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Administrative And Public Law (including Elections)

1
Blackstone Chambers
2
11KBW
39 Essex Chambers
Brick Court Chambers
Matrix Chambers
3
Doughty Street Chambers
Landmark Chambers
Monckton Chambers
4
1 Crown Office Row
4-5 Gray's Inn Square
Cornerstone Barristers

Leading Silks

1
Richard Drabble QC - Landmark Chambers ‘A pleasure to work with, and precise and insightful on his feet.’
James Eadie QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘A tremendous silk.’
Phillippa Kaufmann QC - Matrix Chambers ‘Phillippa is a sensation. She is incredibly dynamic, versatile and persuasive on her feet. She is feared by opponents and respected by the courts. She is the pre-eminent counsel in this field.’
Lord David Pannick QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Excellent knowledge of the relevant law, powerful advocacy, good judgment. He is a top public law advocate.’
Dinah Rose QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Simply the best. She is a fantastic advocate and a formidable intellect. She leads large teams effectively and with warmth. Clients adore her.’
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Lord Anderson of Ipswich KBE QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘An excellent advocate and very much liked by clients.’
Paul Bowen QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Very intelligent, articulate, erudite, hard working and eloquent.’
Monica Carss-Frisk QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Extremely intelligent with real gravitas with clients and in court.’
Jason Coppel QC - 11KBW ‘Jason is one of the best public law silks around. His written work is superb and his advocacy is excellent. He is a pleasure to work with.’
Philip Coppel QC - Cornerstone Barristers ‘Very prompt, approachable, succinct and to the point, while thinking ‘out of the box’ - solutions-focused.’
Charlie Cory-Wright QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘His lines of question demonstrate his experience of closed material proceedings.’
Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘A class act full of old-world charm and the forgotten art of being persuasive in court.’
Edward Fitzgerald QC - Doughty Street Chambers ‘He is peerless in this field. His unparalleled experience and advocacy skills as well as his commitment to his work place him ahead of all his competitors.’
Kate Gallafent QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Her litigation tactics are outstanding and she can advise on complex legal issues in an accessible way.’
Nigel Giffin QC - 11KBW ‘He inspires confidence.’
James Goudie QC - 11KBW ‘He is very practical and provides formidable advocacy.’
David Lock QC - Landmark Chambers ‘One of a handful of true NHS experts. Powerhouse in this area. True public law specialist. Real problem solver.’
Thomas de la Mare QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Intellectually powerful and a remarkably quick advocate on his feet.’
Karon Monaghan QC - Matrix Chambers ‘She is a leading light at the Bar.’
Fenella Morris QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘A really excellent public law silk.’
Richard Price QC - 4-5 Gray's Inn Square ‘Richard is one of, if not the, preeminent barrister in this field. What he doesn't know about elections and election law probably isn't worth knowing. Combined with this is his fantastic sense of humour and his willingness to help and advise whenever necessary. He is a pleasure to work with.’
Jessica Simor QC - Matrix Chambers ‘In court she was formidable. She understood the clients concerns and put it to the court which not only showed a mastery of the case but real empathy with the clients situation.’
James Strachan QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘A highly experienced public lawyer. He is very intelligent, knows the area very well and is a fine advocate.’
Timothy Straker QC - 4-5 Gray's Inn Square ‘He is the go-to silk for any electoral work. His knowledge and insight is second to none and he fights hard. Absolute star!’
Jemima Stratford QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Fantastically sharp and plain-speaking, with huge experience in her field.’
Guy Vassall-Adams QC - Matrix Chambers ‘Puts in the hours, is good with clients, gives practical advice and is effective in Court. A QC I have no hesitation in recommending to others.’
Ian Wise QC - Monckton Chambers ‘A first choice of leader in complex discrimination and other judicial review claims. Always produces succinct and compelling written and oral submissions. Very well organised and always turns around instructions quickly and meets deadlines. Proactive and good on tactics and strategy. Responsive and down-to-earth.’
3
Charles Bourne QC - 11KBW ‘He is an authoritative presence and an impressive opponent.’
Samantha Broadfoot QC - Landmark Chambers ‘She has an almost regal manner about her, she is full of grace and charm, but doesn’t shy away from making her points boldly. The Judges love her and she definitely commands the courtroom.’
Ben Collins QC - Old Square Chambers ‘An experienced special advocate who shows sound judgement in everything he does.’
Stephen Cragg QC - Doughty Street Chambers ‘He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law on biometric data retention. As a former solicitor, he has a keen understanding and empathy with solicitors. He is incisive but approachable and friendly too!’
Marie Demetriou QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘A forceful and persuasive advocate able to fend off fierce opposition and persuade a sceptical court of difficult points.’
Gerry Facenna QC - Monckton Chambers ‘Gerry clearly knows his areas very well and delivers clear, thorough advice.’
Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC - Doughty Street Chambers ‘Caoilfhionn is formidable in terms of written and oral submissions - her preparation and thoroughness is clear and she is highly persuasive. Lay clients love her - she is relatable and authoritative.’
Eleanor Grey QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘She is really impressive. Eleanor is incredibly calm; meticulously well-prepared and a pleasure to work with.’
Sam Grodzinski QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘There is no-one better at the tax-public law crossover.’
James Guthrie QC - 3 Hare Court ‘Masterful at dealing with sensitive matters and difficult clients.’
Philip Havers QC - 1 Crown Office Row ‘A really excellent silk.’
Richard Hermer QC - Matrix Chambers ‘An exceptionally keen strategic litigation sense. An ability to relate to clients, experts, other lawyers (on the same and opposing sides) and judges alike. He provides very sound strategic advice and is also an exceptional advocate, who is light and fast on his feet and reads a court well.’
Jeremy Hyam QC-1 Crown Office Row‘Jeremy is simply brilliant. Not only are his written arguments very persuasive, powerful and succinct but I have been lucky enough to experience his advocacy in court on several occasions and his advocacy is exceptional a result of which he has can be seen from the cases above overturned government legislation. In addition Jeremy has great compassion and understanding of client's needs.’
Ben Jaffey QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘A talented silk. Never has a “bad day”. Always outstanding. Frighteningly excellent. Relentless.’
Maya Lester QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Superb when it comes to issues relating to terrorism and sanctions - she knows the law inside and out.’
Angus McCullough QC - 1 Crown Office Row ‘ Undoubtedly the leading Special Advocate - the silk of choice in any national security or fair trial issue.’
Gavin Millar QC - Matrix Chambers ‘A key figure for election-related work.’
Jonathan Moffett QC - 11KBW ‘A hard-working and experienced public law silk. He is a challenging opponent.’
Helen Mountfield QC - Matrix Chambers ‘She is extremely bright and very able, and can construct extremely effective and persuasive argument. She is much liked by clients for her keen, unstinting approach, and her empathy, and her willingness always to go the extra mile.’
Leigh-Ann Mulcahy QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Incisive and analytical with clarity of thought and purpose.’
Peter Oldham QC - 11KBW ‘Peter has an excellent manner with clients, he is thorough and patient in both his dealing with clients and the conduct of his work generally. He commands respect and authority in a calm and reassuring manner.’
Tim Owen QC - Matrix Chambers ‘Instructed in the most sensitive cases.’
Nigel Pleming QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Excellent legal and strategic knowledge, and a well-developed sense of what the court will do.’
Deok Joo Rhee QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘She is approachable, thorough, and user-friendly.’
Jenni Richards QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Jenni is an outstanding advocate and leader. She is an excellent advocate - forensic, tough when needed, but also with tremendous empathy.’
Ian Rogers QC - Monckton Chambers ‘He is very informative, patient and accommodating.’
Dan Sarooshi QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘He had good judgement and deep understanding of the relevant law.’
Clive Sheldon QC - 11KBW ‘ Clive is very tenacious with a particularly assertive and effective style of advocacy.’
Daniel Squires QC - Matrix Chambers ‘Instructed by public bodies in high-profile matters.’
Daniel Stilitz QC - 11KBW ‘A standout silk. Intelligent, hardworking and user-friendly.’
Tim Ward QC - Monckton Chambers ‘Technically outstanding, a fantastic advocate. Great with clients - very user friendly. He is our first choice silk for public law work.’
Martin Westgate QC - Doughty Street Chambers ‘ He is excellent on this feet and judges really respect him.’
4
Kieron Beal QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘One of the finest silks - his experience speaks for itself during his advocacy in court.’
Catherine Callaghan QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Clear and practical in her advice - a pleasure to work with.’
Richard Clayton QC - Exchequer Chambers ‘An internationally respected advocate, Richard is easily one of the most brilliant minds in this area. He has a charming style of advocacy and is extremely witty and is an effective and skilled advocate.’
Shaheed Fatima QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Forensic and strategic, finding the weaknesses with minimal fuss and exploiting them.’
James Findlay QC - Cornerstone Barristers ‘James is very productive, astonishingly so. One gets cogent considered advice very quickly even when I know that he is busy with other things. I have found him good with clients. He is well respected by the courts and very persuasive.’
Sarah Ford QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘An able and accessible barrister who performs work to a high standard and very efficiently.’
Kate Grange QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Kate is just excellent in everything she does.’
Nick Grundy QC - Five Paper ‘He is offers excellent service to clients.’
Stephanie Harrison QC - Garden Court Chambers 'Her advocacy always strikes the right tone with judges.'
Javan Herberg QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘His experience is unrivalled.’
Jonathan Hough QC - 4 New Square ‘A master of the detail and the strategy.’
Hugo Keith QC - Three Raymond Buildings ‘A class act: Highly intelligent and analytical and a very persuasive advocate.’
Andrew Kinnier QC - Henderson Chambers ‘He is a first-rate advocate.’
Peter Knox QC - 3 Hare Court ‘Belied by his charm, a formidable opponent on cross-examination.’
Tom Little QC - 9 Gough Chambers ‘A phenomenon. He is a brilliant lawyer with a razor-sharp mind, who is able to crunch through complex problems, apply a breadth and depth of legal knowledge to them and come to a clearly expressed answer.’
Alan Maclean QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘He has a forceful style of advocacy.’
Hugh Mercer QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘A masterclass in terms of his ability to assimilate complex issues.’
Gordon Nardell QC - Twenty Essex ‘He can see the arguments instantaneously and advise on the hoof.’
Andrew O’Connor QC - Temple Garden Chambers ‘ Bright, fluent and unflappable.’
Parishil Patel QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Gets the job done; clear and commercial advice; down-to-earth, sensible and pragmatic.’
David Perry QC - 6KBW College Hill ‘A superb silk.’
Shaheen Rahman QC-1 Crown Office Row ‘She is incredibly experienced, always a step ahead.’
Thomas Roe QC - 3 Hare Court ‘A determined and dogged advocate.’
Vikram Sachdeva QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘He has expert medical knowledge due to his previous qualification of a Doctor which combined with his legal knowledge makes him the go to counsel in in SMT cases. ’
Oliver Sanders QC - 1 Crown Office Row ‘Instructed by the government in security-related cases.’
Andrew Sharland QC - 11KBW ‘He is a fantastic advocate with a superb command of the facts and law. He puts his points well and handles challenges from judges skilfully and with good humour.’
Hugh Southey QC - Matrix Chambers ‘Recommend for judicial review and complex public law instructions.’
Amanda Weston QC - Garden Court Chambers 'Extraordinary committed to her work in relation to disadvantaged groups.'
Rhodri Williams QC - Henderson Chambers ‘His strength comes from experience and knowledge of case law.’
David Wolfe QC - Matrix Chambers ‘Intelligent, quick, bold and inventive.’

2019 Silks

Charles Banner QC - Keating Chambers ‘Ability to assimilate a great deal of material very quickly, ability to cut to the important and determinative issues quickly and formulate case strategy. Good bedside manner with clients.’
Tim Buley QC - Landmark Chambers ‘Simply the best. Breathtakingly quick to assess and advise. Uncanny perception of the key issues within complex matters. The judges listen with real attention when he speaks.’
Victoria Butler-Cole QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘A fantastic advocate.’
Rory Dunlop QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Instructed for the government in difficult cases.’
Margaret Gray QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Able to grasp even the most complex of factual matrices exceptionally quickly.’
Tom Hickman QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘A winner: astute, quick-thinking and persuasive.’
Robert Kellar QC - 1 Crown Office Row ‘Hardworking, conscientious and flexible.’
Robert Palmer QC - Monckton Chambers ‘Intellectually rigorous and a great communicator.’
Victoria Wakefield QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘She has an easy advocacy style, which does very well to boil down complex legal arguments to their core points.’

2020 Silks

David Blundell QC - Landmark Chambers ‘Deep knowledge of the law. Forensic mind. Very polite and collegiate.’
Chloe Carpenter QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Confident and forceful with good powers of analysis.’
Aileen McColgan QC - 11KBW ‘Aileen is an absolute star. She is quick to understand issues and to provide advice in a succinct and clear manner. She has a ability to break down legal language and to address matters in a manner that is easily understandable.’
Julian Milford QC - 11KBW ‘Julian is a very considered advocate. He strongly advocates for his client but he is not unnecessarily aggressive or combative, which is a real strength in my view in a public law barrister.’
David Pievsky QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Tough and capable of standing his ground in difficult circumstances.’
James Segan QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘A delight to work with.’

2021 Silks

Jonathan Auburn QC - 11KBW ‘Works well in a team and is very commercial.’
Chris Buttler QC - Matrix Chambers ‘He has an excellent knowledge of the law. His drafting is clear and persuasive.’
Clair Dobbin QC - Three Raymond Buildings ‘She is brilliant. An enviable reputation for legal and tactical skills.’
Sarah Hannett QC - Matrix Chambers ‘Sarah is an exceptionally bright administrative lawyer. The submissions she drafts grapple with complex points of law in a way that enables the court to understand the importance of that detail. She is also extremely approachable and a very pleasant opponent.’
Adam Heppinstall QC - Henderson Chambers ‘Very sharp. An engaging manner. Easy to work with.’
Anneli Howard QC - Monckton Chambers ‘She has a first-class mind and a formidable work ethic. She has consistently delivered high-quality work. The barrister also has a pleasing style of advocacy: she knows how to deal with Judges in both the High Court and above.’
Gwion Lewis QC - Landmark Chambers ‘Pragmatic, approachable, and quick to grasp the issues.’
James McClelland QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘The complete package - an exceptionally gifted junior.’
Mathew Purchase QC - Matrix Chambers ‘He is a bright and determined advocate.’
Adam Straw QC - Doughty Street Chambers ‘Adam is one of the best juniors in the area, with fantastic written skills and excellent, focused advocacy.’

Leading Juniors

1
Katherine Apps - 39 Essex Chambers ‘She is extremely intelligent, shrewd, thoughtful, responsive and very hard-working.’
Jude Bunting - Doughty Street Chambers ‘Jude is a genuine star. He has fantastic judgment and excellent writing skills and is always ready to advise at any stage of a case. He has a varied range of work which allows him to feed in expertise from different areas.’
Francis Hoar - Field Court Chambers ‘A rising star in the field of election law.’
Christopher Knight - 11KBW ‘An encyclopaedic knowledge of public law and information/privacy law, prodigious work ethic, turns instructions around very quickly and cost-effectively.’
Zoe Leventhal - Matrix Chambers ‘Zoe is incredibly intelligent, dedicated and hard-working; she is very patient and approachable with clients, but also highly effective at dismantling her opponents’ case.’
Brendan McGurk - Monckton Chambers ‘Extremely clever and thoughtful - very on top of the detail of nuanced tests.’
Hanif Mussa - Blackstone Chambers ‘Brilliantly intelligent with extensive practical knowledge.’
2
Nick Armstrong - Matrix Chambers ‘He does an excellent job on complex cases.’
Malcolm Birdling - Brick Court Chambers ‘He is fantastic. He is lightning quick and understands the Admin Court like the back of his hand.’
Julian Blake - 11KBW ‘Attention to detail, very user friendly. Strong intellect.’
Steve Broach - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Steve is an excellent advocate, able to clearly present the case to the judge in a measured way and respond to judicial questioning calmly, maintaining a high standard of presentation of the case.’
James Burton - Doughty Street Chambers ‘Effective at carving a legal argument out of a mass of facts.’
Tom Cross - 11KBW ‘ Very through in his analysis of the issues which a client will face and very clear on the prospective outcomes depending on the tactical approach adopted.’
Emma Dixon - Blackstone Chambers ‘Brilliant, thoughtful and diligent.’
Catherine Dobson - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Catherine is extremely industrious, able to filter and analyse a mass of information, and produce (often at very short notice, and under great pressure) first class pleadings and written arguments.’
Heather Emmerson - 11KBW ‘Reassuringly professional and thorough, while very easy to work with. Provides great support.’
Nicola Greaney - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Good advocate. Good attention to detail. Easy to work with.’
Tim Johnston - Brick Court Chambers ‘An inventive and confident litigator, who retains a calm head and very respectful manner throughout difficult circumstances.’
Richard O'Brien - 4 New Square ‘His advocacy and written work are always immaculately presented.’
Jane Oldham - 11KBW ‘She provides incredibly good advice.’
Tom Richards - Blackstone Chambers ‘A dedicate lawyer whose persistence is bound to yield dividends.’
Vivienne Sedgley - 4-5 Gray's Inn Square ‘Excellent judgement, hard working, responsive, good client manner, persuasive advocate, bright, knowledgeable and a team player.’
Iain Steele - Blackstone Chambers ‘Extremely knowledgeable about judicial review and case law.’
Galina Ward - Landmark Chambers ‘Always so thorough and so well prepared. Clear, practical advice. Written work is top quality. The lay client always knows that they are in good hands.’
3
Zahra Al-Rikabi - Brick Court Chambers ‘A great team player and a fine drafter with sound judgement.’
Jack Anderson - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Really good, very to the point, thinks about things very carefully.’
Kuljit Bhogal - Cornerstone Barristers ‘She brings great personal dedication to her work and really puts her heart and soul into her cases.’
Sasha Blackmore - Landmark Chambers ‘Incredibly client focused, accessible and extremely personable whilst diligent and forensic in detail.’
Jessica Boyd - Blackstone Chambers ‘Exceptionally bright with superb judgement and tactical skills.’
Ruth Brander - Doughty Street Chambers
Edward Brown - Essex Court Chambers ‘Clear in his advice and robust in his advocacy, he can present difficult arguments with skill and tenacity.’
Tom Cleaver - Blackstone Chambers ‘He is lovely to work with, very clever and works extremely hard.’
Joanne Clement - 11KBW ‘A superb lawyer, very knowledgeable, resourceful and persuasive.’
Edward Craven - Matrix Chambers ‘He is extremely hard working and has a brain the size of the planet. Impossible to say a bad word about him. He is a star.’
Claire Darwin - Matrix Chambers ‘Claire fights hard for her clients and has had some tremendous successes. She doesn't leave a stone unturned.’
Sian Davies - 39 Essex Chambers ‘She is an extremely talented barrister and her main strength is her significant knowledge of public law. It is always music to my ears when she is available as I know she is the safest pair of hands.’
Raj Desai - Matrix Chambers ‘ Incisive, judicious and strategic. The senior junior of choice in both private and public law litigation.’
Katherine Eddy - 11KBW ‘Great attention to detail and a very quick and thorough approach to instructions.’
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh - Matrix Chambers ‘Blinne is a brilliant lawyer. She has a great understanding of public law and how to best use it to her client's advantage. Her written advocacy is extremely persuasive. She works very hard and will know a case inside and out. She is one of the best juniors I have ever worked with.’
Paul Greatorex - 11KBW ‘He works quickly. He produces excellent submissions which are incisive and to the point. The clients like his tough approach with opponents and his sound and realistic advice.’
Nikolaus Grubeck - Monckton Chambers ‘Nik has incredible technical knowledge of the law coupled with an ability to explain it in a clear and concise manner.’
David Heaton - Brick Court Chambers ‘Very creative, often finding solutions to problems that more senior members of the team miss.’
Jack Holborn - 39 Essex Chambers ‘He has a great eye for detail and a high standard of oral advocacy.’
Ben Lask - Monckton Chambers ‘He is a sensible and practical opponent and he was a confident advocate.’
Annabel Lee - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Annabel is a very conscientious and hard-working junior counsel with a real eye for detail. She is also very personable and easy to work with.’
Sarah Love - Brick Court Chambers ‘One of the best when it comes to complex public law matters with an international or commercial dimension.’
Paul Luckhurst - Blackstone Chambers ‘He has an incredible strength for honing in on the detail early on and following it through to completion.’
Peter Mant - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Good advocacy, cases well prepared and well presented with a good manner that the court likes. Bright and excellent on paper.’
Ravi Mehta - Blackstone Chambers ‘His ability to quickly understand issues, decipher and then address them is outstanding.’
Robert Moretto - Old Square Chambers ‘A credit to the profession.’
Julianne Kerr Morrison - Monckton Chambers ‘Particularly good at spotting the wood from the trees.’
Naina Patel - Blackstone Chambers ‘Not afraid to tackle difficult questions head-on.’
Fiona Paterson - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Fiona is hard working and reliable. I feel completely confident in her ability to think broadly about a case, but also to provide experienced and expert advice on very specific issues that other barristers would not have knowledge of.’
Angela Patrick - Doughty Street Chambers ‘She is confident and takes the measure of her clients, the court and those she is in contention with. She can grasp the essence of a matter quickly and has a tremendous work ethic. She works well as a team including with those she is instructed by.’
Jason Pobjoy - Blackstone Chambers ‘Extremely meticulous, client-friendly, and has an exceptional knowledge of EU and public law.’
Simon Pritchard - Blackstone Chambers ‘Very clever and in demand, he is brilliant on technical cases.’
Amy Rogers - 11KBW ‘She is highly intelligent and extremely hard working and pro-active. Her ability to make clients understand complex issues of law is exceptional. she is extremely client friendly.’
Gerard Rothschild - Brick Court Chambers ‘His mind is precision-engineered, he leaves no stone unturned in his research and his submissions are precise, meticulous and to the point.’
Philip Rule - No5 Barristers Chambers ‘The outstanding prison law Junior. He is very committed to his clients and always willing to go the extra mile. His performances in court are always whole hearted even when the court is obviously against him.’
Sarah Sackman - Francis Taylor Building ‘She is very bright, with good legal knowledge, and a particular strength in dealing with complex tactical issues.’
Paul Skinner - Matrix Chambers ‘He is a very good lawyer, good at getting to grips with technical points and all round a great team player.’
Julia Smyth - Landmark Chambers ‘Julia impresses with a strong work ethic, very good knowledge of the law, and her commitment to the case.’
Azeem Suterwalla - Monckton Chambers ‘Ability to see core issue and formulate best strategy to achieve outcome sought. A great awareness of potential pitfalls and the ability to steer through them.’
Benjamin Tankel - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Very intelligent, provides clear advice, and is great on his feet.’
Rachel Toney - The 36 Group ‘Rachel is a star performer: she gets to the nub of the issues swiftly, immediately sees the merits, possessed of excellent drafting skills and is utterly fearless. She is a complete joy to work with.’
Adam Wagner - Doughty Street Chambers ‘An excellent junior for public law work.’
Sarah Wilkinson - Blackstone Chambers ‘Sarah is a very hard working barrister, with a quick and incisive mind and excellent judgment. She knows what will play well with a Court. Her written work is top notch. She gets on very well with clients and is very good in a team.’
4
Natasha Barnes - 1 Crown Office Row ‘She is a real one to watch. You can be confident in her judgement. She is clever, robust and resourceful.’
Joanna Buckley - Matrix Chambers ‘ She is measured, thoughtful and very effective.’
Nicholas Chapman - Temple Garden Chambers ‘Nick is a determined and tactful advocate who can put a very unattractive case with calm and skill. He is also delightful, charming and a pleasure to work with,’
Estelle Dehon - Cornerstone Barristers ‘Estelle is an excellent barrister with a keen appreciation of the law and a fine attention to detail in all that she does. Estelle always presents her arguments in an articulate and persuasive fashion, whether in court or in conference. She also has the ability to put her professional and lay clients at ease, inspiring confidence in all that work with her.’
Ronnie Dennis - 11KBW ‘ Very smart and diligent. Very good with numbers.’
Laura Dubinsky - Doughty Street Chambers ‘She has a forensic approach to cases and thorough, leaving no stone unturned helping to ensure success.’
Nicholas Gibson - Matrix Chambers ‘Intense attention to detail and commitment to the client and the overall case objectives. Also incredibly strong trusted advisor.’
Leon Glenister - Landmark Chambers ‘Very bright, amiable, approachable. Feel very comfortable discussing cases with him. Very clever and able to review lots of papers very quickly when needed on particularly urgent cases whilst getting a good grasp of the issues.’
Alasdair Henderson - 1 Crown Office Row ‘He provides very good written material and is canny in his approach to litigation. A pleasure to work with and a good team player who is works well with me on thrashing out an issue.’
Tristan Jones - Blackstone Chambers ‘Makes very complex cases easy to understand, and helps the Tribunal get directly to the key issues in the case. A polite but deadly cross-examiner.’
Nicola Kohn - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Provides very strong advocacy.’
Stephen Kosmin - 11KBW ‘First-class attention to detail, and impressive all-round skills. As well as knowing the law inside out, Stephen is a confident and impressive advocate. Judges listen.’
Eesvan Krishnan - Blackstone Chambers ‘He brings endless energy and positivity.’
David Lemer - Doughty Street Chambers ‘He is well organised, good with clients, and has a good knowledge of the law.’
Jonathan Lewis - Henderson Chambers ‘Jonathan is extremely bright and his career is developing impressively. His drafting is elegant and accurate and astonishingly rapid. He is calm under pressure.’
David Lowe - Blackstone Chambers ‘He is able to master a huge volume of information quickly and inspires confidence in clients. His advocacy was perfectly judged – persuasive but sensitive where necessary.’
Shu Shin Luh - Doughty Street Chambers 'Extremely diligent and committed. Provides written work of very high standard. Has the ability to marshal clear arguments in complex cases – has expertise over a wide range of areas.'
Emily MacKenzie - Brick Court Chambers ‘Completely on top of the law, can get to the heart of a case immediately, and can draft extremely well.’
Conor McCarthy - Monckton Chambers ‘He is intelligent, knowledgeable and inventive.’
Nadia Motraghi - Old Square Chambers ‘Instructed on NHS matters.’
Penelope Nevill - Twenty Essex ‘Penelope has an encyclopaedic knowledge of her field. She was always able to come up with an interesting angle or case to consider.’
Jesse Nicholls - Doughty Street Chambers ‘Jesse is a brilliant all-rounder with an excellent legal mind. He is a clear and forceful advocate and his written work is second to none. He covers all bases.’
Katherine O’Byrne - Doughty Street Chambers ‘She has a clear and mature drafting style in written pleadings. She's also a pleasure to work with - responsive, extremely hard-working and organised, practical and very user-friendly from the solicitor perspective.’
Thomas Ogg - 11KBW ‘Tom is very professional, offers sound and thorough advice, also strikes a good rapport with the client. In particular, his submissions are succinct and thorough, reading very well.’
Rupert Paines - 11KBW ‘Rupert is extremely hard-working and bright with an outstanding knowledge of the law. His drafting is excellent.’
Hannah Slarks - 11KBW ‘She is perceptive, thorough and calm.’
Robert Strang - 3 Hare Court ‘He is highly adept at appellate work. He cuts through the issues because he knows what the appeal wants and he identifies the kernel of cases with ease. A polished advocate, and along with that, very good value indeed.’
Tom Tabori - 39 Essex Chambers ‘He is very reliable and very bright.’
Yaaser Vanderman - Landmark Chambers ‘Very bright, already an accomplished advocate, and his drafting is excellent. It is early in his career but he is clearly going places.’
Amelia Walker - 1 Crown Office Row ‘She represents the government in sensitive cases.’

Rising Stars

Katherine Barnes - 39 Essex Chambers ‘She is very good for public law challenges.’
Adam Boukraa - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Great at providing technical advice.’
Isabel Buchanan - Blackstone Chambers ‘She is excellent. Bright, hardworking, and committed.’
Daniel Cashman - Blackstone Chambers ‘He is the best public law junior at his level by a distance. Very bright, works quickly and well. Always adds value and combines seamlessly with solicitors.’
Jen Coyne - 11KBW ‘ An excellent lawyer, very thorough, innovative and user friendly.’
Daniel Isenberg - 11KBW ‘Superb legal insight, excellent drafting and affable manner. He is developing a reputation for a being a good team member in bigger judicial review litigation. Very capable and one to watch.’
Jessica Jones - Matrix Chambers ‘The quality of her written work is unparalleled for any junior of her level. Jessica is efficient, diligent and has excellent attention to detail. Apart from being wise far beyond her years, she is also an absolute pleasure to work with.’
Jennifer MacLeod - Brick Court Chambers ‘One of those rare barristers who can really change the fortunes of a case.’
Emma Mockford - Brick Court Chambers ‘Calm, measured but fearless when necessary.’
Imogen Proud - Monckton Chambers ‘She has a first-class mind, is very hard-working, is greatly responsive and is user friendly. She is also particularly good at dealing with clients.’
Celia Rooney - Blackstone Chambers ‘She is an exceptionally high-quality junior counsel.’
Charlotte Thomas - Brick Court Chambers ‘A brilliant intellect brimming with ideas.’

Administrative and public law (including elections) in London Bar

The Administrative and Public Law (including Elections) section covers key constitutional issues and generalised matters of public law not covered in other areas of the UK Bar guide (including matters as diverse as social welfare and prison law), as well as law concerning elections to offices in local and national government and their campaigns. This section does not aim to include barristers in specialist areas where judicial review is the appeal from executive or quasi-judicial decision-makers: please note our separate coverage of planning, professional discipline, public procurement, EU law, education, extradition, social housing, and immigration, which will cover counsel familiar with judicial reviews in those arenas. Local government (including rating law) is an additional new section. There is some crossover between this section and our civil liberties and human rights rankings, as arguments concerning the European Convention on Human Rights are frequently raised in such cases in parallel to more traditional arguments based on common law.

Blackstone Chambers

Blackstone Chambers is 'the strongest set at the interface of public law and commercial matters'. Numerous members of chambers were involved in R (Miller) v the Prime Minister and Cherry v Advocate General of Scotland, a combined Supreme Court case concerning the 2019 prorogation of Parliament: Lord David Pannick QC and Tom Hickman QC for Gina Miller, James Eadie QC and Lord Keen of Elie QC (a door tenant) for the government in their respective capacities as Treasury Devil and then-Advocate General for Scotland, and for a diverse range of interveners Thomas de la Mare QC, Tom Cleaver, Daniel Cashman and Celia Rooney plus, prior to his appointment to the High Court bench, Michael Fordham QC. At the same level, Sir James was against Dinah Rose QC, Ben Jaffey QC and Cleaver for the appellants in R (Privacy International) v Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which found that an "ouster" clause cannot shield said tribunal from judicial review.  In the Court of Appeal, members were instructed on both sides of R (Elan-Cane) v SSHD, concerning Home Office's refusal to issue a passport with the sex field marked as "X" and also issues of cost capping in judicial review proceedings – Kate Gallafent QC for the claimant, Sir James for the government, and Monica Carss-Frisk QC for Human Rights Watch. As a leading junior, Hanif Mussa successfully represented the government in R (Coughlan) v Minister for the Cabinet Office, defeating a challenge to trials of mandatory voter ID in Braintree.

11KBW

A set with 'real strength and depth across the board, whose members appear in most of the major cases', 11KBW is active across the public law space, with many members of chambers active for defendants represented by the Government Legal Department, as well as other government bodies, quangos, and some claimant work. Members were on both sides of Lincolnshire Police's ultimately unsuccessful challenge to the College of Policing's plan to effectively transform policing into a graduate profession – Jonathan Moffett QC  and Christopher Knight for the College of Policing and Charles Bourne QC (elevated to the High Court as of 1 October 2020) and Aileen McColgan QC (a 2020 silk appointment) for the force. The set is 'one of the leading chambers for dealing with public law issues affecting the health sector': Andrew Sharland QC defeated a challenge to the Royal College of Physicians' neutral stance on assisted dying brought by some of the organisation's members opposed to it. Clive Sheldon QC  successfully represented the government in the Court of Appeal in R (BPAS) v Department of Health concerning the meaning of "the pregnancy has not exceeded its twenty-fourth week" in the Abortion Act 1967. Unled, Jonathan Auburn represented the defendant in R (Leighton) v Lord Chancellor, in which disability activists challenged the lack of qualified one-way costs shifting in discrimination claims. Elizabeth Prochaska, formerly of Matrix Chambers, joined chambers from the role of legal director of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

39 Essex Chambers

39 Essex Chambers handles a range of public law matters, with expertise across the arena. The set is comfortable with national security matters, both in the sense that its members handle work for government departments and also as special advocates. In the health space, the set having numerous members kept busy by varied challenges to NHS reorganisations. Jenni Richards QC and Jack Anderson successfully represented the defendant in R (KK) v Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, a judicial review not to refer an IPP prisoner for gender reassignment surgery; the prisoner had been convicted as a man of child pornography offences. Deok Joo Rhee QC represented the shadow attorney general the Cherry prorogation case. Jack Holborn is unled for the Ministry of Justice in a case concerning prisoners who may lack capacity to conduct their Parole Board proceedings, and Tom Tabori is notable for his election law expertise.

Brick Court Chambers

A set 'really building a reputation for taking on complex, high-profile administrative/public law challenge', Brick Court Chambers' members are active across public law, both in the commercial space as well as for respected NGOs and individual claimants. Paul Bowen QC represented the anonymised claimant, a disabled boy who was subjected to sexual abuse in a care home, in R (AB) v CC of Hampshire concerning the force's failure to provide him with a registered witness intermediary while reporting abuse to the police. Crossing over with her sanctions expertise, Maya Lester QC represented a number of Tamil activists in a challenge to the continued proscription of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, better known as the Tamil Tigers. The set's members continue to act for various government bodies; Marie Demetriou QC and Tim Johnston continue to represent Transport for London in litigation concerning Uber's licence to operate in London, while James McClelland, who joined from Fountain Court Chambers, acting for Uber in the same matter.

Matrix Chambers

Known as 'leaders in the field', at Matrix Chambers 'the calibre of barristers at both the senior and the junior ends is exceptional'. David Wolfe QC  represented the Sikh Federation in a challenge to the absence of a Sikh option in the ethnicity field of the 2020 census, a matter involving issues of parliamentary privilege concerning the drafting of an order to be made by the Queen. Nick Armstrong represented the claimant in Mazhar v the Lord Chancellor, in which the Court of Appeal found that the Human Rights Act does not permit a person to seek a declaration from the High Court that the court's own previous order violated convention rights. The set is 'less exclusively claimant focussed' than others, with Sarah Hannett representing unled the Speaker of the House of Commons in a judicial review of plans of the plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport, concerning the claimant's attempt to use evidence covered by parliamentary privilege. In election law, Gavin Millar QC successfully defended a challenge to the election of Lisa Forbes in the 2019 Peterborough by-election brought by the losing Brexit Party candidate, who dropped the challenge and was ordered to pay full costs.

Doughty Street Chambers

'In terms of admin and public law' Doughty Street Chambers 'has a wealth of talent'. 'The set is very strong, especially at junior level', with members primarily focusing on work representing individuals. Edward Fitzgerald QC  represented a number of Chagossians, the community displaced in the 1960s and '70s by the construction of the military base on Diego Garcia, in prolonged litigation concerning their potential return; Martin Westgate QC represented the defendant in RB Kingston v Moss, a High Court case concerning the local authority's selling on of watering and sewerage service at a profit. Unled, Jude Bunting represented the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in a Court of Appeal case concerning the meaning of the "exceeded" in the Abortion Act 1967. In the political space, Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC  advised Stella Creasy MP on clearing with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority the appointment of a "locum" to cover constituency casework during her maternity leave from the house.

Landmark Chambers

Landmark Chambers has 'good depth of judicial review knowledge across a range of areas', and while not exclusively on the government side is popular for a range of work for different public bodies. The set is known for its 'NHS experts', with members regularly acting for NHS bodies on public law matters: David Lock QC (who brings unusual experience to the table as a former government minister) and 2020 silk appointment David Blundell QC continue to represent 12 clinical commissioning groups in  R (Bayer) v Darlington CCG, a dispute with two pharmaceutical companies over the prescription of Avastin. In Antoniadis v Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Samantha Broadfoot QC represented the defendant body in a challenge to the British Overseas Territory's imposition of pay cuts on public sector workers. In election law, Tim Buley QC represented the claimant in R (Andrews) v Minister for the Cabinet Office, and a follow-on claim concerning the government's failure to bring in arrangements for blind voters to cast ballots in the December 2019 general election.

Monckton Chambers

'Well-known for its expertise and strength in public and administration law', Members of Monckton Chambers act for a range of parties crossing over with its expertise in European Union and competition law. Ian Wise QC represented the claimants in R (DA) v SSWP, a challenge to the benefit cap with issues about the court considering parliamentary materials, and R (Miller) v College of Policing, in which the High Court found that College of Policing guidance around "non-crime hate incidents" was unlawful. The set handles some government work too, with a number of members on panels for such work: Ben Lask represents the Department for International Trade in a challenge brought by the Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights to a regime permitting the import of cotton from Uzbekistan, which historically was significantly produced using forced labour.

1 Crown Office Row

1 Crown Office Row 'has a really top-end admin and public law practice with some excellent practitioners'. Philip Havers QC represented former racing driver Simon Dolan in his challenge to various secondary legislation implementing the United Kingdom's "lockdown" measures during the Covid-19 pandemic. The set is 'great for healthcare-related judicial review'; Jeremy Hyam QC is instructed in R (Evans) v Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust, concerning the trust's prescription of puberty blockers to children suffering gender dysphoria. In the national security space, Angus Mccullough QC was the special advocate for the claimants in R (Campaign Against the Arms Trade) v Secretary of State for International Trade, the case concerning the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia.

4-5 Gray's Inn Square

4-5 Gray's Inn Square 'has true and unparalleled expertise in the very niche area' of election law, with a number of members active in key cases. Timothy Straker QC was involved in a number of matters concerning the election expense issues of various pro-Brexit groups co-operating prior to the referendum: in one, he successfully represented Darren Grimes in a judicial review of the Electoral Commission's decision to issue with him a £20,000 fine for election expenses matters concerning that referendum, and Vote Leave in a separate appeal brought by the Good Law Project concerning the categorisation of donations to other organisations as election expenses. Richard Price OBE QC and Vivienne Sedgley have both advised the Conservative Party on a number of matters.

Cornerstone Barristers

Members of Cornerstone Barristers are 'experts in judicial review because of the broad local government practices that many barristers have', and also handles a broader range of public law work away from its local government connections, such as election law. Philip Coppel QC represented the Electoral Commission in defending judicial reviews concerning alleged breaches of spending rules on the part of Vote Leave and Darren Grimes – the first brought by the Good Law Project (an organisation founded by Jolyon Maugham QC) concerning the commission's decision not to launch an investigation; the second brought by Grimes and Vote Leave, concerning the commission's decision to announce its investigation.