The Legal 500

London Bar

Set overviews: England and Wales

The ‘polished’ Wilberforce Chambers is ‘the best in the market’ for pensions litigation work and one of the ‘premier’ offshore sets as it can offer ‘a choice of top flight barristers who can offer a deep understanding of the offshore legal market and who have hands-on experience in the offshore courts’. Chambers ‘has grown and gone from strength to strength’ since the ‘solutions driven’ Nicholas Luckman was appointed as practice director. Luckman (‘a stalwart in the offshore legal world’) and head clerk Mark Rushton are ‘both responsive and sensitive to client needs and oversee a commercially focused clerks’ room’. Rushton in particular is praised for ‘going out of his way to ensure a fantastic service and constantly asking how they can get even better’. The clerking team is ‘second to none’, providing ‘an integral part of the exceptional service the set provides its clients’. Solicitors highlight ‘cream of the crop’ Colin Everson, who ‘clearly understands the market very well, and is always keen to go the extra mile’; the ‘standout’ Fraser Geddes; a ‘superb’ Ben Rippengale, who is ‘on the ball, efficient, personable and a genuine pleasure to deal’; and Stewart Cameron, who is ‘responsive and great at trying to fix listing problems as well as squeezing in assistance from counsel at short notice when we need it’. In addition, Danny Smillie and the ‘impressive’ Nancy Lee are also recommended. Offices in: London

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London Bar

Charities

Charities – Leading sets - ranked: tier 2

Wilberforce Chambers

Wilberforce Chambers has ‘some of the best and the brightest at the Bar’ for charities work. Jonathan Davey QC appeared in a high-profile test case regarding the meaning of ‘charity’ and ‘devoted to social wellbeing’, as well as the implications of the European Union’s principle of direct effect, in Life Services Ltd v Commissioners for HMRC.

Charities – Leading silks

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Commercial litigation

Commercial litigation – Leading sets - ranked: tier 3

Wilberforce Chambers

Wilberforce Chambers is ‘undoubtedly a leading set with great strength in depth’, where traditional areas of expertise, such as offshore work, compliment the set’s increasingly commercial focus. Members have been involved in several major cases, including Sabbagh v Khoury, PCP v Barclays Bank and Abela v Baadarani. Clients praise the ‘responsive, helpful, and excellent’ clerk’s room.

Commercial litigation – Leading silks

Commercial litigation – 2017 silks

Commercial litigation – 2018 silks

Commercial litigation – Leading juniors

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Company and partnership

Company – Leading sets - ranked: tier 2

Wilberforce Chambers

The silks and juniors at Wilberforce Chambers are noted for possessing ‘a good diversity of skills’ across the spectrum of company law matters and members are increasingly taking on work with an international element. Recent standout cases include Qunar Cayman Islands Ltd v Maso Capital Investments Ltd, Garulp Limited v Garulp and Anthony Wall and Scottish Re v Davis.

Company – Leading silks

Company – 2017 silks

Company – 2018 silks

Company – Leading juniors

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Construction

Construction – Leading silks

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Financial services

Financial services – Leading silks

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Fraud: civil

Fraud: civil – Leading sets - ranked: tier 2

Wilberforce Chambers

Wilberforce Chambers is ‘a tremendously commercial-minded set’ whose barristers are ‘hugely respected in their individual fields, yet prepared to go above and beyond to assist’. Members are involved in a broad range of fraud cases, including many with an offshore element, such as AHAB v SAAD. Other highlights include Sabbagh v Khoury and Abela v Baadarani.

Fraud: civil – Leading silks

Fraud: civil – 2017 silks

Fraud: civil – Leading juniors

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IT and telecoms (excluding regulatory)

IT and telecoms (excluding regulatory) – Leading silks

IT and telecoms (excluding regulatory) – Leading juniors

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Insolvency

Insolvency – Leading sets - ranked: tier 3

Wilberforce Chambers

Wilberforce Chambers is noted for having ‘a good diversity of skillsets’ and ‘excellent’ clerks who ‘work hard to make things happen’. Members were involved in a number of major insolvency matters in 2017, including Leeds v Lemos, a case relating to a high-value and high-profile bankruptcy.

Insolvency – Leading silks

Insolvency – Leading juniors

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Media and entertainment (including art and cultural property)

Art and cultural property – Leading silks

Media and entertainment – 2018 Silks

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Offshore

Offshore – Leading sets - ranked: tier 1

Wilberforce Chambers

Wilberforce Chambers ‘has many of the leading barristers in the world for international trust litigation, and many of its silks are involved in the most significant cases’. Gilead Cooper QC provided expert evidence on onshore and offshore trusts law in a Supreme Court of Pakistan case which led the the removal of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister of Pakistan; the matter concerned the beneficial ownership of properties in London owned by BVI companies linked in Sharif’s children. Thomas Lowe QC is representing Saad Investment Company in a case concerning an alleged $9bn AHAB Ponzi scheme.

Offshore – Leading silks

Offshore – 2018 silks

Offshore – Leading juniors

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Pensions

Pensions – Leading sets - ranked: tier 1

Wilberforce Chambers

As ‘easily the strongest pensions set in the market’, Wilberforce Chambers’ ‘exceptional breadth of experience’ and ‘premier group of outstanding individuals’ places it as ‘the go-to set for any issues in the pensions world’. Fenner Moeran QC is representing the Pensions Regulator in the high-profile BHS pension schemes deficit moral hazard case; Brian Green QC is acting in Barnardo’s v Buckinghamshire and others in the Supreme Court; and Jonathan Hilliard QC is acting for the trustees of the Silentnight pension scheme in a test case relating to pre-pack deals.

Pensions – Leading silks

Pensions – Leading juniors

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Private client: personal tax

Private client: personal tax – Leading sets - ranked: tier 2

Wilberforce Chambers

Private client: personal tax – Leading silks

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Private client: trusts and probate

Private client: trusts and probate – Leading sets - ranked: tier 1

Wilberforce Chambers

Wilberforce Chambers is a ‘strong set, with excellent strength and depth throughout, and some very bright people’. Members are experienced in international work, particularly in offshore jurisdictions. Gilead Cooper QC acted in a claim brought by the executor of a high-profile Saudi government minister for disclosure of information by the family of a Lebanese businessman.

Private client: trusts and probate – Leading silks

Private client: trusts and probate – 2018 silks

Private client: trusts and probate – Leading juniors

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Professional negligence

Professional negligence – Leading sets - ranked: tier 2

Wilberforce Chambers

Wilberforce Chambers is an ‘excellent set for professional negligence’ cases and its expertise spans claims against solicitors, barristers, accountants, auditors, actuaries, construction professionals, finance practitioners, company directors and insurance brokers. Joanna Smith QC is acting for the claimant lender in Tiuta International Ltd v De Villiers Chartered Surveyors, a valuers claim. John Wardell QC acted for the claimant in a case against Bird & Bird LLP, for negligence in relation to the conveyance of a £26m property in North London.

Professional negligence – Leading silks

Professional negligence – 2018 silks

Professional negligence – leading juniors

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Property litigation and agriculture

Property litigation – Leading sets - ranked: tier 2

Wilberforce Chambers

Wilberforce Chambers has ‘excellent strength in depth in property matters’ and is ‘the premier set for commercial work’. In the Supreme Court, Joanne Wicks QC and Benjamin Faulkner are acting for the appellant in S Franses Ltd v The Cavendish Hotel, a matter of general importance which concerns a landlord’s attempt to evict a protected business tenant on the basis of redevelopment works that the tenant argues serves no genuine commercial purpose.

Property litigation – Leading silks

Property litigation – 2018 silks

Agriculture – Leading juniors

Property litigation – Leading juniors

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Set overviews: England and Wales

The ‘polished’ Wilberforce Chambers is ‘the best in the market’ for pensions litigation work and one of the ‘premier’ offshore sets as it can offer ‘a choice of top flight barristers who can offer a deep understanding of the offshore legal market and who have hands-on experience in the offshore courts’. Chambers ‘has grown and gone from strength to strength’ since the ‘solutions driven’ Nicholas Luckman was appointed as practice director. Luckman (‘a stalwart in the offshore legal world’) and head clerk Mark Rushton are ‘both responsive and sensitive to client needs and oversee a commercially focused clerks’ room’. Rushton in particular is praised for ‘going out of his way to ensure a fantastic service and constantly asking how they can get even better’. The clerking team is ‘second to none’, providing ‘an integral part of the exceptional service the set provides its clients’. Solicitors highlight ‘cream of the crop’ Colin Everson, who ‘clearly understands the market very well, and is always keen to go the extra mile’; the ‘standout’ Fraser Geddes; a ‘superb’ Ben Rippengale, who is ‘on the ball, efficient, personable and a genuine pleasure to deal’; and Stewart Cameron, who is ‘responsive and great at trying to fix listing problems as well as squeezing in assistance from counsel at short notice when we need it’. In addition, Danny Smillie and the ‘impressive’ Nancy Lee are also recommended. Offices in: London

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Sport

Sport – Leading silks

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