Guildhall Chambers > Bristol, England > Set Profile
Guildhall Chambers Offices
Guildhall Chambers
23 BROAD STREET
BRISTOL
BS1 2HG
England
Guildhall Chambers > The Legal 500 Rankings
Western Circuit > Business and regulatory crime (including health and safety) Tier 1
Guildhall Chambers‘s regulatory crime team possesses considerable ‘depth of character and breadth of skills‘ as well as extensive experience in relation to fatal and non-fatal matters, including corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, and breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act. Andrew Langdon KC, who leads the team with a ‘calm and directed approach‘, is regularly instructed in high-profile health and safety cases and recently led Sam Jones (‘perhaps unrivalled as a junior on the Western Circuit’) and Alistair Haggarty, ‘superb in complex, document-heavy cases’, in R v Gulley and Others, prosecuting multiple individuals and companies for offenses including gross negligence manslaughter, following a fatal accident in Cardiff when the wall of a church collapsed upon a scaffolder.Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The clerks are prompt and friendly, as is all support staff. Lucy Northeast is quite simply a godsend. She is very approachable and just gets things done. Working alongside and with the support of Grant Bidwell, and further supported by Shannon Winston, Elena Brake and Michael Cregg, one is always assured that an issue or query will be dealt with and solved expeditiously.’
‘Lucy Northeast and Ryan Barrow are very helpful and friendly as well as efficient.’
‘Guildhall Chambers has an experienced and respected team of specialist barristers operating in the field of Regulatory Crime, in particular in relation to Health and Safety offences.’
‘Guildhall Chambers is the best set for its depth of character and breadth of skills within not only its Crime and Regulatory department but all other departments as well.’
‘An excellent chambers – the clerks are first-rate and ensure that the right barrister is allocated to the case.’
‘The clerks are really helpful and communicative.’
Work highlights
Western Circuit > Clinical negligence Tier 1
Guildhall Chambers is a ‘standout‘ set for clinical negligence work on the Western circuit. Selena Plowden KC is ‘well suited to handling the most complex of cases‘ and heads the team. She specialises in cases involving mental health and human rights issues, and recently led the representation of the claimant in the high-profile case of Lewis-Ranwell v G4S Services Uk Ltd & Others - a claim brought by a man who was acquitted of murder on the grounds of insanity and detained under a hospital order against those who treated him prior to those events - the case addresses the question of if the claim is considered ex turpi causa. Sophie Holme has recently acted in several significant cases, including spinal surgical negligence, delayed cancer diagnosis claims, cauda equina, birth-related bowel injuries, and fatal and psychiatric negligence claims, among others. Martin Lanchester and Kriti Upadhyay both handle a broad range of clinical disputes work, while Philip Hughes is increasingly sought after for his medical expertise, which he has brought to bear in several instructions to aid in the determination of causation and quantum.Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘The clerks are great – friendly, efficient and helpful. Dan Cuthbertson and Olive Kavanagh deserve special mention.’
‘The clerks are helpful and friendly. Olive Kavanagh in particular deserves a mention – she is friendly and efficient and will go out of her way to assist. Dan Cuthbertson is also friendly and efficient.’
‘Guildhall Chambers has a great clinical negligence set.’
‘Guildhall has good strength in depth – with clinical negligence specialists from junior level up to KC.’
‘Guildhall is a very good set of chambers for clinical negligence work, with some great practitioners.’
‘Guildhall Chambers is a go-to chambers and the quality of their work is excellent. Members are available and friendly in correspondence with instructing solicitors/legal executives.’
‘Guildhall’s clinical negligence department is excellent.’
‘The clerks at Guildhall are approachable, friendly, kind and always available. Without exception, they always genuinely try to help as quickly and as efficiently as possible.’
Western Circuit > Commercial litigation Tier 1
Bristol-based Guildhall Chambers is one of the ‘go-to‘ commercial litigation sets on the Western Circuit. Hugh Sims KC is highly sought after for his expertise - he has recently led Jay Jagasia, with ‘unparalleled knowledge of financial services and banking law‘ and Lucy Walker, with ‘sound technical expertise‘, in the high-profile case of Philipp v Barclays Bank UK plc, concerning the liability under the Quincecare duty of the paying bank in respect of authorised push payment fraud. Richard Ashcroft’s broad practice includes claims involving misrepresentation and breaches of warranty, the supply of defective goods and services, and the enforcement of post-sale restrictive covenants. James Hannant tends to handle commercial work arising out of insolvency proceedings, while ‘great all-rounder‘ Stefan Ramel has a strong reputation for acting in cross-border proceedings and recently acted for the claimant in BW Legal Services v Glassdoor, who sought Norwich Pharmacal orders in respect of two anonymous reviews posted on the eponymous employer review site.Rising stars
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘Joe Stayte is responsive and very commercial in resourcing suitable counsel and is an all round excellent clerk.’
‘Joe Stayte and Stephen Arnold are always available to take calls and answer any queries and are both upfront on availability and fees. They will always try to offer a solution.’
‘Guildhall is a go to chambers and has been for in excess of 20 years for commercial disputes work. Their clerks are responsive and very helpful. Their members are very bright team players who are good with clients and advise clearly and in appropriate language are also demonstrably strong advocates.’
‘Guildhall continually offers a solid choice of user friendly and capable barristers.’
‘Guildhall is an excellent chambers and the clerks will always find counsel to help.’
‘Guildhall Chambers is the “go to” chambers for financial services- and banking-related commercial litigation.’
‘The clerks are always excellent, responsive and willing to assist in any way they can.’
Western Circuit > Company and insolvency Tier 1
Guildhall Chambers‘ ‘excellent’ contentious insolvency and company law team boasts a ‘great variety of junior and senior counsel‘ with broad combined expertise, including in proceedings under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 and bankruptcy restrictions orders. Insolvency work, both corporate and personal, forms a significant part of Richard Ashcroft’s practice. He also has broad directors’ duties and company law expertise and regularly acts for and against office holders in relation to transaction avoidance claims and directors’ misfeasance proceedings. John Churchill, an ‘excellent advocate‘ with ‘superb drafting skills‘, has notable experience acting in director misfeasance claims on behalf of the Official Receiver. Holly Doyle has a ‘pragmatic approach to matters‘ and her practice too sees her regularly instructed in connection with misfeasance cases, as well as transaction avoidance claims and contested applications for possession and sale. She also boasts niche expertise in relation to the professional duties and liability of insolvency office holders. Hugh Sims KC‘s commercial practice often involves corporate insolvency work.Rising stars
Leading Silks
2024 Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘The clerks at Guildhall Chambers are helpful and efficient – particularly Stephen Arnold and Joe Stayte.’
‘A very good chambers with great depth in insolvency.’
‘Regionally the go-to chambers for insolvency matters, with a good range of counsel.’
‘Guildhall Chambers is the go-to set in the South West for both regional and London-centric work.’
‘Guildhall has a great variety of junior and senior counsel and have always had someone available to assist with cases when required.’
‘The clerks’ room and service is brilliant. The clerks are always on hand to assist with filing skeletons, or even taking bundles to court if required.’
‘The clerking service is very good at Guildhall.’
Work highlights
Western Circuit > Costs Tier 1
Guildhall Chambers ‘is the go-to set in Bristol and the South West when it comes to costs‘ work. With considerable experience, Oliver Moore heads the nine-strong team, which is instructed in relation to a wide range of contentious and non-contentious matters. He specialises in costs appeals in connection with high-value personal injury and clinical negligence claims. James Wibberley’s practice primarily involves advising on litigation funding, as well as solicitor and own-client disputes. John Churchill is particularly experienced handling solicitor and client costs cases recently acted for the respondent in the High Court case Rushbrooke UK Ltd v 4 Design Concepts Ltd, which at the costs stage clarified the law on wasted costs orders against firms of solicitors acting without proper authority.Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘The clerks are helpful, timely, friendly and attentive, particularly Caroline Evans, Robert MacDonald and Olive Kavanagh.’
‘The clerks, Steve Arnold in particular, are excellent. They are quick to respond and proactive in relation to cost advice and lining up counsel to assist.’
‘Guildhall hosts many of the specialist costs counsel outside of London. They are certainly the go-to set in Bristol and the South West when it comes to costs.’
‘Guildhall is a good chambers with a diverse range of counsel.’
‘The clerking team is both helpful and efficient.’
Work highlights
Western Circuit > Crime (general and fraud) Tier 1
Guildhall Chambers ‘has an unrivalled team of excellent criminal barristers‘. Richard Smith KC, ‘a formidable trial advocate‘, is well-known for handling murder cases and recently prosecuted a man who was convicted of murdering his ex-partner in the 1990s by setting her on fire; she died of her injuries more than two decades later, after the defendant had already served fifteen years of a life sentence for GBH. With a ‘beautiful advocacy style‘ Andrew Langdon KC regularly defends and prosecutes in homicide and gang-related cases, among others. Christopher Quinlan KC, ‘with impeccable judgement and a formidable grasp of the law‘ and Anna Vigars KC, whose ‘courtroom work is carried out with great skill and precision‘, also both have broad experience in serious crimes cases, as well as in cases with several complicating factors, both evidential and medical. Ray Tully KC ‘understands every nuance of a case‘ and recently acted for the defence in the case of a man who killed a stranger with a claw-hammer at a bus stop in Plymouth. Chloe Griggs, ‘a star in the making‘, was recently involved in a murder trial involving a defence of diminished responsibility founded on evidence of long-term coercive control and domestic abuse.Rising stars
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘Lucy Northeast is easy to deal with and is a very experienced senior clerk and practice manager.’
‘The clerking team is exceptional. Grant Bidwell is charismatic, helpful and reasoned even in the face of adversity. Lucy Northeast epitomises everything the very best clerk should be. She is always able to find a solution to problems, engaging, always on hand to assist, and able to identify perfect counsel with every instruction. They are both a pleasure to work with and a credit to the profession.’
‘Guildhall Chambers has an unrivalled team of excellent criminal barristers. The clerking and ancillary services provided are second to none. As a set, Guildhall Chambers is unrivalled on the Western Circuit and now has a national reputation for excellence. The silks are widely respected but there is strength at every level of seniority.’
‘The pre-eminent criminal set in the Western Circuit with quality barristers from silk to the most junior.’
‘Guildhall Chambers is the premier set for high quality criminal barristers on the Western Circuit.’
‘An absolutely first class chambers, clerked by a superb team of clerks.’
Work highlights
Western Circuit > Employment Tier 1
Guildhall Chambers‘ employment team offers ‘real strength in depth, both in terms of call and expertise‘. Julian Allsop, who heads the team, is ‘forensic in his approach to litigation‘ and regularly instructed in high-value cases in the High Court, often involving director-level remuneration claims, restrictive covenants, and confidentiality agreements. He recently acted for the claimant in Macanovic v Portsmouth NHS Trust, a significant case raising the issue of whistleblowing detriment and involving the cross-examination of several medical consultants. Fergus Currie, ‘a highly competent and consistent advocate‘, has recently focused on claimant instructions, including wrongful and unfair dismissal actions, discrimination cases, and collective and individual redundancies. Debbie Grennan specialises in high-value whistleblowing and discrimination claims for public sector clients, including local authorities and health care bodies, while Douglas Leach ‘has an excellent ability to think on his feet’ and is well-regarded for his expertise in TUPE, whistleblowing, and discrimination matters as well as in employee competition cases involving breach of confidence, restrictive covenants, and injunctive relief.Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘Rob McDonald and Emily Webb are always on hand and happy to help with queries regarding counsel availability and fee quotes.’
‘Stephen Arnold and Rob McDonald are diligent and always helpful. A pleasure to deal with.’
‘The Guildhall employment team has excellent strength in depth – their range of call ensures that there’s always someone right for the job.’
‘Guildhall has a strong employment offering with some promising counsel coming through too.’
‘Guildhall Chambers has real strength in depth, both in terms of call and expertise.’
‘This chambers is a go-to chambers for employment work and specifically for discrimination cases. They are specialists with discrimination cases and are therefore uniquely placed in Bristol and the South West.’
‘The clerks are very good.’
Western Circuit > Professional negligence Tier 1
Guildhall Chambers has an ‘excellent‘ reputation for its professional negligence offering and members appear at all levels, from County Courts to the Supreme Court, in claims against accountants, construction professionals, solicitors and surveyors, amongst others. Holly Doyle regularly handles ‘factually and legally messy disputes‘. She possesses niche expertise in claims against independent financial advisors and insolvency practitioners. Professional negligence and indemnity work forms a core part of Hugh Sims KC’s commercial practice, while James Wibberley primarily acts in claims against solicitors, accountants, and construction professionals heard in the High Court.Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘The clerks at Guildhall Chambers are helpful and efficient – particularly Stephen Arnold and Joe Stayte.’
‘Guildhall’s clerks are excellent. They are responsive, helpful and contactable. Stephen Arnold in particular is a go-to and makes it easy to go back to Guildhall again and again.’
‘Guildhall Chambers is an excellent set with some exceptional barristers.’
Work highlights
Western Circuit > Sport Tier 1
With ‘an unrivalled spread of sports work‘ Guildhall Chambers is a leading set both on the Western Circuit and nationally. Christopher Quinlan KC chaired the FA disciplinary tribunal after Cristiano Ronaldo knocked a mobile phone from the hands of a teenage spectator, as well as continuing to oversee the British Gymnastics independent complaints process, concerning allegations by a number of gymnasts of mistreatment, sexual abuse, physical abuse, bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Richard Smith KC and Samuel Jones are both notable for their rugby work, Jones having represented a number of Bath Rugby and Bristol Bears players.Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Key clients
‘Joe Stayte is very responsive, proactive, and always happy to assist, even at very short notice. The go-to clerk at Guildhall.’
‘This set has an unrivalled spread of sports work, whether you are looking in London or the provinces.’
‘Guildhall Chambers is a go-to set; a very good chambers with a lot of strength in depth in all areas and at all levels. The quality of work across chambers is always consistently strong.’
‘Clerks are efficient & helpful.’
Western Circuit > Personal injury Tier 2
Guildhall Chambers‘ ‘excellent’ personal injury team ‘deals with cases of the most significant value and complexity‘. James Bentley’s practice is evenly divided between claimant and defendant instructions, often involving brain injuries, the Fatal Accidents and Animals Acts, secondary victim claims, pain disorders, and complex loss of earnings claims. He recently acted in a case in which valuation was heavily contested because the precise nature of the injury in question could not be determined. Oliver Moore ‘has a meticulous eye for detail‘ and recently represented the claimant in a matter involving severe injuries following a road traffic accident, as well as an amputation several years after the accident, issues around life expectancy and contributory negligence, and other factual and evidential controversies.Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘Caroline Evans and Olive Kavanagh are brilliant. Issues inevitably arise from time to time and both are excellent at resolving these.’
‘The clerks are always very helpful and accommodating. Olive Kavanagh in particular is a pleasure to deal with.’
‘An excellent PI Team. They are always able to offer counsel and provide excellent training.’
‘The set is a fantastic set and deals with claims of the most significant value and complexity. The quality of counsel top to bottom is second to none.’
‘The personal injury team at Guildhall Chambers is fantastic. Throughout the year they provide really helpful training as well as bespoke training if requested. They are all very approachable and personable.’
‘Good clerks, always helpful and efficient.’
Western Circuit > Property and construction Tier 2
Members of Guildhall Chambers have ‘wide-ranging expertise‘ in property and construction disputes. William Batstone is ‘an effective advocate‘ who regularly acts for landowners, farmers, and arbitrators in rural property disputes. In 2023 he acted for two farm owners in Chaplin v Morgan, which considered the proper method of terminating farm business tenancies and 1986 Act tenancies, as well as for the claimant in Williams v TG & HM Williams and Sons, which is significant for addressing the question of the correct approach to satisfaction of an equity following Guest v Guest, with the claimant having farmed a family farm for several decades in the belief he would inherit it. Jay Jagasia ‘quickly gets to grips with complex factual situations‘ - he has recently been instructed, unled, for the defendants in Henwood v Copeland & McGaws, a High Court property dispute concerning an adverse possession claim against several valuable plots of land in Cornwall. Oliver Mitchell’s property practice includes cases concerning water, sewerage, and other utility assets as well as disputes over proprietary rights and boundaries.Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘Guildhall’s clerks are excellent; responsive, helpful and contactable. Stephen Arnold in particular is a go-to and makes it easy to go back to Guildhall again and again.’
‘Jordan Yandell and Joe Stayte are both first class clerks.’
‘Steve Arnold is very helpful and always quick to respond.’
‘Guildhall is a very good set of chambers that has grown from strength in recent years in relation to property expertise.’
‘Guildhall offered a good seminar recently on property disputes and they have strength in depth.’
‘Excellent clerks that are quick at providing fee estimates and are always accurate in relation to counsel’s availability and timescales for advice.’
‘Good clerks.’
Work highlights
Western Circuit > Agriculture
Leading Juniors
Western Circuit > Court of Protection and community care
Leading Juniors
Western Circuit > Planning and environment
Leading Juniors
Western Circuit > Professional disciplinary law
Leading Juniors
Western Circuit > Chancery, probate, and tax
Guildhall Chambers > Set Profile
One of the UK’s leading multidisciplinary sets with a national reputation for formidable advice, advocacy and client service. Chambers handles the full spectrum of crime and specialises in key civil practice areas. The barristers are consistently top ranked and recognised as leading specialists in their fields. Chambers is renowned for its client-focussed approach offering professionalism and approachability with a strong commitment to efficient case management and exceptional client care.
Types of work undertaken
Banking and financial services: Expertise includes disputes such as mortgages and charges, guarantees and indemnities, other third-party securities, issues relating to the Consumer Credit Act, receiverships and retail banking transaction. Regulation and Compliance, Data Protection Act & GDPR, consumer and business finance issue, lender and bank liabilities, cryptocurrencies and cryptoassets, crowd funding and peer to peer lending.
Clinical negligence: The team covers all aspects of clinical negligence litigation from minor to catastrophic claims acting for public and privately funded claimants, the NHSLA, NWSSP, Legal and Risk Services, Medical Defence organisations, and commercial providers of care. The team has specialist knowledge in associated fields such as professional disciplinary hearings, professional negligence, inquests and costs.
Commercial litigation: The team is nationally recognised and handles the full spectrum of commercial dispute resolution cases at all levels, from small claims through to the most serious and high value claims. The team benefits from experience of work in a wide variety of industry sectors and are recognised as having strong sector expertise for commercial disputes. Key areas of practice include breach of contract, banking and finance, civil fraud and recovery of assets, injunctions, competition law, consumer credit, corporate and partnership, professional negligence, sale and supply of goods and services and TCC.
Company law: The team handles a wide range of company and commercial disputes including the interpretation and dispute resolution of commercial contracts and partnership and joint ventures, shareholder agreements, the allotment and transfer of shares, directors’ duties, shareholder disputes, derivative claims, just and equitable windings up. We have significant experience handling unfair prejudice disputes and director qualification proceedings.
Costs and litigation funding: The team includes some of the most prominent regional specialists in this field, offering advice and representation across the whole breadth of costs procedure and law. Members provide advice and representation in respect to the full range of inter partes costs disputes and costs issues arising in litigation generally. The work of our specialists includes advice and representation in respect to assessments of costs involving issues of principle and of high value, costs appeals, and costs management. The teams experience and expertise also covers advising on enforceability of funding arrangements, issues of coverage and indemnity relating to BTE and ATE insurance, solicitor – own client disputes and professional negligence cases relating to costs and funding.
Crime: One of the foremost criminal sets in the country and the leading set on the Western Circuit, the crime team has five silks and 20 juniors. The team provides specialist expertise in all areas of criminal defence and prosecution work from murder, serious sexual allegations, slavery, terrorism and serious fraud, to road traffic cases, drug and vehicle crime. Chambers has an outstanding reputation for the provision of a complete, efficient, effective and genuinely top quality service. Excellence in barristers and clerks alike ensures that chambers attracts instructions from prosecution authorities and leading firms of solicitors nationwide.
Employment and discrimination: The team offers a depth of expertise and quality of service across the full range of employment and discrimination issues including unfair, constructive and wrongful dismissal, contractual disputes, actionable discrimination, complex discrimination, whistleblowing and TUPE matters, breach of confidence, equal pay employment status, redundancy and restructuring, professional discipline, industrial action and injunctions. Our members regularly appear in the EAT and Court of Appeal and in front of a variety of professional disciplinary bodies, such as the GMC and NMC.
Insolvency: Guildhall Chambers is recognised as ‘a centre of excellence for insolvency counsel’ and ‘the go-to set for insolvency matters in the West of the country’. The team provides specialist advice and advocacy on all aspects of insolvency and company law, including corporate, partnership and personal insolvency, corporate and partnership break-up, and company directors and disqualification. Several members of our team are members of the Attorney General’s Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown, and we receive instructions from Government departments, leading firms of insolvency lawyers, insolvency office holders and regulatory bodies. Team members also advise on non-contentious insolvency issues, corporate recovery and turnaround.
Personal injury: The team is highly regarded for their expert handling of a wide range of high-value and complex personal injury claims. Work includes serious brain injury, chronic pain, psychological injury, product liability, workplace accidents, public liability, highways, road traffic accidents – with particular experience of acting for insurers in complex group claims, inquests and industrial disease. Specialisms also include animals act claims, sports related injuries and members regularly advise on related costs and professional negligence claims.
Professional negligence and indemnity: Chambers provides expertise in disciplinary proceedings across all professions and at all levels, from healthcare and education sectors, to assisting police officers. We handle employers’ internal disciplinary procedures and proceedings before regulators. The team represents both claimants and defendants / insurers in relation to the full range of professional advisers, including solicitors, accountants, constructions professionals, financial advisors, surveyors, valuers and brokers.
Property, estates and planning: Chambers advises and act in all forms of real property law including landlord and tenant, agriculture, trusts, inheritance, wills and probate, estates and commons, towns and village greens, planning and property-related insolvency and professional negligence cases associated with property transactions. Chambers also handles the full range of planning matters offering advisory and advocacy services in the full range of tribunals including planning appeals and inquiries, enforcements, injunctions and development plan examinations.
Regulatory and discipline: The teams work encompasses all aspects of criminal prosecutions, professional disciplinary proceedings and regulation in the fields of financial services, education, healthcare, environment, fraud, animal welfare, heath and safety, licensing, inquests and professional discipline. They deal with professional conduct proceedings and undertake internal investigation processes for employer clients dealing with such issues as disciplinary, grievance, whistleblowing and health and safety.
Sport: Guildhall’s sports barristers provide expertise and experience across the sports sector, throughout the United Kingdom and abroad. Their unique knowledge, experience and proven expertise gives all our clients a genuinely competitive edge in the prompt, cost effective resolution of sports-related disputes. We represent a wide range of clients from renowned sportsmen, professional clubs and national sporting bodies, to individual amateur athletes. We are highly experienced in disciplinary and regulatory hearings; sports-related contract, professional negligence, insolvency; commercial, competition, criminal and employment law matters. The winning mentality of our barristers is recognised across a broad spectrum of sporting disciplines including rugby, football, horse racing, motor-racing, athletics, fencing, snooker and swimming.
Technology and construction: The teams construction work includes advice and representation in relation to payment claims, whether as a debt action or arising in adjudications and the enforcement of adjudication decisions by the High Court. We also act in relation to claims in relation to defective work, delay and disruption and loss and expense claims. We also handle disputes arising in projects which have used standard form contracts, such as those published by the Joint Contracts Tribunal (‘JCT’) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (such as the ICE / ICC and NEC3 forms).
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice Director- Crime, Regulatory & Discipline, Sports | Lucy Northeast | lucy.northeast@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Civil Strategy Director | Robin Jackson | robin.jackson@guildhall.chambers.com | 0117 930 9000 |
| Senior Practice Manager - Commercial, Insolvency and Property | Stephen Arnold | stephen.arnold@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Senior Practice Manager - Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence, Employment and Costs & Litigation Funding | Caroline Evans | caroline.evans@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Practice Manager - Crime | Grant Bidwell | grant.bidwell@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Practice Manager - Commercial, Insolvency and Property | Joe Stayte | joe.stayte@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Practice Manager - Employment and Costs & Litigation Funding | Rob McDonald | robert.mcdonald@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Practice Manager - Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence | Olive Kavanagh | olive.kavanagh@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Assistant Practice Manager - Crime | Elena Brake | elena.brake@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Assistant Practice Manager - Crime | Michael Cregg | michael.cregg@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Assistant Practice Manager - Civil | Emily Webb | emily.webb@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Assistant Practice Manager - Crime | Shannon Winstone | shannon.winstone@guildhallchambers.co.uk | 0117 930 9000 |
| Head of Chambers | VIGARS KC, Anna (1996) | ||
| Member of Chambers | DAVIDSON KC, Nicholas (1974)* | ||
| Members of Chambers | SMITH KC, Richard (1986) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LANGDON KC, Andrew (1986) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STONER KC, Christopher (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WHITTING KC, John (1991)* | ||
| Members of Chambers | QUINLAN KC, Christopher (1992) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SIMS KC, Hugh (1999) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PLOWDEN KC, Selena (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TULLY KC, Ray (1987) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FENNY, Ian (1978) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BATSTONE, William (1982) | ||
| Members of Chambers | VIRGO, John (1983) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SCUTT, David (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SMITH, Nicholas (1990) | ||
| Members of Chambers | THOMAS, Charles (1990) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CORNWALL, Virginia (1990) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BENSON, Julian (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | REDDIFORD, Anthony (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BINDER, Peter (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FARMER, Gabriel (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WORSLEY, Mark (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ASCROFT, Richard (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PAKROOH, Ramin (1996) | ||
| Members of Chambers | POSTA, Adrian (1996) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GRENNAN, Debbie (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HARE, Christopher (1998) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GIBB, Katie (1999) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ALLSOP, Julian (1999) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TALLENTIRE, Jenny (2000) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GOHIL, Pushpanjali (2000) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SOWERSBY, Robert (2000) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LANCHESTER, Martin (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | RAMEL, Stefan (2002) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LEACH, Douglas (2003) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ROBERTS, Allan (2004) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HASKELL, James (2004) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CAVENDER, Susan (2004) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MOORE, Oliver (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MANLEY, Oliver (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | COWE, Mary (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GARDINER, Kerry (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SELWAY, Michael (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LEWIS, Paul (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TYZACK*, William (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HOLLINGSWORTH, Edward (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DOYLE, Holly (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WALKER, Lucy (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JONES, Samuel (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WIBBERLEY, James (2009) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PASSFIELD, Simon (2009) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HOLME, Sophie (2009) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MITCHELL, Oliver (2009) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TAYLOR, Caighli (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PROBERT, Geraint (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GORDON, Gregory (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STAUNTON, Suzanne (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BROWN, Matthew (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | UPADHYAY, Kriti (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JAGASIA, Jay (2012) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HAGGERTY, Alistair (2012) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BENTLEY, James (2012) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HANNANT, James (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | NDLOVU, MANDLA (2015) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CHURCHILL, John (2016) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ROWLANDS, Manon (2016) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HUGHES, DR. Philip (2017) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WALMSLEY, Sophie (2017) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LEE, Nicholas (2018) | ||
| Members of Chambers | EVANS, Nicholas (2018) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CHAMBAY, Govinder (2018) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LEWIS-BALE, James (2018) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WILLIAMS, Anna (2019) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MALLIN-MARTIN, Charlotte ( 2019) | ||
| Members of Chambers | EVANS, Caitlin (2019) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FULLER, James (2020) |
Barrister Profiles
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Julian Allsop | Julian has a specialist employment practice which covers all aspects of the… | View Profile |
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Richard Ascroft | Richard is a barrister who specialises in insolvency law, company law and… | View Profile |
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William Batstone | For 20 years, William has practised exclusively in the resolution of agricultural… | View Profile |
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Julian Benson | Julian is a personal injury barrister whose work is focused chiefly on… | View Profile |
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James Bentley | James Bentley is recognised as a leading junior on circuit for both… | View Profile |
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Matthew Brown | Matthew is a specialist property and estates barrister who practises exclusively in… | View Profile |
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Susan Cavender | Susan specialises in a variety of areas of law that includes criminal,… | View Profile |
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John Churchill | John’s practice is predominantly in commercial and chancery law. He also handles… | View Profile |
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Mary Cowe | Mary is a criminal barrister and a fraud specialist with a reputation… | View Profile |
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Holly Doyle | Holly specialises in commercial law and insolvency and undertakes advisory work, drafting… | View Profile |
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Gabriel Farmer | Gabriel has a longstanding specialist practice in personal injury and clinical negligence.… | View Profile |
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Ian Fenny | Ian Fenny was called to the Bar by Grays Inn in 1978.… | View Profile |
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Miss Kerry Gardiner | Kerry is a specialist employment barrister. She acts for both Claimants and… | View Profile |
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Katie Gibb | Katie specialises in commercial law, company and insolvency matters. Her commercial law… | View Profile |
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Pushpanjali Gohil | Anjali is known for her fearlessness in court, down to earth style,… | View Profile |
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Greg Gordon | Gregory is a criminal and regulatory barrister and joined Guildhall Chambers as… | View Profile |
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Debbie Grennan | Barrister specialising in all aspects of employment law (including transfer of undertakings,… | View Profile |
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Mr Alistair Haggerty | Alistair is a specialist criminal and regulatory advocate with a busy Crown… | View Profile |
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Mr Alistair Haggerty | Alistair is a specialist criminal and regulatory advocate with a busy Crown… | View Profile |
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James Hannant | James has been a member of Chambers since 2014. He has a… | View Profile |
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James Haskell | James is a specialist criminal advocate who prosecutes and defends in a… | View Profile |
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Sophie Holme | Sophie Holme is a leading junior with a strong reputation for representing… | View Profile |
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Jay Jagasia | Jay is a leading commercial and chancery junior and is recognised as… | View Profile |
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Samuel Jones | Sam is a specialist advocate who prosecutes and defends a wide variety… | View Profile |
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Martin Lanchester | Martin is a member of the Guildhall Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence… | View Profile |
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Andrew Langdon | Andrew is a criminal silk who regularly appears in cases of homicide,… | View Profile |
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Douglas Leach | Douglas is a specialist employment and discrimination barrister. He has a well-rounded practice… | View Profile |
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Oliver Manley | Oliver is a commercial, property & estates and personal injury barrister with… | View Profile |
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Oliver Mitchell | Oliver’s practice encompasses property (commercial and residential), probate and trusts and commercial… | View Profile |
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Oliver Moore | Oliver is a very experienced specialist Personal Injury and Costs Litigation barrister.… | View Profile |
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Ramin Pakrooh | Ramin is a leading junior, with extensive experience in murder and other… | View Profile |
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Simon Passfield KC | Simon is a specialist insolvency barrister who undertakes litigation and advisory work… | View Profile |
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Selena Plowden | Selena specialises in complex and high value clinical negligence and personal injury… | View Profile |
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Geraint Probert | Geraint is a specialist barrister in Employment and Discrimination law. He specialises… | View Profile |
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Christopher Quinlan | Christopher took silk in 2011. He has continued to prosecute and defend… | View Profile |
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Stefan Ramel | Stefan is a specialist insolvency and commercial barrister who accepts instructions in… | View Profile |
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Anthony Reddiford | Anthony (Tony) is a catastrophic injury and industrial disease specialist with 30… | View Profile |
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Allan Roberts | Allan is a specialist employment and commercial barrister recognised in both Chambers… | View Profile |
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David Scutt | A highly accomplished and experienced barrister, David’s criminal practice includes homicide, other… | View Profile |
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Michael Selway | Michael practises in Property & Estates and Commercial law, appearing in the… | View Profile |
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Hugh Sims | Hugh is recognised as a star of the UK Bar, with rankings… | View Profile |
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Nicholas Smith | Nick is a specialist Employment & Discrimination Barrister and has been band… | View Profile |
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Richard Smith | Richard is a criminal and sports law barrister, with over 30 years’… | View Profile |
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Robert Sowersby | Rob’s busy practice is centered around defending clinical negligence claims and he… | View Profile |
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Jennifer Tallentire | Jenny is a highly experienced criminal practitioner, with expertise in the most… | View Profile |
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Caighli Taylor | Caighli is a criminal barrister who prosecutes and defends in both the… | View Profile |
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Charles Thomas | Charles is an experienced specialist criminal barrister. His practice encompasses the entire… | View Profile |
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Ray Tully | Ray is a heavyweight criminal law and sports law barrister who is… | View Profile |
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Kriti Upadhyay | Kriti is a medical lawyer, specialising in clinical negligence, Court of Protection… | View Profile |
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Anna Vigars | Anna is a criminal, health and safety and environmental law barrister with… | View Profile |
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John Virgo | John is a specialist commercial barrister, with a strong practice emphasis on… | View Profile |
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Lucy Walker | Lucy is a specialist in consumer credit and in the financial services regulatory regime.… | View Profile |
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James Wibberley | James is a commercial specialist with experience of dealing with a wide… | View Profile |
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Mark Worsley | Mark is head of Guildhall’s Crime Team and defends and prosecutes serious… | View Profile |
Diversity
We are committed to the values of Equality, Diversity & Inclusivity across all aspects of Chambers and Chambers life. We have two ED&I offices who are both highly motivated in bringing forward new ideas and ways to further enhance our ways of working in order to underpin these values, not just within our policies, but also our ethos.
We have recently arranged talks to members and discussion sessions about E&D in the workplace with a view to discussing ways in which any discrimination can best be addressed. Further, in order to ensure awareness across the clerking teams, specific training with a particular focus on Unconscious Bias has been undertaken. We closely monitor allocation of work, and we ensure that practice review meetings are focussed around the desires of the individuals so that we can best support each and every member to fulfil their aspirations.
We have promised transparent commitment to change by pledging our support the Bar Council’s Women in Law programme, for the progression of women into senior roles, with a focus on retention and development opportunities to aid true gender equality.
The Women in Law programme requires chambers to agree a number of pledges, which are practical steps towards furthering gender equality. We have prepared a number of pledges, which we will review and assess for progress in the 12 months.
During the course of the year, our clerking and staff teams have undergone several training courses including fair allocation of work, led by our EDI representatives, Jenny Tallentire & Debbie Grennan. This is an ongoing process. Our senior clerks attended the Bar Council’s Race Awareness training, and since this we have attended a number if virtual events on the subject of race awareness at the Bar.
Our EDI officers have recently had a specific focus on the retention of women in chambers, particularly in the first few years of practice. They have prepared a detailed reports with a number of recommendations that was approved by our management committee.
Selena Plowden QC is an active member of the Western Circuit Women’s Forum and Kriti Upadhyay is involved in the activities of the Women Lawyers Division (Bristol). We already have a near equal proportion of women to men in the clerks room.
Here are a few highlights of what we will be focussing on over the next 12 months:
a) Completing the latest gender pay review and reporting our findings to Guildhall’s Management Committee for consideration;
b) Putting into place the recommendations of our earlier report supporting members of chambers to deliver and access the support required and devising a suitable system for assessing the effectiveness of these measures;
c) Conducting regular workshops for junior tenants, pupils and pupil supervisors, addressing the challenges of the early years of practice and providing an open forum for discussion about the challenges individuals may face.
d) Implementing Chambers’ Race Awareness Action Plan and rolling out the Race Awareness training more widely;
- Western Circuit > Business and regulatory crime (including health and safety)
- Western Circuit > Clinical negligence
- Western Circuit > Commercial litigation
- Western Circuit > Company and insolvency
- Western Circuit > Costs
- Western Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)
- Western Circuit > Employment
- Western Circuit > Professional negligence
- Western Circuit > Sport