The Legal 500

Within Administrative and public law (including local government), 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square (Richard Spearman QC) is a third tier set,

4-5 Gray’s Inn Square is ‘particularly strong for local government work’. Key members of the set include Timothy Straker QC, Richard McManus QC, and Richard Clayton QC, who ‘thoroughly deserves recognition’. Junior James Strachan* is a ‘real class act’ and has a ‘good reputation’. *James Strachan is now at Thirty Nine Essex Street.

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Within Aviation,

Also recommended are David Joseph QC and Huw Davies QC at Essex Court Chambers; John Steel QC* at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square, who is active on airport development matters; and 7 King’s Bench Walk’s Gavin Kealey QC, who acted in PK Airfinance and Balli v Insurers. *John Steel QC is now at Thirty Nine Essex Street.

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Within Banking and finance (including consumer credit and financial regulation) Banking and finance – Leading Silks

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Within Civil liberties and human rights (including public inquiry law and actions against the police), 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square (Richard Spearman QC) is a third tier set,

4-5 Gray’s Inn Square regularly takes on cases for both claimants and defendants. Highlights included Richard Clayton QC’s representation of the claimant in an important Court of Appeal case concerning the impact of Article 8 on the right to medical treatment; and Charles Bourne*’s representation of the Home Secretary in defending government policy concerning the detention of migrant children.* The ‘tenacious and ingenious’ Christopher Buttler is also recommended. *Charles Bourne is now at 11KBW.

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Within Commercial litigation Commercial litigation – Leading Silks

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Within Defamation and privacy, 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square (Richard Spearman QC) is a third tier set,

4-5 Gray’s Inn Square’s Richard Spearman QC* is ‘very good on injunctions’ and has ‘long held a reputation as a doyen of the Bar’. His recent case highlights include JIH v News Group Newspapers and Goodwin v News Group Newspapers. Philip Coppel QC** is recommended for cases involving freedom of information and privacy, recently acting in Kennedy v Information Commissioner and Charity Commissioner. James Strachan* is a recommended junior. *Richard Spearman QC and James Strachan are now at Thirty Nine Essex Street.**Philip Coppel QC is now at Landmark Chambers.

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Within Education, 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square (Richard Spearman QC) is a second tier set,

4-5 Gray’s Inn Square’s education team is praised for its ‘major commitment to pro bono tribunal work for vulnerable clients as well as admissions and exclusion appeals’, and has a heavyweight silk in Richard McManus QC. Leading juniors include the highly respected Jonathan Moffett, who recently acted in R (Governing Body of Bishop Hedley High School) v Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council; and ‘excellent advocate’ Andrew Sharland*, who is recommended for his judicial review expertise and successfully represented Essex County Council in the high-profile case R (Essex County Council) v Secretary of State for Education. Jonathan Auburn**, the ‘very responsive’ Paul Greatorex and Sarah Hannett are also recommended. *Andrew Sharland is now at 11KBW. **Jonathan Auburn is now at Thirty Nine Essex Street.

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Within Employment Employment – Leading Silks

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Within Energy,

Also recommended are Hodge Malek QC* at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square; Andrew Newcombe QC and Robert Fookes at FTB; and the ‘bright, responsive, and user-friendly’ Ciaran Keller at Maitland Chambers. *Hodge Malek QC is * now at Thirty Nine Essex Street).

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Within Environment, 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square (Richard Spearman QC) is a second tier set,

Timothy Straker QC at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square is ‘a thorough and excellent tactician’, and recently acted for Chiltern Railways in a public inquiry relating to a proposed railway project. Peter Village QC* is a tenacious and ‘outstanding’ advocate, and ‘as robust as ever’. Lisa Busch** acted in the high-profile case R (Ashley) v SSCLG and London Borough of Greenwich. *Peter Village QC is now at Thirty Nine Essex Street. **Lisa Busch is now at Landmark Chambers

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Within Fraud: civil Fraud: civil – Leading Silks

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Within Fraud: crime (including money laundering and asset forfeiture) Fraud: crime – Leading Silks

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Within Insurance and reinsurance Insurance and reinsurance – Leading Silks

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Within Licensing, 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square (Richard Spearman QC) is a third tier set,

At 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square, Saima Hanif recently acted in the high-profile Court of Appeal case Albert Hall v Westminster CC and another, and Stephen Whale* was instructed in Erdogan v Gravesham BC and R (Duarte) v Westminster CC. *Stephen Whale is now at Landmark Chambers.

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Within Media, entertainment and sport, 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square (Richard Spearman QC) is a third tier set,

At 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square, Richard Spearman QC*’s ‘vast experience of media law is a real strength’. He led Adrian Speck QC in the landmark case Twentieth Century Fox v British Telecommunications plc, successfully obtaining an order stopping BT users accessing the Newzbin 2 website. James Ramsden* is rated for his expertise in showjumping matters. *Richard Spearman QC and James Ramsden are now at Thirty Nine Essex Street.

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Within Planning, 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square (Richard Spearman QC) is a third tier set,

4-5 Gray’s Inn Square has the ‘very commercially astute and user-friendly’ Robert Griffiths QC, whose work included the successful promotion of South Downs to national park status in 2011. Peter Village QC* is ‘a highly skilled advocate’ who ‘quickly identifies the relevant issues’ and ‘works well within a team’. Thomas Hill QC* is ‘trusted on all planning matters’ and is recommended for his ‘success rate and good humour’. The ‘phenomenally busy’ James Strachan* has ‘a sharp intellect’. *Peter Village QC, Thomas Hill QC and James Strachan are now at Thirty Nine Essex Street.

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Within Professional discipline and regulatory law (including police law) Professional discipline and regulatory law – Leading Silks

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

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

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