KBG Chambers > Plymouth, England > Set Profile

Chambers of Deni Mathews
KBG Chambers
115 NORTH HILL
PLYMOUTH, DEVON
England

Email firm Visit website 01752 221551

Western Circuit > Family: children and domestic violence Tier 2

KBG Chambers, with facilities in Plymouth, Truro and Exeter, hosts ‘a wide range of experienced childcare barristers’ that operate across the South West. William Higginson, who leads the team, is ‘calm and logical even in the most difficult of situations’ - he regularly acts on instructions from children's guardians. Samuel Castlehouse’s ‘advocacy never fails to impress’, which he employs on behalf of local authorities, parents, and children in final hearings and fact-findings of varying length and complexity.

Rising stars

Samuel Castlehouse – KBG Chambers ‘Samuel is a thorough and skilled advocate. His attention to detail is second-to-none and he has a unique ability to be able to put clients at ease in the court room. He offers sound advice to clients and is clearly an expert in his field.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Jade Corden – KBG Chambers ‘Jade is a safe pair of hands in the most sensitive and difficult cases. She remains mindful of the emotional aspect of a case and provides the right level of patience and empathy. She is an excellent advocate, who is knowledgeable, incredibly prepared, and has a fine eye for detail. She is also a divergent thinker and able to find creative solutions for her clients.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Daniel Swan – KBG Chambers ‘Daniel is a highly competent childcare barrister, his advocacy and client care skills are excellent.'

Ranked: Tier 2

William Higginson – KBG Chambers ‘Bill is easy to work with, amenable and approachable. He is a good and knowledgeable advocate who is calm and able to focus on the key points quickly. He is also able to establish a good rapport with clients and other professionals.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Charlotte Ash – KBG Chambers ‘Charlotte is confident, knowledgeable and practical. She is also able to establish a rapport with both clients and professionals.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘Excellent service – Colin Palmer is always on the end of a telephone – similarly Yvonne Simmons and Emily Veitch are reliable and extremely personable and always are able to know what the requirements are and do their best to accommodate.’

‘Emily Veitch is particularly helpful. She is always responsive to communication in a timely manner, will go out of her way to assist with counsel availability and is always friendly to deal with.’

‘The clerks are brilliantly organised – Colin Palmer runs a tight shop and Yvonne is one of the most approachable, down to earth, helpful people around.’

‘The set has a strong family team that has members of varying calls.’

‘KBG offers a wide range of experience childcare barristers.’

‘KBG has a number of very good barristers in the family category. The availability of counsel is good and they provide very helpful local training.’

Western Circuit > Crime (general and fraud) Tier 3

KBG Chambers is widely regarded as a ‘strong set in the South West‘ for criminal work. Nicholas Lewin is a ‘brilliant barrister‘ with considerable experience in Crown Court cases - he has a track record of defendants with mental health issues and intermediary needs and, notably, is a retired naval officer with Court Martial experience. Katie Churcher’s practice is evenly split between defence and prosecution work - she is regularly instructed in cases involving serious violence, allegations of historic sexual abuse, and major drug offences and recently acted for the defence in a complex case concerning the rape of a teenage girl by a man previously sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Michael Brown‘s experience includes cases involving rape, firearms offences, drug conspiracies, armed robbery, blackmail, and false imprisonment, while ‘formidable trial advocate‘ Ali Rafati is a ‘standout‘ on the Western Circuit for his experience in serious sexual or violent offending, as well as complex drugs and fraud cases.

Leading Juniors

Ali Rafati – KBG Chambers ‘Ali is a formidable trial advocate and a standout barrister in his field in the South West. He is particularly effective in cross-examination of witnesses at trial and in closing speeches to the jury. His knowledge of the law and application to any case is second to none.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Michael Brown – KBG Chambers ‘A compelling and charismatic advocate who can adapt to every professional and lay client. He is able to explain the most complex points in understandable and relatable language and builds relationships with lay clients from any walk of life.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Hollie Gilbery – KBG Chambers

Ranked: Tier 3

Francesca Whebell – KBG Chambers

Ranked: Tier 3

Nicholas Lewin – KBG Chambers ‘Nick is a brilliant barrister; he is tenacious and will go above and beyond what you might expect of counsel. He is also a big personality and clients love his directness and sense of humour.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Katie Churcher – KBG Chambers ‘One of her strengths is her ability to communicate with vulnerable defendants. She is also excellent in cross-examination.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘Colin Palmer is the best clerk in the business and goes above and beyond.’

‘A good service from the clerks room. Rebecca Shepherd and Colin Palmer are standout clerks in this chambers.’

‘KBG is a great set, not one bad barrister amongst them.’

‘KBG Chambers is a strong set in the South West. They have a broad depth of suitable, experienced and talented counsel to instruct in any criminal case.’

‘Excellent strength in depth.’

‘A strong clerks room which functions well.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Chancery, probate, and tax

Leading Juniors

Andrew Willetts – KBG Chambers ‘He has extensive knowledge and understanding of contentious trust and probate work in which he excels. He also clearly relishes a challenge and has enjoyed dealing with some highly complex and unusual cases.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Western Circuit > Family: divorce and financial remedy

Leading Juniors

Jonathon Bosanko – KBG Chambers ‘Jon is a solid advocate and the best financial remedy counsel in Cornwall. He is brilliant with clients and always a pleasure to deal with.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Western Circuit > Personal injury

Leading Juniors

Thomas Challacombe – KBG Chambers ‘Thomas is very knowledgeable and approachable. He is particularly good with clients and putting them at ease, and explaining his advice in plain English.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Western Circuit > Planning and environment

Leading Juniors

Sancho Brett – KBG Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

Western Circuit > Property and construction

Leading Juniors

Rawdon Crozier – KBG Chambers ‘Rawdon has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things property. He is a good advocate and has great client care skills. Rawdon is always able to identify the most practical solution.'

Ranked: Tier 1

KBG Chambers has 45 members and offers a wide range of specialist advice and representation within its criminal, family and civil groups. Formed as a result of the merger between King’s Bench Chambers, Plymouth and Godolphin Chambers Truro, both well-established sets on the Western Circuit.

Chambers has branches in Plymouth, Exeter and Truro and covers all courts within Devon , Somerset and Cornwall including Plymouth, Exeter, Barnstaple,Taunton and Truro, as well as other parts of the United Kingdom.

Chambers is forward-looking, with a policy of expansion, and aims to offer a service comparable with the best that can be obtained in London or the other major urban centres, across a broad spectrum of disciplines.

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Senior Clerk	Colin Palmer	colin@kbgchambers.co.uk	0845 308 1551
Head family Clerk	Yvonne Simmons	yvonne@kbgchambers.co.uk	0845 308 1551
Head Civil Clerk	Jamie Kyte	jamie@kbgchambers.co.uk	0845 308 1551
Head Criminal Clerk	Lewis Gunn-Colling	lewis@kbgchambers.co.uk	0845 308 1551
Head of Chambers	Deni Mathews	dmathews@kbgchambers.co.uk	0845 308 1551
Head of Family Team	William Higginson	whigginson@kbgchambers.co.uk	0845 308 1551
Head of Civil Team	Rawdon Croier	rcrozier@kbgchambers.co.uk	0845 308 1551

Name	Position	Profile
Charlotte Ash	Charlotte has a range of experience in relation to both privateand public…	View Profile
Mr Michael Brown	General Crime Michael maintains a busy crown court practice and appears for…	View Profile
Thomas Challacombe	Tom is a barrister specialising in personal injury and clinical negligence matters.…	View Profile
Miss Jade Corden	Matrimonial Finance Jade has a developing practice in financial remedies/ancillary relief matters…	View Profile
Rawdon Crozier	Rawdon acts in a wide variety of property-related cases and represents clients…	View Profile
Hollie Gilbery	Hollie became a tenant in April 2017 following a pupillage under the…	View Profile
William Higginson	Head of Family Team	View Profile
Nicholas Lewin	With increasing experience with clients with complex mental health issues and intermediary…	View Profile
Ali Rafati	Ali became a tenant at King’s Bench Chambers following the completion of…	View Profile
Daniel Swan	Daniel maintains a full public law practice. Daniel regularly acts in…	View Profile
Jennifer Tear	Jennifer joined Chambers in 2016, and has been practising as a barrister…	View Profile
Francesca Whebell	Francesca joined KBG Chambers in September 2015 following successful completion of pupillage…	View Profile
Andrew Willetts	Andrew is a chancery practitioner specialising in contentious and non contentious trust…	View Profile