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Administrative And Public Law (including Elections)

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

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
Phillippa Kaufmann QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ 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 ‘One of the very best advocates in the country. Clarifies and makes accessible the most complex matters and holds the court’s attention like no other.’
Dinah Rose QC –Blackstone Chambers
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David Anderson QC – Brick Court Chambers ‘Fantastic attention to detail and an instinct for what arguments will play well in court ’
Paul Bowen QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ He has a first-class brain with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law, coupled with enormous attention to detail. ’
Monica Carss-Frisk QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ A calm and measured advocate, and genuine expert in the field who commands respect from tribunals at all levels. Very, very clever - she is always able to sharpen a point. ’
Jason Coppel QC - 11KBW ‘ Very impressive silk - a go-to barrister for procurement judicial review. Excellent on the papers and in advocacy, where he strikes the right balance of being firm but fair. ’
Philip Coppel QC - Cornerstone Barristers ‘ Philip is a real pleasure to work with. He is bright, enthusiastic and great with clients ’
Charlie Cory-Wright QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ His lines of question demonstrate his experience of closed material proceedings. ’
Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is a consummate advocate - exceptionally clever, always perfectly prepared, and with creative, beguiling submissions. ’
Edward Fitzgerald QC - Doughty Street Chambers ‘ Edward has the ability to find points that no one else would think of and would achieve a victory in court which everyone concluded was perhaps impossible. Engaging, brilliant and perhaps one of the finest leading counsel I have ever worked with. ’
Kate Gallafent QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Very smart and incredibly personable. She always puts the client at ease. ’
Nigel Giffin QC - 11KBW ‘ He inspires confidence. ’
James Goudie QC - 11KBW ‘ He is very practical and provides formidable advocacy. ’
David Lock QC - Landmark Chambers ‘ David is one of the true specialists in NHS public law who has an unrivalled knowledge in this area. He is reserved for those truly challenging cases. He is very easy to work with and clients like and appreciate his wider knowledge of the NHS that he brings to bear on cases. ’
Thomas de la Mare QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ He is innovative in his thinking. ’
Karon Monaghan QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ She is a leading light at the Bar. ’
Fenella Morris QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Fenella is great for high level, complex, high profile cutting edge work. Has a good understanding of the health sector. ’
Richard Price QC - 4-5 Gray's Inn Square ‘ Richard is one of, if not the, preeminent barristers 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. ’
Jessica Simor QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ In court she is 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 ‘ James is tremendously hard-working. He has a knack of finding the winning point in complex cases and is an accomplished 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. An absolute star. ’
Jemima Stratford QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ An excellent analytical lawyer, careful and methodical, particularly persuasive on paper and trusted by the court. A sensible choice for any judicial review with a strong EU component, particularly pharma work. ’
Guy Vassall-Adams QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ Guy has sound judgment and excellent legal knowledge and on top of all that he does care about the clients we work for together and that shows in the advice he gives and the care and attention he ensures is woven into his advice. ’
Ian Wise QC - Monckton Chambers ‘ One of the leading silks in the field. His ability to recall and apply the law to very complex legal issues is second to none. ’
3
Charles Bourne QC - 11KBW ‘ He is an authoritative presence and an impressive opponent. ’
Samantha Broadfoot QC - Landmark Chambers ‘ When she speaks in court you can hear a pin drop. She is economical in her submissions to ensure that the key points are conveyed to the tribunal. She is very persuasive on her feet. She is an absolute delight to work with and the go to silk for complicated human rights cases that straddle the Family Division and the Administrative court. ’
Ben Collins QC - Old Square Chambers ‘ He has in-depth knowledge of administrative law and case law as it applies, excellent advocacy skills and cear, concise reasoning in opinions produced. ’
Stephen Cragg QC - Doughty Street Chambers ‘ Highly intelligent and able to explain complex legal issues in very simple language. A calming presence in high-pressure situations. ’
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 ‘ Utterly brilliant. Sharp, insightful, incisive, articulate and passionate. She inspires everyone around her - clients included - to do better and be better. ’
Eleanor Grey QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ She is able to bring her considerable experience to bear in identifying good outcomes for clients and how best to achieve them ’
Sam Grodzinski QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ He is the star of the tax Bar for judicial review cases. Unafraid to challenge clients to ensure the best possible result is achieved. ’
James Guthrie QC - 3 Hare Court ‘ In relation to the judicial committee work, extremely incisive, very quick to come to views on assessing merits and weaknesses of a case. Extremely efficient and professional at all times. No weaknesses that I can think of. ’
Stephanie Harrison QC - Garden Court Chambers ‘ Stephanie is an amazing barrister - she is fantastic at mastering the detail of a case and providing focus to the team in preparation. She is a brilliant leader but collaborative and works with clients , solicitors and NGOs to obtain fantastic results. ’
Philip Havers QC - 1 Crown Office Row ‘ A really excellent silk. ’
Richard Hermer QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ He has an exceptionally keen strategic litigation sense. Richard has an ability to relate to clients, experts, other lawyers (on the same and opposing sides) and judges alike. ’
Jeremy Hyam QC - 1 Crown Office Row ‘ Jeremy is brilliant across the board almost all the time - drafting, on their feet and with clients. He instils confidence, delivers work on time and is a pleasure to work with with. ’
Ben Jaffey QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ A talented silk who never has a bad day. Always outstanding. Ben is frighteningly excellent and relentless. ’
Maya Lester QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Calm, clear and incisive. A punchy, non-nonsense advocate. ’
Angus McCullough QC - 1 Crown Office Row ‘ Angus is frighteningly impressive in all respects. He is incredible to watch and his unstinting capacity to take on and master complex, sensitive and demanding work is, frankly, mind-boggling. He never misses a beat; a truly and properly brilliant mind. ’
Gavin Millar QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ A key figure for election-related work. ’
Jonathan Moffett QC - 11KBW ‘ Jonathan is very good at taking a strategic view of how a client needs to position itself with an eye on the ultimate tribunal rather than reacting to the latest point of detail thrown up in sparring with opponents. Written and oral advocacy is focussed, concise and judge-friendly. ’
Helen Mountfield QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ Helen is very bright, hard working, possesses good judgement and is very easy to get on with. She is a delight to work with and produces a first class work product. ’
Leigh-Ann Mulcahy QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Leigh-Ann is a true expert on public law and an excellent advocate. ’
Peter Oldham QC - 11KBW ‘ Peter is approachable, calm, considered and practical in his application of the law ’
Tim Owen QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ Tim is at the top of his game as a very experienced, hard working and talented advocate in the fields of regulatory and public law and judicial review. He works expeditiously, meets deadlines and is a team player whom its a pleasure to instruct. ’
Nigel Pleming QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Extremely experienced and powerful advocate, the very best in the field, able to unravel the complex and difficult into thoroughly convincing submissions always trusted by the court. ’
Shaheen Rahman QC - 1 Crown Office Row ‘ She is incredibly experienced, always a step ahead. ’
Deok Joo Rhee QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ She produces very impressive written argument. She is a superb administrative lawyer of good judgement, with a broad knowledge of the principles and the case law. ’
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 has a very considerable knowledge of public law case-law and principles, excellent judgment, hard work, and a very easy manner that makes Dan a pleasure to work with. ’
Clive Sheldon QC - 11KBW ‘ Superb advocate, able to get to the core issues very quickly and gives clients the advice they need to hear. ’
Daniel Squires QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ Instructed by public bodies in high-profile matters. ’
Daniel Stilitz QC - 11KBW ‘ Daniel is very user friendly, has an excellent manner with clients and is absolutely first class as a trial advocate when on his feet - particularly during cross-examination. ’
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 ‘ Martin's attention to detail in impeccable. He is able to navigate the most complex of matters with apparent ease. ’
4
Kieron Beal QC –Blackstone Chambers ‘Always thinks outside the box. First choice for complex, high value cases raising issues of European Union Law and public/administrative law. Kieron is a wonderful advocate, always has the ear of the court and is very clear and concise when making submissions.'
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. ’
Catherine Callaghan QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Brilliant at getting to grips with detail and fantastic advocate in judicial review matters. ’
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. ’
Rory Dunlop QC - 39 Essex Chambers
Shaheed Fatima QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Forensic and strategic, finding the weaknesses with minimal fuss and exploiting them. ’
James Findlay QC - Cornerstone Barristers ‘ Very persuasive in court. He is always well prepared and calm under pressure. Very measured and yet warm. ’
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. ’
Margaret Gray QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Fantastic choice for an expert silk; ranges with ease across EU, English and Irish law ’
Nick Grundy QC - Five Paper ‘ He offers excellent service to clients. ’
Javan Herberg QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Javan is particularly strong in financial services matters and IS very user-friendly. ’
Tom Hickman QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Tom is ferociously bright, plain speaking, client friendly and strategic. His advocacy is impressive, persuasive and highly effective, and undiminished in a virtual environment. A real star. ’
Jonathan Hough QC - 4 New Square ‘ Jonathan has a razor-sharp focus on the key legal as well as practical issues. Jonathan gives you confidence that he is across all of the detail while maintaining focus on the bigger picture for the organisation. ’
Hugo Keith QC - Three Raymond Buildings ‘ A sublime advocate who is popular with judges and finds winning ways with juries ’
Andrew Kinnier QC - Henderson Chambers ‘ His broad practice provides him with a broad perspective when advising on public law matters and as a result provides very sensible advice on strategy and prospect. Andrew is fiercely bright and picks up issues very quickly. ’
Peter Knox QC - 3 Hare Court ‘ Extraordinary Intelligent, focused and dedicated yet a subtle humor which at times is welcoming. Great command of the English language. He is also able to gather important information quickly and advise on the best action to take. ’
Tom Little QC - 9 Gough Chambers ‘ Tom is masterful of the facts of a case and his submissions are articulate and carefully considered by the High Court. Judges trust and like him and listen attentively to his submissions. ’
Alan Maclean QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ A strong communicator willing to give clear advice. Responsive and pleasant to work with ’
Hugh Mercer QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ He has the finest mind I have encountered on administrative law issues relating to food and agriculture and EU law generally. ’
Sonali Naik QC - Garden Court Chambers
Andrew O’Connor QC - Temple Garden Chambers ‘ Bright, fluent and unflappable. ’
Robert Palmer QC - Monckton Chambers ‘ A pleasure to work with, impeccable attention to detail. ’
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. ’
Thomas Roe QC - 3 Hare Court ‘ A determined and dogged advocate. ’
Vikram Sachdeva QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Vikram has the knack of knowing precisely what needs to be done in relation to advancing a case, doing it, and not wasting time doing any more, which makes him capable of juggling a significantly larger case load than at first sight appears possible. ’
Oliver Sanders QC - 1 Crown Office Row
Andrew Sharland QC - 11KBW ‘ He is a fantastic advocate with a superb command of the facts and law. ’
Hugh Southey QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ One of the leading practitioners in prison law. Vast experience and encyclopaedic knowledge of the cases in that field. An engaging advocate to whom the court will listen. ’
Victoria Wakefield QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ An outstandingly able lawyer who in an absolute delight to work with, and superb judgment. ’
Amanda Weston QC - Garden Court Chambers ‘ Amanda is probably the most technically-adept lawyer in the immigration field. ’
Marc Willers QC - Garden Court Chambers ‘ An expert in Gypsy and Traveller work, he is undoubtedly an all-rounder. ’
Rhodri Williams QC - Henderson Chambers ‘ Very approachable, excellent with paperwork and highly intelligent and thorough. ’
David Wolfe QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ David has an excellent legal mind and is one of, if not the top claimant silks in education law. He is excellent with clients and has a genuine ability to understand their needs. He is also extremely responsive and great to work with. ’

2020 Silks

David Blundell QC - Landmark Chambers ‘ Deep knowledge of the law. Forensic mind. Very polite and collegiate. ’
Chloe Carpenter QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Chloe knows exactly how to approach a case tactically and strategically. She is very responsive and user-friendly. ’
Aileen McColgan QC - 11KBW ‘ Fierce advocate, readily available and approachable to speak about issues as they arise. ’
Julian Milford QC - 11KBW ‘ Julian is an excellent barrister, with extensive experience and is excellent to work with, he is an excellent all rounder. ’
David Pievsky QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ He is meticulous, engaged, and full of legal insights. His work on the pleadings is literally extraordinary. ’
James Segan QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ A delight to work with. ’

2021 Silks

Jonathan Auburn QC – 11KBW
Jamie Burton QC - Doughty Street Chambers ‘ Jamie is one of the leading silks in town. He has a real understanding of the needs of some of the most vulnerable clients, in particular vulnerable adults. He is really great on his feet. ’
Christopher Buttler QC – Matrix Chambers ‘His advocacy is brilliant. He commands the respect of the Court and never loses the confidence of his instructing team.’
Clair Dobbin QC - Three Raymond Buildings ‘ A superb lawyer and outstandingly able. ’
Sarah Hannett QC - Matrix Chambers
Adam Heppinstall QC –Henderson Chambers
Anneli Howard QC - Monckton Chambers ‘ Anneli is a first-class barrister. She has a great mind and is exceptionally hard working. She is very much a future leader of the public law bar. ’
Gwion Lewis QC –Landmark Chambers ‘Very knowledgeable in public law, always responsive and very friendly and approachable, you know you are in safe hands.’
James McClelland QC –Brick Court Chambers ‘James has a cool head under pressure and his submissions are rapier sharp. He is calm, forensic and puts the client’s case forcefully.’
Mathew Purchase QC –Matrix Chambers ‘Extremely bright and knowledgeable, able to construct a case very well and to understand all angles of a case. Very good to work with, approachable and reliable, and very empathetic.’
Adam Straw QC –Doughty Street Chambers ‘Adam is extremely bright, very calm and measured, with a solution for every situation. His written work is excellent, and you can tell judges love to hear from him. ’

Leading Juniors

1
Katherine Apps - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ She is a very strategic thinker, has exceptional in depth knowldge of her field with a very good client manner. ’
Jude Bunting - Doughty Street Chambers ‘ Jude is extremely bright, with a fantastic work ethic. His written work is excellent and he is fantastic on his feet. He is formidable on public law matters and is very much in demand. ’
Francis Hoar - Field Court Chambers
Christopher Knight - 11KBW ‘ Christopher's strengths include considerable expertise in constitutional law, diligence, valuable inter-personal skills, approachability, team-working and a considerable adder of value. ’
Zoe Leventhal - Matrix Chambers ‘ Zoe is super-smart and a complete expert in discrimination law and equality rights. Very impressive with her advocacy in the court room. ’
Brendan McGurk - Monckton Chambers ‘ Brendan is a responsive and strategic barrister. Clients and solicitors have confidence in Brendan leading on cases and giving tactical advice to achieve clients' objectives. ’
Hanif Mussa - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Hanif is without doubt a superstar in the making. He is a brilliant oral and written advocate. ’
2
Nick Armstrong - Matrix Chambers ‘ He does an excellent job on complex cases. ’
Malcolm Birdling - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Superb drafting in complex legal cases and identifying the strongest points to run with. ’
Julian Blake - 11KBW ‘ Julian is phenomenal. A truly exceptional barrister. He is able to cut right through to the heart of the matter. ’
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. ’
Tom Cross - 11KBW ‘ Tom is the standout junior at the public law bar. Tom has a unique ability to bring his expertise across several areas of law to bear in the realm of public law and human rights. ’
Emma Dixon - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Brilliant, thoughtful and diligent. ’
Catherine Dobson - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Catherine brings together academic qualities with a strong sense of the practical, making her the ideal public lawyer. ’
Heather Emmerson - 11KBW ‘ Heather is incisive in her analysis of a case, and quickly identifies the key issues on which the matter will turn. ’
Nicola Greaney - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Nicola is an excellent advisory lawyer (both orally and in writing), quickly establishes the trust of clients (even when they are sceptical of authority figures as a result of other experiences), and is a highly skilled advocate too. ’
Tim Johnston - Brick Court Chambers ‘ An obvious leader in the public law field, Tim is clever and able to juggle a remarkable workload. He is a go to junior in this field. ’
Richard O'Brien - 4 New Square ‘ Richard is extremely bright and a delight to work with. He is extremely knowledgeable on all public law matters, but also intensely practical and pragmatic and he works out very quickly what the key points are which matter in each case. ’
Jane Oldham - 11KBW ‘ She provides incredibly good advice. ’
Tom Richards - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Exceptionally able, hard working, and persuasive with excellent judgement. ’
Vivienne Sedgley - 4-5 Gray's Inn Square ‘ Vivienne is an outstanding junior in election law, and is constantly up-to-date on all aspects of election law. Assiduous and thorough in research and other work, including drafting of complex legal arguments. ’
Iain Steele - Blackstone Chambers ‘ His work is very impressive and he is very much much a judicial review expert who can win cases. He is proactive and very responsive. ’
Galina Ward - Landmark Chambers ‘ One of the very best juniors at the Administrative Bar, the meticulous thoroughness of Galina's preparation is reflected in the exemplary quality of her written work, often praised by the bench for its authoritative and measured qualities. ’
3
Zahra Al-Rikabi - Brick Court Chambers ‘ A great team player and a fine drafter with sound judgement. ’
Jack Anderson - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Unflappable, clever and very hard working. ’
Natasha Barnes - 1 Crown Office Row ‘ She is very clever and hard-working. She has great judgement - you feel much better knowing that she is in the team. ’
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 ‘ Sasha is incredibly client focused, accessible and extremely personable whilst diligent and forensic in detail. ’
Jessica Boyd - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Jessica is an exceptional barrister. She has a truly brilliant mind, is exceptionally hard working, is very responsive, and is great with clients. ’
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 ‘ Very user-friendly. A star junior in the public law and civil liberties arena. An absolute pleasure to work with. ’
Claire Darwin - Matrix Chambers ‘ Excellent knowledge of the relevant areas of law. Very good drafting skills. ’
Sian Davies - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Clear, committed, reliable, very knowledgeable and very easy to work with. ’
Estelle Dehon - Cornerstone Barristers ‘ 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. ’
Raj Desai - Matrix Chambers ‘ Incisive, judicious and strategic. The senior junior of choice in both private and public law litigation. ’
Katherine Eddy - 11KBW ‘ Katherine is a very strong lawyer, with a sharp mind. She is very good at the detail of a case, both factual and legal, and builds strong relationships with her clients. Katherine is very quick to learn new areas of law, and to expand her expertise. ’
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh –Matrix Chambers ‘Blinne has a very detailed knowledge of administrative law principles and human rights case law, particularly in relation to protest activities. She is highly intelligent and quick to spot winning points in a case.’
Paul Greatorex - 11KBW ‘ Assertive and determined, he works quickly and wins the trust of the client. His submissions are concise and to the point. Paul explores every avenue. ’
Nikolaus Grubeck - Monckton Chambers ‘ Nikolaus is an excellent strategic thinker who always has the clients' overall objectives and goals in mind when advising on case strategy. ’
David Heaton - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Impressively hard-working with a gimlet eye for the detail in a case; a real team-player, capable of producing a mass of impressive work and argument in a short space of time. ’
Alasdair Henderson - 1 Crown Office Row ‘ Alasdair has a creative legal brain and is a very intelligent, committed and hardworking advocate, who brings calm assurance to the task at hand. Good on their feet and able to break down complex legal arguments into simple structured points. ’
Jack Holborn - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ He combines a very sharp intellect with a disarming personal style, which makes him particularly effective in presenting difficult arguments on behalf of public authorities. ’
Ben Lask - Monckton Chambers ‘ He is a sensible and practical opponent and he is a confident advocate. ’
Annabel Lee - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Annabel is incredibly diligent and on top of the detail. She knows the case law and provides clear and sensible advice on strategy and next steps in a case. You feel she always has both sides of the argument in mind and comes to very considered views. ’
Sarah Love - Brick Court Chambers ‘ She is a formidable drafter, tactically very astute and incredibly hard-working. ’
Paul Luckhurst - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Working with Paul is exceptional, when working with him you know that the case is in very good hands. ’
Peter Mant - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ A good advocate whose cases are well-prepared and well-presented with a manner that the court likes ’
Ravi Mehta - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Smart, assured and user friendly. He has the confidence to lead conferences with clients in difficult circumstances at short notice and is sensitive to their objectives. ’
Robert Moretto - Old Square Chambers ‘ A credit to the profession. ’
Julianne Kerr Morrison - Monckton Chambers ‘ Julianne is incredibly intelligent with a grasp of data protection laws that is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of us. Julianne is not only super bright but also passionate about the work which is reflected in the quality of her drafting. ’
Naina Patel - Blackstone Chambers ‘ In the fast-paced world of public law, Naina is a cool head on calm shoulders. As well as being an excellent technical lawyer, she is an insightful litigator with an experienced tactical eye and an impressive ability to navigate complex litigation with ease. ’
Fiona Paterson - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Fiona brings a huge amount of expertise and wealth of experience in particular to issues concerning mental capacity and rights in prisons. Her written submissions and reasonings are excellent and she is extremely reliable. ’
Angela Patrick - Doughty Street Chambers ‘ Angela is adept at assimilating the details of factually complex cases at rapid speed. Her legal knowledgeable is also highly impressive. Her drafting is good and she is able to use her background in legal NGO work to inform her strategic acumen. ’
Jason Pobjoy - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Jason is a superb junior who is much in demand with clients. ’
Simon Pritchard - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Very precise and thorough in his drafting. He has great judgement and always ensures that the team is thoroughly prepared. ’
Amy Rogers - 11KBW ‘ An excellent, hardworking, lawyer. ’
Gerard Rothschild - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Gerard is able to convey complex legal arguments both on paper, with a lucid drafting style, and in conference with clients. He is always mindful of the underlying commercial aspects of a case and has a good strategic approach. ’
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 - Matrix Chambers ‘Sarah is an impressive, energetic counsel who is politcally engaged and loves a challenge. A big personality and great to have on a team.’
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 is an excellent public law senior junior. She has an eye for detail and is very thorough. Julia brings experience as counsel for various government departments to claimant work, giving practical insights into how public bodies make decisions on the ground. ’
Azeem Suterwalla - Monckton Chambers ‘ Azeem is a first-class barrister. He has a first-class mind, is a great tactician, is good with clients, and understands the bigger picture. ’
Benjamin Tankel - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ A most impressive lawyer with a penetrating and subtle mind. He has an excellent understanding the need for restraint and economy of submission. ’
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. ’
Adam Wagner - Doughty Street Chambers ‘ Adam is a fantastic public law and human rights specialist. He is particularly adept at legal issues involving the application of, and implications, of information technology. ’
Sarah Wilkinson –Blackstone Chambers
4
Nicola Braganza - Garden Court Chambers ‘ Nicola's advocacy and written submissions are exceptional, always persuasive and always presenting the case in its best possible light. ’
Joanna Buckley - Matrix Chambers ‘ Joanna's combined significant knowledge of criminal law and public law and experience with cases of this nature has been invaluable to me as a junior lawyer in this area of work. ’
Nicholas Chapman - Temple Garden Chambers ‘ Utterly delightful and completely charming. He has made an impressive move towards doing more civil and public law work. ’
Ronnie Dennis - 11KBW ‘ Very smart and diligent. Very good with numbers. ’
Laura Dubinsky - Doughty Street Chambers ‘ An incredibly astute barrister with encyclopaedic knowledge of public Law, and an ability to identify immediate benefits and long term consequences of pursuing legal argument, in the best interests of her clients, but also to achieve beneficial change in the Law. One of the best barristers in her field. ’
Nicholas Gibson - Matrix Chambers ‘ Nicholas’s judgement is excellent and practical implications for the organisation are always at the forefront of advice, as is a desire to find pragmatic solutions to avoid risk where that is a viable option for the organisation. ’
Leon Glenister - Landmark Chambers ‘ Leon is an extremely bright junior, who is headed for the very top. He has a consummate knowledge of administrative and public law, has great strategic insight and is extremely responsive. ’
Bijan Hoshi - Garden Court Chambers ‘ An exceptional public law barrister, whose commitment to representing claimants means he is always brilliant to work with. A courageous and clever advocate with knowledge and skill to get brilliant results. ’
Tristan Jones - Blackstone Chambers ‘ An understated, cool, calm and collected advocate. Sharp legal mind with persuasive drafting abilities. A go-to public law junior. ’
Nicola Kohn - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Provides very strong advocacy. ’
Stephen Kosmin - 11KBW ‘ Stephen combines unusual thoroughness with exceptional legal creativity. He is remarkably clever. His pleadings are fantastic. And if there is a solution to a problem to be found he will find it. ’
Eesvan Krishnan –Blackstone Chambers
David Lemer - Doughty Street Chambers ‘ David provides straightforward practical advice and communicates well with clients, including in challenging circumstances. ’
Jonathan Lewis - Henderson Chambers ‘ A very fine lawyer: his drafting skills are excellent and he’s assiduous at mastering the facts in often complex cases; finding innovative arguments on the law without losing sight of the client’s objectives or the true merits of the case. ’
David Lowe - Blackstone Chambers ‘ He is able to master a huge volume of information quickly and inspires confidence in clients. His advocacy is perfectly judged – persuasive but sensitive where necessary. ’
Emily MacKenzie - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Very good lawyer, strong on the facts, strong on the law, quick, easy to deal with, a fast-learner and flexible in her thought. ’
Conor McCarthy - Monckton Chambers ‘ He has complete attention to detail, and seems to find time to draft or advise even at short notice in urgent matters. His focus is always on the best result for the client. ’
Nadia Motraghi - Old Square Chambers ‘ Incredibly strong academically, and with a very impressive eye for detail in document heavy public law challenges. Her knowledge of discrimination law from her employment practice makes her a go-to senior junior in public law discrimination cases. ’
Penelope Nevill –Twenty Essex ‘Penelope is fantastically easy to work with. She is a highly competent drafter and a good oral advocate. She shows good judgement and gets on very well with clients. I would think she ought to be a very good candidate for silk before too long. ’
Jesse Nicholls - Matrix Chambers ‘ Jesse has an authoritative understanding of all aspects of civil liberties law. He is particularly good on cases arising from breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights. ’
Thomas Ogg - 11KBW ‘ Tom is very professional, offers sound and thorough advice, also strikes a good rapport with the client. ’
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. ’
Rupert Paines - 11KBW ‘ Rupert is a stand-out barrister and a real talent. He is quick to identify the key issues in the case. His written submissions are always of the highest quality; opposing counsel are instantly on the back-foot. ’
Hannah Slarks - 11KBW ‘ She is perceptive, thorough and calm. ’
Robert Strang - 3 Hare Court ‘ Very practical and straight forward to deal with. Has the ability to pick things up very quickly and is also great with clients. ’
Tom Tabori - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Extremely bright and can advise really well in a number of different areas of law. Unafraid of a challenging case and bold with arguments and approach. Willing and able to consider all angles of a case. Thorough and approachable. ’
Yaaser Vanderman - Landmark Chambers ‘ Smart, proactive, dedicated, extremely responsive and diligent. ’
Amelia Walker - 1 Crown Office Row

Rising Stars

Katherine Barnes - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ She is very good for public law challenges. ’
Adam Boukraa - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Brilliant on paper, really well constructed and focussed grounds of defence. Quickly gets to grips with factually difficult cases and not afraid to take on far more senior counsel. One to watch for the future. ’
Isabel Buchanan - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Isabel is reliable, hard-working and detail oriented. ’
Tessa Buchanan - Garden Court Chambers ‘ Tessa is meticulous in her preparation of a case, ensuring that the client has every possible chance of success. Working with Tessa inspires confidence. ’
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 ‘ Great to work with. Excellent attention to the detail. Extremely bright. Pragmatic and sensible. ’
Daniel Isenberg - 11KBW ‘ Daniel has a superb intellect. He is good at analysing the legal issues in a case, and writes extremely well. ’
Jessica Jones - Matrix Chambers ‘ Jessica is exceptionally clever, industrious, efficient and focused. She is undoubtedly a rising star. ’
Jennifer MacLeod - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Jennifer is simply brilliant. She combines hard work, detailed knowledge of her case and the law, positivity and sheer talent, she generates respect from lay and professional clients, her colleagues and the Court. She has outstanding judgement and tactical nous. ’
Emma Mockford - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Emma is absolutely brilliant; ferociously intelligent, a keen analytical mind and turns work around exceptionally quickly. The dream junior. ’
Imogen Proud - Monckton Chambers ‘ Imogen is a brilliant barrister. 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 ‘ Celia possesses sound judgement and regularly demonstrates this by displaying her ability to think a problem through to its conclusion to build a case and then present that logic in a practical and logical way to a judge. ’
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

Highly regarded as 'one of the best and brightest sets', Blackstone Chambers houses 'top quality barristers able to advise on a range of issues', with consistent visibility on important judicial reviews cases and matters that attract a great deal of public attention. Members of chambers led for all parties in R (Elan-Cane) v SSHD, a Supreme Court case seeking the issuance of passports with the sex field marked "X": Kate Gallafent QC, Tom Mountford and Gayatri Sarathy represented the claimants, while Monica Carss-Frisk QC  and Rachel Jones represented the intervener Human Rights Watch, and the 'tremendous silk' James Eadie QC represented the government in his capacity as Treasury Devil, the government's first-choice outside counsel. In addition, Hanif Mussa and Daniel Cashman successfully represented the government in R (Andrews) v Minister of the Cabinet Office, defeating a challenge to the use of tactile voting devices for blind voters, which numbered candidates (without naming them).

Testimonials

Set

‘Probably the best set for public law in the UK. They have a range of highly responsive, knowledgeable and hard-working barristers and work hard to provide the best possible service, often to unreasonable deadlines.’

‘Blackstone are obviously a fantastic set with some excellent public lawyers.’

‘Blackstone is the number one administrative and public law set.’

‘Brilliant barristers – one of the best and brightest sets.’

Clerking 

‘Billy Brian and Lewis Walker are both responsive and commercial, and a pleasure to deal with.’

‘The clerking is of a high quality, as you would expect from a market-leading set.’

‘Very good, helpful and efficient, tech-savvy.’

‘First rate. Highly responsive and engaging. Adam Fuschillo has always looked after us very well with excellent service.’

Landmark Chambers

Landmark Chambers is a notable set in this space, housing 'excellent junior barristers who have become specialists in their own right in public law' and giving the set 'real strength in depth', particularly in its core areas of health and social care, social security, education, immigration and local government matters. Galina Ward has been called 'one of the very best juniors at the Administrative Bar': she was part of the successful team for the government in R (SC, CB and eight children) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in a challenge to lack of availability of child tax credit for more than two children;  Richard Drabble QC represented the claimants in the leapfrog appeal to the Supreme Court. David Lock QC is notable for his prior role as MP for Wyre Forest during Tony Blair's first term, and Tim Buley QC handles challenges to social welfare and local government policies - he appeared for the claimant in R (Andrews) v Minister for the Cabinet Office, concerning the provision of assistance to blind voters in elections.

Testimonials

Set

‘The set is a powerhouse for planning and public law. As one of the largest sets of its kind there is very little they do not have experience of, and they have some very high-performing individuals indeed.’

‘Landmark is a good set with impressive public and regulatory lawyers. Practitioners are busy and for good reason. The clerking team is approachable and helpful. Chambers also hosts helpful and timely seminars.’

‘This set of chambers has excellent junior barristers who have become specialists in their own right in public law. This has given chambers real strength in depth.’

‘Premier set in CPO/DCO/Planning/Highways sector. Good clerks. Responsive. Excellent choice of counsel and availability always guaranteed.’

Clerking

‘Very good and highly responsive. Ben Connor is the Practice Director and is most helpful.’

‘Clerks are extremely helpful. Zoe Bluck is very responsive and proactive.’

‘Ben Connor is a problem-solver; approachable and easy to work with. Neil Perry is responsive, helpful, practical.’

‘Good experience of all of the clerks – always responsive and helpful. Bill King and Ben Connor particularly strong/noteworthy – when I contact them, they always remember you and go that extra mile to assist.’

11KBW

With a reputation for being 'second to none in public law', 11KBW is a top choice for administrative law, with a particularly strong caseload in work for national and local governmental bodies. The set also benefitted from the addition of Elizabeth Prochaska from the Equality and Human Rights Commission in January 2020. Jason Coppel QC represented the Good Law Project and Runnymede Trust in their challenge to various government appointments during the Covid-19 pandemic. The 'superb advocate' Clive Sheldon QC and Christopher Knight represented the Minister for the Cabinet Office in a judicial review brought by a campaign group, 3Million, in R (the3Million Limited) v Minister for the Cabinet Office, concerning the widely-publicised flaws in the polling system for the 2019 European Parliamentary election and associated damages claims. Turning to the set's juniors, Tom Cross represented Fair Play for Women in a judicial review of the Office for National Statistics' guidance on how to detail a person's sex on the 2021 census.

Testimonials

Set 

’11KBW is top of the league – a class set of chambers. They have strength at all levels, from the very junior barristers through to their silks.’

’11KBW are a standout set for public law. They can turn their hand to any area.’

‘The best set for public, procurement and information law. Their strength in depth cannot be beat.’

’11 KBW have been second to none in public law matters for decades.’

Clerking 

‘Excellent clerking team, among the best. Lucy Barbet is particularly impressive.’

‘Always very willing and obliging and fast to respond. A class act, like their barristers.’

‘The clerks’ room is first rate. I have had excellent service from Lucy Barbet and Mark Dann.’

‘The clerks are excellent – extremely helpful and responsive, practical and kind. Tom Street is easy to work with.’

‘Mark Dann and Lucy Barbet lead from the front a universally courteous, pleasant and efficient team of clerks.’

39 Essex Chambers

'Leading set' 39 Essex Chambers are 'big hitters in judicial review', with members having expertise in a broad range of public law matters on top of its well-known expertise on medico-legal issues, immigration matters (an area in which some of the set's members are instructed for the government in their most sensitive cases), and planning law. James Strachan QC and Nicola Kohn represented the claimants in MDU v Secretary of State for Health, concerning the government's proposal to create a clinical negligence indemnity scheme that the claimants allege would not cover incidents before the policy was introduced. As sole counsel, Nicola Greaney represented the DVLA in a judicial review brought by a member of the public, who cited Article 1 Protocol 1 rights after being unable to renew an expired personalised number plate. Deok Joo Rhee QC defended the London Borough of Redbridge in judicial review to a policy challenge to the way in which the borough makes educational provision for visually impaired children in mainstream settings, with challenges brought on grounds of discrimination under both the ECHR and the Equality Act 2010. A number of members also have experience of acting as a special advocate.

Testimonials

Set

‘Leading set. Real strength in depth – you are getting the best for any level of seniority that the case demands.’

‘Excellent set of chambers, brilliant service and full of lovely people, both the barristers and clerks.’

‘Top tier in terms of knowledge and skills, and has the ability to deal effectively with cases that cross into other areas, such as commercial, environment and CoP.’

’39 Essex are big hitters in judicial reviews, and particularly in my area of immigration related issues, they seem to be one of the go to sets for important cases for the government.’

Clerking

‘Public sector clerks, Sheraton Doyle and Peter Campbell, provide an excellent service and have a real knowledge of the legal issues and market in the area of public sector work.’

‘Peter Campbell is very skilled at matching counsel to the client and will always listen to even the smallest of points to make sure there is a good fit.’

‘The clerking service is very good: Anthony King is always on hand to assist – whether that’s sourcing appropriate available counsel or assisting with administrative matters during the course of instructing counsel.’

‘The service and clerks’ room has as its foundation a strong and tight knit community with strong internal communication. Jamie Tucker – one of the practice managers in the public law team – deserves particular mention. He is astute, responsive and knowledgeable.’

‘The clerking service is very good. Michael Kaplan has a calm presence and enjoys a good rapport with solicitors and understands the needs of solicitors from the start in instructing counsel to the end in settling counsel’s fees. Alistair Davidson is very courteous.’

Brick Court Chambers

Brick Court Chambers impresses with its ‘exceptional quality of barristers at all levels‘ and its ‘strong reputation in the public law market‘. David Anderson QC led Malcolm Birdling as counsel for Heathrow Airport in its Supreme Court appeal against the Court of Appeal’s finding that the Government’s decision to favour a third runway at Heathrow was unlawful, on the grounds of ministers’ failure to take into account the UK’s commitments under the Paris Agreement. In another matter, Maya Lester QC and Birdling acted for the NFU, which challenged the government’s decision to reverse course on a proposed badger cull; the claimants alleged that the decision came after an intervention by the Prime Minister’s now-wife Carrie Symonds. As sole counsel, James McClelland QC – a 2021 silk appointment –  represented a food importer whose quota security was forfeited by DEFRA, after a collapse in imports due to unprecedented biosecurity testing of Asian food imports for pathogens.

Testimonials

Set

‘Brick Court is my preferred set for public and administrative law. The quality of counsel is exceptional at all levels.’

‘One of the best sets in the country.’

‘Great quality advocates with very efficient clerking service.’

Clerking

‘The clerking team at Brick Court have been superlative both in terms of agreeing fees in advance and managing diaries.’

‘Paul Dennison is always helpful and responsive and the accounts team work very effectively behind the scenes.’

‘Professional, approachable and easy to deal with. Among the best at the Bar.’

Matrix Chambers

Matrix Chambers is ‘extremely well-placed in the area of administrative and public law with great strength, especially at QC level‘, with distinguished silks such as Phillippa Kaufmann QC being sought after on human rights cases; Karon Monaghan QC, who continues to advise on the UK Infected Blood Inquiry; and Tim Owen QC, who represented three claimants in a judicial review of the Foreign Secretary’s decision to refuse to extend protection and assistance to Afghan nationals, who asserted they had worked as undercover agents for the UK for many years in the Helmand province. Helen Mountfield QC often represents claimants in judicial reviews where public policy is under scrutiny for being discriminatory, such as representing the Equality and Human Rights Commission in a Supreme Court appeal, SC, CB and 8 Children v Secretary of State for Work of Pensions, a challenge to the availability of the individual element of child tax credit for the first two children only. Leading junior Zoë Leventhal represented claimants in the first case to reach the Court of Appeal about Universal Credit, R (TP, AR & SXC) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, a case centered on whether the phasing of Universal Credit and the absence of transitional protection is discriminatory against severely disabled people. In other news, the set also expanded its bench strength at the senior end with the appointment of Mathew Purchase QC, Sarah Hannett QC and Christopher Buttler QC to silk in 2021.

Testimonials

Set

‘In my experience there is real strength-in-depth in the areas of admin and public law / civil liberties and human rights, particularly among junior barristers in the field.’

‘Matrix are extremely well-placed in the area of administrative and public law, with great strength, especially at QC level.’

‘The Chambers are brilliant for all matters relating to public law. There is not a bad barrister in the set. They have it all.’

‘Matrix has an excellent reputation and there are a number of very good senior barristers and silks. You know where you are with Matrix and are never disappointed with the representation.’

Clerking

‘My experience of the clerks room has been that they are always responsive and helpful, in particular Paul Venables.’

‘The clerking service is very helpful. The clerks are friendly and helpful and Elisabeth Bousher in particular has consistently gone above and beyond to make working with Matrix Chambers a very positive experience.’

‘I am always impressed with the service of the clerks at Matrix. I have complete trust in a timely, helpful response from them.’

‘When making enquiries of available counsel with the clerks at Matrix, I am always provided with tailored responses and suggestions of counsel that would be best placed to take on the instruction dependent on their expertise.’

1 Crown Office Row

'Leading public law set' 1 Crown Office Row is home to a 'lot of good juniors', such as Natasha Barnes, who acted as part of the team in the Privacy International v Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs case before the Court of Appeal, in a challenge to a policy authorising MI5 agents to engage in criminal activity in the course of their duties in the UK. Jeremy Hyam QC 'instils confidence', and is noted for his medical law expertise, demonstrated in his advocacy for the claimants in Bell v Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, a high-profile judicial review challenge to the provision of puberty blockers to children and young people by the Trust's Gender Identity Development Service.

Testimonials

Set

‘Strength-in-depth of counsel with experience of acting for the government.’

‘A very good and strong set.’

‘Efficient and well organised.’

‘A lot of good juniors.’

Clerking

‘Clerks are great – in particular John McLaren and Chloe Turvill – absolute stars.’

‘Clerks are business like, yet pleasant, efficient and reliable.’

Doughty Street Chambers

Among the 'very top sets for administrative and public law', Doughty Street Chambers is 'often involved in leading cases and has great knowledge across the entire set', which specialises in representing individuals and companies in public law proceedings against the State. Martin Westgate QC represented a claimant in R (Ncube) v Brighton and Hove City Council, a judicial review challenge concerning the issue of local authorities' powers to provide shelter for those without recourse to public funds during the Covid-19 pandemic. Westgate QC is also acting alongside Daniel Clarke and Jamie Burton QC for Liberty, in R (JCWI) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, in a challenge to the “right to rent” scheme, under which landlords must check the immigration status of prospective tenants, with Liberty’s submissions focused on the scope of Article 8 and when the state can be liable for a human rights violation by a third party who is not an agent of the state.

Testimonials

Set

‘Doughty Street are, in my opinion, one of the very top sets for administrative and public law. They have a very strong team of barristers, and are probably the team I would turn to first to instruct in a public law case.’

‘They are a strong set with a lot of strength in depth. I have instructed their juniors a number of times and found them to be very good. They are often involved in leading cases and have great knowledge across the entire set.’

‘Doughty Street is my go-to chambers for most of the work I do. They have such an array of talent, which means they will always have someone to help even in very urgent matters. This is a real positive feature. I find all the barristers to be knowledgeable and skilful, and a great source of help and support.’

‘Doughty Street remains committed to pro-bono work.’

‘The leading set for actions against the police, with a real commitment to using the law to advance social justice.’

Clerking

‘Luke Christmas is personable, knowledgeable and effective. My go to when I need to a solution to a problem.’

‘Sian Wilkins is wonderfully responsive and provides an excellent all round service.’

‘Melvin Warner is extremely quick and usually able to revert with an answer to a query very promptly.’

‘Very good. Well organised and helpful in finding suitable counsel when needed. Ben Davis is particularly reliable.’

Monckton Chambers

The ‘truly excellent‘ Monckton Chambers is ‘very knowledgeable and generous with its time‘, and members ‘are more than willing to offer pro-bono advice‘. The ‘first-class barrister‘ Anneli Howard QC – a 2021 silk appointment – is acting alongside Gerry Facenna QC for the claimants in R (the3million) v Minister for the Cabinet Office, a judicial review against the government for alleged failings in voter registration, prohibiting non-UK EU citizens from voting in the 2019 European Parliament elections. Tim Ward QC specialises in public law actions against commercial regulators; he represented Uber London in successfully challenging Transport for London’s refusal to renew its licence on the grounds it was not a “fit and proper person” to hold one. Ian Wise QC represented a claimant in a judicial review of the Crown Prosecution Service’s membership of Stonewall’s “Diversity Champions” scheme. In addition, with Imogen Proud, Wise QC represented the claimants in R (Electronic Collar Manufacturers Association and Petsafe Ltd), a case concerning electronic training collars for dogs hinging on issues of Wednesbury unreasonableness as well as Article 1 Protocol 1 convention rights.

Testimonials

Set

‘Monckton Chambers has a wealth of public law and procurement expertise. In particular a strength-in-depth of junior and senior junior counsel to be able to handle even the largest cases requiring a multi-counsel team.’

‘Monckton Chambers is truly excellent. They are very much the go to choice of chambers for our high profile public and procurement law instructions (whether one is acting for claimants/defendants).’

‘Monckton Chambers have excellent strength from juniors to silks. Their top silks are busy but still available. Its very common to see them on at least one side of a case (if not both sides!).’

‘Monckton is an amazing set – the barristers are clever, innovative and demonstrate an impressive and in depth knowledge of their practice areas.‘

Clerking

‘Steve Duffett ensures clients and instructing solicitors get the best service from Monckton’s barristers. He helps select the right barrister for the task. Steve ensures the barristers he works with juggle their competing interests so their clients can get time in counsel’s diaries.’

‘The clerks are great and responsive. Jaden Maloney in particular is excellent: he is hard working and responsive.’

‘I have worked more with Gemma Rawlinson and Jaden Maloney both of whom have always been incredible and done all they can to assist. They’ve even arranged to assist to go and lodge an urgent bundle at court which was incredibly helpful. ‘

4-5 Gray's Inn Square

4-5 Gray's Inn Square 'has an established reputation in public law' and is noted for its 'leading silks in election law', who are 'supported by many excellent juniors'. In one such example, Timothy Straker QC and Vivienne Sedgley successfully defended the London Borough of Newham in a case brought by campaigners submitting a petition seeking a referendum on abolishing the role of elected mayor in 2020. The matter featured issues of coronavirus legislation, which had stopped petitions being brought as part of the one-year freeze on local elections, and a breach of the embargo on the judgment by the campaigners.

Testimonials

Set

‘4-5 Gray’s Inn Square has an established reputation in public law, election law, local authority, housing work, professional regulation and mediation. Chambers has silks and juniors across all areas, who provide strength in depth.’

Clerking

‘The service provided by Vicky Thompson, the CEO, Emily Martin, Stephen Somerville (Acting Senior Clerk) and their team is outstanding. They have worked assiduously to keep chambers going during the pandemic in difficult circumstances.’

Cornerstone Barristers

Cornerstone Barristers has a 'good and well-deserved reputation in public law', and is active in a number of high-profile cases. Philip Coppel QC is representing Heathrow Airport Limited in a dispute with the Information Commissioner, concerning issues of whether the airport operator is a public authority. Kuljit Bhogal has specific expertise in public spaces protection orders, including representing Wycombe DC in the first appeal against one to be heard by the High Court, which found that a fine for drinking a supposedly non-alcoholic beverage from a branded lager can was valid. In a high-profile judicial review, Estelle Dehon represented the claimants in a proposed challenge to the decision to use an algorithm to grade the 2020 A-level cohort in England, which proposed to downgrade over 40% of teacher assessments in favour of calculations based on previous years' results; the government reversed course.

Testimonials

Set

‘Cornerstone are a chambers with a good and well-deserved reputation in public law, environmental law and planning law.’

Clerking

‘The clerks are very good and always friendly and helpful.’

Garden Court Chambers

Garden Court Chambers 'is in the top category of claimant-focused administrative and public law sets', with a practice grounded in immigration, civil liberties and public law. Its members often represent vulnerable groups and individuals in cutting-edge challenges to decisions by the Home Office, local governments and other governmental bodies. Amanda Weston QC represented the local authority in Home Secretary v Suffolk County Council, defeating an argument by the Home Office that not only was it not bound by family court FGM protection orders, but that the family court was bound by immigration tribunal decisions. Stephanie Harrison QC is 'fantastic at mastering the detail of a case'; she represented the claimant in R (FB) v Camden Council, a challenge to the local authority's decision to place a female survivor of domestic and sexual abuse in mixed-sex accommodation. Turning to the juniors, Nicola Braganza is representing a number of former servicewomen whose rape cases were dropped by the SPS or resulted in acquittals by courts-martial; these claimants are challenging the Ministry of Defence's non-implementation of a proposal in the Lyons Review to transfer such cases into the civilian courts.

Testimonials

Set

‘They are a strong set with a lot of strength in depth. I have instructed various silks, senior juniors as well as junior juniors. Even the junior juniors have been very impressive. They are often involved in leading cases and have great knowledge across the entire set.’

‘Garden Court Chambers are a fantastic set of excellent barristers and always have someone with the expertise you need when needing to instruct, whether on an urgent or less pressing basis. The barristers have an amazing depth of knowledge and expertise between them, all seem very personable, and have particular strengths in human rights claims.’

‘Garden Court is in the top category of claimant-focused administrative and public law sets. There is strength throughout the team.’

Clerking

‘The service received from the clerks is always of high standard. Harriet Massie definitely requires recognition; she is most efficient, quick to respond and very solution-focused to any enquiry raised. ‘

‘The clerks are always very helpful, efficient and responsive – helping to find counsel, arrange conferences, meet any needs that arise. Lisa O’ Leary and Harriet Massie are always a pleasure to work with.’

‘Very experienced team headed by the peerless Colin Cook who know everything there is to know about clerking and the stresses of running a difficult case. He will solve issues without fuss and in a very diplomatic low key way.’