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St John's Buildings > The Legal 500 Rankings

North Eastern Circuit > Court of Protection and community care Tier 1

St John’s Buildings garners praise as ‘a great Court of Protection set – all the advocates are knowledgeable and approachable‘. The ‘forensic‘ Joseph O’Brien KC, who heads up the practice, has expertise in deprivation of liberty issues, and regularly acts for the Official Solicitor and family members in cases. Natalia Levine stands out for her experience in handling deputyship applications, issues of health and welfare and mental capacity, and contentious property and financial affairs. Rising star Hannah Bakshani is ‘able to get to grips with complex issues at short notice‘, and is experienced in advising on contested capacity matters.

Rising stars

Hannah Bakshani – St John’s Buildings 'Hannah thinks matters through in a sensible and pragmatic way, and she is very quickly able to grasp the salient issues in a case. She is confident and persuasive in her advocacy.'

Ranked: Tier 1

2022 Silks

Joseph O’Brien KC – St John’s Buildings 'An outstanding advocate. His cross examination skills are second to none and he is fantastic with clients. It is always reassuring to have him fighting your client's cause. He is a pleasure to work with.'

Leading Juniors

Jonathan Bellamy – St John’s Buildings ‘Jonathan is organised, calm, responsive and helpful. As an advocate, he is meticulous, well-prepared and fights his case fiercely.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Natalia Levine – St John’s Buildings 'Natalia has really excellent interpersonal skills when in court and when dealing with her lay clients.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

‘A very good set with a large supportive team.’

‘Brilliant set with a wide variety of counsel.’

‘The barristers in this set are simply outstanding.’

‘The clerks at St John’s Buildings are simply superb and a dream to work with.’

‘The clerks are always responsive and ready to assist.’

‘Clerks are very helpful.’

Northern Circuit > Court of Protection and community care Tier 1

Led by the 'renowned' Joseph O'Brien KC, St John's Buildings' Court of Protection team has established expertise in handling cases concerning deprivation of liberty and medical treatment matters. Lorraine Cavanagh KC is highly regarded for her excellent track record in handling complex health and welfare cases. Among the juniors, Eleanor Keehan is 'a very eloquent advocate', and regularly acts for the Official Solicitor, family members and local authorities, while Lucinda France-Hayhurst is well known for advising on personal welfare, deprivation of liberty and capacity to consent matters. Laura Twist 'has excellent knowledge of the law relating to mental capacity and is always exceptionally well prepared'.

Leading Silks

Lorraine Cavanagh KC – St John’s Buildings ‘Lorraine is a commanding and authoritative advocate. She always has the ear of the court and will always fight for her client.’

Ranked: Tier 1

2022 Silks

Joseph O’Brien KC – St John’s Buildings ‘Joseph is an outstanding advocate. Judges listen to him with great care and his forensic cross-examination of witnesses in difficult cases needs to be witnessed to be believed – he is simply brilliant.’

Leading Juniors

Laura Twist – St John’s Buildings ‘Laura is a calm and authoritative voice of reason. A tremendously insightful junior.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Eleanor Keehan – St John’s Buildings ‘Eleanor has forged a reputation for herself as one of the go-to barristers for this area. She is exceptionally intelligent, and brings pragmatism and serenity to the cases she is instructed on.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Rebecca Carr – St John’s Buildings ‘Rebecca is a thorough, detailed, and supportive junior who works tirelessly. She has a forensic eye and a calm and measured advocacy style.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Lucinda France-Hayhurst – St John’s Buildings ‘Lucinda provides focused and succinct advice to ensure the best result for her client, and she commands the confidence of the court.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘A go-to set in the North.’

‘St John’s Buildings is simply fantastic. The barristers are all high calibre.’

‘St John’s Buildings is a very professional set.’

‘Valuable training sessions and there a number of very experienced counsel.’

‘The clerks are simply outstanding.’

‘The clerks are simply brilliant and will move mountains to ensure counsel is available for any hearing.’

‘The clerks are all very friendly, professional, and will always go the extra mile to assist.’

‘Clerks are responsive and helpful.’

Northern Circuit > Family: children and domestic violence Tier 1

The members of ‘go-to chambers’ St John’s Buildings handle cases at all levels of courts, including the Family Division of the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court, and they are praised for ‘extensive experience in the field’. Frances Heaton KC is instructed by local authorities, parents, grandparents, children, and interveners in complex public law children proceedings, and she has expertise in parental alienation cases. Karl Rowley KC is skilled regarding cases that concern complex medical evidence, and Lorraine Cavanagh KC has a thriving practice, frequently handling complex brain injury cases and medically challenging fatal injury cases. Shaun Spencer KC made Silk in 2023 and has substantial experience in cases regarding child deaths and sexual abuse.

Leading Silks

Lorraine Cavanagh KC – St John’s Buildings 'Lorraine is unrelenting with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law. She is incredibly reassuring for any anxious or bewildered client, and she is generous with her knowledge and time.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Frances Heaton KC – St John’s Buildings 'Frances has a superb grasp of issues and a mastery of complex briefs at very short notice. Her advocacy is excellent and clear and she works well with junior counsel and instructing solicitors to provide good client care.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Karl Rowley KC – St John’s Buildings ‘Karl is one of the best public law children silks in the entire country, as his written arguments are focused but comprehensive and always compelling to read, his oral advocacy is measured but powerful, and judges, whether at first instance or in the Court of Appeal, always listen to him carefully. He is a truly formidable opponent, always courteous, and at the top of his game in every respect.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Kate Burnell KC – St John’s Buildings ‘Kate is a very relaxed, friendly, and approachable individual in very stressful and difficult times for clients. She is unflappable, calm, firm at appropriate times, empathetic, kind, and sensitive.’

Ranked: Tier 1

2023 Silks

Shaun Spencer KC – St John’s Buildings ‘Shaun is a barrister of the highest calibre, as he is exceptional at managing professional clients while ensuring inexperienced workers have a full understanding of what is happening. His knowledge of the law and practical advice stands him above other barristers, and his advocacy is particularly impressive, as he is able to navigate complex expert evidence and present it to the court in a manageable way.’

Leading Juniors

Archna Dawar – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 2

Clare Grundy – St John’s Buildings ‘Clare is a reassuring and calming presence, including for very vulnerable clients who are reassured by and gain confidence from her very capable representation and assistance.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Eleanor Keehan – St John’s Buildings ‘Eleanor is an excellent advocate, as she is very experienced and knowledgeable and has a very good approach with clients, especially those who are vulnerable. She is able to get the job done to a high standard for her client while maintaining good relationships and a level of understanding towards the other parties.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Rachael Banks – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Ginny Whiteley – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Hannah Wood – St John’s Buildings ‘Hannah is thorough, well-prepared, and proactive. She is able to grasp complex cases and can give the client the reassurance in her abilities and expertise, and she undertakes high-quality work.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Lucinda France-Hayhurst – St John’s Buildings ‘Lucinda is an excellent advocate who is good on her feet, well respected by judges and her peers, and liked by the professional clients who she is representing. She is particularly skilled with nervous clients given her friendly and approachable demeanour.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘Dan Johnson is professional, dependable, and always goes above and beyond to help.’

‘Paul Laverty is fabulous.’

‘The clerks are amazing and Dan Johnson and Ryan Barker are professional, approachable, and they value everyone they speak to. They are well respected on the circuit.’

‘Good service and helpful clerks who coordinate well with other chambers where necessary.’

‘The clerks are approachable and accommodating.’

‘St John’s Buildings is a quality set, offering counsel at all levels with a wide range of skills. They are a go-to chambers.’

‘A very good and well organised set of chambers.’

‘Strong set of chambers throughout the North of England with a broad range of counsel. They are a reliable choice.’

Northern Circuit > Family: divorce and financial remedy Tier 1

St John’s Buildings is ‘the go-to team in the North for matrimonial finances work with two of the best silks in the country and a team of juniors who are all excellent.’ The members represent national and international clients in their family and matrimonial finance cases, and the members handle matters concerning inheritance, trusts, hidden assets, and bankruptcy. Sally Harrison KC undertakes high-value matrimonial finance cases concerning complex valuations regarding pensions and companies. Samantha Hillas KC handles financial remedy work exclusively, and she frequently acts for clients regarding their pre and post-nuptial agreements, as well as tax and corporate structures. The set is also home to Charles Eastwood who handles Schedule 1 claims, and Frances De Navarro‘s practice includes handling business valuations and family trusts. Archna Dawar specialise in high-value financial remedy work, and Hannah Wood has expertise in handling separation agreements, business assets, and Schedule 1 cases.

Leading Silks

Sally Harrison KC – St John’s Buildings ‘Sally is an outstandingly skilled advocate. Her ability and aplomb are without equal outside of London, she is a superstar with a steely edge to her advocacy that is highly effective, and she has an excellent ability to think on her feet and adapt as required.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Samantha Hillas KC – St John’s Buildings ‘Samantha is the go-to barrister for complex financial remedy work in the North West. She is always well prepared and has a wonderful manner with clients, as an advocate she is confident and pragmatic, and her detailed and polished notes always greatly assist the court.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Archna Dawar – St John’s Buildings ‘Archna is brilliant and really technically able, and she thoroughly prepares and puts clients and opponents at ease. She is methodical and creative in her approach to cases, clients absolutely love her and her high energy, and you cannot rate her highly enough; she is definitely one to have on your side.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Charles Eastwood – St John’s Buildings ‘Charles has become the leading junior counsel for family finance work in the North West. He is a fierce and tenacious advocate who will push matters as far as he can for clients; he’s a real fighter.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Frances De Navarro – St John’s Buildings ‘Frances has many fantastic qualities; she is thorough in her preparation for conferences and court hearings, she prepares notes or position statements for cases whether they are requested or not, and she is proactive on cases and extremely personable. Whilst she may have a sensitive approach with clients, she is straight-talking and spot on with her advice, her advocacy is effortless, and she makes her submissions powerfully.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Elisabeth Cooper – St John’s Buildings ‘Elisabeth achieves the perfect balance of technical ability and accuracy, whilst also being personable and easy to work with. She is very methodical in her submissions to the court, and clients know that she is fighting their corner.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Neil Montaldo – St John’s Buildings ‘Neil is a truly first-rate advocate. He has a non-confrontational but persuasive manner that takes the judge by the hand, leading them to his desired outcome, and this combined with his ability to predict the outcome of the case, alongside his ability to build relationships with the client, makes him one of the best juniors around.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Elliw Roberts – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 2

Hannah Wood – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 2

Simon Charles – St John’s Buildings ‘Simon’s technical approach and breadth of knowledge is formidable. His background in commercial and Chancery work gives him an edge when dealing with family-related, civil-based claims and proceedings, and he is technically strong, incisive, and tenacious.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘Emma Manning is excellent and beyond helpful.’

‘Mark Robinson and the team are a pleasure to deal with and work hard to accommodate requests.’

‘Ryan Barker is exceptional.’

‘Both Ryan Barker and Emma Manning in the clerking team are the best in the business and are always very responsive and helpful.’ 

‘The clerks are excellent; commercial and honest, and they match counsel to client as opposed to merely being a diary service.’

‘St John’s Buildings is the go-to team in the North for matrimonial finances work with two of the best Silks in the country and a team of juniors who are all excellent.’

‘St John’s Buildings is the leading financial remedy set in the North West. The financial remedy team as a whole is fantastic and there are numerous excellent counsel.’

‘Strong on matrimonial finance, particularly at the senior end, and a good range of different levels of experienced barristers available.’

Northern Circuit > Clinical negligence Tier 2

St John’s Buildings is praised as ‘an excellent chambers providing a good selection of solid barristers in the clinical negligence field’. One such member is Philip Grundy, who has significant expertise in handling cases around consent and cauda equina, in addition to delayed diagnosis of illnesses. The set is also home to Henry Vanderpump, who works almost exclusively for claimants, and his cases often involve complex surgical procedures and delayed cancer diagnoses. Like Vanderpump, Richard Norton also focuses on claimant work, especially cases regarding surgical negligence and negligent post-operative care. Alastair Wright has a well-established clinical negligence practice, and Rebecca Titus-Cobb is another notable name, acting for claimants and defendants, including NHS trusts.

Rising stars

Rebecca Titus-Cobb – St John’s Buildings 'Rebecca is a very thorough expert who is always very prepared ahead of conferences. During conferences, she is very good with experts and clients and is effective at managing experts and ensuring evidence and conclusions are clear.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Michael Redfern KC – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 2

Leading Juniors

Richard Norton – St John’s Buildings ‘Richard has a great manner with clients and is able to put them at ease. He is always well-prepared and thorough in conference, his written work is clear and comprehensive, his advice is always measured, and his critical analysis of evidence is first rate.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Daniel Frieze - St John's Buildings

Ranked: Tier 2

Philip Grundy – St John’s Buildings 'Philip is a barrister with exceptional strengths in his profession; he is a fearless advocator, logical in his approach, empathetic towards clients, and methodical and concise in his work. He is able to get to the heart of the matter and provide compelling arguments in support of his clients, and his exceptional skills make him an excellent choice for anyone in need of a skilled and dedicated barrister.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Sufiyan Rana – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 2

Henry Vanderpump – St John’s Buildings ‘Henry is hardworking and diligent, tactically astute, well-prepared for conference work, provides a high standard of written work when instructed to prepare papers such as pleadings and advice notes, and he is robust in dealing with court hearings.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Alastair Wright – St John’s Buildings ‘Alastair has a calm and reassuring manner in even the most challenging of cases. As a result, he is greatly appreciated by clients, and his straightforward approach makes him a very impressive advocate.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘Chris Shaw and Martin Craggs provide a first-class service supporting counsel in this area of law. They add the personal touch to communications with chambers and will always endeavour to do their utmost to facilitate requests.’

‘Martin Craggs and Jennifer Carr are both helpful when arranging diaries and setting up discussions.’

‘The clerks are all very helpful. Chris Shaw and Martin Craggs have a wealth of experience between them.’

‘Martin Craggs is an excellent clerk; very efficient and helpful.’

‘The clerks are very helpful, particularly with new matters and recommending appropriate counsel. Martin Craggs is very friendly and helpful, as well as Paul Reeves, Chris Shaw, and Jennifer Carr. All the clerks at chambers are fantastic.’

‘A great set of chambers with a variety of barristers who have a range of experience to assist on a range of matters.’

‘St John’s Buildings have a diverse range of barristers and on several occasions have been willing to provide barrister cover on short notice for hearings.’

‘St John’s Buildings is an excellent chambers providing a good selection of solid barristers in the clinical negligence field. They offer great training opportunities on a regular basis covering a wide range of medico-legal and procedural topics.’

Northern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud) Tier 2

St John’s Buildings is praised for its ‘good strength in depth’ and ‘range of expertise’. The criminal law team at the set handles a broad variety of matters, from murder and serious sexual offences, to human and drug trafficking, child abduction, and the most serious road traffic offences. David John James, who is frequently instructed on cases involving serious violence and fraud, is representing a serving police officer accused of attempting to murder his partner. Mark Connor acts for both the defence and prosecution in cases regarding murder, death by dangerous driving, and firearms conspiracies. Other notable members of the set include Rebecca Penfold, who represented a co-defendant in a complex modern slavery and human trafficking case.

2022 Silks

Richard Thyne KC  - St John’s Buildings

Leading Juniors

Mark Connor – St John’s Buildings ‘Mark's advocacy is tenacious and forthright. He always pushes hard for his clients.'

Ranked: Tier 2

David John James – St John’s Buildings ‘David is a thoughtful, tactically astute practitioner who immerses himself in the evidence in a case so that his decision-taking is apt and assured. He is tremendously calming and re-assuring to the lay clients, judges trust him and rely on him, and he is highly regarded by his colleagues at the Bar.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Rebecca Penfold - St John's Buildings 'Rebecca is tenacious in her written and oral advocacy and will never give up a good fight. She is an unbelievably hard worker, she always knows the relevant law inside out, she has tactical skill, and nerve beyond her years; she is an asset to the Northern Circuit and to her set.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Gemma Maxwell – St John’s Buildings ‘Gemma is a highly persuasive advocate with such detailed knowledge of the facts of every case she deals with that she can draw upon this in a second. She is formidable in court and is always a first choice because of her attention to detail and persuasive style.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Thomas Sherrington – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Ben Lawrence - St John's Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Laura Nash - St John's Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Peter Gilmour - St John's Buildings 'Peter's oral advocacy is calm, direct, and to the point, based on thorough preparation and an intimate knowledge of the case. His attention to detail and breadth of knowledge are a powerful combination, and he also has a calm demeanour with lay and professional clients, which inspires trust.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘Brilliant clerks who are great at communicating listing information and clashes, and they work seamlessly. Andrew Booth is particularly helpful and Mark Heald is a brilliant head clerk.’

‘Very good clerking team. The chief criminal clerk, Mark Heald, is a consummate professional.’

‘The clerks are incredibly well organised and make the job of a solicitor easier by arranging listings.’

‘The clerks work hard to ensure the counsel of choice is available.’

‘St John’s Buildings is a brilliant set.’

‘The set as a whole is strong.’

‘St John’s buildings is a large chambers with good strength in depth and a range of expertise.’

‘A very strong set with talent at all levels.’

Northern Circuit > Inquests and inquiries Tier 2

St John’s Buildings‘ ‘offering for inquests is strong’, and its members have expertise in matters across the space. In recent instructions for the set, Laura Nash represented the Earlsheaton Conservative Club in an inquest into the death of a patron who fell down the stairs of the club.

Leading Juniors

Laura Nash – St John’s Buildings ‘Laura has an in-depth understanding of regulatory proceedings and the coronial process, particularly in relation to the representation of healthcare professionals and care homes. She is able to identify the key issues in a case quickly and succinctly and formulate robust and thought-provoking defences, while also being able to advise the client of these in a concise and clear way.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Simon Murray - St John's Buildings

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘The clerks are fantastic, particularly Mark Heald.’

‘Joe Murphy is very organised and efficient.’

‘They are very approachable, easy to work with, and understanding of the importance of quick and effective communication in urgent cases.’

‘St John’s Buildings are always willing to offer training sessions to support firms. They have a number of excellent members and are working to increase their numbers in this field.’

‘The offering for inquests is strong and they offer bespoke training.’

‘The clerks are all excellent. They respond quickly and always do what they can to assist. Mark Heald and Joe Murphy in particular are excellent to work with.’

‘The clerks respond quickly and helpfully.’

‘The clerks are efficient.’

Northern Circuit > Employment Tier 3

St John’s Buildings ‘has great breadth and depth of skill and experience in the employment team’. Its members appear before the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal, as well as varied levels of the court system. Head of the employment group Jason Searle represented the respondent in a case where a shop worker was dismissed for gross misconduct after refusing to sanitise her hands and subsequently lying about it. Thomas Wood is strong in discrimination and whistleblowing cases, often representing executives and large organisations, and Ghazan Mahmood is skilled in representing health professionals in internal and external disciplinary proceedings. The set also houses Jamie Jenkins, who has expertise in discrimination cases and mandates in the education sector - he is instructed to represent the former CEO of Liverpool City Council, who has brought a constructive dismissal claim concerning his resignation in May 2017 after a disciplinary process by the council triggered by his arrest for misconduct in a public office.

Rising stars

Thomas Wood – St John’s Buildings ‘Thomas's skills are second to none, he secures excellent results, and he is well-liked by clients due to his down-to-earth nature.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Jason Searle – St John’s Buildings ‘Jason is excellent as an advocate, always thoroughly prepared and clear in his submissions. His cross-examination is particularly good and clients are made to feel thoroughly supported and in safe hands.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Ghazan Mahmood – St John’s Buildings ‘Ghazan is a forthright and confident advocate. He manages expectations of clients and works as part of the solicitor client team, and he can also bring humour to the table, which can lighten a heavy case.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Jamie Jenkins – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 2

David Flood - St John's Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Annette Gumbs –St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘Robert Lang is friendly, approachable, and provides the highest quality of service delivery.’

‘Chris Brown and Chris Shaw are both fabulous! Unbelievably helpful and endeavour to source counsel.’

‘The clerks are excellent, experienced, professional, friendly, and helpful. Gemma Eachus is proactive and very good, and Rob Lang is also worth a mention as an excellent clerk.’

‘Joe Murphy is very organised and efficient.’

‘The clerks are fantastic, particularly Mark Heald.’ 

‘An excellent set with impressive barristers.’

‘A very strong set as a whole and their seminars and webinars are informative and interesting.’

‘St John’s Buildings has great breadth and depth of skill and experience in the employment team. There is a healthy spread of experience and skillset so that clients’ cases can be matched well. There are some truly excellent counsel in these chambers.’

Northern Circuit > Personal injury Tier 3

St John’s Buildings ‘has an excellent set of personal injury counsel’ and its members act for claimants and defendants across a broad range of matters, from road traffic accidents and employers’ liability, to industrial diseases and fatal accidents claims. Philip Grundy frequently represents claimants in major brain injury, amputee, and paraplegic cases, and Richard Norton predominantly acts for claimants in high-value claims - he acted for a claimant who alleged an allergic skin reaction as a result of exposure to excessively bright lights at his workplace, causing an unusual skin disorder.

Leading Silks

Michael Redfern KC - St John's Buildings

Ranked: Tier 2

Leading Juniors

Philip Grundy – St John’s Buildings ‘Philip is at the top of his game, is a titan intellectually, and has charisma and empathy, enabling him to deliver exceptional legal advice to seriously injured clients. He is meticulously well prepared and his advocacy skills are exemplary.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Richard Norton – St John’s Buildings ‘Richard is the perfect counsel: analytical, pragmatic, and conscientious, and he is very calming and collaborative in his approach. He has a very good manner with lay clients and expert witnesses, he is able to explain the most difficult legal concepts in a manner easily understood by clients, his advice is concise and definite, and he has an excellent understanding of complex medical issues and an ability not to be distracted by irrelevant detail, but to get to the root of the issues.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Peter Harrison – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 2

Andrew Lawson – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Alastair Wright – St John’s Buildings 'It is always an absolute pleasure to work alongside Alastair. He has a calm and reassuring manner in even the most challenging of cases, and as a result, he is greatly appreciated by clients. His straightforward approach makes him a very impressive advocate.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Daniel Frieze - St John's Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Sufiyan Rana – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘Chris Shaw and Martin Craggs provide a first-class service supporting counsel. They add the personal touch to communications with chambers and will always endeavour to do their utmost to facilitate requests.’

‘Allan Weston and Michael Wolff have always been brilliant.’

‘A good set of clerks who always assist and are prepared to share the load of logistical arrangements. Martin Craggs is particularly personable and understands the importance of good client relationships and good solicitor-counsel-clerk relationships.’

‘Superb clerking service. They are receptive to client needs, accommodating, and supportive. They have a very warm and friendly approach to all they come into contact with.’

‘The clerking is very efficient. Particular mention to Martin Craggs, who always goes the extra mile.’

‘St John’s Buildings has an excellent set of personal injury counsel who offer vast experience and expertise at various levels and complexity.’

‘A very strong set of chambers in an extremely competitive city. They have a wide breadth of experience and skills, which means that when complex cases require input from other specialist counsel, it can remain within chambers, which is of a benefit to clients.’

‘This is a fantastic set and one of the leading personal injury sets in the North West with huge talent to cover any and all complex personal injury cases.’

Northern Circuit > Commercial litigation Tier 4

The members at St John’s Buildings have expertise in handling contractual disputes. The set houses Pépin Aslett, who has a thriving practice in multi-party claims, as well as banking and financial services litigation. Daniel Metcalfe regularly appears in the High Court, and he recently represented the claimant in Sale Property Consultants Ltd v JD Sports Plc, a claim for a loss of profit of £350,000.

Leading Juniors

Pépin Aslett – St John’s Buildings ‘Pépin is very strong technically and gives good, clear advice in the difficult work of structuring group litigation. He is a leading light.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Daniel Metcalfe – St John’s Buildings ‘Daniel has a strong work ethic and attends every conference and every hearing having read every word of every document provided to him. In addition to being well-read, he becomes fully familiar with the case and has excellent recall, and during advocacy, he is a real fighter and not afraid to make points and stands his ground with opponents and judges.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘Chris Shaw is an excellent clerk who is responsive, easy to deal with, and commercial.’

‘Rob Lang, Chis Shaw, and Gemma Eachus are wonderful and fair clerks.’

‘The chambers has an excellent offering.’

Northern Circuit > Administrative and public law (including civil liberties and human rights)

Leading Silks

Lorraine Cavanagh KC – St John’s Buildings ‘Lorraine is a commanding and authoritative advocate, she always has the ear of the court, and she will always fight for her client. She is very knowledgeable and experienced, and her advocacy is excellent and very persuasive.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Northern Circuit > Education

Leading Juniors

Jamie Jenkins – St John’s Buildings 'A junior who provides practical advice, and has the ability to find a way forward in difficult situations. A user-friendly barrister.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Northern Circuit > IT, telecoms and data protection

Leading Juniors

Pépin Aslett – St John’s Buildings ‘Pépin has considerable knowledge and experience in the data protection field. A persuasive advocate who has the trust of the court.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Aaminah Khan –St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 1

Northern Circuit > Professional disciplinary law

Leading Juniors

Ghazan Mahmood – St John’s Buildings 'Ghazan is very good at cross-examination of witnesses and will see opportunities to make applications throughout proceedings where necessary.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Laura Nash - St John's Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

Northern Circuit > Chancery, probate, and tax

Leading Juniors

Simon Charles – St John’s Buildings

Ranked: Tier 3

North Eastern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)

2022 Silks

Richard Thyne KC – St John’s Buildings 'Richard's advocacy is measured and persuasive. He never takes a bad point, which commends him to judges and juries alike. He has a long and successful career in silk ahead.'

Richard Thyne KC - St John's Buildings ‘Richard has a great legal mind. He has an exceptional work ethic and is excellent with clients. His ability to make complicated legal issues seem straightforward is truly outstanding.'

North Eastern Circuit > Family: children and domestic violence

Leading Juniors

Natalia Levine – St John’s Buildings 'A compelling, dynamic and eloquent advocate who is dedicated to her clients. An excellent performer in court.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Pennie Stanistreet – St John’s Buildings 'A junior who undertakes serious and complex work without difficulty.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Kate Spence – St John’s Buildings ‘Kate is meticulous in every aspect of her work. She has a keen eye for detail and presents cases with confidence and care.’

Ranked: Tier 4

St John's Buildings > Set Profile

An award-winning, tier-1 ranked, multidisciplinary set of barristers, providing exceptional advocates and national coverage from Chambers in Manchester, Chester, Liverpool and Sheffield.

St John’s Buildings has a proven reputation for providing expert barristers and delivering a complete legal solution. We build long-term partnerships with clients by providing exceptional counsel backed by professional, reliable and consistently high quality standards of service.

Chambers is an early and enthusiastic adopter of new technology and AI to facilitate better and more cost effective service delivery. Innovations include, electronic booking, cloud storage, online diaries, remote access and automated billing. We invest heavily in our IT infrastructure and surrounding technologies.

Already one of the largest Chambers in the country, St John’s Buildings is following a strategy for growth to enhance the ability to service clients’ needs by providing advocacy and advisory services nationally. This strategy is underpinned and enabled by our values of Service Excellence, Approachability, Community and Agility. The values define how we behave collectively and individually, to clients and to colleagues.

Chambers is managed by a Board of Directors and audited to ISO 9001 standards. Corporate governance and information security are taken very seriously; all members and staff have been trained on GDPR regulations.

As well as market-leading facilities including video conferencing, mediation suites, private meeting rooms and conference facilities, clients can take advantage of a wide programme of CPD seminars, and members offer bespoke in-house training on request. Regular client surveys are undertaken, feedback is acted upon immediately and improvements built into the Quality Manual.

SJB clients are spread nationally and range from the full spectrum of legal firms, insurance firms, local authorities and high-net-worth individuals through to commercial enterprises and SMEs. Members of Chambers also accept instructions from members of the public under the direct access rules.

Other addresses:

21 White Friars, Chester CH1 1NZ, Phone 01244 323070, Fax 01244 342930

38 Vernon Street, Liverpool L2 2AY, Phone 0151 243 6000, Fax 0151 243 6040

7 Leopold Street, Sheffield S1 2GY, Phone 0114 273 8951, Fax 0114 276 0848

Main Contacts

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Chief Executive	Chris Ronan	clerk@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk	0161 214 1500
Head of Corporate Services	David Anderson	clerk@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk	0161 214 1500
Senior Family Clerk	Paul Laverty	clerk@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk	0161 214 1500
Senior Criminal Clerk	Mark Heald	clerk@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk	0161 214 1500
Senior Civil Clerk	Chris Shaw	clerk@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk	0161 214 1500
Senior Clerk, Chester	Mark Robinson	clerk@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk	01244 323070
Senior Clerk, Sheffield	Tim Booth	sheffield.clerk@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk	0114 273 8951
Joint Head of Chambers	HEATON KC, Frances (1985)
Joint Head of Chambers	NORTON, Richard (1992)
Members of Chambers	REDFERN KC, Michael (1970)
Members of Chambers	BERKLEY KC, David (1979)
Members of Chambers	O'BYRNE KC, Andrew (1978)
Members of Chambers	HARRISON KC, Sally (1992)
Members of Chambers	ROWLEY KC, Karl (1994)
Members of Chambers	CAVANAGH KC, Lorraine (2000)
Members of Chambers	HILLAS KC, Samantha (1996)
Members of Chambers	BURNELL KC, Kate (1998)
Members of Chambers	O'BRIEN KC, Joseph (1989)
Members of Chambers	THYNE KC, Richard (2002)
Members of Chambers	SPENCER KC, Shaun (2005)
Associate Member	CROWLEY KC, Jane (1976)
Associate Member	HILL KC, Jamie (1984)
Associate Member	KELLY KC, Brendan (1988)
Associate Member	VATER KC, John (1995)
Associate Member	SMART KC, Julia (1993)
Members of Chambers	WOOD, Graeme (1968)
Members of Chambers	HEDGECOE, John (1972)
Members of Chambers	SHANNON, Eric (1974)
Members of Chambers	LONGWORTH, Antony (1978)
Members of Chambers	GRUNDY, Philip (1980)
Members of Chambers	GAL, Sonia (1982)
Members of Chambers	HARRISON, Peter (1983)
Members of Chambers	HARRISON, Keith (1983)
Members of Chambers	SHAW, Julian (1984)
Members of Chambers	LLOYD, Julian (1985)
Members of Chambers	DICKINSON, Jonathan (1986)
Members of Chambers	TAYLOR, Julian (1986)
Members of Chambers	KLOSS, Diana MBE (1986)
Members of Chambers	WALKER, Jane (1987)
Members of Chambers	DAGNALL, Jane (1987)
Members of Chambers	OATES, John (1987)
Members of Chambers	PRICE, Nicholas (1987)
Members of Chambers	BATRA, Bunty (1988)
Members of Chambers	EASTWOOD, Charles (1988)
Members of Chambers	CRABTREE, Simon (1988)
Members of Chambers	DAVITT, Paula (1988)
Members of Chambers	SANDERS, Damian (1988)
Members of Chambers	GRUNDY, Clare (1989)
Members of Chambers	PARTINGTON, Lisa (1989)
Members of Chambers	THOMPSON, Jonathan (1990)
Members of Chambers	REEVELL, Simon (1990)
Members of Chambers	WRIGHT, Alastair (1991)
Members of Chambers	ROBERTS, Mark (1991)
Members of Chambers	TAYLOR, Jonathan (1991)
Members of Chambers	PRATT, Patricia (1991)
Members of Chambers	SAVAGE, Tim (1991)
Members of Chambers	SHIELD, Deborah (1991)
Members of Chambers	GREEN, Andrew (1992)
Members of Chambers	McNERNEY, Kevin (1992)
Members of Chambers	ASHMOLE, Timothy (1992)
Members of Chambers	WALKER, Fiona (1992)
Members of Chambers	JACKSON, Nicholas (1992)
Members of Chambers	FITZHARRIS, Ginnette (1993)
Members of Chambers	BANKS, Rachael (1993)
Members of Chambers	HUGHES, Dermot (1993)
Members of Chambers	STANISTREET, Penelope (1993)
Members of Chambers	SEARLE, Jason (1993)
Members of Chambers	WILSON, Myles (1993)
Members of Chambers	ORME, Richard (1993)
Members of Chambers	FLOOD, David (1993)
Members of Chambers	RHYS, Megan (1994)
Members of Chambers	CONNOR, Mark (1994)
Members of Chambers	COLE, Justine (1994)
Members of Chambers	WRENN, Helen (1994)
Members of Chambers	LOWE, Craig (1994)
Members of Chambers	HOUGHTON, Lisa (1994)
Members of Chambers	MANN, Sara (1994)
Members of Chambers	GUMBS, Annette (1994)
Members of Chambers	FRIEZE, Daniel (1994)
Members of Chambers	STABLES, Gordon (1995)
Members of Chambers	HICKEY, Julian (1995)
Members of Chambers	LAWSON, Andrew (1995)
Members of Chambers	McHUGH, Pauline (1995)
Members of Chambers	ASLETT, Pépin (1996)
Members of Chambers	DAWAR, Archna (1996)
Members of Chambers	GOLDSACK, Ian (1997)
Members of Chambers	KHURRAM, Karim (1997)
Members of Chambers	BAILEY, Andrew (1997)
Members of Chambers	WILLIAMS, Zillah (1997)
Members of Chambers	DENTON, Douglas (1997)
Members of Chambers	MAHMOOD, Ghazan (1997)
Members of Chambers	EVANS, Simeon (1997)
Members of Chambers	PARRY, Simon (1997)
Members of Chambers	SWAIN, Jacqueline (1998)
Members of Chambers	ROBERTS, Dafydd (1998)
Members of Chambers	ROWLEY-FOX, Rachael (1998)
Members of Chambers	THOMAS, Clare (1998)
Members of Chambers	TAYLOR, David (1998)
Members of Chambers	JAMES, David (1998)
Members of Chambers	MURDIN, Liam (1998)
Members of Chambers	SIMMONDS, Alexandra (1998)
Members of Chambers	EDWARDS, Susan (1998)
Members of Chambers	BYRNE, Philip (1999)
Members of Chambers	RANA, Sufiyan (1999)
Members of Chambers	LORD, Andrew (1999)
Members of Chambers	HOLSGROVE, Lara (1999)
Members of Chambers	ASTBURY, Philip (1999)
Members of Chambers	BHAT, Saima (1999)
Members of Chambers	RATLEDGE, John (1999)
Members of Chambers	LIVESLEY, Rhian (2000)
Members of Chambers	WHALLEY, Alison (2000)
Members of Chambers	KING, Oliver (2001)
Members of Chambers	MARSHALL, Laura (2001)
Members of Chambers	QUINNEY, Nicola (2001)
Members of Chambers	BRIDGMAN, Andrew (2000)
Members of Chambers	VIR SINGH, Sylvia (2001)
Members of Chambers	REEVELL, Louise (2001)
Members of Chambers	KHAN, Aaminah (2001)
Members of Chambers	CLINE, Robert (2002)
Members of Chambers	SENIOR, Mark (2002)
Members of Chambers	SMITH, Paul (2002)
Members of Chambers	MOSS, Christopher (2002)
Members of Chambers	MONTALDO, Neil (2002)
Members of Chambers	HUDSON, Abigail (2003)
Members of Chambers	PALLO, Simon (2003)
Members of Chambers	MAGUIRE, Clodagh (2003)
Members of Chambers	ALI, Kashif (2003)
Members of Chambers	LAWRENCE, Benjamin (2003)
Members of Chambers	BROWN, Stephen (2003)
Members of Chambers	ABRAHAM, Jade (2004)
Members of Chambers	WADDELL, Philippa (2004)
Members of Chambers	RIMMER, Catherine (2004)
Members of Chambers	CONNOLLY, Timothy (2004)
Members of Chambers	POOLE, William (2004)
Members of Chambers	STANBURY, Louise (2004)
Members of Chambers	HARRISON, Peta (2004)
Members of Chambers	SUTTON, Rebecca (2004)
Members of Chambers	WILSON, Helen (2004)
Members of Chambers	CHARLES, Simon (2004)
Members of Chambers	McGARRY, Steven (2005)
Members of Chambers	OPENSHAW, Samantha (2005)
Members of Chambers	WHITE, Debra (2005)
Members of Chambers	THOMPSON, Gareth (2005)
Members of Chambers	MARSHALL, Lucy (2005)
Members of Chambers	CHRISTIAN, Neil (2005)
Members of Chambers	DE NAVARRO, Frances (2005)
Members of Chambers	KELLY, Ben (2006)
Members of Chambers	MORLEY, Kate (2006)
Members of Chambers	DAVEY, Helen (2006)
Members of Chambers	PARE, Christopher (2006)
Members of Chambers	BUNTING, Diarmuid (2006)
Members of Chambers	BROUGHTON, Kerrie (2006)
Members of Chambers	VENI, Richard (2006)
Members of Chambers	WHEATLEY, Jane (2007)
Members of Chambers	VANDERPUMP, Henry (2007)
Members of Chambers	OWEN-CASEY, Neil (2007)
Members of Chambers	CLEMO, Philip (2007)
Members of Chambers	GILMOUR, Peter (2007)
Members of Chambers	HAGGIS, Andrew (2007)
Members of Chambers	WOOD, Hannah (2007)
Members of Chambers	CHU, Josephine (2007)
Members of Chambers	DODGSON, Lance (2007)
Members of Chambers	LEVINE, Natalia (2007)
Members of Chambers	WILLIAMS, Cerys (2008)
Members of Chambers	METCALFE, Daniel (2008)
Members of Chambers	COOPER, Elisabeth (2008)
Members of Chambers	MURRAY, Simon (2008)
Members of Chambers	WALKER, Hannah (2008)
Members of Chambers	CAREY, Matthew (2008)
Members of Chambers	BELLAMY, Jonathan (2008)
Members of Chambers	JENKINS, Jamie (2008)
Members of Chambers	FRANCE-HAYHURST, Lucinda (2009)
Members of Chambers	HOLT, Kerry (2009)
Members of Chambers	NASH, Laura (2009)
Members of Chambers	BAINES, David (2009)
Members of Chambers	SINGH, Ashley (2009)
Members of Chambers	ROBERTS, Elliw (2009)
Members of Chambers	WHITELEY, Ginny (2010)
Members of Chambers	BAQRI, Zahra (2010)
Members of Chambers	SOUTHCOTE-WANT, Jessica (2010)
Members of Chambers	MAGUIRE, Helen (2010)
Members of Chambers	CHENG, Zoe (2011)
Members of Chambers	HUGHES, Rachael (2011)
Members of Chambers	DENTON, Jessica (2012)
Members of Chambers	BURLEY, Michelle (2012)
Members of Chambers	TWIST, Laura (2012)
Members of Chambers	KEEHAN, Eleanor (2013)
Members of Chambers	BROOK, Callum (2013)
Members of Chambers	SPENCE, Kate (2013)
Members of Chambers	GIHAIR, Navpreeth (2013)
Members of Chambers	MAXWELL, Gemma (2014)
Members of Chambers	AHARI, Tarlun (2014)
Members of Chambers	HUTCHINSON, Kelly (2014)
Members of Chambers	JONES, Harriet (2014)
Members of Chambers	GRAY, Hunter (2015)
Members of Chambers	SHERRINGTON, Thomas (2015)
Members of Chambers	ZAFAR, Fatima (2015)
Members of Chambers	GORDON, Jemma (2015)
Members of Chambers	GOLLINS, Sebastian (2015)
Members of Chambers	CARR, Rebecca (2015)
Members of Chambers	BELL, Stuart (2015)
Members of Chambers	EDWARDS, Robert (2016)
Members of Chambers	JONES, Kevin (2016)
Members of Chambers	BURDON, Matthew (2016)
Members of Chambers	ROSS, Niamh (2016)
Members of Chambers	HEANEY, Simon (2017)
Members of Chambers	HUGHES, Thomas (2017)
Members of Chambers	DAVIES, Richard (2017)
Members of Chambers	BRANNAN, Maria (2017)
Members of Chambers	RICHARDSON, Julie (2017)
Members of Chambers	POWELL, Natalie (2017)
Members of Chambers	TITUS-COBB, Rebecca (2017)
Members of Chambers	WOOD, Thomas (2017)
Members of Chambers	PURCHASE, Jessica (2017)
Members of Chambers	VARLO LARSEN, Urd (2017)
Members of Chambers	BAKSHANI, Hannah (2017)
Members of Chambers	HALSALL, Laura (2017)
Members of Chambers	GALLAGHER, Naomh (2017)
Members of Chambers	MCKENNA, John (2018)
Members of Chambers	KINNEAR, Daniel (2018)
Members of Chambers	WHITE, Katherine (2018)
Members of Chambers	HARRISON-FISHER, Sara (2018)
Members of Chambers	VARTY, Helen (2019)
Members of Chambers	JONES, David (2019)
Members of Chambers	MOUNTAIN, Andrew (2019)
Members of Chambers	CROWELL, Helen (2019)
Members of Chambers	PLATTS, Alex (2019)
Members of Chambers	CURRIE, Daniel (2019)
Members of Chambers	ABUKHALIL, Rhia (2019)
Members of Chambers	O'CONNOR, Cressida (2019)
Members of Chambers	CONIAH, Emmanuel (2019)
Members of Chambers	CARRIER, Alexandra (2020)
Members of Chambers	PROCTOR, Rosemary (2021)
Members of Chambers	NAVAID, Adil (2021)

Barrister Profiles

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Andrew Bailey	With over 25 years in practice, Andrew has a wealth of wide-ranging…	View Profile
	David Baines	David is an experienced common law practitioner, whose areas of law largely…	View Profile
	Hannah Bakshani	Hannah is a Court of Protection specialist. Hannah’s instructions span a broad…	View Profile
	Stuart Bell	Stuart is a Level 2 prosecutor who appears regularly on behalf of…	View Profile
	Jonathan Bellamy	Jonathan regularly appears in the Family Court on a wide range of…	View Profile
	Stephen Brown	Stephen specialises in public and private family law cases, appearing mainly for…	View Profile
	Josephine Chu	Josephine is a family law specialist with extensive experience in both public…	View Profile
	Justine Cole	Justine’s practice includes all aspects of family law, with a particular emphasis…	View Profile
	Helen Davey	Helen is a Family Law specialist. Helen’s practice is primarily focused on…	View Profile
	Richard Davies	Richard has obtained a great wealth of experience from being briefed on…	View Profile
	Lance Dodgson	Lance is highly regarded for his public law children work, and is…	View Profile
	Ian Goldsack	Ian Goldsack is a Criminal Law specialist and is experienced in all…	View Profile
	Rachael Hughes	Rachael practises in all areas of children law. Rachael has experience representing…	View Profile
	Dermot Hughes	Dermot specialises in Criminal law. For the last 15 years his practice…	View Profile
	Tom Hughes	Tom is a Court of Protection specialist, instructed for his experience in…	View Profile
	Kelly Hutchinson	Kelly is a junior common law barrister. Kelly appears on behalf of…	View Profile
	Natalia Levine	Natalia is a specialist in children law (both public and private), adult…	View Profile
	Andrew Lord	Andrew practises in all areas of family law. His experience of public…	View Profile
	Craig Lowe	Craig Lowe is a criminal specialist. Craig has a balanced practice of…	View Profile
	Laura Marshall	Laura is a Criminal Law specialist. She is a grade 4 Prosecutor and…	View Profile
	Kate Morley	Kate is a family law specialist with extensive experience of public and…	View Profile
	Joseph O'Brien	For many years Joseph has been recognised as a leader in the…	View Profile
	Simon Pallo	Simon has a wide practice across civil and employment litigation and family…	View Profile
	Jessica Purchase	Jessica is a children family law specialist. She is experienced in all…	View Profile
	Nicola Quinney	In her Criminal practice, Nicola is an experienced Crown Court advocate. She…	View Profile
	Louise Reevell	Louise has an established prosecution and defence practice in the Crown Court…	View Profile
	Simon Reevell	Simon undertakes the detailed analysis of the financial history of businesses where…	View Profile
	Megan Rhys	Megan is a senior criminal law barrister and regularly appears before the…	View Profile
	Julie Richardson	Julie is a Family specialist and represents parents and children in all…	View Profile
	Tim Savage	Tim is a Criminal barrister who is regularly instructed for both the…	View Profile
	Jessica Southcote-Want	Jessica practises in the fields of Family Law and Personal Injury. Jessica…	View Profile
	Kate Spence	Kate practices in all areas of children law. Kate is regularly instructed…	View Profile
	Gordon Stables	Gordon Stables is the Head of Criminal Team in Sheffield. Gordon is…	View Profile
	Louise Stanbury	Louise has wide experience in a full range of Children Act proceedings…	View Profile
	Penelope Stanistreet	Pennie practises in all areas of law involving children. Pennie has many…	View Profile
	Richard Thyne	Richard specialises in prosecuting and defending serious and complex crime. Ranked consistently…	View Profile
	Richard Veni	Richard is a family and children law expert. Richard is regularly instructed…	View Profile
	Hannah Walker	Hannah is a respected common law practitioner.	View Profile
	Fiona Walker	Fiona has substantial and extensive experience in all aspects of family law…	View Profile
	Jane Wheatley	Jane specialises in all law relating to children and regularly represents Local…	View Profile
	Fatima Zafar	Fatima practises in the fields of Crime, Civil, and Family Law. Fatima…	View Profile

Top Tier Set Rankings

• North Eastern Circuit > Court of Protection and community care
• Northern Circuit > Court of Protection and community care
• Northern Circuit > Family: children and domestic violence
• Northern Circuit > Family: divorce and financial remedy

Set Rankings

• Northern Circuit > Clinical negligence
• Northern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)
• Northern Circuit > Inquests and inquiries

• Northern Circuit > Employment
• Northern Circuit > Personal injury

• Northern Circuit > Commercial litigation

• Northern Circuit > Administrative and public law (including civil liberties and human rights)
• Northern Circuit > Education
• Northern Circuit > IT, telecoms and data protection
• Northern Circuit > Professional disciplinary law
• Northern Circuit > Chancery, probate, and tax
• North Eastern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)
• North Eastern Circuit > Family: children and domestic violence