The Legal 500

Within Chancery, commercial, insolvency and banking,

At No5 Chambers, Richard Jones QC provides ‘good tactical assurance’ in financial services matters, and property specialist David Taylor is ‘very thorough’. David Mitchell ‘responds effectively to the other side’s argument’, and the ‘extremely effective, clear and reliable’ Nicola Preston has particular expertise in Chancery matters. Glenn Willetts, Mark Anderson QC and David Holloway are also recommended.

Within Crime,

No5 Chambers is praised for ‘the depth of its crime team’. Michael Duck QC is a ‘highly skilled and effective advocate’ with a ‘wealth of experience’; Simon Drew QC has a ‘high degree of technical legal knowledge’, with particular experience in white-collar fraud work; and Adrian Keeling QC has a ‘superb client manner’.and Christopher Hotten QC has experience in cases involving non-accidental injury to infants and young children. Alexander Stein specialises in financial and regulatory crime. Recently appointed silk Mark Heywood QC and Sally Hancox are also recommended.

Within Employment,

No5 Chambers’ employment team is ‘extremely helpful and co-operative’, and ‘the clerking is always second to none’. Team head Richard Hignett is ‘extremely pragmatic and commercial’, Helen Barney ‘works well with witnesses and puts them at ease’, and Adrienne Morgan ‘gives excellent, practical advice’. Russell Bailey’s broad practice includes stress at work and discrimination claims, and Richard Case undertakes employment work for a number of public transport companies. Anthony Korn is ‘easy to get along with’, and Andrew McGrath has ‘huge commitment and determination’. Charles Crow is ‘destined to go to the very top of his profession’.

Within Family,

No5 Chambers has ‘outstanding expertise in family law in Birmingham’, with Robin Rowland ‘an eminent matrimonial finance barrister’. Ashley Wynne is also recommended for ancillary relief matters, as is the ‘completely unflappable’ Christopher James. Stephanie Brown is also a ‘leading expert in finances’. Lorna Meyer QC and Michele Friel are well known for their children work. Rachel Rowley ‘provides an exceptionally high level of service’, and Victoria Clifford is ‘a rising star’.

Within Overview, No5 Chambers (Paul Bleasdale QC) is a first tier set,

Birmingham’s leading sets remain No5 Chambers, which has ‘strength in depth’ in employment, personal injury, planning and environmental matters, as well as ‘friendly and helpful clerks’; and St Philips Chambers, which exhibits impressive strength in commercial, Chancery and criminal matters. Ropewalk Chambers is a strong set within the region, while St Ive’s Chambers’ family team continues to go from strength to strength. 1 High Pavement houses a number of recommended criminal practitioners, and Cornwall Street Chambers has traditional strength in family. KCH Garden Square recently entered into partnership with 7 Harrington Street in Liverpool, adding that set’s team of silks to its members’ list. St Mary’s Chambers retains its strength in family. Kings Chambers is set to open in Birmingham in August 2012, to add to its presence in Manchester and Leeds.

Within Personal injury and clinical negligence,

No5 Chambers retains its ‘already excellent reputation’, with ‘gifted heavyweight’ Paul Bleasdale QC and Chris Bright QC, who specialises in catastrophic head and spinal injury claims, singled out. Also recommended are Satinder Hunjan QC, who is an ‘exceptional advocate prepared to fight difficult cases’; Henry Pitchers, who has ‘exemplary advocacy skills’; and Dr Jonathan Punt, whose ‘medical knowledge is second to none’. Jonathan Jones is ‘tactically astute and very thorough’ and Karl Hirst is ‘an excellent counsel in every respect’. David Tyack is ‘a rising star’ for clinical negligence cases.

Within Planning, public law and regulatory,

No5 Chambers’ planning and environmental experts include Martin Kingston QC, who has ‘excellent clarity of thought under pressure’; and Ian Dove QC, who is ‘strong in inquiries and public law matters’. Anthony Crean QC and the ‘stylish and effective’ Jeremy Cahill QC are also recommended. Celina Colquhoun, who recently joined from 2 Gray’s Inn Square Chambers, is ‘practical, amenable and willing to go the extra mile’. Omar Ensaff is recommended for construction matters, and Peter Goatley is ‘a go-to barrister for planning and judicial review’. David Lock QC and Bernard Thorogood are recommended for regulatory work.

Within Treasury Panel Lists Region 2

Within Commercial, insolvency and property,

No5 Chambers’ Omar Ensaff specialises in insolvency matters, and David Taylor handles commercial property work.

Within Construction, planning, licensing and environmental,

No5 Chambers’ Richard Kimblin is ‘an excellent advocate and can deal with people at all levels’. Paul Cairnes acts for a number of local authorities and developers in planning matters. Gordon Wignall is also recommended for planning.

Within Overview, No5 Chambers (Paul Bleasdale QC) is a first tier set,

Guildhall Chambers in Bristol now offers a full service following the recent addition of an employment team from Queen Square Chambers. St John’s Chambers is ‘an excellent modern set’ where ‘the quality of the barristers is excellent’. Albion Chambers houses excellent crime and family teams, and Queen Square Chambers continues to thrive. 12 College Place and College Chambers are the prominent Southampton-based sets, and Exeter-based Rougemont Chambers has a number of recommended practitioners. Annexes on the circuit include the highly regarded 3PB, No5 Chambers and Old Square Chambers.

Within Personal injury and clinical negligence,

No5 Chambers’ Dr Simon Fox is ‘knowledgeable in both legal and medical matters’. Chris Bright QC is ‘an extremely thorough and resourceful personal injury practitioner’.