Aviation and travel
Leading Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
John Kimbell KC
Quadrant ChambersThe leading KC for aviation fatal accidents. Simply the best.
Michael McLaren KC
Fountain Court ChambersMichael is an experienced practitioner in the field of aviation; he is well-versed in the industry conventions and lease agreements.
Michael Rawlinson KC
12 King's Bench WalkExcellent at stripping back the layers of an argument, getting at the key issues and presenting them in a clear and concise way in both his written and oral submissions.
Akhil Shah KC
Fountain Court ChambersAkhil is the best aviation silk at the English Bar - he knows the aviation industry like the back of his hand. He is phenomenally intelligent, super responsive, measured, and unflappable.
Philip Shepherd KC
Chambers of Philip Shepherd KCPhilip is extremely knowledgeable about aircraft leasing and finance. He's also an outstanding advocate and lawyer who offers creative ideas and insights. Best of all, Philip is a team player who makes long hours of work fun.
Bankim Thanki KC
Fountain Court ChambersBankim is one of the titans of the Bar. He commands enormous confidence with judges; his cross-examination is smooth but devastatingly effective. Clients love him.
Guy Blackwood KC
Quadrant ChambersHe disarms judges, clients, and opponents with his seemingly effortless charm, while behind closed doors, a serious engine room is firing. When the stakes are high, you want him on your side.
Nicholas Craig KC
3 Verulam BuildingsHe is absolutely superb and especially impressive on his feet. A brilliant tactician.
Edward Cumming KC
XXIV Old BuildingsEd is one of the stars of his generation. He has a keen intelligence which he wears lightly. Clients invariably benefit from his thorough approach, attention to detail, and strategic brilliance. He is a pleasure to work with.
James Cutress KC
Fountain Court ChambersJames is absolutely at the top of his game. He is phenomenally bright with an amazing ability to get to grips with very complex legal points and present his advice in a very clear, commercial, and logical way. You wonder why the point appeared to be so complicated! He has considerable experience in aviation matters and is one of my go-to silks because I can be sure he will do an outstanding job. It's really good news to have him on your side and not so good if he's your opponent.
Katherine Deal KC
3 Hare CourtShe is the best in the business for aviation law cases. She is a phenomenal advocate. Nothing fazes her. Absolutely nothing!
Marie Demetriou KC
Brick Court Chambers
Brian Kennelly KC
Blackstone ChambersBrian is a class act - a persuasive advocate, a great leader of teams, and a pleasure to work with.
Rob Lawson KC
Quadrant Chambers
Rosalind Phelps KC
Fountain Court ChambersShe always delivers, and you know you will be in extremely good hands when you instruct her. Apart from her phenomenal legal ability, she is extremely hard-working and thorough, really getting into the detail of a case at the outset and leaving no stone unturned. Fantastic on paper and on her feet, presenting her cases in a way that goes down really well with judges. She is extremely approachable, responsive, and an absolute pleasure to deal with.
Sarah Prager KC
Deka ChambersSarah is simply outstanding. She is pragmatic with her advice, an oracle of knowledge for everything related to travel law, and you feel in very safe hands when you have her acting for you on a case. Clients value her commercial and sensible advice. She is a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom; her advocacy skills are very strong and persuasive. Overall, she is a lovely person to work with.
Matthew Reeve KC
Quadrant ChambersMatthew has a phenomenal ability to read around an issue and destructively test any and all possible ways of attacking an argument. His presentation in court is beautifully conversational and straightforward, without 'dumbing down', so that he is always persuasive and clearly has the ear of whatever judge he is before.
Steven Thompson KC
XXIV Old BuildingsAuthoritative but very personable and just gets it. A go-to silk for high-end aviation disputes.
Charles Dougherty KC
2 Temple GardensCharles is an incredibly intelligent and incisive barrister. He has good judgment regarding what points will resonate with the Court and is trusted by the judiciary.
James Duffy KC
Fountain Court ChambersJames is a brilliant advocate who is clearly liked and respected by judges and co-counsel alike. A pleasure to work with and an essential team member.
Anneli Howard KC
Monckton Chambers
Brendan McGurk KC
Monckton Chambers
Alexander Milner KC
Fountain Court ChambersHe is an absolute star who provides a real Rolls Royce service. Phenomenally bright. He has extensive experience in aviation disputes and is able to anticipate points that his opponent will raise, as well as questions from the bench. He is also very approachable, responsive, and a pleasure to deal with.
John Steel KC
39 Essex Chambers
John Taylor KC
Fountain Court ChambersJohn is a forceful advocate who has a strong court presence.
Robert-Jan Temmink KC
Quadrant ChambersAn absolutely exceptional silk. The smoothest of smooth operators who delivers very prompt, clear, and commercially sensible advice, which has gone down very well with clients. His tactical approach is always spot on. He is a true expert on contractual matters.
Richard Wald KC
39 Essex ChambersRichard combines great intellect with considerable personal charm - a winning combination for any advocate.
Andrew Wales KC
7 King's Bench WalkAndrew is an exceptional barrister and a pleasure to work with. He is a master of both detail and strategy. His advocacy is understated but devastating.
2025 Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
2026 Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
