The Legal 500

Within Administrative and public law (including local government) Administrative and public law – Leading Silks

[back to top]

Within Civil liberties and human rights (including public inquiry law and actions against the police), 1 Chancery Lane (John Ross QC) is a third tier set,

1 Chancery Lane’s clerks ‘provide a top-rate service and always call you back’. Lord Faulks QC is highly respected in this area, as is Andrew Warnock QC, who recently took silk. Among the juniors, Julian Waters is ‘very good and professional’, and Geoffrey Weddell is ‘great with clients, easy to deal with, but nevertheless forceful in his presentation of a case’. Paul Stagg is ‘effective and focused’, and Laura Johnson is ‘very professional, excellent on paper and good with witnesses’.

[back to top]

Within Clinical negligence and healthcare, 1 Chancery Lane (John Ross QC) is a third tier set,

1 Chancery Lane’s Lord Faulks QC is ‘a master tactician in court’, and Simon Readhead QC is ‘a very safe pair of hands’ who is ‘very approachable and client friendly’. At junior level, Sophie Mortimer is ‘personable and easy to work with’, Dr David Thomson has ‘an excellent grasp of medical issues’, and Simon Trigger is ‘approachable, efficient and very bright’. Angus Piper is also recommended, as is the newly appointed Andrew Warnock QC.

[back to top]

Within Consumer, 1 Chancery Lane (John Ross QC) is a third tier set,

1 Chancery Lane has a specialist team dealing with overseas accident claims and contractual recovery actions. Leading juniors include Matthew Chapman who has ‘fantastic knowledge and insight into travel and international law issues, beyond the level of most leading counsel’; and the ‘tactically astute’ Sarah Prager who is ‘a go-to counsel for all accident abroad cases’. Chapman recently acted in Brown & Brown v Kuoni Travel in relation to a spinal injury sustained during a package holiday on the Orient Express. Jack Harding provides ‘technically excellent advice’.

[back to top]

Within Education, 1 Chancery Lane (John Ross QC) is a third tier set,

At 1 Chancery Lane, Lord Edward Faulks QC is ‘a leading silk in local authority liability claims’, and the newly appointed Andrew Warnock QC’s ‘absolute command of papers and the detail within produces a unique and confident style of advocacy’. Juniors John Norman and Paul Stagg are also recommended.

[back to top]

Within Personal injury, 1 Chancery Lane (John Ross QC) is a third tier set,

Virtually every barrister at 1 Chancery Lane undertakes personal injury work. Standouts include Lord Faulks QC, who is ‘the first choice for complex duty of care cases’; new silk Andrew Warnock QC, who is ‘a very effective advocate’; and Julian Waters, who is ‘hardworking, approachable and responsive’. John Ross QC, John Norman and the ‘beyond helpful’ Matthew Chapman are also highly regarded.

[back to top]

Within Product liability,

Also recommended are: Doughty Street Chambers’ Robin Oppenheim QC, who is ‘a leading claimant silk with a deeper understanding of the strategic decisions that are needed for successful outcomes in complex cases’; Neil Block QC at Thirty Nine Essex Street, who is ‘a masterly tactician and first-choice silk for a serious product liability claim or group action’; and 1 Chancery Lane’s John Ross QC, who acted in Ridd v Royal Yachting Association concerning a 14-year-old who suffered catastrophic injuries in a power boat race.

[back to top]

Within Professional discipline and regulatory law (including police law), 1 Chancery Lane (John Ross QC) is a second tier set,

At 1 Chancery Lane, Lord Faulks QC has an excellent reputation, ‘particularly in the context of healthcare work’. Alastair Hammerton provides ‘strong technical and strategic advice’, is ‘calm under pressure’ and ‘brilliant with clients’. The ‘very approachable’ Geoffrey Weddell ‘works quickly’, and the ‘impressive’ David Thomson is ‘very thorough and pleasant to deal with’.

[back to top]

Within Professional negligence, 1 Chancery Lane (John Ross QC) is a third tier set,

1 Chancery Lane has ‘an excellent reputation for professional negligence work’. Lord Edward Faulks QC is recommended for his ‘unsurpassed ability to identify core legal principles and pursue cases’. John Ross QC acted in the ongoing case of Various Claimants v Festival Fireworks Ltd, which involves claims resulting from a firework factory explosion. Alastair Hammerton is ‘charming and articulate, and has an impressive command of the facts and salient issues’, and Angus Piper is ‘very knowledgeable’. ‘Skilful cross-examiner’ Andrew Warnock QC took silk in 2012.

[back to top]

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

[back to top]