nine Essex Street, who is ‘absolutely excellent on all issues which raise public law arguments’; Oliver Hyams at Devereux; and the ‘clear, concise and very helpful’ Francesca Quint at Radcliffe Chambers.

Within Energy, tier 5

‘A safe pair of hands’, Thirty Nine Essex Street’s Stephen Tromans QC is ‘extraordinarily bright’. Also recommended are Stuart Catchpole QC, Richard Wilmot-Smith QC and Duncan Sinclair.

Within Environment, Thirty Nine Essex Street (Chambers of Robert Jay QC and Stephen Tromans QC) is a first tier firm,

Thirty Nine Essex Street’s Stephen Tromans QC is ‘the counsel of choice’ for environmental matters. A number of counsel were instructed on Ankester and Melanphy v DEFRA, a high-profile challenge regarding the Habitats Directive. Colin Thomann provides a ‘very good grasp of the issues and is a good advocate’. Nigel Pleming QC is ‘a clever, persuasive and acute lawyer’. Richard Harwood is ‘good at dealing with the intricacies of a complicated area of law, and is a very competent advocate in court’.

Within Health and safety, Thirty Nine Essex Street (Chambers of Robert Jay QC and Stephen Tromans QC) is a third tier firm,

Thirty Nine Essex Street’s Colin McCaul QC has vast experience in cases involving asbestos exposure. Christian Du Cann and the ‘very down-to-earth and pragmatic’ Derek O’Sullivan are also recommended.

Within Immigration (including business immigration), Thirty Nine Essex Street (Chambers of Robert Jay QC and Stephen Tromans QC) is a third tier firm,

At Thirty Nine Essex Street, Steven Kovats QC and Nigel Pleming QC are the leading immigration silks. Kovats took silk in 2010 and acts for the government in a large number of immigration cases. In 2011, three further immigration juniors took silk, namely Lisa Giovannetti QC, praised for her ‘sharp wit and logical mind’, Eleanor Grey QC and Jenni Richards QC. Parishil Patel appeared in RS (Zimbabwe) v SSHD, and is also recommended.

Within Insurance and reinsurance, tier 4

The ‘forward-looking and efficient’ Thirty Nine Essex Street provides ‘a wide choice of counsel and significant depth of expertise’. Neil Block QC ‘understands the needs of insurers’, and Stuart Catchpole QC is rated as ‘wonderful on his feet, clear minded and practical when preparing’. On the property insurance side Geoffrey Brown is highly recommended.

Within International arbitration, tier 4

Clients praise the ‘proactive and friendly’ clerks at Thirty Nine Essex Street, which has numerous ‘top-drawer barristers’. The set is especially strong in major construction and engineering disputes, where the likes of John Tackaberry QC have excellent reputations. The ‘exceptionally clever’ Stuart Catchpole QC is ‘wonderful on his feet, and clear minded and practical when preparing’. Richard Wilmot-Smith QC is ‘an excellent strategist, commercial and very astute’. Clients also value Marion Smith, whose ‘perseverance and determination are commendable and comforting to clients’. The ‘very thorough’ Karen Gough’s ‘response times are excellent’.

Within Media, entertainment and sport,

Other highly respected silks include: Andrew Caldecott QC at 1 Brick Court; Guy Morpuss QC at 20 Essex Street; Ely Place Chambers’ Nicholas Stewart QC; and ‘extremely personable’ new silk Stephen Cogley QC at Quadrant Chambers. Of the juniors: Nicholas Randall at Devereux is ‘pre-eminent for sport work’; Jonathan Bellamy of Thirty Nine Essex Street is ‘a barrister you can put your faith in’; and Cloisters’ Caspar Glyn provides ‘strong technical analysis’. Also recommended are: John Critchley of Field Court Chambers; Madeleine Heal of Hardwicke; the ‘talented and tenacious’ Louis Weston at 3PB; and XXIV Old Buildings’ Ian Meakin. Simon Malynicz (formerly of Hogarth Chambers) joined Three New Square in 2011.

Within Personal injury, Thirty Nine Essex Street (Chambers of Robert Jay QC and Stephen Tromans QC) is a first tier firm,

‘A real powerhouse in the field of PI’, Thirty Nine Essex Street is a ‘very slick organisation, from the clerks through to junior and senior counsel’. William Norris QC is ‘loved by lay clients, solicitors and juniors alike’, and widely considered ‘one of the best in the business’. Other impressive silks include the ‘technically and tactically excellent’ Neil Block QC, and the ‘extremely sharp’ Susan Rodway QC. David Melville QC is ‘a charming character whose courtroom style is spot on the mark’. Christian Du Cann is ‘brilliant on his feet’, and Derek O’Sullivan is ‘excellent at cross-examination’.

Within Planning, tier 4

At Thirty Nine Essex Street, ‘planning star of the set’ Richard Harwood is ‘always at the cutting edge, invariably having insights on changes to the law before others, and is a team player, with a down-to-earth approach’. Both Harwood and Gordon Nardell QC (who is ‘unpretentious and gives reliable advice’) appeared in Friends of Hethel v South Norfolk Council at appeal. Matthew Horton QC’s ‘preparation is meticulous, his intellectual qualities are immense, and his advocacy presentation is top rate. He is highly effective in cross-examination’. Richard Wald is ‘both approachable and extremely capable. In cross-examination, he is able to find the killer punch but also knows when to let an issue be’.

Within Professional discipline and regulatory law (including police law), Thirty Nine Essex Street (Chambers of Robert Jay QC and Stephen Tromans QC) is a first tier firm,

With an ‘excellent reputation’ for handling medical matters and police work as well as FSA and sports regulatory cases, Thirty Nine Essex Street is highly recommended for disciplinary work. Standout individuals include Robert Jay QC, who appeared in General Medical Council v Quinn, a 20-day hearing before a fitness-to-practise panel of the GMC; and Gregory Treverton-Jones QC, who is ‘experienced’ in handling disciplinary matters particularly those involving legal professionals. Jenni Richards QC made silk in 2011, and Fenella Morris is highlighted as a leading junior.

Within Professional negligence Professional negligence – Leading Silks

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

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