Chambers of Susan Hunter

- Tel:
- Work 0117 923 4700
- Fax:
- Fax 0117 929 4821
- DX:
- 743350 BRISTOL 36
- Email:
Regional Bar: Western Circuit
Clinical negligence
St John's Chambers is home to one of the preeminent clinical negligence teams in the region, with its members acting for both claimants and defendants across a wide range of complex cases. Key areas of work include delayed or mis-diagnoses, negligently performed surgery, and dental negligence, an area in which Robert Mills recently secured a record £160,000 damages for a claimant.
Leading Juniors

Justin Valentine - St John's Chambers ‘ A tenacious and capable barrister ’
Ranked: tier 1
Tim Grice - St John's Chambers ‘ A highly experienced and talented barrister. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Tom Leeper - St John's Chambers ‘ A bright junior who is extremely good with clients. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Vanessa McKinlay - St John's Chambers ‘ A clear strategic thinker, who is good with clients. ’
Ranked: tier 1
David Regan - St John's Chambers ‘ A very thoughtful advocate who is well liked by clients. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Marcus Coates-Walker - St John's Chambers ‘ His paperwork and advice in conference is incredibly thorough. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Robert Mills - St John's Chambers ‘ Provides reliable, considered, and thoughtful advice. ’
Ranked: tier 2Commercial, banking, insolvency and Chancery law
St John's Chambers is home to a large team of commercial practitioners who are instructed in a wide range of cases including professional negligence and breach of contract claims. The set also reports a substantial increase in the number of wills and trusts-related instructions received in the past year, with the set being praised by solicitors as 'the go-to chambers outside London' for this area of work. In one representative instruction of note, Leslie Blohm QC and Natasha Dzameh recently acted for the parents of a millionaire who died intestate, and where his wife was alleged to have forfeited her claim by unlawfully killing the deceased.
Leading Silks

Leslie Blohm QC - St John's Chambers ‘ His unflappable manner reassures both solicitor and client. ’
Ranked: tier 1Leading Juniors

Alex Troup - St John's Chambers ‘ One of the most able Chancery counsel on the Western Circuit. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Charlie Newington-Bridges - St John's Chambers ‘ He is excellent in court and provides concise, commercially astute advice. ’
Ranked: tier 1
James Pearce-Smith - St John's Chambers ‘ His case preparation is extremely thorough, leaving nothing to chance. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Charles Auld - St John's Chambers ‘ A thoroughly knowledgeable advocate who gives practical advice. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Christopher Jones - St John's Chambers ‘ Has an excellent manner with clients and provides very clear and practical advice. ’
Ranked: tier 2
John Dickinson - St John's Chambers ‘ An intellectual force to be reckoned with, producing detailed advice which is nothing short of bomb-proof. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Michael Clarke - St John's Chambers ‘ Very bright and always comes up with practical solutions. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Nicholas Pointon - St John's Chambers ‘ A reliable junior with an excellent understanding of trust law. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Natasha Dzameh - St John's Chambers ‘ Professional, knowledgeable, and with a good eye for detail. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Adam Boyle - St John's Chambers ‘ Diligent and extremely approachable. ’
Ranked: tier 3
Oliver Wooding - St John's Chambers ‘ Tactically astute and very thorough in his preparation. ’
Ranked: tier 3
Richard Stead - St John's Chambers ‘ Recommended for professional negligence matters. ’
Ranked: tier 3Construction, planning and environment
St John's Chambers is particularly strong on large scale construction disputes, including adjudications, breach of contract claims, and high-value international arbitrations, where Andrew Kearney is a highly regarded practitioner. In a recent highlight, James Pearce-Smith represented the defendant developer in a dispute against a construction company; the claim settled following a counterclaim against the contractor for failure to supply appropriate heating systems.
Leading Juniors

Andrew Kearney - St John's Chambers ‘ He has an extensive and impressive knowledge of construction law and practice. ’
Ranked: tier 1
James Pearce-Smith - St John's Chambers ‘ A confident and efficient advocate who is calm and collected at all times. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Rebecca Taylor - St John's Chambers ‘ Particularly recommended for large international disputes. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Richard Stead - St John's Chambers ‘ Recommended for cases involving professional negligence or property damage incurred during construction. ’
Ranked: tier 2Costs
James Marwick and Darren Lewis at are the key members for costs work at St John's Chambers and are particularly experienced in costs arising from personal injury or clinical negligence claims. Marwick recently acted for the paying party in a case involving fixed recoverable costs in which the judge had allowed for significant counsel's fees over and above the fixed costs threshold.
Leading Juniors

Darren Lewis - St John's Chambers ‘ Experienced in a wide range of costs matters. ’
Ranked: tier 1
James Marwick - St John's Chambers ‘ His costs and CPR technical knowledge are outstanding. ’
Ranked: tier 1Court of Protection and community care
Members of St John's Chambers frequently appear in the Court of Protection in cases concerning capacity to consent, deputy disputes, health and welfare proceedings, along with property and affairs.
Leading Juniors

Abigail Bond - St John's Chambers ‘ Specialises in health and welfare matters. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Alex Troup - St John's Chambers ‘ A skilled advocate who is really good on his feet. ’
Ranked: tier 1Family and children law
St John's Chambers is home to a large contingent of specialist family barristers, who provide 'great depth' across public and private children law cases, as well as all aspects of divorce and financial remedy work. Areas of specialism include international assets in finance cases, non-accidental injury matters involving complex causation evidence, and child maintenance, where Jody Atkinson is the key name to note.
Leading Silks

Christopher Sharp QC - St John's Chambers ‘ His grasp of detail is remarkable and his breadth of knowledge entirely comprehensive. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Kathryn Skellorn QC - St John's Chambers ‘ Her preparation, drafting and advocacy is of an extremely high standard. ’
Ranked: tier 1Leading Juniors

Abigail Bond - St John's Chambers ‘ An excellent advocate. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Andrew Commins - St John's Chambers ‘ An extremely safe pair of hands with an unrivalled knowledge of the law and procedure. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Judi Evans - St John's Chambers ‘ Highly knowledgeable, excellent with clients and a formidable advocate. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Susan Hunter - St John's Chambers ‘ Her knowledge of the law and advocacy skills are second to none. ’
Ranked: tier 1Caroline Eldford - St John's Chambers ‘ Recommended for complex care cases. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Nick Miller - St John's Chambers ‘ Solid as a rock and extremely persuasive in court. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Richard Norman - St John's Chambers ‘ He has an excellent strategic mind well beyond his years. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Jody Atkinson - St John's Chambers ‘ A technical wizard when it comes to child maintenance legislation. ’
Ranked: tier 3
Lucy Reed - St John's Chambers ‘ A highly competent barrister who works diligently and with determination to solve complex cases. ’
Ranked: tier 3
Zoe Saunders - St John's Chambers ‘ She exudes authority and skill. ’
Ranked: tier 3
Jack Harris - St John's Chambers ‘ Good on his feet and great with clients. ’
Ranked: tier 4Inquests and inquiries
St John's Chambers is the preeminent set for inquest work in the South West, with specialist areas including deaths in custody, care deaths, and fatal accidents. Notable recent instructions include self-inflicted custody death Re: Jeffery Griffiths, and Re: Christopher Clarke, which concerned a fatal workplace accident.
Leading Juniors

David Regan - St John's Chambers ‘ He has an excellent manner with clients in the most sensitive and emotive cases. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Emma Zeb - St John's Chambers ‘ First class when acting for local or public authorities. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Matthew White - St John's Chambers ‘ Predominantly instructed by state actors in inquests, he has a forensic mind. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Rachel Russell - St John's Chambers ‘ ‘Very experienced across a range of inquest matters.’ ’
Ranked: tier 1
Tom Leeper - St John's Chambers ‘ Extremely thorough. He leaves no stone unturned. ’
Ranked: tier 1Leading Sets
Leading Sets - ranked: tier 1
St John's Chambers
Personal injury
The personal injury team at St John's Chambers reports an increase in defendant work, with members acting for government departments, insurers, and employers, in addition to claimant work. Key areas of work include catastrophic injury, road traffic accidents, and cases involving allegations of fundamental dishonesty, as well as more niche areas such as Animals Act claims, where Richard Stead is the key practitioner. Industrial disease and workplace injury specialist Andrew McLaughlin successfully defended the Ministry of Defence in a £1.5m stress at work claim brought by a former RAF sergeant.
Leading Silks

Christopher Sharp QC - St John's Chambers ‘ His technical understanding makes him ideally suited to complex brain injury and spinal injury claims. ’
Ranked: tier 1Leading Juniors

Andrew McLaughlin - St John's Chambers ‘ An exceptionally good trial advocate, who is also incisive and pragmatic with his advice. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Emma Zeb - St John's Chambers ‘ Firm yet realistic in settlement negotiations. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Matthew White - St John's Chambers ‘ Particularly knowledgeable on highways claims. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Ben Handy - St John's Chambers ‘ Excellent with clients and extremely personable. ’
Ranked: tier 2
James Marwick - St John's Chambers ‘ A very tenacious advocate with a strong work ethic. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Richard Stead - St John's Chambers ‘ Highly recommended for Animals Act cases. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Darren Lewis - St John's Chambers ‘ A great trial advocate. ’
Ranked: tier 3Property
St John's Chambers property group is home to a large number of specialist members, who are experienced in commercial, agricultural, and residential property cases. In a recent highlight, Leslie Blohm QC and John Sharples recently acted for the respondent in the easements case of Haddock v Churston Golf Club.
Leading Silks

Leslie Blohm QC - St John's Chambers ‘ A go-to barrister for thorny property matters, particularly those with a rural edge. ’
Ranked: tier 1Leading Juniors

Christopher Jones - St John's Chambers ‘ A clinical, first-class advocate. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Charles Auld - St John's Chambers ‘ He has an incredible depth and breadth of knowledge. ’
Ranked: tier 1
John Sharples - St John's Chambers ‘ He combines a first-class brain with superb advocacy and client skills. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Alex Troup - St John's Chambers ‘ Particularly recommended for high value or complex proprietary estoppel cases. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Natasha Dzameh - St John's Chambers ‘ Very sharp and responsive, with great attention to detail and a good way with clients. ’
Ranked: tier 2
Oliver Wooding - St John's Chambers ‘ Personable, bright, and responsive. ’
Ranked: tier 2Regulatory, health and safety, and licensing
St John's Chambers regulatory team are predominantly focused on health and safety and licensing matters. On the latter, Roy Light is particularly experienced on taxi and adult establishment licensing, acting for all parties in such cases as well as taking instructions for alcohol licensing work. On the health and safety front, Simon Morgan prosecuted Bridgend County Borough Council following a fatal accident involving a 15-year-old student at a school overseen by the local authority; the manner in which the parking area had been constructed some years earlier exposed pupils to significant risks.
Leading Juniors

Roy Light - St John's Chambers ‘ Very approachable. He is able to present issues to clients in an easy to understand and pragmatic way. Clients warm to his style. He is a very convincing advocate. ’
Ranked: tier 1
Simon Morgan - St John's Chambers ‘ No matter of fact, law, or procedure gets past him. ’
Ranked: tier 1Further information on St John's Chambers (Chambers of Susan Hunter)
Please choose from this list to view details of what we say about St John's Chambers (Chambers of Susan Hunter) in other jurisdictions.
Regional Bar
Offices in Bristol
- Western Circuit : Clinical negligence
- Western Circuit : Commercial, banking, insolvency and Chancery law
- Western Circuit : Construction, planning and environment
- Western Circuit : Costs
- Western Circuit : Court of Protection and community care
- Western Circuit : Family and children law
- Western Circuit : Inquests and inquiries
- Western Circuit : Leading Sets
- Western Circuit : Personal injury
- Western Circuit : Property
- Western Circuit : Regulatory, health and safety, and licensing