Chambers of Philip Meredith and John Collins
64 HIGH STREET, LEWES, BN7 1XG, ENGLANDWhat we say about the set's legal practice in Regional Bar
South Eastern Circuit
Within Crime,
Westgate Chambers’ Philip Meredith has a silk-type practice that includes complex fraud work, and Nicholas Howard Hamblin has a diet of complex crime and white-collar matters. Jeffrey Lamb is a ‘robust advocate’ and is recommended for serious sexual offence cases. Sarah Lindop is a leading junior particularly on sexual offences and has a ‘good presence in court’. Tayo Adebayo is ‘particularly good at complex criminal trials’, and has a niche practice relating to the importation of endangered animal species. Sara-Lise Howe has a national RSPCA defence practice. Jonathan Edwards is also highly recommended.
Within Family,
At Westgate Chambers, Duncan Watson, who is an ‘excellent advocate that can be relied upon to give sensible, cautious advice’, and Stafford Graham Campbell, who is ‘very strong on his feet’, are recommended for high-value ancillary relief matters. Maria Hancock handles complex care proceedings, and Amanda Clarke is praised for her ability to handle vulnerable victims and witnesses in complex public and private children law cases.
Within Overview, Westgate Chambers (Chambers of Philip Meredith and John Collins) is a second tier firm,
The South Eastern Circuit is geographically the largest circuit and comprises several distinct local Bars. Practitioners rarely come into contact with or compete with members of different Bars. The leading sets in East Anglia are Fenners Chambers, which is a ‘sound set’ that ‘consistently provides high-quality representation’, and East Anglian Chambers, which now has a centralised clerking system in its Ipswich office and a particularly strong employment team. Other notable sets include Octagon House, Regency Chambers and Trinity Chambers. To the west, Chichester-based Pallant Chambers is ‘progressive’ and ably clerked by Alister Williams, who is ‘among the very best’. Lewes-based Westgate Chambers is the ‘go-to’ set for criminal matters and is ‘proactively clerked’; Regency Chambers is the leading family law set in Peterborough and provides a ‘second-to-none’ service; and Guildford Chambers continues to ‘grow in strength’. Crown Office Row in Brighton is a ‘terrific set’. Also, a large number of London annexes operate heavily on this circuit including the highly regarded 18 Red Lion Court, Chelmsford Annexe.