The Legal 500

Old Square Chambers

Chambers of Jane McNeill QC & Nigel Cooksley QC

3 ORCHARD COURT, ST AUGUSTINE'S YARD, BRISTOL, BS1 5DP, ENGLAND
Tel:
Work 0117 930 5100
Fax:
Fax 0117 927 3478
DX:
78229 BRISTOL
Web:
www.oldsquare.co.uk
Email:
London, Bristol

What we say about the set's legal practice in Regional Bar

Treasury Panel Lists

Within Treasury Panel Lists Region 6

Western Circuit

Within Employment,

Old Square Chambers is the ‘first port of call for employment barristers; it has excellent strength in depth from juniors to seniors’. Michael Ford, who knows ‘employment law inside out (he is a “human textbook”), has a razor-sharp analytical brain, and is ferociously clever’, is accustomed to making appearances in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, ECJ and ECHR. Toby Kempster is ‘vastly experienced and utterly dependable’; Rohan Pirani is ‘very easy-going yet clear and determined in his arguments’; and Mark Whitcombe, who is a ‘forceful advocate without resorting to histrionics’, is a popular choice for trade union matters. Helen Gower and Hilary Winstone are ‘first rate and combine excellent advocacy skills with a sensible commercial approach’.

Within Health and safety, and regulatory,

At Old Square Chambers, John Hendy QC, Brian Cummins, Rohan Pirani and Jonathan Clarke were instructed on the coroner’s inquest into the Potter’s Bar rail disaster.

Within Overview, Old Square Chambers (Chambers of Jane McNeill QC & Nigel Cooksley QC) is a first tier firm,

With five specialist teams in place and as a holder of BARMARK, Guildhall Chambers is ‘truly a viable alternative to London chambers’. It has a national and international insolvency reputation, a niche sports law offering and an ever-growing personal injury and clinical negligence team. St John’s Chambers’ clerks ‘really do appear to consider carefully recommendations when they are asked for them’, and the set continues to have the leading family team in Bristol. Despite several losses to the bench, Albion Chambers remains a prominent crime and family set and has an ‘extremely high standard of clerking’. Queen Square Chambers is a ‘very friendly and professional set’ that continues to have a leading employment team. Outside of Bristol, 12 College Place, which is also a holder of BARMARK, and College Chambers service Southampton, as does Devon Chambers in Plymouth. The ‘very goodColleton Chambers and Rougemont Chambers, along with Walnut House, are the pre-eminent sets in Exeter and Taunton. Leading Bristol annexes include Old Square Chambers, whose clerks are ‘very helpful and flexible to ensure suitable counsel is available’, and 3PB that provides a ‘“Rolls-Royce” service; right from head of chambers at the top, to junior clerks’. 3 Pump Court and Doughty Street Chambers also have a presence on circuit, and No5 Chambers’ Bristol annex provides a ‘niche, almost boutique service which distinguishes itself from the Birmingham and London chambers. 1 Paper Buildings is highly visible on this circuit, particularly in Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester. With the opening of the new Bristol Civil Court Centre, it is expected that an increasing volume of work will stay in the hands of local sets.

Within Personal injury and clinical negligence,

Old Square ChambersChristopher Walker is a ‘tenacious advocate and a shrewd negotiator’. Andreá Risolifights until the job really is done to the highest standard possible’. David Rivers is an ‘excellent costs advocate’. Toby Kempster and Jonathan Clarke are also recommended.


Further information on Old Square Chambers (Chambers of Jane McNeill QC & Nigel Cooksley QC)

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Legal Developments in the UK

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