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Leading Silks

Edward Fitzgerald CBE KCDoughty Street Chambers 'He has been at the forefront of public law matters for so many years, and is able to recall case law and apply it to the case in hand.'
Timothy Otty KCBlackstone Chambers 'Extremely intelligent and committed. Focused and effective analysis. Very calm and authoritative advocate. Very perceptive and adaptable to judicial insight and to developments during advocacy.'    
Lord Pannick KCBlackstone Chambers ‘David is a first class barrister and advocate. His public record speaks for itself, in addition to being excellent he is a pleasure to work with.’
Lord Anderson KCBrick Court Chambers ‘A superb advocate. David's ability to learn and then distil and communicate complicated facts from a case he has not been involved in since the final appeal stage is exemplary.’
Paul Bowen KCBrick Court Chambers 'One of the most innovative thinkers in public law cases. Very strategic and able to boil down complex legal arguments to clear propositions - very effective advocate and good with clients.'    
Samantha Broadfoot KCLandmark Chambers ‘An excellent advocate, persuasive and astute. Knows what the court wants and delivers.'    
Monica Carss-Frisk KCBlackstone Chambers ‘Monica provides astute, considered and practical advice throughout the course of the instruction. She is client friendly and has no weaknesses.’ 
Jason Coppel KC11KBW 'Jason is clear-eyed and calm and his advocacy has a quiet authority to it.'
Charlie Cory-Wright KC39 Essex Chambers 'A trusted advocate. He is also great with clients.'
Jonathan Crow KC4 Stone Buildings ‘He is absolutely the go-to barrister for commercial public law cases: devastating in court; brilliant with clients; and a pleasure to work with.'    
Kate Gallafent KCBlackstone Chambers 'Advocacy with empathy.'
James Goudie KC11KBW 'He displays an ease of communication coupled with an excellence and mastery of the subject matter, however diverse. A dream to work with.'
Fenella Morris KC39 Essex Chambers 'Robust and incisive; you get an early feel for big picture.'
Helen Mountfield KCMatrix Chambers 'Helen is hard-working, responsive and an excellent advocate.'
Tim Owen KCMatrix Chambers 'He is a powerhouse of knowledge and experience. Very well respected by judges and opponents. His views rightly carry a lot of weight. A privilege to work with.'    
Jessica Simor KCMatrix Chambers ‘Fantastically clear, authoritative and powerful advocacy.'
Ian Wise KCMonckton Chambers 'Very strong advocate especially in senior appellate courts.'
Alex Bailin KCMatrix Chambers 'Alex is wildly clever - a true polymath who excels in numerous areas of law. His advocacy is superb: calm, measured and highly persuasive.'
David Blundell KCLandmark Chambers ‘David is a very reasonable and sensible advocate. That means that the court has confidence in him. He is also a very technically able.’    
Nicholas Bowen KCDoughty Street Chambers ‘Excellent attention to detail and drafting skills. Nicholas is extremely knowledgeable and willing to challenge the status quo.’     
Victoria Butler-Cole KC39 Essex Chambers 'Victoria's advocacy, advice, strategy, intellect and, where appropriate, compassion for her lay clients, is second to none. She is an absolute expert on human rights issues arising from the treatment of learning disabled adults and children with special educational needs.'
Ben Collins KCOld Square ChambersHe has in-depth knowledge of administrative law and case law as it applies, excellent advocacy skills and cear, concise reasoning in opinions produced.
John Cooper KC25 Bedford RowA skilled advocate.
Stephen Cragg KCDoughty Street Chambers 'Steve is a safe pair of hands and tactically astute.'
Marie Demetriou KCBrick Court Chambers ‘Very thoughtful and considered approach.'
Gerry Facenna KCMonckton Chambers ‘Highly competent and has provided sound advice in very challenging matters.'
Caoilfhionn Gallagher KCDoughty Street Chambers 'Caoilfhionn is an intellectual powerhouse. The speed and level at which she operates is truly remarkable. She is a formidable advocate and widely respected amongst solicitors, her peers and the judiciary.'
Lisa Giovannetti KC39 Essex Chambers ‘Lisa is an outstanding lawyer who really has the trust and respect of the judiciary at the highest levels.' 
Sam Grodzinski KCBlackstone Chambers 'Across all the detail in every instance and able to translate all that detail into direct and effective advocacy.'
Ivan Hare KCBlackstone Chambers 'Ivan is a very skilled operator dealing with tricky legal issues in the Administrative Court. Always fair and courteous.'
Stephanie Harrison KCGarden Court Chambers 'Stephanie is a one-off. She brings passionate commitment to her work but maintains scrupulous professionalism. She somehow manages to maintain focus both on the overarching theory of a case, and its detailed evidential base.'
Tom Hickman KCBlackstone Chambers ‘Tom is very clear on what is needed in order to establish the best possible case for a public law claimant. Tom thinks very strategically in terms of how a case develops and when to deploy the arguments that have been developed.'  
Jonathan Hough KC4 New Square 'He is measured and authoritative in his advocacy and meticulous in his preparation. When he speaks, he has the confidence of the court. He is a hugely reassuring presence to have in your corner.'
Ben Jaffey KC - Blackstone ChambersA talented silk who never has a bad day. Always outstanding. Ben is frighteningly excellent and relentless.
Hugo Keith KCThree Raymond BuildingsTop of the tree for Extradition and Human Rights. Superb advocate and first-class strategic thinker.
Maya Lester KCBrick Court Chambers 'Maya is a noted expert in sanctions. She is extremely responsive and user-friendly. She has worked on some of the most high-profile domestic and EU sanctions cases.'    
Thomas de la Mare KCBlackstone Chambers ‘He provides very clear and helpful advice.’
James Maurici KC – Landmark Chambers 'James was very easy to work with and responsive.'
Jonathan Moffett KC11KBW 'Jonathan is a first-class barrister. He is very intelligent and his drafting is excellent. He is wonderful in court. Finally, he is great with instructing clients.'  
Clare Montgomery KCMatrix Chambers 'Clare has a depth and range of legal knowledge possessed by few barristers. Her productivity is unsurpassed and her advice is clear and certain.'   
Peter Oldham KC11KBW ‘Peter is calm, approachable and thorough and gives pragmatic, practical advice.'  
Robert Palmer KCMonckton Chambers ‘Calm and clear-headed in the most complex cases.'    
Deok Joo Rhee KC39 Essex Chambers ‘She is a very good public lawyer. She does an excellent job identifying points and drafting a written argument.’
Jenni Richards KC39 Essex Chambers 'High quality written work, but the magic is done on her feet. An excellent orator - persuasive and clearly has the ear and respect of the court.'    
Thomas Roe KC3 Hare Court 'Thomas' written arguments are well-structured, rigorously thought-out and logically unimpeachable.'
Ian Rogers KC - Monckton ChambersHe is very informative, patient and accommodating.
Dan Sarooshi KCEssex Court Chambers 'Vast academic knowledge of public and human rights law combined with a brilliant strategic mind and masterful advocacy.' 
James Segan KCBlackstone Chambers ‘James has a perfect command of the law in his field. A truly impressive advocate.'
Clive Sheldon KC11KBW ‘A very strong and straightforward advocate, acting for government departments and local authorities. Well respected by the court.'
Hugh Southey KCMatrix Chambers ‘A go to barrister who gets right to the heart of the issues. Formidable with his opponents.'
Daniel Squires KCMatrix Chambers 'Strengths - approachable, creative, committed.'
Daniel Stilitz KC - 11KBWDaniel 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.
Jemima Stratford KCBrick Court Chambers 'Jemima gives very sensible and practical advice. She has natural leadership qualities and inspires confidence.'
Tim Ward KCMonckton Chambers 'He is bright, strategic, calm and a great advocate.'   
Martin Westgate KCDoughty Street Chambers 'Martin is technically brilliant, with an ability to assess and distil the legal issues quickly and in a way that the lay client will understand.'
Charles Banner KCKeating Chambers ‘Incredibly sharp and tenacious. As an advocate he is quick thinking and highly adaptable to suit the case, judge and his opponent. There are very few with more experience in the Supreme Court.’    
Catherine Callaghan KCBlackstone Chambers ‘She has good judgement, impresses clients, is good on paper, and is good in court.’
Chloe Carpenter KCFountain Court Chambers 'Chloe is able to quickly assess the best strategy for the case, and then drives it forward for the client to the best effect. She is extremely helpful to her instructing solicitor and great with clients.'
Rory Dunlop KC39 Essex Chambers ‘Rory is a very fair and considered barrister. His reasonable approach comes across well before the court.'
Shaheed Fatima KCBlackstone Chambers 'Quick on her feet, across every detail and details you didn't even know existed, creative thinker, and has a good grasp of legal concepts and practical implications.'
Sarah Ford KCBrick Court Chambers 'Very clever and very user friendly. Offers insights beyond her years and contributes strongly to strategy discussions.'
Danny Friedman KCMatrix ChambersOne of the brightest, ‘outside the box’ strategic legal minds in the legal profession.
Kate Grange KC39 Essex Chambers 'Always on top of the papers and very focused when presenting her arguments. A persuasive style which judges like.'
Margaret Gray KC - Brick Court ChambersFantastic choice for an expert silk; ranges with ease across EU, English and Irish law
Nicholas Grundy KCFive PaperHe offers excellent service to clients.
Javan Herberg KCBlackstone Chambers 'Javan is quick witted and his advocacy is always interesting. He has a great rapport with judges generally.'
Jeremy Hyam KC1 Crown Office Row 'Jeremy is highly intelligent and can think out of the box. He develops unique strategies. His advocacy is exemplary.'
Schona Jolly KCCloistersSchona is a keen intellect and a practical and yet creative thinker. She is a strong and unwavering advocate with in-depth knowledge and expertise of civil liberties and human rights with the domestic and ECHR frameworks.
Nageena Khalique KCSerjeants’ Inn ChambersShe is approachable and pragmatic whilst being extremely tactically astute.
Andrew Kinnier KC - Henderson ChambersHis 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 KC3 Hare CourtExtraordinary intelligent, focused and dedicated yet a subtle humor which at times is welcoming. He has a great command of the English language. He is also able to gather important information quickly and advise on the best action to take.
Richard Lissack KCFountain Court ChambersExtremely responsive, and highly attuned to client needs. Clients will take him as the last word on any nuanced issue – his judgement is impeccable.
Tom Little KCDeka ChambersTom 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.
Alison MacDonald KCEssex Court ChambersAn experienced advocate with expertise across international law and human rights.
Alan Maclean KCBlackstone Chambers 'Highly intelligent with good strategic insight. A persuasive advocate.'
Hugh Mercer KC - Essex Court ChambersHe has the finest mind I have encountered on administrative law issues relating to food and agriculture and EU law generally.
David Mitchell39 Essex Chambers ‘Able to grasp complex cases quickly. Great advocacy skills.’
Sonali Naik KCGarden Court Chambers 'Advocacy is certainly Sonali's strength. She is a fierce advocate who shines when the going gets tough.'
Andrew O’Connor KC - Temple Garden ChambersBright, fluent and unflappable.
Aidan O’Neill KCMatrix Chambers ‘Aidan is a tour de force on his feet. He thinks very quickly and is able to pull together lateral arguments beautifully.’    
David Perry KC - 6KBW College HillA superb silk.
David Pievsky KCBlackstone Chambers 'David is very clever and very thorough. He's an exceptionally creative lawyer and he sees interesting points that others miss.'
Vikram Sachdeva KC39 Essex Chambers 'A superb advocate. Has excellent tactical awareness and is able to spot the key points of a case at an early stage.' 
Andrew Sharland KC11KBW 'Great organisation and clarity of thinking and strategy.'
Mark Shaw KCBlackstone Chambers ‘Mark is a personable and engaging barrister. He is extremely thorough in preparation, and amenable to adapting as required for the particular client.’    
Stephen Simblet KC – Garden Court Chambers ‘Stephen is a very able advocate and has caselaw at his finger tips which is very useful in court.’
James Strachan KC39 Essex Chambers 'A persuasive advocate, who matches his very good understanding of the law with considerable skill in presenting facts.' 
Leslie Thomas KCGarden Court Chambers 'He is a fantastic trial advocate, excellent at cross examination and appeals to juries. He has excellent client care skills and is a pleasure to work with. He is enthusiastic, hard- working and has great analytical skills.'
Victoria Wakefield KCBrick Court ChambersVery personable and responsive. Astute on the law and commercially focused.
Marc Willers KCGarden Court Chambers 'Stunning in all aspects of the work. Complete dedication to the cause. Goes above and beyond for all clients.'    
Rhodri Williams KCKeating ChambersVery approachable, excellent with paperwork and highly intelligent and thorough.
David Wolfe KCMatrix Chambers ‘David is an outstanding barrister. His intellectual ability is very apparent in the quality of work he delivers. He is decisive, extremely efficient and effective.'

2022 Silks

Jessica Boyd KCBlackstone ChambersVery well organized and meticulous attention to detail.'
Nicola Braganza KCGarden Court Chambers ‘Nicola is a real leader and innovator in her field. She is able to get the best out of even the most complex cases, and develop legal arguments very persuasively.’
Edward Brown KC - Essex Court ChambersClear in his advice and robust in his advocacy, he can present difficult arguments with skill and tenacity.
Jude Bunting KCDoughty Street Chambers 'Extremely knowledgeable and quick on his feet. Top of his game.'
Estelle Dehon KCCornerstone Barristers 'Estelle is very experienced and hugely knowledgeable in planning and environmental judicial review. The fact that she represents both claimants and defendants is a real strength.'
Laura Dubinsky KCDoughty Street Chambers ‘Laura is one of the best public law and human rights lawyers in the country, specialising in immigration law, immigration detention and the rights of people facing deportation after having been convicted of criminal offences.’
Zoë Leventhal KC – Matrix Chambers 'Cool and collected advocacy. Very persuasive and impressive under pressure. Excellent team player, approachable, willing to push the envelope and brilliant with clients.'    
Hanif Mussa KCBlackstone Chambers ‘Hanif is an outstanding legal mind. His promotion to Silk is richly deserved. He is meticulous in his attention to detail but also very strategically astute.’

2023 Silks

Katherine Apps KC39 Essex Chambers 'Incredibly bright with an exceptional breadth of legal knowledge.'    
Claire Darwin KCMatrix Chambers ‘Very clear written advocacy. Her oral advocacy is very impressive indeed - structured and persuasive.’ 
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KCMatrix ChambersBlinne is an outstanding human rights lawyer; she is fiercely intelligent, passionate and has a strong sense of justice.
Alex Goodman KC – Landmark Chambers ‘An excellent advocate who knows how to win cases. He has very sound judgement, extensive knowledge and is very good at managing judges.’    
Nicola Greaney KC39 Essex Chambers ‘Nicola is very good at the law, Judges respond well to advocacy and she is also good on the written submissions and arguments.'
Nadia Motraghi KCOld Square Chambers ‘An incredibly impressive senior junior. In the public law field, she is particularly strong on discrimination issues and regulatory disputes, but has the legal brain to be a formidable opponent in all sorts of public law cases.’ 
Fiona Paterson KC39 Essex Chambers 'Brilliant written and oral submissions. Very knowledgeable in this area of law. Is always fully engaged with a case, no matter how big or small the issue is.'   
Tom Richards KCBlackstone Chambers ‘Tom is an outstanding barrister. Intelligent, incredibly knowledgeable and extremely good with clients. He is a real pleasure to work with.'
Philip Rule KCNo5 Barristers' ChambersThe 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.

Leading Juniors

Edward CravenMatrix Chambers 'Superb lawyer, utterly unparalleled for his sheer breadth of knowledge and dedication to cases. An excellent advocate and a great team player.'    
Francis HoarField Court Chambers 'Strong analytical skills and understanding of relevant legislation cases and guidance which combines to produce strong clear advice written in a client friendly style.'
Christopher Knight11KBW 'Christopher has an invaluable understanding and insight into how public authorities operate and make decisions in practice.'
Patrick RocheGarden Court Chambers ‘Patrick has a commitment to securing justice for the most vulnerable clients that shines through every written argument and oral submission.'
Nick ArmstrongMatrix Chambers ‘Nick is a very determined barrister, who fights passionately on behalf of his clients. He backs this up with careful and detailed preparation. He has good judgement on tactical issues. His advocacy is focused and, when needed, unrelenting.’   
Malcolm Birdling - Brick Court ChambersSuperb drafting in complex legal cases and identifying the strongest points to run with.
Julian Blake11KBW ‘He has a first-class mind and his drafting is excellent. He is also great at instructing clients. He is clearly one of the leading public law juniors at the Bar.’
Steve Broach39 Essex Chambers ‘His advocacy is beautifully clear and persuasive; always immaculately prepared. He works collaboratively; he has a rare appreciation of the wider policy issues in a case.'
Tom Cross11KBW 'Tom is the go to junior for administrative law and human rights. He has a rare quality to hold an encyclopaedic knowledge.'
Catherine Dobson39 Essex Chambers ‘Very articulate, clear and composed practitioner, with excellent insight.'
Nikolaus GrubeckMonckton Chambers 'Nikolaus is a highly intellectual strategic thinker who approaches issues in a pragmatic way.'
Tim JohnstonBrick Court Chambers 'Tim's knowledge of the law in this area is excellent and is complemented by his highly industrious work ethic and crisp, clear drafting. He is also a formidable advocate who clearly has the ear of judges with his succinct submissions. Surely a star of the future.'
Anthony Jones4 New SquareAnthony is is fantastic. He is efficient, responsive, always available, hard working and exceptionally sharp. His written work is exceptional – always striking to the heart of issue with clarity and ease. He is diligent and meticulous, and utterly reliable.
Julianne Kerr MorrisonMonckton Chambers ‘Julianne is reliable, approachable, committed and determined. She cuts to the core of the legal issue and thinks creatively about complex cases.'    
Richard O"Brien  –4 New SquareRichard 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.
Naina PatelBlackstone Chambers ‘Naina is calm and collected in the context of frenetic litigation, ably leading a team while making complex strategic calls.' 
Vivienne Sedgley4-5 Gray’s Inn Square ‘Vivienne has exceptional legal skills and client care. She is able to immediately analyse and advise on complex legal matters in a manner that is clear and concise.'
Iain SteeleBlackstone Chambers ‘Extremely good drafting and very analytical. Tremendous work ethic.'    
Can Yeginsu3 Verulam Buildings 'Can is a persuasive advocate and calm head, who has encyclopaedic knowledge of the field of freedom of expression.'
Zahra Al-Rikabi - Brick Court ChambersA great team player and a fine drafter with sound judgement.
Jack Anderson39 Essex Chambers ‘Fantastically thorough and hard-working so that he finds the winning points that have escaped everyone else.'    
Tim BaldwinGarden Court Chambers 'A good, honest and dedicated barrister who is intelligent, studied and client-focused.'    
Natasha Barnes1 Crown Office Row ‘Superb written work. Excellent client skills. A very reliable team player.'    
Sasha BlackmoreLandmark Chambers 'Sasha is incredibly personable. She takes the time to discuss matters with instructing solicitors. She enjoys technically difficult cases and works well directly with clients.'    
Ruth BranderDoughty Street Chambers 'Wonderful with clients and very easy to work with.
Nicholas ChapmanTemple Garden ChambersUtterly delightful and completely charming. He has made an impressive move towards doing more civil and public law work.
Graham Denholm – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Graham is very bright and meticulous in his work. His judgement is excellent and he really brings worth to cases in terms of legal analysis.’
Raj DesaiMatrix Chambers ‘Raj is extremely thorough. A very approachable barrister with a massive heart for his clients.’   
Emma DixonBlackstone ChambersIncisive and clear thinking in the her approach to complex issues. Grasps the client’s concerns and always exceeds expectations combining strong professionalism with good people skills.
Katherine Eddy11KBW 'She's extremely responsive, bright and practical - a superstar junior.'
Joanna Evans25 Bedford Row 'Joanna is a leader in the field in international human rights law. She is an outstanding and fearless advocate for victims of human rights violations.' 
Piers GardnerMonckton Chambers 'Piers' legal work is meticulous and thorough. He has a comprehensive knowledge of ECHR law and is an excellent tactician.'    
David Heaton - Brick Court ChambersImpressively 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.
Leonie HirstDoughty Street Chambers ‘An excellent advocate. Her drafting is very persuasive and thorough. Able to see the big picture and get things done.'
Jack Holborn39 Essex Chambers 'Forceful turn of phrase in written advocacy. Very good client-handling skills.'   
Annabel Lee39 Essex Chambers 'Annabel is bright and incisive, getting to the heart of a problem quickly. She is good on papers and always prepares robust grounds in response to claims she is also very good with clients and the other parties.'
Sarah LoveBrick Court Chambers ‘Very clever and very user friendly. Offers insights beyond her years and contributes strongly to strategy discussions.' 
Paul LuckhurstBlackstone Chambers 'Paul is excellent with technical points of law. He is easy to work with and is very diligent and hardworking.'   
Shu Shin LuhDoughty Street Chambers ‘Shu Shin is frighteningly talented, with an impressive ability to handle exceptionally complex matters with ease and masterful attention to detail.'
Peter Mant39 Essex Chambers 'Peter's insight and instincts are superb and he is extremely 'user friendly'.'
Alison MeacherGatehouse Chambers 'Alison is incredibly thorough, hard-working and plain-speaking. She is quick to respond and listens carefully to her clients needs.'    
Ravi MehtaBlackstone Chambers ‘Ravi is 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.' 
Una MorrisGarden Court Chambers 'Very approachable, thoughtful, and good at lateral thinking.'    
Angela PatrickDoughty Street Chambers ‘Angela provides detailed, strategic and comprehensive advice. She is engaged at every stage of a case and is fantastic to work with.'
Jason PobjoyBlackstone Chambers ‘Jason provides fantastically clear advice. His drafting is terrific. Jason is insightful, hard-working and collegiate.'
Simon PritchardBlackstone Chambers ‘Very clear and concise. Always makes the key points brilliantly.'
Jennifer RobinsonDoughty Street Chambers 'Jennifer is a powerful advocate who harnesses the full power of the law for her clients. Not afraid to use the media and communications to amplify her cause, she is supremely gifted and a superstar in the making.'
Amy Rogers11KBW 'Extremely able. Clearly an expert in her field.'
Gerard RothschildBrick Court Chambers 'Gerard is very bright he has a first class brain, is very good with clients. His written work is excellent.'    
Sarah SackmanMatrix Chambers 'Sarah is really good with clients - personable, empathetic, warm. She writes well and has done great work on cases we have done together, marshalling complex facts and legal arguments.'
Paul SkinnerMatrix Chambers 'Paul is an excellent lawyer with a great perspective on the way that different areas of law interact. A very broad knowledge spanning all areas of public law.'    
Hannah Slarks11KBW ‘The epitome of a modern junior barrister. Highly intelligent, hard working and excellent with clients. A genuine specialist in her area.'
Julia SmythLandmark Chambers 'Delightful to work with, outstanding knowledge of the subject matter, and great judgment.'
Nick StanageDoughty Street Chambers ‘Nick is very strategic as a barrister. He quickly comes to a conclusion on the issues and plans a way forward.’   
Azeem SuterwallaMonckton Chambers 'Azeem has a first-class mind. His drafting skills are excellent. He is one of the barristers of choice (for both claimants and defendants) in high-profile public law matters.'    
Benjamin Tankel - 39 Essex ChambersA most impressive lawyer with a penetrating and subtle mind. He has an excellent understanding the need for restraint and economy of submission.
Rachel ToneyThe 36 Group ‘Rachel has a truly awesome ability to master a brief in diverse areas of practice. Her written advocacy is rapier sharp and highly persuasive. Moreover, she is completely fearless, works unbelievably hard and is extremely tactically astute.' 
Adam WagnerDoughty Street Chambers 'Adam is a future public law and human rights star. A really great asset.'
Sarah WilkinsonBlackstone Chambers 'An excellent public law junior with great drafting skills and fantastic attention to detail. An accomplished advocate who holds her own against far more senior silks.'
Ifeanyi OdogwuMatrix Chambers ‘Fantastic with clients - an excellent barrister.’
Victoria Ailes 6KBW ‘Brilliant analytical skills, excellent judgement, and superb client skills.’    
Michael Armitage Monckton Chambers ‘Mike is very collegiate and can turn round submissions and advice quickly and well.’    
Katherine Barnes39 Essex Chambers ‘Katherine is forthright and sets out her advice with great clarity. She has a brilliant attention to detail.’    
James Berry  – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers 'James is an excellent police and public law barrister who has outstanding analytical skills.'
Kate BoakesMatrix Chambers ‘Kate is brilliant and shows a quality beyond her years. She really gets stuck into the detail of a case (law and facts) and is bound to offer valuable insights and advice.’
Adam Boukraa39 Essex Chambers ‘He's brilliant - careful in his approach, yet practical and thorough. Easy to work with, likeable and knowledgeable.'
Grace Brown  – Garden Court Chambers 'Able to produce quick submissions and advocate well.'    
Tessa BuchananGarden Court Chambers ‘Tessa is a compelling advocate, always backing up arguments advanced and often relied on by the judge to get to the core of the issues and to apply the correct legal principles.'
Joanna BuckleyMatrix Chambers 'Able to apply complex law to novel and complex situations and to succinctly set out her argument in a comprehensive, readable way.' 
Michelle Butler Matrix Chambers 'Michelle is an absolutely superb barrister with huge experience in and knowledge of international human rights law. She is utterly principled and fearless always providing sound and robust advice. She drafts beautifully, with clarity and precision.'    
Daniel CashmanBlackstone Chambers ‘Exceptionally bright and hard working. Super responsive - an absolute star junior in the public law space.' 
Daniel Clarke Doughty Street Chambers 'Very thorough and responsive. Very knowledgeable on procedure.'
Ronnie Dennis11KBW 'Great attention detail whilst at the same time seeing the bigger picture.'
Alexander Dos SantosSerjeants’ Inn Chambers 'Tenacious, intelligent, and uses understatement wonderfully to make his points.'    
Nicholas GibsonMatrix Chambers 'Nicholas is a stellar advocate, enormously bright, endlessly available and committed to the cause. His written advocacy is sensational, and is sharp and persuasive on his feet.'
Leon GlenisterLandmark Chambers 'Leon is approachable, friendly and very clear. His written work is exceptional and he is extremely clever and knowledgeable.'
Owen Greenhall  – Garden Court Chambers 'Owen is an excellent barrister with a detailed knowledge of protest law, who understands the field more widely and has acute insights in the issues arising.'
Raza Halim Garden Court Chambers 'Hardworking and committed junior, with excellent knowledge of asylum and immigration matters.'    
Joshua Hitchens  – Outer Temple Chambers ‘Very bright and imaginative barrister with a great future.’
Bijan HoshiGarden Court Chambers 'Extremely dedicated and hardworking. Comprehensive knowledge of the law and excellent judgment.'    
Cecilia Ivimy11KBW ‘The epitome of a modern junior barrister. Highly intelligent, hard working and excellent with clients. A genuine specialist in her area.’   
Jessica JonesMatrix Chambers ‘The quality of her written work, advocacy, judgment and knowledge of the law is silk-level. She is the best junior public law barrister of her time. Jessica is definitely a future silk.'    
Arianna Kelly –39 Essex Chambers ‘Arianna is extremely reliable and responsive – she replies with lightning speed and is always there to help, no matter what other pressures she is under. She is a highly knowledgeable and talented advocate.’
Nicola Kohn39 Essex Chambers 'Superb technical knowledge, authoritative, very responsive. An excellent advocate who is always in control and is respected by the judiciary.'   
Stephen Kosmin11KBW ‘Stephen is extremely bright. He is always well prepared and his is advice is robust.'
David LemerDoughty Street Chambers ‘David does a great job at identifying the potential grounds of challenge in unusual and tricky judicial reviews. His advice is clear and realistic.’
Jonathan Lewis  - Monckton Chambers ‘Jonathan is a hard working and knowledgeable public law practitioner who works for a range of clients.’
Emily MacKenzieBrick Court Chambers ‘Emily is exceptionally bright, practical and hard working. A pleasure to work with.'
Jennifer MacLeodBrick Court Chambers 'Superlative, both in written submissions and when on her feet. Excellent tactical approach.'
Conor McCarthyMonckton Chambers 'Conor is excellent with matters of general public law and always willing to think outside the box, often coming up with creative solutions.'    
Gráinne Mellon Garden Court Chambers 'She is an extremely talented and knowledgeable barrister, as well as someone who has stepped in on cases at the very last minute with no reduction in the quality of the work.'
George Molyneaux  – Blackstone Chambers ‘George is extremely helpful and especially quick to come up with new ideas and strategies.’    
Jesse NichollsMatrix Chambers 'Very reliable, extremely knowledgeable on all aspects of human rights claims within damages claims against public bodies, very collegiate and good to work with, problem solving approach.'    
Katherine O’ByrneDoughty Street Chambers 'Extremely intelligent and committed. Focused and effective analysis. Very calm and authoritative advocate. Very perceptive and adaptable to judicial insight and to developments during advocacy.'
Rupert Paines11KBW 'Very flexible and organised. Willing to express a hard view but is prepared to discuss as he is works collaboratively.'
Celia RooneyBlackstone Chambers 'Celia has always demonstrated her analytical ability when instructed. She has shown she is able to sift through complex case histories of client matters to uncover relevant factual matrices which aids her effective representation of clients.'
Nina Ross  – 12 King's Bench Walk ‘Nina is very thorough and is a safe pair of hands. She looks at all possible angles.’
Robert Strang3 Hare Court ‘He is an outstanding and meticulous barrister who understands how the courts think and what will persuade judges.'    
Tom Tabori39 Essex Chambers 'Tom is extremely gifted and intelligent and he is very diligent. He is committed and really cares about his cases so that he will spend a lot of time and effort reviewing everything to make sure he gives the client a fair chance.'
Jennifer Thelen  – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Jennifer has extensive experience in acting in public law cases for both central government departments and local authorities. She has a huge capacity for hard work and her turnaround rate is quick and superb.’
Jacob Turner Fountain Court Chambers 'Jacob works quickly and efficiently, and to an exceptional standard. His advocacy skills are excellent.'
Yaaser VandermanLandmark Chambers 'Yaaser is exceptionally bright and assimilates instructions and information extremely quickly.'
Anthony Vaughan –Doughty Street Chambers ‘Tony is a superb leading junior. He has excellent knowledge of immigration and public law. His questioning is razor sharp and incisive.’

Rising Stars

Khatija Hafesji  – Monckton Chambers 'Khatija is a dedicated barrister with knowledge beyond her call. She is already very well respected by her peers and is a regular 'go-to' junior barrister for children's rights cases.'
Isabel BuchananBlackstone Chambers ‘She is really clear in the advice she gives. She is creative and great at problem solving, especially when thinking about solutions for impecunious clients. She is thorough and her drafting is spot-on.    
Jen Coyne11KBW 'Hugely bright.' 
Freya Foster – Henderson Chamber 'Freya is meticulous, sharp-minded and quite brilliant on the details of a big case while still maintaining the ability to take a step back and take a broad, tactical approach.'    
Emma Foubister – Matrix Chambers 'Emma is an excellent lawyer, with really good attention to detail and an impressive knowledge of discrimination law. She is responsive, proactive and has amazing dedication.'
Daniel Isenberg11KBW 'A very good academic lawyer who is great to work with.'
Ruth Kennedy – 11KBW ‘Ruth is a diligent and exceptionally hard-working junior barrister with a formidable work ethic and attention to detail. She is a real rising star in the field of administrative law.’
Siân McGibbon4-5 Gray’s Inn Square ‘Sian is very sharp. She is excellent at using public law principles to craft a winning strategy in difficult cases.’
Scarlett Milligan – 39 Essex Chambers 'Scarlett is simply superb! Amazing advocate, great personality with clients and just an absolute pleasure to work with.'
Emma MockfordBrick Court Chambers 'Goes above and beyond for her clients. Very well prepared, and judges warm well to her. Very easy to work with.' 
Ollie Persey – Garden Court Chambers 'Very good on strategic litigation, discrimination and judicial review.'
Imogen ProudMonckton Chambers ‘Imogen is exceptionally dedicated and hardworking, always calm and pleasant to work with, and her written advocacy is first rate.'    
Sophie Walker One Pump Court 'Sophie is a diligent advocate who gives her all to each and everyone of her clients.' 
Juliet Wells – Temple Garden Chambers ‘Juliet’s advice is clear and thorough. Her written submissions are excellent.’

Administrative law and human rights in London Bar

39 Essex Chambers

39 Essex Chambers is thought of by one client as a ’leading chambers for health and social care cases, including judicial reviews.’ The set is known best for its government work, including instructions on closed material proceedings, but is not exclusively focussed on GLD instructions. ‘Fair and considered’ barrister Rory Dunlop KC acted for the Secretary of State in R (Challis) v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, a challenge to the government’s decision to operate a cut-off date to the Skipton Fund, a scheme of ex-gratia payments to those affected by the contaminated blood scandal. Katherine Apps KC, an ‘incredibly bright’ barrister with ‘an exceptional breadth of legal knowledge’, is regularly involved in high-profile public law litigation, such as that relating to COVID-19. Steve Broach is an expert on the law regarding children with special educational needs. He was recently involved in two judicial reviews for Article 39, a group which campaigns for children in institutionalized settings, the latter in 2022 concerning placements of children by councils in unregulated settings. Crossing over with the set’s expertise in health care law and Court of Protection work, members of chambers often represent clients in complex medical treatment and right to die cases.

Testimonials

Set

’39 Essex is the ‘go to’ set for public law issues. They have a solid team of skilled counsel at all levels.’

‘The barrister team is strong across all the practice areas covered in chambers, and at all levels of seniority. They regularly go the extra mile to deliver excellent work under considerable pressure of time.’

‘Huge strength in depth, lots of talented juniors. Very strong set.’

‘A leading chambers for health and social care cases, including judicial review and Court of Protection.’

Clerking

‘The clerking team sets them apart from other chambers. If they say they will call you back then they do – later that same day.’

‘Excellent. Peter Campbell deserves special mention – he is incredibly hard working, responsible and reliable.’

Blackstone Chambers

With strength in depth across the board in civil liberties, human rights, administrative law and public law, Blackstone Chambers is a ‘go-to set for work with an administrative law-human rights-commercial cross-over,’ and the work is often extremely high profile. Providing public law advice in a commercial context is a real strength of the set. Standout silks include ‘first class barrister and advocateLord Pannick KC, and Sir James Eadie KC who as the Treasury Devil is the government’s first-choice external barrister. Sir James recently led Celia Rooney   in P v The Crown Court at WoolwichSenior Presiding Judge for England and Wales, and the Lord Chancellor, acting for the Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales and others in an administrative court challenge concerning the extension of custody time limits in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘Absolute star junior in the public law spaceDaniel Cashman is regularly instructed in litigation in other areas for his public law expertise on top of his judicial review practice, at times operating as sole counsel.

Testimonials

Set

‘The go-to set for work with an administrative/human rights/commercial cross-over. Phenomenal bench of highly talented juniors and junior silks supporting some of the big names in the area.’    

‘Blackstone Chambers is a superb set – which is probably the best in the business for public law cases. There is great strength in depth, from leaders in their field to more junior barristers.’    

‘Blackstone is a top public law set with exceptional barristers who work on high profile cases.’ 

‘Blackstone is the go-to set for public work, with significant strength in depth. Counsel and clerks are available whenever required.’    

Clerking

‘The clerks are extremely attentive and easy to work with.’

‘The clerks are efficient and friendly.’    

11KBW

11KBW is described as a ‘very good public law chambers, with great understanding of health law issues’. ‘Clear-eyed and calm’ advocate Jason Coppel KC is representing the claimants in R (Gardner) v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, a challenge the Government’s policies regarding protection of care homes during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the absence of recommendations about generalized use of PPE and the discharge of patients in to care homes without mandatory testing or isolation. On the junior side, Christopher Knight recently acted for the Home Secretary in R (Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, utilising his ‘insight into how public authorities operate’ in an extremely high-profile claim concerning Prince Harry's protection arrangements when he is in the United Kingdom as a non-working royal who is resident abroad.

Testimonials

Set

‘They excel in cases which mix public law with commercial law/considerations.’

‘High quality set for public law matters that has strength in depth and is incredibly user friendly and supportive.’

’11KBW is a ‘go-to’ chambers for public law issues.’    

Clerking

‘The clerks room has been highly competent, accessible and quick to assist and advise on suitability and availability of counsel. Chris Smith has been an outstanding individual.’    

’11KBW clerks are very responsive.’

‘Very helpful and good communication. Gave clear costs estimates and work was always done on time.’

Brick Court Chambers

‘Stacked full of talented barristers’ one of Brick Court Chambers‘ key strengths is its strength in depth and array of at both silk and junior level. The set is known for public law work in a more commercial context, as well as representation of highly-respected NGOs as claimants. ‘Very strategic’ silk Paul Bowen KC has appeared in the High Court many times and recently represented the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants in a challenge to the Home Office’s failure to monitor applications to the EU Settlement Scheme by Equality Act protected characteristics. Another barrister of note with a varied practice is James McClelland KC, a standout mandate of whose in 2021 was R (Donegan) v Financial Services Compensation, a judicial review against the FSCS’s decision to refuse compensation to victims of the collapse of London Capital & Finance – he led Tim Johnston and Charlotte Thomas.

Testimonials

Set

‘Outstanding public law team – stacked full of talented barristers. Would be a go to chambers for commercial judicial review.’    

‘Extremely strong on public law.’    

‘They are a very well regarded set.’    

Clerking

‘They are cooperative and helpful.’

‘Efficient and courteous.’   

‘Jo Francis is brilliant and she has been a joy to work.’

Matrix Chambers

Barristers at Matrix Chambers are referred to by instructing solicitors as ‘the premier go-to barristers’ chambers with some of the brightest barristers in human rights’, and the set enjoys a strong reputation in public law generally. Clients for the set include government departments and local authorities, but the set is best known for its claimant work, including for individuals and campaign groups. This is an area of expertise for junior Jessica Jones, whose ‘knowledge of the law is silk-level’. Jesse Nicholls appeared in R (Turner) v Secretary of State for the Work and Pensions in a case concerning the death of Errol Graham, a man suffering from mental health difficulties who starved to death in his flat after his benefit payments ceased because he did not engage with a review of his eligibility for Employment Support Allowance.

Testimonials

Set

‘The premier go-to barristers’ chambers with some of the brightest barristers in human rights.’

‘Matrix is a really tremendous chambers. Hugely hard-working barristers, very user-friendly, a real client-focused approach. This is from the clerks right the way through to the most senior silk.’

‘Matrix are an excellent set with strength at every level of seniority.’

Clerking

‘They are always helpful and efficient.’

‘The clerks are amongst the best in the business.’

‘The clerks provide an excellent service.’

1 Crown Office Row

1 Crown Office Row is a ‘high-quality public law chambers on the government side’ – including a number of Special Advocates – but is also increasing being instructed on the claimant side. ‘Clever and hard-working’ Junior Natasha Barnes has experience of cases involving national security and the intelligence agencies. In 2021 she appeared unled in the Court of Appeal for the Secretary of State for the Home Department in R (Mostafa Shahi) v SSHD, an appeal case examining whether a grant of interim relief should be treated as success for the purposes of granting judicial review claim costs to a claimant where the claim settles before substantive determination by the court.

Testimonials

Set

‘Very high quality public law chambers on the government side.’    

‘1 Crown Office Row is a very experienced set and often at the forefront of difficult and ground-breaking litigation.’    

‘The Chambers is highly respected as the barristers are very experienced in their individual areas of law.’    

Clerking

‘Good and professional.’

Doughty Street Chambers

Doughty Street Chambers is a ‘top-notch’ chambers for claimant lawyers, a set focused on representing individuals and companies in public law cases against the state, particularly cases at the intersection of immigration and public law. This is embodied by Shu Shin Luh , who works on issues relating to nationality including the rights of migrants and victims of trafficking. She recently appeared at the Administrative Court in R (NB and Ors) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, a case concerning the use of the derelict former Napier Barracks site to house vulnerable and destitute asylum seekers. Edward Fitzgerald KC, whose expertise crosses over with criminal matters and is active in human rights matters concerning smaller jurisdictions, appeared before the Privy Council in February 2021 in Day and Bush v The Attorney General of the Cayman Islands , a case concerning the absence of same-sex marriage or civil partnerships in the British Overseas Territory.

Testimonials

Set

‘Doughty Street always remains one of the sets that is claimant focused. They attract many of the brightest and most passionate counsel.’    

‘Doughty Street are a top notch chambers filled with stellar brains. They are extremely bright, creative and tenacious.’   

‘A fantastic set of barristers.’

Clerking

‘The clerks are approachable, efficient and provide instructing solicitors with everything that one could ask for.’   

‘The clerks are very helpful.’ 

‘The clerks room is efficient and responsive.’

Garden Court Chambers

The claimant-focused team of barristers at Garden Court Chambers is, ‘renowned for civil liberties and human rights’ challenges against all public authorities. Marc Willers KC is leading a team from chambers in Duarte Agostinho v Portugal, a European Court of Human Rights complaint brought by a group of Portuguese children backed by an Irish campaign group alleging that that numerous signatory states are violating various convention rights (including Articles 2, 8, 14 and Article 1 Protocol 1) by not introducing further measures to reduce carbon emissions.

Testimonials

Set

‘Garden Court is at the pinnacle of human rights work. That has not changed this year. The set fights fearlessly to give people a voice.’

‘Garden Court are an excellent set with good availability of high calibre counsel, who they have in abundance.’

‘Garden Court have an incredible strength-in-depth and are able to offer counsel at very short notice.’    

Clerking

‘In my experience, Garden Court’s clerks are always reliable, helpful and communicative.’

‘The clerks play an essential cog-in-the-wheel role for the chambers. They understand the importance of the work involved and are able to go above and beyond for the cases.’

‘The clerks are responsive and always respond to queries in a timely manner and ensure appropriate Counsel is identified depending on the nature of the challenge.’   

Landmark Chambers

Considered a ‘a strong public law set’, Landmark Chambers often appear in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal in an even amount of claimant and defendant work, particularly within civil liberties and human rights. ‘Persuasive and astuteSamantha Broadfoot KC recently appeared in Savvas Halloumas v Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, a judicial review in the sovereign base areas concerning the British government’s enforcement (or lack thereof) of land ownership rights in the base area asserted by a Greek Cypriot but allegedly occupied by Turkish Cypriots. David Blundell KC appeared in R (Manchester Airports Holdings Ltd) v Secretary of State for Transport in 2021, acting for the Secretary of State in this judicial review challenging the "traffic light" system of travel restrictions imposed by the British government during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a "red list" of countries which persons returning from were detained in quarantine hotels at their own expense.

Testimonials

Set

‘Landmark are an exceptional chambers with enormous strength in public/administrative law. Their strength at the senior end has been reinforced recently.’

‘Excellent. Counsel adopt a very flexible approach which is realistic, timely and considerate of the client’s schedules/pressures.’    

‘Landmark is a very strong administrative law set with excellent senior and junior counsel.’

Clerking

‘Ben O’Connor is very good and has a friendly and helpful manner.’    

‘The clerks are friendly and responsive and do not overcommit barristers. An absolute pleasure to deal with.’

‘They work extremely hard and come back to us very quickly. They work hard to identify other options if the chosen barrister is not available.’    

Monckton Chambers

Monckton Chambers has ‘considerable expertise in admin and human rights law’ especially in commercial regulatory judicial review claims in and high–profile public interest and civil liberties challenges. ‘Bright, strategic, and calm advocateTim Ward KC is joint head of chambers and his practice in this area focuses on public law actions against commercial regulators. In 2021, the set has seen a significant increase in its portfolio of domestic human rights cases. Piers Gardner has vast experience in this area and recently acted in Fixsler v UK, leveraging his ‘comprehensive knowledge of ECHR law’ in an application to ECtHR for interim relief to prevent the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment to a girl who suffered catastrophic brain injuries at birth and was found by medical experts to be in consistent pain; the parents, both Hasidic Jews, proposed to transport her to Israel for care there.

Testimonials

Set

‘Monckton Chambers have considerable expertise in admin and public law.’

‘Monckton are one of the ‘go-to’ chambers for some public law work, particularly in relation to challenges against local authorities and the Home Office. They offer a range of highly experience counsel.’

‘They are a renowned chambers in the public law field, particularly for matters where advice is needed on both administrative law and competition law.’   

Clerking

‘Good and personal approach.’   

‘Gemma is very good.’

‘The clerks are prompt and responsive.’

4-5 Gray's Inn Square

4-5 Gray’s Inn Square is a noteworthy set in this space, and houses Vivienne Sedgley who has worked extensively for public bodies, including the local government, Government Legal Department, and HMRC. Notable cases for Sedgley include successfully representing the London Borough of Newham in R (Democracy Newham Limited) v LB Newham, a case relating to novel point of law under emergency coronavirus legislation, in which campaigners attempted to unseat the Mayor by forcing a referendum on an alternative governance model without that position.

Testimonials

Set

‘4-5 Grays Inn Square is a solid set who can be relied upon; regardless of the matter one can be guaranteed to receive the same level of excellence across the board.’

‘The set comprises of many counsel (including leading Counsel) in the area of administrative law and human rights practice.’

Clerking

‘The clerks’ room is reflective of the ethos of the chambers; being both skilled and trustworthy.’

‘The clerks are always so helpful and in particular Emily Martin and Stephen Somerville both of whom have gone over and above to assist when we have an urgent case.’

The clerks at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square are fantastic. They are very friendly, personable, polite and easy to get along with. They are also very efficient and organised.’ 

Cornerstone Barristers

Cornerstone Barristers ‘hosts a number of very good barristers in this area’ advising both private and public sector organisations involved in public law cases. Members regularly appear in a variety of courts in high profile cases of strategic importance. Philip Coppel KC acted in Heathrow Airport Limited v Information Commissioner, a case examining whether Heathrow Airport is a “public authority” for the purposes of the environmental information regime.

Testimonials

Set

‘Cornerstone hosts quite a number of very good barristers in this area.’    

Clerking

‘Always responsive and easy to work with.’