Back to United Kingdom - The Bar

Administrative Law And Human Rights

Matrix Chambers

Doughty Street Chambers

Garden Court Chambers

Leading Silks

Phillippa Kaufmann KC – Matrix Chambers

Edward Fitzgerald CBE KC –Doughty Street Chambers 'His legal arguments are flawless and persuasive. Clients are blown away by his performance in court.'

Richard Drabble KC –Landmark Chambers

Sir James Eadie KC – Blackstone Chambers

Timothy Otty KC –Blackstone Chambers ‘A silk with a brain the size of a planet, with charm and humour to match.'

Lord Pannick KC – Blackstone Chambers ‘A wonderful leader who commands instant respect.’

Dinah Rose KC –Blackstone Chambers 'Dinah is an iconic presence: strong, clear-thinking, precise.'

Jessica Simor KC –Matrix Chambers 'Jessica has a deep understanding of administrative and public law. A brilliant advocate, she has the ear of the court and knows how to present arguments in a way which means they are heard.'

Paul Bowen KC –Brick Court Chambers

'Paul is excellent in providing well thought out, persuasive and authoritative advice. He is strong on human rights matters.'

Samantha Broadfoot KC –Landmark Chambers 'A forensic advocate and a good strategist.'

Monica Carss-Frisk KC –Blackstone Chambers 'Monica is a serene presence in court and always commands the attention of her tribunal.'

Jason Coppel KC –11KBW ‘A fantastic advocate: unassuming, with laser-like intelligence.'

Philip Coppel KC –Cornerstone Barristers

Charlie Cory-Wright KC –39 Essex Chambers 'Charlie is an outstanding advocate who is clear, engaging and persuasive.'

Kate Gallafent KC –Blackstone Chambers 'A compelling advocate, who gets into the real details of the case and is great with clients.'

Nigel Giffin KC –11KBW

James Goudie KC –11KBW

Tom Hickman KC –Blackstone Chambers 'A stand-out public lawyer. He is incredibly impressive on his feet and his advocacy is fearless.'

Karon Monaghan KC –Matrix Chambers 'She provides solid, practical advice, and is a phenomenal advocate, one judges listen to because she is thoughtful, convincing, and logical.'

Fenella Morris KC –39 Essex Chambers 'Fenella has intellectual rigour, and she can think through a thorny issue and provide advice with great clarity.'

Helen Mountfield KC –Matrix Chambers

Tim Owen KC –Matrix Chambers ‘Tim is a solid legal rock. He is a formidable barrister who is respected by the court. His ability to cut through and identify the key issues to focus on is outstanding.'

Jenni Richards KC –39 Essex Chambers 'Jenni is just what you hope to get when instructing a silk: she is very persuasive on her feet, and has spot-on judgement when it comes to strategy.'

Jemima Stratford KC –Brick Court Chambers

'She is highly collaborative and a brilliant advocate.'

Ian Wise KC –Monckton Chambers 'A silk who builds great rapport with both client and court.'

Robin Allen KC –Cloisters

David Blundell KC –Landmark Chambers 'David is an expert in administrative law. He is calm, articulate, and very persuasive in the court room. He creates authoritative and compelling arguments.'

Victoria Butler-Cole KC –39 Essex Chambers 'She is very responsive and is also fantastic at thinking creatively to find ways to unpick difficult and seemingly intractable problems.'

Ben Collins KC – Old Square Chambers ‘Ben is an experienced silk, with good technical knowledge and an engaging style of advocacy. He has the confidence of the court.’

John Cooper KC –25 Bedford Row

Jonathan Crow KC –4 Stone Buildings

Marie Demetriou KC –Brick Court Chambers

'Even under pressure, Marie manages to present calm, well reasoned and clear arguments.'

Clair Dobbin KC – Three Raymond Buildings ‘Her advocacy is mesmerising and powerful. A wonderful practitioner.’

Gerry Facenna KC –Monckton Chambers 'Gerry is highly intelligent, and good at condensing complex issues into compelling points.'

Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC –Doughty Street Chambers 'Caoilfhionn is a formidable barrister - a standout silk for her expertise in public and human rights law.'

Jonathan Glasson KC –Matrix Chambers 'A silk with high-quality strategic judgement and a great client manner.'

Sam Grodzinski KC –Blackstone Chambers ‘A very approachable silk with a strategic mind and a meticulous eye for detail.'

Ivan Hare KC –Blackstone Chambers ‘Ivan is a very effective advocate. He has great insight.'

Stephanie Harrison KC –Garden Court Chambers 'An excellent advocate who is assiduous about her cases.'

Jonathan Hough KC –4 New Square ‘Jonathan is completely unflappable. He is extremely user-friendly and a rare combination of robustness and empathy. He has an incredible eye for detail and leaves no stone unturned for clients.’

Raza Husain KC –Matrix Chambers 'Raza is an articulate and powerful advocate.'

Ben Jaffey KC –Blackstone Chambers

Schona Jolly KC –Cloisters 'A compelling advocate in court. She is fiercely intelligent, passionate and has an authoritative command of her brief.'

Hugo Keith KC –Three Raymond Buildings 'Hugo is fiercely bright and extremely hard working. His advice focuses on the nub of the issue. Impressive in the court room.'

Maya Lester KC –Brick Court Chambers

'Maya has a quiet authority founded upon a keen intellect.'

Richard Lissack KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘He brings a calm and confident approach to high-stakes litigation, which is very reassuring for clients. His style is super smooth and he comes into his own in the courtroom with powerful and eloquent submissions.’

Alison Macdonald KC – Essex Court Chambers

Thomas de la Mare KC –Blackstone Chambers 'A force of nature fizzing with new ideas and energetic advocacy.'

James Maurici KC – Landmark Chambers ‘A pragmatic and approachable silk.’

Angus McCullough KC –1 Crown Office Row 'Special mention must go to Angus McCullough KC as the pre-eminent Special Advocate in this field.'

Anthony Metzer KC –Goldsmith Chambers 'A silk with a dynamic approach to his cases.'

Julian Milford KC –11KBW 'Julian is an amicable silk who is methodical when providing advice.'

Jonathan Moffett KC –11KBW 'An engaging advocate: cerebral, insightful and diligent.'

Clare Montgomery KC –Matrix Chambers ‘Clare is assured, incredibly bright and razor-sharp.’

Leigh-Ann Mulcahy KC –Fountain Court Chambers 'Leigh-Ann is absolutely wonderful to work with. Her judgement is perfect; she is excellent with clients; she is brilliantly clever; and she gets the best out of a team.'

Robert Palmer KC –Monckton Chambers 'Robert is outstanding - a brilliant advocate. He is respected by judges and opponents alike.'

Tom Poole KC – 3 Hare Court 'Tom is sharp and has great attention to detail. His advocacy commands the room.'

Thomas Roe KC –3 Hare Court

Ian Rogers KC –Monckton Chambers 'Ian provides prompt, helpful and practical advice, and is very user-friendly.'

Dan Sarooshi KC –Essex Court Chambers 'A persuasive advocate and trusted adviser.'

James Segan KC –Blackstone Chambers 'James is charming, succinct and respected by the judiciary. His delivery is smooth and assured.'

Clive Sheldon KC –11KBW ‘A painstaking and thorough advocate. Courts like him.'

Hugh Southey KC –Matrix Chambers 'Hugh is a key player in human rights law. He is completely on top of the facts and knows the case law inside out.'

Daniel Squires KC –Matrix Chambers ‘A first-class advocate with extensive experience at the forefront of human rights law.'

Daniel Stilitz KC - 11KBW

Tim Ward KC –Monckton Chambers

Martin Westgate KC –Doughty Street Chambers 'A great communicator, with an amazing ability to explain difficult legal principles in clear terms.'

Amanda Weston KC –Garden Court Chambers 'Amanda is thoroughly committed and fearless in advancing her clients' interests.'

Jonathan Auburn KC – 11KBW 'A reliable and diligent silk.'

Alex Bailin KC –Matrix Chambers 'A hands-on leader, and a well prepared, confident and agile advocate.'

Charles Banner KC –Keating Chambers 'A silk with a lateral approach to solving legal challenges.'

Kieron Beal KC –Blackstone Chambers 'A superb, unfazed advocate who always has the ear of the court.'

Tim Buley KC –Landmark Chambers

Jamie Burton KC – Doughty Street Chambers 'Jamie is incredibly bright, good with vulnerable clients, very detailed in his analysis and leaves no stone unturned. He is an excellent orator and advocate, calm yet incredibly persuasive.'

Christopher Buttler KC – Matrix Chambers 'A stellar advocate. He has an impressive ability to make complex arguments punchy and accessible.'

Catherine Callaghan KC –Blackstone Chambers ‘She is accurate, methodical and tenacious in court.'

Chloe Carpenter KC –Fountain Court Chambers 'Chloe is deeply impressive. She quickly identifies the best strategy and then pro-actively drives her client's case forward. Her written and oral advocacy is persuasive and forceful.'

Rory Dunlop KC –39 Essex Chambers ‘A superb strategist and leader.'

Shaheed Fatima KC –Blackstone Chambers ‘A first-class, exceptionally bright leader.'

Danny Friedman KC –Matrix Chambers 'He is tireless in his determination to get to the heart of an issue and to unpick complex legal challenges. He is thoughtful and collegiate in his approach and cares deeply about the needs of his lay clients. His advocacy is eloquent and forceful.'

Manjit Gill KC – No5 Barristers' Chambers 'A silk with amazing legal knowledge and an analytical eye.'

Sarah Hannett KC - Matrix Chambers 'Sarah's grounds are always clear and concise, her advice sensitive and perceptive and most importantly, realistic. She is also incredibly knowledgeable.'

Javan Herberg KC –Blackstone Chambers

Richard Honey KC – Francis Taylor Building 'Richard is a responsive and highly organised silk.'

Ben Juratowitch KC – Essex Court Chambers 'Ben is very well versed in the intricacies of the European Court of Human rights and his advocacy is uparalleled.'

Charlotte Kilroy KC –Blackstone Chambers 'A true fighter in every sense of the word.'

Samantha Knights KC –Matrix Chambers 'Samantha's approach is clear and sensible, but she also seeks to identify novel approaches which might assist the client.'

Peter Knox KC –3 Hare Court 'He is a master of every brief. Knows the law inside out. He knows the judges well and how to handle them. He is a brilliant advocate and a top performer in the court room.'

Tom Little KC – Deka Chambers 'Tom has a natural confidence that quickly impresses itself upon the court.'

James McClelland KC –Brick Court Chambers

'An incisive thinker.'

Hugh Mercer KC –Essex Court Chambers

Sonali Naik KC –Garden Court Chambers 'Sonali is a tenacious advocate. She has a real breadth of experience to draw on and thinks strategically in legally novel and difficult cases. Very committed to her client base.'

Peter Oldham KC –11KBW 'An accessible silk who instills confidence in clients from the outset.'

Andrew O’Connor KC –Temple Garden Chambers

David Pievsky KC –Blackstone Chambers 'An incredibly insightful silk, who is tenacious in fighting his client's corner.'

Shaheen Rahman KC –1 Crown Office Row

Deok Joo Rhee KC –39 Essex Chambers

Oliver Sanders KC –1 Crown Office Row

Fiona Scolding KC –Landmark Chambers

Andrew Sharland KC –11KBW 'An intelligent and responsive advocate, who gauges the strength of the arguments well.'

James Strachan KC –39 Essex Chambers ‘James is a very impressive silk. Thoughtful and smooth in his presentation, he can disarm even the most hostile judge.'

Adam Straw KC –Doughty Street Chambers ‘He is quick to identify issues as they arise in litigation and able to respond with a robust strategy. He is always across the detail and very hands-on for a KC. He is excellent on his feet.’

Leslie Thomas KC –Garden Court Chambers

Victoria Wakefield KC –Brick Court Chambers

'Victoria has a brilliant intellect.'

Marc Willers KC –Garden Court Chambers ‘An inspiring silk with an amazing eye for detail.’

Ed Williams KC – Cloisters

David Wolfe KC –Matrix Chambers 'An energetic and creative leader who hits all the points succinctly.'

2022 Silks

Jessica Boyd KC –Blackstone Chambers ‘Jessica has forensic knowledge of the facts and an astute eye. She is absolutely fantastic in court.'

Edward Brown KC –Essex Court Chambers

Jude Bunting KC –Doughty Street Chambers 'Jude is a joy to work with. He brings an energy and enthusiasm which is hard to beat. He is razor sharp, a powerhouse of knowledge and an impressive advocate.'

Joanne Clement KC –11KBW 'An intellectual powerhouse who is superb on her feet.'

Estelle Dehon KC - Cornerstone Barristers 'A forceful, methodical advocate. Clients find her attentive and empathetic. Superb on her feet.'

Laura Dubinsky KC –Doughty Street Chambers 'She is tenacious, determined and brings passion to her work. Her demeanor in front of the court is calm, and her arguments analytical and cogent.'

Zoë Leventhal KC – Matrix Chambers 'A real star. She is incredibly thoughtful, yet practical, and is fantastic with clients. Her advocacy is persuasive and she is a brilliant negotiator.'

Hanif Mussa KC –Blackstone Chambers 'Hanif has a super brain, impeccable judgement and a great court manner - judges listen to him.'

Carine Patry – Landmark Chambers ‘Very client friendly, personable and approachable.‘

Galina Ward KC –Landmark Chambers 'Galina is a very calm, composed and assured silk. A safe pair of hands who has excellent judgement. The court trusts her.'

Leading Juniors

Edward Craven –Matrix Chambers 'An extraordinary force of nature. He has an incredible eye for detail and is great on his feet.'

Francis Hoar –Field Court Chambers

Anthony Jones –4 New Square 'Anthony is supremely bright. He is accessible and combines a colossal brain with an easy manner and charm. He inspires trust and can be relied upon to deliver.'

Christopher Knight –11KBW 'Christopher is quite simply the complete package. His written advocacy is stunning in its precision, brevity and craftsmanship. He is razor-sharp on both the details and the law.'

Brendan McGurk –Monckton Chambers 'An excellent advocate, extremely smooth and persuasive. His written work is also superb, with excellent drafting and clear, concise advice.'

Eric Metcalfe –Monckton Chambers 'He is very knowledgeable of the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights.'

Patrick Roche –Garden Court Chambers ‘Patrick is calm, knowledgeable and a shrewd tactician.'

Can Yeginsu – 3 Verulam Buildings 'Can is a natural advocate with the ear of the court. He is urbane, persuasive, and unflappable. Definitely a barrister for the difficult cases and the greatest pressure.'

Malcolm Birdling –Brick Court Chambers

'An exceptionally bright and articulate junior.'

Julian Blake –11KBW 'Julian is highly responsive and works well under pressure. He is approachable, pragmatic and has a reassuring manner which clients appreciate.'

Tom Cross –11KBW ‘Tom is impressive on his feet, and his advocacy is assured and compelling. Nothing throws him.'

Catherine Dobson –39 Essex Chambers 'Catherine is very conscientious. She is astute, and has an in-depth knowledge of administrative law.'

Heather Emmerson –11KBW 'Heather is a discerning and efficacious advocate.'

Nikolaus Grubeck –Monckton Chambers 'An extremely diligent junior who is brilliant with clients.'

Tim Johnston –Brick Court Chambers

'A junior with judgement and talent well beyond his year of call.'

Helen Law –Matrix Chambers 'Helen is simply superb. She has an incredible mind, she is strategic, and she is an amazing advocate.'

Paul Luckhurst –Blackstone Chambers 'A tremendous junior: intelligent, analytical and precise. Clients warm to him.'

Gráinne Mellon – Garden Court Chambers ‘She is a committed and resourceful practitioner, very talented and at ease with complex issues.’

Julianne Kerr Morrison –Monckton Chambers 'She is a fighter in every sense of the word, hugely committed to her clients and will always go the extra mile. She has a wealth of knowledge in the national security context.'

Richard O’Brien –4 New Square 'A vastly experienced senior junior with a particular focus on handling difficult government cases.'

Jane Oldham – 11KBW ‘She works hard, and provides thoughtful and practical advice while thinking through the implications of the longer game.’

Naina Patel –Blackstone Chambers 'An authoritative advocate, who is a huge asset to any team on a complex matter.'

Jason Pobjoy –Blackstone Chambers 'A real star: super bright, creative, incisive and so strategic.'

Vivienne Sedgley –4-5 Gray's Inn Square

Hannah Slarks –11KBW 'Her advocacy is sharply focused and compelling, and she is excellent at addressing difficult points raised by the judge.'

Julia Smyth –Landmark Chambers 'Julia is truly phenomenal. She combines a brilliant intellect and superior work ethic with a down-to-earth and approachable style that make her a dream to work with.'

Iain Steele –Blackstone Chambers 'A very solid senior junior.'

Adam Wagner –Doughty Street Chambers 'Adam has superb knowledge of human rights law. He is extremely incisive and a strong and effective advocate.'

Jack Anderson –39 Essex Chambers ‘He is very quick and very smart. Always calm under pressure.'

Tim Baldwin –Garden Court Chambers 'Tim is a brilliant barrister. He has an unerring ability to spot the best point to argue before the court. His advocacy style is calm and measured.'

Natasha Barnes –1 Crown Office Row

John Bethell - 11KBW 'An elegant and skillful advocate, who is very easy to work with.'

Grace Brown – Garden Court Chambers 'Grace is a passionate, highly knowledgeable and articulate barrister. Dedicated, approachable and very conscientious.'

Miranda Butler – Landmark Chambers ‘Miranda is brilliant. She is level headed and brings clarity to complex cases. A junior with excellent judgement.’

Joanne Cecil – Garden Court Chambers

Nicholas Chapman –Temple Garden Chambers 'A diligent and shrewd junior.'

Tom Coates - Blackstone Chambers 'Tom is incredibly bright. He remains calm, even in highly pressurised situations, and consistently delivers high quality advice at pace.'

Raj Desai –Matrix Chambers 'Raj is a superb barrister.'

Emma Dixon –Blackstone Chambers

Katherine Eddy –11KBW 'A well-prepared and compelling advocate, with a meticulous eye for detail and user-friendly with clients.'

Joanna Evans –25 Bedford Row

'An extremely talented lawyer. She is tenacious and very hard-working with a meticulous approach to her cases.'

Matthew Fraser – Landmark Chambers 'A very friendly junior, who is great at handling clients' expectations.'

Piers Gardner –Monckton Chambers 'He is excellent on human rights law.'

Owen Greenhall – Garden Court Chambers 'A brilliant advocate with an incredible mind.'

Raza Halim – Garden Court Chambers ‘He is highly knowledgeable in the field of immigration, asylum and human rights matters.'

David Heaton –Brick Court Chambers

'A conscientious junior.'

Kirsten Heaven –Garden Court Chambers

Alasdair Henderson –1 Crown Office Row 'A practical and responsive junior.'

Leonie Hirst –Doughty Street Chambers 'She is a formidable court advocate.'

Darryl Hutcheon - Matrix Chambers 'He is forensically prepared for court hearings and is great on his feet. He is quick thinking and rigorous in cross-examination.'

Arianna Kelly –39 Essex Chambers 'She is responsive, thoughtful, practical, empathetic, academic and meticulously well prepared. She is brave on her feet, argues difficult points elegantly and works tirelessly hard for her vulnerable clients.'

Ruth Kennedy – 11KBW ‘Ruth is fiercely intelligent and articulate - a master in her field.'

Annabel Lee –39 Essex Chambers 'A responsive junior who provides measured advice.'

Sarah Love –Brick Court Chambers

Shu Shin Luh –Doughty Street Chambers 'A brilliant strategic litigator with an innovative mind.'

Jackie McArthur – Essex Court Chambers

Claire McCann –Cloisters

Ravi Mehta –Blackstone Chambers 'An authoritative junior who quickly grasps complex ideas.'

George Molyneaux – Blackstone Chambers ‘George is phenomenally intelligent. He combines his superb technical ability with a very approachable manner.'

Robert Moretto –Old Square Chambers

Aaron Moss - 5 Essex Court 'He has great attention to detail, a thorough and up to date knowledge of the law, and a concise and objective style of advocacy which is ideal for representing public bodies.'

Rupert Paines –11KBW

Angela Patrick –Doughty Street Chambers 'Angela has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Article 2 case law and the tactical judgement to present that knowledge in an effective legal argument.'

Navid Pourghazi – Blackstone Chambers 'Navid is incredibly impressive. His advocacy is superb - clear, calm and compelling.'

Imogen Proud –Monckton Chambers 'Imogen’s attention to detail is a true credit to her. She impresses everyone in the courtroom, and is a fierce advocate, communicating her points clearly with ease.'

Jennifer Robinson –Doughty Street Chambers 'Like a Swiss Army knife, she is equipped for every scenario. Her clients love her.'

Amy Rogers –11KBW 'An outstanding junior, with excellent knowledge in the field of administrative law and human rights.'

Sarah Sackman – Matrix Chambers ‘Sarah is a fantastically energetic, creative and committed barrister. She really fights for her clients and is super on her feet.'

Paul Skinner –Matrix Chambers 'Paul is a clear and persuasive advocate who recognises and focusses on his best points.'

James Stansfeld - Matrix Chambers 'A brilliant junior who is a welcome addition to any team. He has an excellent command of the law.'

Azeem Suterwalla –Monckton Chambers 'A junior with a pragmatic approach; his advice is focussed and pragmatic. He has an excellent manner with clients.'

Benjamin Tankel –39 Essex Chambers 'He has a profound knowledge of case law. His advocacy is affable and persuasive.'

Rachel Toney –The 36 Group 'Rachel is an excellent strategist with great tactical nous to boot. She has a phenomenal ability to get to grips with highly complex materials.'

Jacob Turner – Fountain Court Chambers 'A junior with an incisive eye. He is focussed and highly intelligent.'

Yaaser Vanderman –Landmark Chambers 'A highly skilled advocate, conscientious and diligent.'

Sarah Wilkinson –Blackstone Chambers 'A junior who works incredibly hard and is an excellent advocate.'

Victoria Ailes - 6KBW College Hill 'She has outstanding written and oral advocacy, legal knowledge, judgement and client skills.'

Michael Armitage – Monckton Chambers 'A junior who provides very good, intelligible advice.'

Katie Ayres - Crown Office Chambers

Katherine Barnes –39 Essex Chambers ‘Katherine is extremely dedicated and diligent. She is always ready to provide excellent advice which exceeds her year of call.'

Joseph Barrett – 11KBW ‘He instinctively knows what arguments will work with the courts. First-class.’

Kate Boakes – Matrix Chambers

Isabel Buchanan –Blackstone Chambers ‘Isabel has a sharp legal mind. She is a fantastic communicator and provides top quality advice.'

Tessa Buchanan –Garden Court Chambers 'Tessa is such a pleasure to work with. She ensures she has grasped all the issues, is always on top of the evidence, and gives clear and well-thought-through advice.'

Joanna Buckley –Matrix Chambers 'A formidable advocate. She combines intellectual prowess and depth of knowledge in international human rights law with creative flair.'

Michelle Butler - Matrix Chambers

Daniel Cashman –Blackstone Chambers 'A superb junior.'

Ayesha Christie - Matrix Chambers 'Ayesha has a fearsome intellect. She has impressive attention to detail combined with excellent legal analysis.'

Paul Clark – Garden Court Chambers 'Paul is on top of the law and very approachable. He works exceptionally hard and is concise and consistent in his work. Clients like him as he is clear and empathetic.'

Daniel Clarke – Doughty Street Chambers 'Daniel is highly dedicated to his cases, effective on his feet and calm under pressure.'

Ronnie Dennis –11KBW 'Ronnie provides succinct advice and is an asset to the chambers.'

Emma Fitzsimons - Garden Court Chambers 'An amazing advocate with a clear and compelling style. She is very thorough, responsive and approachable.'

Leon Glenister –Landmark Chambers 'A very able and highly responsive judicial review lawyer well suited to complex commercial matters. He has a fluent, engaging and warm manner.'

Admas Habteslasie – Landmark Chambers ‘Admas is a stellar barrister. He is a forensic thinker with a sharp instinct for how the court will react to any argument. His knowledge of judicial review is second-to-none.’

Joshua Hitchens – Outer Temple Chambers

'A very astute junior who is committed to his clients.'

Bijan Hoshi –Garden Court Chambers ‘Bijan has impeccable judgement. He is diligent, extremely hard working and reliable.’

Saara Idelbi – 5 Essex Court 'Saara is intelligent, reliable, and good at building trust.'

Daniel Isenberg –11KBW 'A deep thinker who shines in advocacy.'

Cecilia Ivimy – 11KBW ‘An intellectually agile junior with excellent judgement.'

Natasha Jackson - Landmark Chambers

Paul Jarvis – 6KBW College Hill 'He combines an analytical eye with keen focus.'

Jessica Jones –Matrix Chambers 'A fiercely committed advocate. Her advice is crystal-clear and she is calm, clever and strategic. A fabulous junior.'

Tristan Jones –Blackstone Chambers 'A poised and smooth advocate.'

Stephen Kosmin –11KBW ‘A fantastic legal brain, who is sharp on the details and good with strategy and tactics.'

Peter Laverack - 5 Essex Court

David Lemer –Doughty Street Chambers 'A very intelligent junior with a real flair for strategic litigation.'

Jonathan Lewis – Monckton Chambers

David Lowe –Blackstone Chambers 'His advice is practical and helpful.'

Emily MacKenzie –Brick Court Chambers

'Emily has an incisive eye and is extremely hardworking.'

Jennifer MacLeod –Brick Court Chambers

'She is an intellectual force, able to turn to the most complex and novel areas with depth and deftness.'

Nabila Mallick – No5 Barristers' Chambers 'She fights her client's corner with skill and passion.'

Conor McCarthy –Monckton Chambers 'A diligent junior with good judgement.'

Catherine Meredith - Doughty Street Chambers 'She is incredibly committed to vulnerable clients and seeks to achieve results creatively.'

Scarlett Milligan – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Scarlett is exceptionally bright. She has a meticulous approach to getting to the bottom of very complex issues, and provides advice that is both legally and commercially sound.’

Maria Moodie - Garden Court Chambers 'She is tenacious and really goes above and beyond for the clients. She is always available and her advice is clear and succinct.'

Penelope Nevill –Twenty Essex

Jesse Nicholls – Matrix Chambers 'His advocacy is assured, graceful, confident and compelling. His written work is fantastic.'

Ifeanyi Odogwu –Matrix Chambers

Ruchi Parekh - Cornerstone Barristers 'Ruchi is a pleasure to work with. Her advice is careful, but to the point.'

James Robottom - Matrix Chambers 'James is wise beyond his years. He has fantastic tactical nous.'

Celia Rooney - Blackstone Chambers 'She is exceptionally good, both in writing and advocacy. Her knowledge of the law is outstanding, her judgement and tactics are that of someone with many years more seniority, and her advocacy is succinct and forceful.'

Nina Ross – 12 King's Bench Walk

Sarah Salmon - Cornerstone Barristers 'An incredibly able advocate who fights her client's corner hard.'

Amy Sander - Essex Court Chambers

Benjamin Seifert - 1 Crown Office Row ‘A junior with a direct style of advocacy.’

Emmanuel Sheppard – 3 Verulam Buildings 'He is very quick to see points and determined in chasing them down. He is an extremely hard-working and committed junior.'

Natasha Simonsen - Blackstone Chambers 'An absolute superstar. She is phenomenally bright, extremely creative and just lovely to work with.'

Michael Spencer - Doughty Street Chambers 'Michael is very thorough. He brings new insight and thoughtful points to cases, and is very considered in his approach. He has a great manner with clients, who easily put their trust in him.'

Christopher Staker – 39 Essex Chambers 'His advice has always been very on point, clear, well-researched, constructive and helpful.'

Robert Strang –3 Hare Court ‘He is a no-nonsense lawyer who is able to easily strip away all the frills and technicalities and get to the heart of the matter. He has a simple but effective style of advocacy and is able to easily navigate his way in the court room because he knows his case inside out.’

Tom Tabori –39 Essex Chambers 'A big brain who quickly sees the heart of the issue. He is very knowledgeable yet practical, and extremely approachable.'

Jennifer Thelen – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Jennifer is calm and reassuring. She is sharp-witted and provides timely advice.'

Colin Thomann - 39 Essex Chambers 'A junior with a super brain. He is wonderful to work with.'

Anthony Vaughan –Doughty Street Chambers ‘Talking to him about tactics in litigation is like a masterclass. He knows every angle to pursue.‘

Ewan West – Monckton Chambers 'A good team player who is extremely responsive and great with clients.'

Aidan Wills – Matrix Chambers 'Aidan has admirable and extensive knowledge and understanding of administrative and human rights law. He provides accessible advice to lay clients.'

Emily Wilsdon - 39 Essex Chambers 'Emily is massively bright, bold, and brilliant. She is extremely adaptable and knowledgeable. One to watch.'

Rising Stars

Stephanie David - 39 Essex Chambers 'An engaging, courageous advocate.'

Eva Doerr – Garden Court Chambers ‘An extremely organised junior who really fights for her clients.’

Conor Fegan – Francis Taylor Building 'A brilliant young public lawyer. Hard-working and responsive, with really good judgement and analysis.'

Freya Foster – Henderson Chambers 'A diligent junior who works very well within a team.'

Emma Foubister – Matrix Chambers 'An incredibly astute junior with an analytical mind. An excellent communicator in court and with clients. A star in the making.'

Donnchadh Greene – Doughty Street Chambers 'Donnchadh is a diligent, passionate and committed junior. He has excellent judgement both tactically and legally. He has expertise far surpassing his years of call.'

Khatija Hafesji – Monckton Chambers 'She is exceptionally hard working, with an impressive ability to understand and marshal complex facts.'

Naomi Hart – Essex Court Chambers 'A fantastic lawyer - legally sharp and incredibly knowledgeable, with great attention to detail and huge commitment to her cases.'

Hollie Higgins - Blackstone Chambers 'An incredibly bright junior, who can always be relied on to deliver high quality advice.'

Raphael Hogarth – 11KBW ‘An engaged and proactive junior with an incredible work ethic.’

Joshua Jackson - Cloisters 'Joshua has encyclopaedic knowledge of ECHR law. He is extremely innovative, and possesses ability many years beyond his call.'

Oliver Jackson - 11KBW 'An excellent advocate. He is diligent and able to robustly defend a case.'

Alexandra Littlewood – Monckton Chambers 'Alexandra is extremely efficient, communicative, and an excellent team-player; this makes working with her feel seamless. She has an impressive knowledge of law and procedure, and applies this knowledge meticulously.'

Anirudh Mathur - Matrix Chambers 'He is highly intelligent, extremely proactive, and hard working, with very sound judgement.'

Siân McGibbon – Landmark Chambers 'An amazing junior; she is clearly destined for greatness.'

Jonathan Metzer – 1 Crown Office Row

Emma Mockford –Brick Court Chambers

'A huge asset to any team she works on. She is wise beyond her years: a cool head on calm shoulders, even in the most complex litigation.'

Will Perry – Monckton Chambers 'Will is operating at a level well beyond his call. Silks love working with him because he is all over the detail and razor-sharp.'

Ollie Persey – Garden Court Chambers 'A tireless advocate,who is always putting the client’s interests at the forefront of his advice.'

Adam Riley - 3 Hare Court 'Adam is thoughtful, comprehensive and analytical. His attention to detail and command of language is shown through his cogent and thorough arguments.'

Gayatri Sarathy - Blackstone Chambers 'A quality junior. She has an impressive work ethic and is a joy to work with.'

Sophie Walker – One Pump Court

Juliet Wells – Temple Garden Chambers 'Juliet is fiercely intelligent. She is very good on human rights claims.'

Administrative law and human rights in London Bar

Tier 1 sets

Blackstone Chambers

Blackstone Chambers has ‘a superlative administrative law and human rights practice‘, noted for its ‘incredible strength in depth‘; the team attracts praise as being ‘exceptionally knowledgeable in relation to public and administrative law issues‘. The set has an excellent reputation for its expertise in providing advice on public law issues within a commercial context. In a prominent case highlight, Tom Hickman KC, Jason Pobjoy and Gayatri Sarathy were part of a team in chambers who represented the claimants before the Divisonal Court in R (HM) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, a challenge to the legality of the government’s secret and blanket policy to seize, search and retain data from the mobile phones of persons arriving the UK by small boats; the court ruled that the policy breached Article 8 ECHR and data protection laws. In another high-profile case, Lord Pannick KC and Monica Carss-Frisk KC appeared before the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal in Q & Tse v Commissioner of Registration, a case concerning the jurisdiction’s policy on the issuance of ID cards to transgender individuals who had not undergone qualifying gender reassignment surgery – the case also involved issues of the jurisdiction’s rules of temporary admission of English barristers. Paul Luckhurst is ‘an excellent litigator with a fierce intellect‘ who is sought after for his strength in human rights law. The senior end of the group was bolstered by the elevation of Tom Richards KC to silk in March 2023. Sir James Eadie KC, in his role as treasury devil, is the government’s first-choice outside barrister.

Testimonials

‘Adam Fuschillo and Danny Compton are both outstanding clerks.’

‘Adam Fuschillo is helpful and very approachable.’

‘Very responsive and innovative team led by Gary Oliver.’

‘The clerks are responsive, accommodating and courteous.’

‘Blackstone is the leading public law set in London.’

‘A top-tier chambers.’

‘An outstanding set.’

‘Very well regarded in the public law sphere.’

Tier 2 sets

11KBW

‘A very solid and highly reputable set for administrative law‘, 11KBW‘s team is equally strong in handling complex, high-profile human rights cases, with members appearing before the European Court of Human Rights; Jason Coppel KC counts human rights work as a key pillar of his practice. Joanne Clement KC is ‘a go-to counsel for complex and high-value public law disputes‘ with ‘superb knowledge of human rights‘. At the junior end of chambers, the ‘industrious‘ Christopher Knight represented the Advocate General for Scotland before the Supreme Court in Reference by the Lord Advocate of Devolution Issues under the Scotland Act 1998, involving a devolution reference under Schedule 6 of the Act as to whether the Scottish Parliament had the legislative competence to make provision for a second referendum for independence. Stephen Kosmin is appearing in SSWP v AT, a case concerning whether EU nationals with pre-settled status in the UK are entitled to welfare benefits due to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Testimonials

‘Lucy Barbet is an impressive senior figure.’

‘Harry Gilson is always very helpful.’

‘11KBW is a leading set in the field with strong advocates at all levels of call.’

‘A pre-eminent public law set.’

‘Experts in the public law field.’

‘A great set.’

‘A well-respected set with strength in depth.’

‘Clerks are responsive and helpful.’

39 Essex Chambers

39 Essex Chambers is home to ‘an incredibly strong team of counsel‘ within the public law arena, with the set acting for a diverse range of public bodies and claimants. Recent work highlights include the ‘super‘ Jenni Richards KC, Catherine Dobson and Stephanie David acting for the claimant in Jennings v Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, involving an application for a declaration that it was lawful for the claimant to use an embryo with a surrogate following the death of the claimant’s wife. The claim was brought on the grounds that preventing the use of the posthumous embryo would act as a breach of the claimant’s Article 8 rights; the High Court permitted the declaration. In a separate matter, Richards KC successfully represented the claimant in R (Timson) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, a judicial review challenge to the DWP’s policy of allowing automatic deductions, without presenting the claimant with an opportunity to make representations, from welfare benefits to pay debts to utility providers. Katherine Apps KC and Nicola Greaney KC were elevated to silk in March 2023.

Testimonials

‘Sheraton Doyle and Peter Campbell are extremely responsive.’

‘Sheraton Doyle is excellent.’

‘Sheraton Doyle is amazing.’

‘Oscar Redif is an excellent clerk, approachable and committed to providing a top service for solicitors.’

‘Peter Campbell is excellent.’

‘39 Essex has a very good depth and breadth of counsel.’

‘Excellent in the field of public law.’

‘A go-to chambers for public law.’

Brick Court Chambers

At Brick Court Chambers acts on a range of public law matters, straddling work for both humanitarian and business claimants, as well as some public bodies. James McClelland KC represented a Yemeni human rights group in R (CAAT) v Secretary of State for Trade, part of the ongoing litigation seeking to challenge the British government’s sale of arms to Saudi Arabia, which operated a military intervention in Yemen from 2015 until a ceasefire in 2022. Paul Bowen KC and Tim Johnston successfully represented Maples and Calder in a judicial review in the Cayman Islands over the interpretation of the jurisdiction’s 2020 Anti-Money Laundering Rules.

Testimonials

‘Tony Burgess is an absolute superstar.’

‘Tony Burgess is responsive and efficient.’

‘Paul Dennison and Tony Burgess lead a great team.’

‘The clerks provide an excellent service.’

‘Clerks are very response and always proactive.’

‘Brick Court is extremely high quality.’

‘Brick Court is absolutely fantastic.’

‘Great strength in depth.’

Matrix Chambers

Matrix Chambers is ‘a very strong public law and human rights set‘. Claimant work forms the key pillar of the practice, and the set reports an increase in mandates relating to government policies. Jessica Simor KC ‘clearly and concisely articulates complex legal arguments, and she is always prepared to challenge the status quo‘. In recent work for the team, Simor KC led Emma Foubister for the claimants in R (Friends of the Earth Ltd and others) v Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, a judicial review challenging the legality of the Government’s Net Zero Strategy; the High Court ruled that the strategy breached the Government’s obligations under the Climate Change Act. Edward Craven is ‘an exceptional barrister with an incredible mind‘. In a boost to chambers, Nick Armstrong KC, Claire Darwin KC and Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC were all elevated to silk in March 2023.

Testimonials

‘Elizabeth Bousher is exceptionally good at her job.’

‘Simon Gardner, Sarah Walker and Elizabeth Bousher are an essential cog in the Matrix machine.’

‘Elizabeth Bousher, Sarah Walker and Simon Gardner have been absolutely stellar.’

‘Matrix is a top class set.’

‘Matrix is an incredibly strong set with a large number of impressive barristers.’

‘Great breadth and depth on all human rights and public law.’

‘Leading human rights chambers.’

‘Counsel provide high calibre advice and advocacy.’

Tier 3 sets

Doughty Street Chambers

Doughty Street Chambers is a ‘leading human rights set‘ which is also noted for its ‘strong reputation for public law‘. The team of ‘high calibre counsel‘ is well known for its strength in acting for claimants in a wide range of high-profile judicial reviews and complex human rights, administrative and constitutional cases. The ‘highly respected‘ Edward Fitzgerald KC recently appeared before the Privy Council in Attorney General v Rolle, a case concerning citizenship rights for children born in The Bahamas to unmarried parents. Joe Middleton KC, who took silk in 2023, is well versed in advising on cases concerning constitutional challenges to the death penalty in multiple African countries. In another matter, Jamie Burton KC is acting in a judicial review concerning the Secretary of State’s policy about the height of kerbs, contending the policy does not require high enough kerbs for guide dog and white cane users.

Testimonials

‘Grace Walton and Sian Wilkins are excellent.’

‘Grace Walton is always helpful.’

‘Grace Walton is outstanding.’

‘Brilliant for public law.’

‘Very impressive set.’

‘Great chambers for civil liberties work.’

‘Very reputable chambers.’

‘An excellent choice for human rights and public law claims.’

Garden Court Chambers

Garden Court Chambers is regarded by many as a ‘leading human rights set‘, and has an excellent track record in representing claimants in complex cases across the public law arena, more broadly as well as in specialised areas such as social housing and immigration. Amanda Weston KC garners praise as ‘an outstanding silk in this area‘ and ‘a very successful and effective advocate‘. 2023 silk appointment Irena Sabic KC has ‘great experience in complex litigation – a persuasive advocate‘. Patrick Roche has ‘exceptional judgement‘ and is highly regarded for representing claimants in challenges brought against state authorities. Public law specialist Gráinne Mellon is ‘a reliably excellent junior‘ who regularly handles judicial reviews and claims for damages brought under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Testimonials

‘Tim Hempsted is excellent, always responsive and organised.’

‘Tim Hempsted is very quick, friendly and approachable.’

‘Joe Fraser is very efficient and helpful.’

‘Garden Court is a go to for public law cases and has a very strong team.’

‘A professional set.‘

‘Excellent practitioners in human rights and public law.’

‘An excellent set.‘

‘The clerks are helpful and responsive.’

Landmark Chambers

‘Renowned set‘ Landmark Chambers stands out for its expertise in handling prominent civil liberties cases, and members regularly act in administrative law matters before the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Human rights work has been prominent in the team’s recent caseload. The ‘formidable advocate‘ David Blundell KC and the ‘excellent‘ Yaaser Vanderman appeared for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission before the Supreme Court concerning Reference by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland – Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Northern Ireland) Bill, a challenge case concerning the compatibility of legislation introducing buffer zones, in which protests are prohibited, around abortion clinics in Northern Ireland with Articles 9, 10 and 11 of the European Court of Human Rights; the Supreme Court upheld the legislation. In recent developments for the set, David Lock KC retired from practice in December 2022; Siân McGibbon joined the group from 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square in January 2023; and Alex Goodman KC took silk in March 2023.

Testimonials

‘Ben Connor is very helpful.’

‘Ben Connor is a real asset to chambers.’

‘Zoe Bluck stands out for the efforts she has made to build a rapport and deepen ties.’

‘Zoe Bluck is most efficient, approachable and accommodating.’

‘A strong chambers in relation to administrative and public law issues.’

‘Strong set for public law claims.’

‘One of the leading public law sets.’

‘An outstanding set.’

Monckton Chambers

Monckton Chambers has ‘strong public law counsel‘, and the team is well known for its solid track record in handling high-profile civil liberties and public interest challenges and judicial reviews, both in the commercial and regulatory arenas. Robert Palmer KC acted for the claimant in R (Independent Monitoring Authority) v SSHD, a judicial review challenge to the implementation of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement’s provisions around those with pre-settled status being required to reapply for settled status. In a separate matter, Palmer successfully defended a judicial review claim brought by the Duke of Sussex regarding his security arrangements in the UK. Nikolaus Grubeck is singled out for his ‘brilliant understanding of international human rights law issues‘. The senior end of the practice was bolstered by the elevation of Ben Lask KC to silk in March 2023.

Testimonials

‘David Hockney is always helpful.’

‘John Keegan and Chris O’Brien are easy to work with, friendly and responsive.’

‘Gemma Goodwin is very experienced and good to work with.’

‘Great service from the clerks’ room, a special mention for Gemma Goodwin in particular.’

‘Monckton has a solid core of excellent barristers.’

‘The set has excellent barristers.’

‘Strength in depth.’

‘The chambers are very responsive, accommodating and organised.’

Tier 4 sets

1 Crown Office Row

1 Crown Office Row is a noteworthy set in this space, with traditional strength in acting on behalf of government departments and handling an increased volume of instructions from claimants. National security work is a key strength for members, and is particularly prominent in the workloads of Angus McCullough KC (who has an excellent track record in acting as Special Advocate in cases where evidence is withheld from the claimant's normal representatives), Oliver Sanders KC and Natasha Barnes. Shaheen Rahman KC is another highly regarded Special Advocate in the group, and is very experienced in appearing in prominent human rights challenges.

Testimonials

‘A proactive and helpful set.’

Essex Court Chambers

Human rights matters form a key pillar of Essex Court Chambers‘ practice, often crossing over with its public international law expertise. In a prominent case highlight, Alison Macdonald KC and Amy Sander are representing the claimants in Duarte Agustinho v Portugal and others, a case brought against 33 member states of the Council of Europe, alleging that the states’ climate change policies violate their rights under articles 2, 8 and 14; the case is due to be heard before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights. Ben Juratowitch KC is well versed in handling inter-state cases concerning human rights issues, while Edward Brown KC is regularly instructed by the British government in heavyweight human rights litigation before the English courts system.

Testimonials

‘An excellent set.’

Coverage By Practice AreaLondon Bar