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Commercial Litigation

1
3 Verulam Buildings
Brick Court Chambers
Essex Court Chambers
Fountain Court Chambers
One Essex Court
2
7 King's Bench Walk
Blackstone Chambers
Maitland Chambers
Serle Court
Twenty Essex
Wilberforce Chambers
XXIV Old Buildings
3
4 New Square
4 Stone Buildings
Quadrant Chambers
South Square
4
4 Pump Court
Gatehouse Chambers
Enterprise Chambers
Erskine Chambers
Littleton Chambers

Leading Silks

1
Adrian Beltrami QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘An outstanding leading counsel and I would be happy to use him on any type of commercial dispute.’
Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘One of the very best QCs in London.’
Helen Davies QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘A very rare talent – an exceptional advocate and one of the most able Silks at the Commercial Bar.’
Jonathan Gaisman QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘Supremely able and always strikes the right tone with the judge and opponents.’
Alan Gourgey QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘An excellent silk who is very strategic and can turn weak positions into good ones - he is a great team player and very good to work with.’
Mark Howard QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Probably now the most authoritative and respected commercial silk at the Bar.’
Ali Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A tremendous advocate - clear and compelling with the ear of the court. He is quick on his feet and has a total mastery of the case.’
Ewan McQuater QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very tough, which we like him for, and he’s easy to deal with.’
Laurence Rabinowitz QC - One Essex Court ‘He is superhumanly responsive and yet manages to do the hard thinking necessary in the really complex cases.’
David Railton QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Charming, skilful and intelligent, he has an excellent court manner, a lively brain and a sound strategic sense. One of the best in his field.’
Joe Smouha QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Extraordinarily powerful and effective advocacy, he wins arguments and succeeds in submissions that other QCs simply wouldn't win on, and combines this with a very collegiate, team ethos that is rare in QCs of his seniority.’
Bankim Thanki QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A leader in this field, and plenty of others - a great leader to have on your team; fiercely intelligent and insightful, but also pragmatic, combative, and straightforward.’
Sonia Tolaney QC - One Essex Court ‘Continues to be one of the stars of the bar, and clients remain very keen to work with Sonia - her strategic advice on the matters we have worked on is absolutely first rate.’
David Wolfson QC - One Essex Court ‘An outstanding silk with a unique ability to cut through extremely complex issues with ease - he is instantly likeable, a real team player and fantastic with clients.’
2
Robert Anderson QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘A formidable court room presence with a finely attuned forensic style, he offers the rare combination of a first class mind coupled with natural charisma and client care.’
Stephen Auld QC - One Essex Court ‘A great and tenacious advocate who can distil incredibly complex issues down to their bare essence and is very commercial and strategically astute.’
Charles Béar QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is probably the most outstanding trial and appellate advocate of his generation - he has a brilliant mind and a formidable grasp of English law across a range of legal disciplines which enables him to develop new and persuasive arguments that less-sophisticated Counsel overlook.’
John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Tenacious and a committed dogged advocate for his client's case, honest in his delivery of advice but always mindful of the client's wider strategic goals.’
Vernon Flynn QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘A class act with no airs and graces, utterly sincere and genuine.’
Lord Grabiner QC - One Essex Court ‘Gravitas, gravitas, gravitas - simply a superb trial advocate.’
Andrew Green QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘A spectacular cross examination master, his charming manner brings the Judge onside and makes his evisceration of witnesses all the more devastating.’
Richard Handyside QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘At the top of his game - he has excellent judgement, is tactically astute and a superb advocate.’
Andrew Hochhauser QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Extremely intelligent, very tenacious and will fight every inch in his client's best interests.’
Gavin Kealey QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘A true giant of the commercial Bar, he always gets to the real issues and his advocacy is refreshing in its directness and flourish.’
Neil Kitchener QC - One Essex Court ‘He is absolutely the Counsel you want on your side on a tricky case - unflappable, totally focussed on getting the right end result for the client and not afraid of a fight.’
Tim Lord QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Robust and punchy advocate, fights the fight for his client with energy and skill.’
Kenneth MacLean QC - One Essex Court ‘At the top of the class when it comes to dealing with complex cases of magnitude.’
Philip Marshall QC - Serle Court ‘A real star - he is incredibly smooth in court, great with clients, and amazingly hard working.’
Duncan Matthews QC - Twenty Essex ‘Very good and excellent in advocacy and organizing strategy.’
John McCaughran QC - One Essex Court ‘Has a great skill for presenting very complex contractual arrangements clearly and coherently.’
Paul McGrath QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Unrivalled understanding of Judicial response to applications, impressive grasp of complex legal and factual issues as well as the sometimes stark cultural differences.’
Ian Mill QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘An exceptional barrister, with a vast amount of experience and knowledge.’
Catherine Newman QC - Maitland Chambers ‘Fierce at cross examination with an ability to destroy expert and factual witnesses alike, sometimes without them even knowing it - a joy to behold.’
Craig Orr QC - One Essex Court ‘Will always be someone at the top of my list for any commercial and complex disputes.’
Simon Rainey QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘Consummate advocate who thinks many steps ahead and reads the court and opponents very well.’
Stuart Ritchie QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Strong advocate, hugely experienced and provides spot on advice.’
Simon Salzedo QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Simon is great: very impressive knowledge of his specialist areas; superb judgement; very calm; almost always right.’
Stephen Smith QC - Erskine Chambers ‘An understated and effective advocate at every level.’
Daniel Toledano QC - One Essex Court ‘A very impressive advocate and someone you want on your side for any difficult Court battle, he really earns his money in Court and he is a go to Silk for big, complex commercial litigation.’
Nigel Tozzi QC - 4 Pump Court ‘Extremely effective, a ruthless cross-examiner and a real trial advocate who comes into his own in the high pressure environment of a trial.’
John Wardell QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Has a fierce intellect, works very hard and is always on top of his brief - he is a very talented advocate and is, in particular, an effective cross examiner.’
3
Jonathan Adkin QC - Serle Court ‘An absolutely brilliant barrister - he is extremely persuasive and effective on his feet, including at cross.’
David Allen QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘Cuts through the pomp and gets straight to the heart of the issue.’
George Bompas QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Extremely bright, creative, and incisive, he has an encyclopaedic knowledge of vast areas of law.’
Richard Boulton QC - One Essex Court ‘Has my utmost confidence as a skilled trial advocate - with a very easy style in terms of his submissions, and deft handling of judicial questions and the cross examination of witnesses/experts.’
Alan Boyle QC - Serle Court ‘Absolutely brilliant – stunningly clever and has led Serle Court to even greater success in his time as Head.’
David Chivers QC - Erskine Chambers ‘Gives clear strategic advice and is extremely calm, he is also a particularly persuasive oral advocate and has considerable presence in Court.’
Alain Choo Choy QC - One Essex Court ‘Alain is, for the heaviest of cases, a truly unique combination of outstanding intellectual and forensic power and excellent team skills.’
Robin Dicker QC - South Square ‘A senior heavy hitter.’
Charles Dougherty QC - 2 Temple Gardens ‘He was responsive and user-friendly, and his written submissions were first rate.’
Paul Downes QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘He was decisive in terms of strategy to be adopted and his impressive eloquence and effective style of advocacy gave a lot of comfort to the clients.’
Philip Edey QC - Twenty Essex ‘He is tenacious in Court and an exceptional advocate.’
Justin Fenwick QC - 4 New Square ‘Has a wealth of experience and a very practical approach. He is good at managing difficult clients. He is a really effective advocate, especially at the appellate level.’
Patrick Goodall QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is absolutely up for the fight and is a very clear and persuasive advocate who thinks exceptionally quickly and strategically on his feet.’
Charles Graham QC - One Essex Court ‘He has a fantastic eye for detail and a near-photographic memory, and an extremely down-to-earth approach to his work, despite his obvious intelligence. ’
Jeffrey Gruder QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Gives real confidence not only because of his experience, but because he is willing to get involved in the detail of complex arguments.’
Timothy Howe QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Has a calm and persuasive manner in court that gets judges listening to him, and has a masterful command of the relevant law and prepares thoroughly.’
Andrew Hunter QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Our first choice for difficult cases in the High Court which involve fraud and related matters, his cross-examination is measured but deadly.’
John Jarvis QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘User friendly and adaptable, with a great breadth of knowledge across insolvency and re/insurance.’
Elizabeth Jones QC - Serle Court ‘Fearsome, smart, focused and brilliant – you would not wish to be against her.’
Nigel Jones QC - Hardwicke ‘The epitome of calm, cool and collective - his clarity of thought is second to none, as is his written work. He is generous to share credit with his juniors and instructing solicitors.’
Philip Jones QC - Serle Court ‘He is phenomenally hardworking and a seasoned advocate who commands the respect of the Court.’
Daniel Jowell QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘An excellent advocate, who offers clear advice, he is outstanding.’
Robert Levy QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A real star and an absolute pleasure to deal with - he is a lethally effective cross-examiner and has an almost super-human work ethic.’
Thomas Lowe QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘An extremely effective cross examiner and very effective with clients. ’
Paul Lowenstein QC - Twenty Essex ‘He is my go-to silk for heavyweight commercial disputes, particularly those with an international element.’
Alan Maclean QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Very quick and practical in his written advice and advocacy and cuts to the issues in an easy and clear manner.’
Roger Masefield QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘A pleasure to work with, all over the detail of the most subtantial heavyweight litigation in the market, and a robust and effective advocate.’
Harry Matovu QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘His oral advocacy is a joy to listen to - measured, not without lightness of touch where appropriate and well judged.’
Richard Morgan QC - Maitland Chambers ‘Phenonemal with the detail and his knowledge of the law, and an encyclopedia on injunctions.’
Stephen Moriarty QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is a total joy to work with, and also absolutely the go-to person for complex and novel technical issues of law where he can really make a difference to the outcome of a case.’
Terence Mowschenson QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘A fantastic lawyer - I have rarely met anyone so well able to master the minutiae of a case while never losing sight of the bigger picture, including strategic considerations.’
Jonathan Nash QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Hands on, willing to fit into team, cool headed and instils confidence in clients at the outset of instructions and assists with client management.’
Hugh Norbury QC - Serle Court ‘Leaves no stone unturned and is not afraid of rolling his sleeves up and getting stuck in, he is a great team player, ensuring members of the legal team at all levels are involved and their contribution recognised.’
Jeffery Onions QC - One Essex Court ‘He is very responsive and gives direct advice on difficult issues, never afraid to take a view where others may sit on the fence.’
Andrew Onslow QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Excellent advocate. Always well-prepared and strong judgement in the court room and with written work.’
David Quest QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very strong advocate, clear focussed submissions, and always approachable and available.’
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Superb QC to work with - extremely responsive and empathetic whilst setting a clear path forwards’
Stephen Rubin QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A formidable opponent.’
Richard Salter QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Hugely experienced and has encyclopaedic knowledge - you know you are getting exactly the right answer, both from a legal and a commercial perspective, which is just what you need in a high value case.’
Charles Samek QC - Littleton Chambers ‘Strong tactician, team player, great on his feet, fights for the win.’
Joanna Smith QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Simply excellent, she is a master tactician - absolutely someone you want on your side, and not on the opposing party's.’
Richard Waller QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘A great silk.’
4
Camilla Bingham QC - One Essex Court ‘Incredibly approachable and is a highly-skilled advocate - her knowledge of her field is awesome; her insights into strategy invaluable.’
Michael Bloch QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Vastly experienced, very intelligent and sees all sides of an issue.’
David Cavender QC - One Essex Court ‘Excellent at cross-examination, very personable, and fun to work with.’
Graham Chapman QC - 4 New Square ‘Excellent intellect and very user friendly.’
Jeffrey Chapman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He's an absolutely first rate commercial lawyer; extremely hard-working, and always on top of the detail.’
Stephen Cogley QC - 4 Pump Court ‘A very effective commercial silk and a pleasure to work with. He has a good eye for detail, prepares very thoroughly and is a persuasive advocate.’
Richard Coleman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Excellent all round for commercial litigation and has particular expertise and experience in cases involving breach of professional duties.’
Matthew Collings QC - Maitland Chambers ‘Highly recommended for commercial litigation.’
Derrick Dale QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Wise, smart, good sense of humour, good with clients and hard working.’
Rhodri Davies QC - One Essex Court ‘Very experienced and unflappable, sound judgment and a pleasure to work with.’
Graham Dunning QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Well-prepared and dogmatic in cross.’
Colin Edelman QC - Devereux ‘Simply exceptional, in both his written work and in advocacy - he is a dream to watch on his feet.’
Andrew George QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Super, he identifies the pertinent issues early on and focuses on relevant matters. Very supportive of clients and marvellous written work.’
Siobán Healy QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘Superb, with meticulous preparation and far sighted strategic thinking.’
Richard Hill QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘An exceptional advocate and star of the bar.’
Lexa Hilliard QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘She makes herself available and is tireless when dealing with a case - she really throws herself into the case and is a critical member of the team.’
Charles Hollander QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘He has seen it all before so there is sophistication and nuance in his approach, which really produces results.’
Sa'ad Hossain QC - One Essex Court ‘Incredibly clever and highly commercial, a great legal mind to have on your side.’
Stephen Houseman QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘He was excellent, charming and forceful - an uber competent advocate.’
Robert Howe QC-Blackstone Chambers‘He is a ferocious cross-examiner and a very persuasive advocate.’
David Joseph QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Commercial and sensible, sound and practical judgment and a pleasure to work with.’
Peter Knox QC - 3 Hare Court ‘His advocacy is excellent, he fights tooth and nails for his clients.’
David Lord QC - Three Stone ‘He is never fazed by a question from the judge, is always calm and well-reasoned and immaculately well-prepared in court, with encyclopaedic knowledge always of the documents and their contents - clients love him and he is a true team player and always a joy to work with. ’
Hodge Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘His commercial law strengths and his excellent client engagement and communication have combined with his broad and deep knowledge and have been invaluable.’
Michael McLaren QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Has an enormous capacity for complexity, depth of analysis and detail, combined with a rare mix of razor-sharp intellect and commercial judgement. He is also enormously approachable, accommodating and patient.'
Richard Millett QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Excellent at distilling complex issues and providing a streamlined strategy.’
Andrew Mitchell QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is a top class advocate in every respect - a brilliant cross-examiner and a first class mind. One of the best of his generation.’
Anthony Peto QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Excellent analytical skills, particularly in drawing together the evidence which is often inferential, and extremely effective in cross examination.’
Christopher Pymont QC - Maitland Chambers ‘Amazing advocate - can change the weather in a hearing.’
Alistair Schaff QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘My silk of choice; a top notch brain and a supremely assured advocate.’
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A genuinely good fellow, his gentle approach in submissions seems to have the ears of the Judges.’
Tom Smith QC - South Square ‘His advocacy is a joy to watch - sharp, witty and persuasive.’
Paul Stanley QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Completely brilliant - one of the very best that the commercial bar has to offer.’
Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Phenomenally bright, great court room manner, garners respect and clients love him.’
Andrew Sutcliffe QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A superb advocate - he is very measured and understated which is very effective.’
Michael Swainston QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Detailed preparation and forensic cross examination are his major qualities and junior barristers should observe him when he is in a trial, it's a free lesson not to be missed.’
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Fabulous advocate - punches the points home, and really strong analytically, commercial, savvy, subtle, and assertive.’
Tom Weisselberg QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘First rate, operates at the very highest level, easy and pleasant to work with, fabulous on detail and an excellent cross examiner.’
Antony White QC - Matrix Chambers ‘Incredibly persuasive, great at winning clients' trust and brilliant in Court.’
5
Tom Adam QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Lives and breaths his cases, phenomenal advocate and does not spread himself thinly like others at his level.’
Lance Ashworth QC - Serle Court ‘Excellent at diving deep into a case and understanding it on a granular level extremely quickly - he has a commercial approach to all matters which is particularly invaluable on commercial matters.’
Andrew Ayres QC - Twenty Essex ‘Extremely eloquent and one of the best advocates I've seen.’
Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A pleasure to work with, highly engaged and a team player - he has deep expertise in corporate matters and his practice bridges effectively English law and the laws of Middle Eastern jurisdictions.’
David Blayney QC - Serle Court ‘Has a mathematical brain that can crunch / formulate very complex questions on causation and loss - he adds huge value to these types of matters.’
Michael Bools QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘A top-flight QC – calm under pressure, a clear thinker, firm and fair opponent and attractive advocate.’
Aidan Christie QC - 4 Pump Court ‘A genuine expert, superb with clients, and brilliant with complex and sensitive legal and tactical issues.’
Andrew Clutterbuck QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘A pleasure to work with and very hardworking - his personality is such that he fits well into a large legal team comprising solicitors and barristers.’
Raymond Cox QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very experienced, and particularly well suited to legally complex cases.’
Ian Croxford QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘He is a masterful cross-examiner, very powerful in oral argument and tactically very astute.’
Simon Davenport QC - 3 Hare Court ‘A top class advocate. He is at his best when making submissions in Court.’
Jonathan Davies-Jones QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Supremely hard working but also very commercial, he instinctively understands what the client is trying to achieve and adapts accordingly.’
Anneliese Day QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A top advocate - really gets people listening to what is important, and filters out all the rubbish, also just a pleasure to work with.’
Dominic Dowley QC - Serle Court ‘Extremely responsive and helpful in a time-pressured and difficult case.’
David Edwards QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘Solid, hard-working, client friendly and pleasant to work with.’
Ben Elkington QC - 4 New Square ‘Superb on his feet, makes the most complicated scenario sound blissfully straight forward.’
Michael Fealy QC - One Essex Court ‘A responsive, can-do, user-friendly modern day QC - as comfortable on his feet leading the case as he is crafting documents.’
Thomas Grant QC - Maitland Chambers ‘Extremely clever giving him the ability to pull testing issues apart easily - he offers clear, succinct, pragmatic advice. Nothing is ever too much trouble.’
Daniel Lightman QC - Serle Court ‘A real lawyer's lawyer - he knows his stuff backwards , but he is also easy to work with and an accomplished courtroom performer.’
Tim Penny QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘An impressive and charming advocate who has excellent judgement in choosing the points to run and the way to put them - he is particularly strong on jurisdictional issues and complex trust and tracing points.’
Nathan Pillow QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Commands the respect of the Court and has a very charming courtroom manner, but is willing and able to talk a judge round when they are in danger of finding against the client, and to secure a win.’
James Potts QC - Erskine Chambers ‘Calm under pressure and a clear thinker, he is not afraid to reach a view and to give clients definitive guidance.’
David Reade QC - Littleton Chambers ‘Very effective in putting the case across to the Judge in a straightforward way which is effective and gets results.’
Rebecca Sabben-Clare QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘A brilliant advocate, exceptionally well organised and very intelligent.’
Richard Slade QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘One of the most delightful Silks one could possibly meet and work with – charming and a brilliant lawyer with tremendous instincts.’
Andrew Thompson QC - Erskine Chambers ‘Succinct and polished in writing; always has a pragmatic, commercial and (when necessary) punchy view which he makes easily digestible to solicitors and lay clients alike.’
Michael Todd QC - Erskine Chambers ‘A phenomenal silk and advocate, someone who is easy to work with and a team player.’
Felicity Toube QC - South Square ‘Highly responsive and practical, really fights the client's corner, and does it all with a sense of perspective and humour and is great to work with.’
Nicholas Vineall QC - 4 Pump Court ‘Judges have immense respect for him and he is genuinely listened to by them. A brilliant all rounder.’
6
David Alexander QC - South Square ‘A deeply experienced barrister with a robust and no-nonsense approach.’
David Allison QC - South Square ‘A compelling advocate and a very safe pair of hands.’
Andrew Guy Blackwood QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘Excellent analytical skills, solid cross-examination, and readily available.’
Jonathan Cohen QC - Littleton Chambers ‘Truly in his clients corner- fights incredibly hard and is relentless in pursuit of the best outcome even in the most difficult cases.’
Jeremy Cousins QC - Radcliffe Chambers ‘Very knowledgeable about the law in the area and also the commercial imperatives.’
Edmund Cullen QC - Maitland Chambers ‘A notable practitioner.’
Huw Davies QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Great to work with; he is responsive and accessible and is a persuasive advocate, his depth of experience and affable manner make him an invaluable asset both in the Court room and on the page.’
Jasbir Dhillon QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘He is technically excellent, very bright and good on his feet.’
Andrew Fletcher QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Excellent orator, detailed and thorough approach, always well prepared and with one eye on next steps.’
Orlando Fraser QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘An energetic, committed and very able leading counsel, a great team player and someone who is great fun to work with.’
Steven Gee QC - Monckton Chambers ‘A walking legal encyclopedia - ask him any question and he can give you the most thorough, well reasoned and supported answer. Despite his seniority, he is very hands-on and hard-working.’
Charles Gibson QC - Henderson Chambers ‘A standout QC.’
Jeremy Goldring QC - South Square ‘Extremely hard-working, living and breathing a case when it comes to trial - he is also on top of all the detail, without allowing the minutiae to bog down his submissions.’
Patrick Green QC - Henderson Chambers ‘Our go-to leader, Patrick is authoritative and imaginative in equal measure.’
David Head QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Totally delightful – a great team player and exceptionally clever commercial litigator.’
Stephen Hofmeyr QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘Extremely impressive, and a very good advocate.’
Charles Kimmins QC - Twenty Essex ‘Friendly, approachable, responsive and a great asset to the team.’
David Lewis QC - Twenty Essex ‘His written and oral advocacy is of a very high standard and he deploys arguments in an exceedingly effective manner.’
Fenner Moeran QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Very clever, knows the law well, strategically savvy and is a pleasure to work with.’
David Mumford QC - Maitland Chambers ‘A highly cerebral, thoughtful advisor, and a real asset on any team.’
Zoe O’Sullivan QC - Serle Court ‘ Zoe is - even by the standards of the commercial bar - highly intelligent, extremely hard working, and a very tough (but always fair and decent, and realistic) opponent. She displays complete mastery of the documents and of the law. She is a very tough cross-examiner. She gives her all for her clients.’
Daniel Oudkerk QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Super intelligent and knows exactly what his opponent is thinking so he can head it off, and an excellent advocate and great team player.’
Lionel Persey QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘A high quality performer.’
Rosalind Phelps QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Ros is a brilliant lawyer. She makes sure we have got our answers ready on the really hard questions. She is a pleasure to work with. She has great judgement and an attention to detail which some silks move away from as they get more lofty.’
Mark Phillips QC - South Square ‘He is extremely smart, focused and engaged for his client - his cross-examination skills are unique.’
Graham Read QC - Devereux ‘He consistently demonstrates immense clarity of thought in his analysis and instils unwavering confidence whilst advising on issues that are inherently challenging.’
Rupert Reed QC - Serle Court ‘A go to QC for international complex fraud and dispute resolution - he brings long standing experience and a diligent approach to his cases, giving considered and practical advice to achieve the very best outcome for his clients.’
Akhil Shah QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Calm, clear and accessible, gets to the point and explains issues in a simple way, and very good with paperwork.’
Philip Shepherd QC - Chambers of Philip Shepherd QC ‘Just the type of senior silk you want in your corner in a challenging commercial case.’
Andrew Spink QC - Outer Temple Chambers ‘He always finds the right argument, and the right way to deliver it, he also knows when to step in and fits in very well to a client team.’
Clare Stanley QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘She has a consistently strategic outlook and is able to draw on the depth of experience she has from the breadth of her practice, whether English focused or offshore. She instils confidence in her understanding and ability to distil complex areas of law and volumes of evidence into digestible advice.’
Romie Tager QC - Selborne Chambers ‘Romie's knowledge and understanding of the law is outstanding and his ability and willingness to take on new and difficult cases is a key strength of his.’
Robert-Jan Temmink QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘A fantastic silk - he is popular with clients, works well as part of a wider team and when the pressure is on he really delivers.’
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A pleasure to deal with and an excellent advocate.’
Andrew Twigger QC - Maitland Chambers ‘Undoubtedly one of the top silks for commercial disputes - he is charming, forensic and brilliant in Court, and Judges trust his calm and measured advocacy.’
Adam Zellick QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A QC without an ego - extremely bright and hardworking, and a pleasure to work with.’

2019 Silks

James Bailey QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Incredibly bright and is able to think beyond the box of the usual scenario with alacrity and charm that is a rare talent.’
Anna Boase QC - One Essex Court ‘A particularly strong counsel.’
Christopher Harris QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Excellent advocate, assured and forensic, with very good client skills.’
Alec Haydon QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘He is outstanding - extremely sharp and quick, all over the papers, and always on call and responsive.’
David Lewis QC - Hardwicke ‘David's advocacy is a thing of surgical precision, he is fabulous with client and gives clear strategic advice from the outset.’
Fionn Pilbrow QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Extremely bright and very user friendly silk, he quickly gets to grips with complex issues and delivers cogent and clear advice.’
Jamie Riley QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Outstanding, compelling, organised and authoritative advocate, my go-to to cut through complexity like a hot knife through butter.’
Daniel Saoul QC - 4 New Square ‘Commercially minded, forensic and eloquent, this barrister is our first recommendation in any matter of substance.’
Peter de Verneuil Smith QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Bright, hard-working and exceptional on paper - he fights your corner, and is a good choice of silk for a hard case.’

2020 Silks

Christopher Boardman QC - Radcliffe Chambers ‘He is extremely good.’
Richard Fisher QC - South Square ‘On our top list when it comes to complex multi-jurisdictional insolvency matters.’
Jamie Goldsmith QC - One Essex Court ‘Without doubt, a fantastic barrister.’
Justin Higgo QC - Serle Court ‘Has newly taken Silk – long overdue perhaps in terms of his ability, acumen and immensely hard working approach.’
Blair Leahy QC - Twenty Essex ‘Extremely easy to work with and able to get up to speed extremely quickly on a very complex matter.’
Edward Levey QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is diligent, intelligent, a wonderful draughtsman, with a great eye for detail.’
Ben Lynch QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is unfailingly diligent and charming.’
Shantanu Majumdar QC - Radcliffe Chambers ‘Very experienced and persuasive trial advocate - comfortable at all levels of tribunal.’
Tamara Oppenheimer QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A highly analytical lawyer with a fantastic brain but is also very easy to work with.’
Conall Patton QC - One Essex Court ‘An absolute star - one of the very best at One Essex Court.’
James Pickering QC - Enterprise Chambers ‘A polished and measured advocate, particuarly good a presenting complex arguments in straighforward and attractive terms.’
Rajesh Pillai QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very sharp and able to quickly navigate through complex facts and distil the issues. He is also very responsive, technically sound, provides very practical advice and excellent drafting.’
Philip Riches QC - Twenty Essex ‘Can grapple with complex, thorny issues, and will come up with innovative solutions.’
Jeremy Richmond QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘Very impressive junior silk who is user friendly and really gets stuck in.’
Sharif Shivji QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘A first rate barrister who appears in the most substantial matters.’
Henry Warwick QC - Henderson Chambers ‘He is a very hard working and able barrister and will make an excellent silk, the award of which was richly deserved - a star in the making.’
Colin West QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Very bright; very engaged; very knowledgeable.’

2021 Silks

Rupert D'Cruz QC- Littleton Chambers ‘He is involved in cases that are demanding and has a great ability to explain difficult points of law succinctly, clearly and persuasively.’
David Davies QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Commercial and sensible, sound and practical judgment and a pleasure to work with.’
Anna Dilnot QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Exceptionally knowledgeable, analytical, superb on paper and in Court, delightful to work with and very hard working.’
Laurence Emmett QC - One Essex Court ‘A brilliant advocate - his mind is razor sharp and his legal analysis (particularly his written work) and advice is first class.’
Andrew Fulton QC - Twenty Essex ‘He is the one I would always want to have on my side in a tough commercial fight.’
Michael Holmes QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘He is very bright and exceptionally hard working and a real team player.’
Laura John QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘An excellent advocate, whose advice is clear, succinct and trusted by clients.’
Adam Kramer QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘One of the best juniors I have ever worked with. Has all the law at his finger tips. Written work is measured, concise and powerful. Pleasure to work with. A real star.’
James McClelland QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘An outstanding jurist - one of the best legal researchers at the bar - and an excellent advocate. Particularly strong at the intersection of commercial law and public law.’
Matthew Parker QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘An extremely experienced and highly skilled junior, a fighter with a very strong work ethic and an excellent attention to detail - he is a great team player and a fantastic person to have on your side in a major piece of litigation.’
Tony Singla QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘An excellent senior junior who can take on responsibility for work streams on a large case, and take the work load (including advocacy) off the Silks.’
George Spalton QC - 4 New Square ‘An exceptional advocate - he rises above any unfortunate point-scoring by the opponent, never losing sight of the key issues.’
James Willan QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Outstanding in every way and is in my opinion the best junior at the commercial bar - his written work is outstanding, his legal knowledge is deep and impressive and his advocacy is exceptional.’

Leading Juniors

1
Ruth den Besten - Essex Court Chambers ‘Exceptionally clever senior Commercial and Chancery Junior – heading for the very top.’
Simon Hattan - Serle Court ‘Extremely competent and very hard-working barrister - he is responsive and bright, and very user-friendly.’
Sebastian Isaac - One Essex Court ‘A star of the Bar for the years to come, Seb manages to combine that quality with a easy going and very approachable style which makes him a fabulous asset on any case.’
Michael Lazarus - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Excellent analysis, succinct, very hard working and efficient - a pleasure to instruct.’
Robert Weekes - Blackstone Chambers ‘An absolute star, even amongst his peers he stands out for being incredibly bright and efficient.’
2
Simon Adamyk - New Square Chambers ‘Incredibly professional, polite, perceptive, highly intelligent and is able to untangle complex conundrums.’
Tim Akkouh - Essex Court Chambers ‘Extremely bright, has an excellent working knowledge of the law and is one of the most commercially-minded barristers I have worked with.’
Rupert Allen - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is without doubt one of the best juniors at the commercial Bar - an unassuming and charming personality partially disguises a Rottweiler tendency with a difficult factual or legal point.’
James Barker - Enterprise Chambers ‘A tenacious, diligent, excellent advocate, with an excellent eye for detail.’
Linden Ife - Enterprise Chambers ‘Superb advice, very responsive and excellent in Court.’
Benjamin John - Maitland Chambers ‘Thorough and detailed in approach; intellectually rigorous and gets to grips with the detail.’
Ciaran Keller - Essex Court Chambers ‘Ciaran is one of my "go-to" barristers for commercial disputes, I would readily engage him rather than involving a silk on all of my matters.’
Matthew Morrison - Serle Court ‘User friendly, very responsive, good command of detail without being over lawyerly, and strong tactical nous.’
Rebecca Page - Maitland Chambers ‘A brilliant mind, very thorough, fantastic advocate, personable and down to earth.’
David Peters - Essex Court Chambers ‘Clever, incisive, bold - A class act and first rate commercial mind that navigates a clear path through highly complex litigation, never losing sight of the issues that count and how to present them.’
Alexander Polley - One Essex Court ‘Very intelligent and incredibly quick.’
Leona Powell - Blackstone Chambers ‘Hugely intelligent, brilliant to work with and a fantastic advocate.’
Clare Reffin - One Essex Court ‘Very thorough and analytical, always very well prepared and writes extremely well, very clear in court and an excellent advocate.’
James Sheehan - Essex Court Chambers ‘An excellent drafter, his written work is a joy to read.’
Nicholas Sloboda - One Essex Court ‘An excellent lawyer - very clever and formidable powers of legal analysis.’
David Eaton Turner - New Square Chambers ‘Excellent forensic skills, crisp drafting, speed of response and excellent client care - very user friendly and popular with clients.’
Richard Walford - Serle Court ‘An excellent strategist - he has a wonderful ability to see the bigger picture and he cuts immediately to the heart of any matter.’
Victoria Windle - Blackstone Chambers ‘Able to absorb vast quantities of technical information and explain them simply and concisely - my go-to barrister for a tricky case, and absolutely delightful with clients.’
3
Stuart Adair - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is very creative in developing tailor-made legal strategies and regularly demonstrates thinking out-of-the-box approaches.’
Natasha Bennett - Fountain Court Chambers ‘She is quite simply an all-round star who is definitely one to watch at the commercial bar; she already has a stellar reputation - our client absolutely raves about her, and the entire solicitor team thinks she is a delight to work with.’
Richard Blakeley - Brick Court Chambers ‘One of the smartest Commercial Juniors and a shoo-in to any litigation team heading into battle - delightful company and a mega star for the future.’
Matthew Bradley - 4 New Square ‘An eloquent advocate and fierce in cross examination; he is a wordsmith, both in settling pleadings and penning correspondence.’
Edward Brown - Essex Court Chambers ‘Great to work with, very much a team player, cuts to the chase on the underlying issues, and excellent on his feet in court and as a cross-examiner.’
Fraser Campbell - Blackstone Chambers ‘Calm, knowledgeable, thorough and detail-oriented, an excellent advocate, and polite and personable.’
Adam Cloherty - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Top notch advocate, great on his feet and on paper - he makes well thought out, powerful submissions.’
Michael D'Arcy - One Essex Court ‘An excellent junior - very hard working and well prepared, also very personable and friendly.’
David Drake - Serle Court ‘Available, clever and a pleasure to work with.’
Richard Eschwege - Brick Court Chambers ‘Extremely intelligent even by the standard of the commercial bar, excellent written advocacy that never misses the mark.’
Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Very thorough - leaves no stone unturned, also a great thinker out of the box. Always user friendly and equally good with lay clients.’
Nigel Hood - New Square Chambers ‘My 'go to' barrister for complex matters - I would be worried if the other side instructed him before I did.’
Susannah Jones - Twenty Essex ‘He has excellent analytical skills, and is always on top of her subject.’
Olivier Kalfon - Maitland Chambers ‘A real pleasure to work with and refreshingly straight-forward and fuss-free in his approach.’
Tina Kyriakides - Radcliffe Chambers ‘Attention to detail, detailed knowledge of legal principles and always willing and eager to assist.’
David Lascelles - Littleton Chambers ‘A great team player, and always prepared to get his hands dirty and help out those instructing him even at short notice.’
James MacDonald - One Essex Court ‘Confident and articulate and good with clients.’
Nial McCulloch - Enterprise Chambers ‘His written submissions are brilliant, he is never flustered and very responsive, and great on his feet in Court.’
George McPherson - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Strategically strong, very personable and user friendly.’
Alexander Milner - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A genuine Russia expert, Alex has acted in the biggest cases of the last decade and is the go to barrister in London for CIS-related commercial disputes.’
William Moffett - Radcliffe Chambers ‘Very thorough legal analysis, and also very alive to the commercial aspects of the dispute - a pleasure to work with.’
Craig Morrison - Brick Court Chambers ‘He’s absolutely outstanding, and manages to combine it with being an absolute joy to work with.’
Laura Newton - Brick Court Chambers ‘An outstanding junior who deals with issues of complexity and gravity with great confidence.’
Iain Pester - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Superb on paper and an advocate who focusses on the key issues that will interest the Court.’
Sandy Phipps - One Essex Court ‘One of the stars of his generation and a future leader of the Commercial Bar.’
Stephen Robins - South Square ‘Fun to deal with and an excellent advocate.’
Nehali Shah - One Essex Court ‘Just a class act from start to finish, incredibly hard working and responsive.’
Michael Watkins - One Essex Court ‘Fantastic on the law, has great judgement, deeply commercial and easy to work with. He is a star.’
Can Yeginsu - 4 New Square ‘You know when you give him a piece of work, be it a pleading, evidence or skeleton, that it will come back in a state of perfection and that any issues he identifies will be matched by clever solutions - a dream junior barrister.’
4
Paul Adams - Serle Court ‘His drafting is first rate - it is clear and compelling and he produces polished work in no time at all.’
Alex Barden - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is clearly incredibly intelligent and astute, but also finds an excellent balance between getting stuff done whilst not over-complicating things - you can always be confident that you are getting the absolute best service from him.’
Emily Betts - Hardwicke ‘Very user friendly, exceptionally hard working and very bright, she is easy to get on with and a rising star amongst counsel of her year of call.’
Alexander Cook - 4 Stone Buildings ‘A superb barrister, whom I found very easy to work with. He is quick to pick up on the essentials, the key issues and the details of a matter, his written work is excellent and he is a strong and determined advocate in Court.’
Josephine Davies - Twenty Essex ‘Very user-friendly, structured, measured and thoughtful - assists in making difficult decisions with aplomb and tactically very effective.’
Marc Delehanty - Littleton Chambers ‘Strong on the law and produces good quality work, both on paper and on his feet.’
Nigel Dougherty - Erskine Chambers ‘Well regarded for commercial litigation.’
Anton Dudnikov - Essex Court Chambers ‘Technically excellent, great with clients, very user friendly, a real star.’
James Duffy - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Excellent technical skills, great team player, strong instincts.’
Paul Greenwood - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Incredibly incisive, and an absolutely first rate lawyer, he is a delight to work with - very pro-active; always ready to help. A fantastic team player and with a very good sense of humour.’
Richard Hanke - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Possesses a good combination of being highly intelligent and very approachable which makes him good to work with.’
Edward Harrison - Brick Court Chambers ‘Very strong intellectual and analytical mind, and able to hold his own with much more senior and experienced practitioners, demonstrating how far he is likely to rise.’
Philip Hinks - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Has a very considered approach and is very engaging, he is in the next wave of rising stars.’
Edward Ho - Brick Court Chambers ‘A brilliant lawyer, who provides first class support to his leader.’
Stuart Hornett - Selborne Chambers ‘He is skilled on his feet and produces sensible and considered written opinions.’
Edward Knight - XXIV Old Buildings ‘His judgment is always very reliable and he has the intellectual clout to intimidate most opponents.’
Geoffrey Kuehne - Brick Court Chambers ‘A pleasure to work with, he is very bright but also pragmatic and practical, and his background as a solicitor means that he really gets what we are looking for from junior counsel and how he can add value to the team.’
Nicole Langlois - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very articulate in her drafting and has a keen eye in spotting potential strengths and weakness of a case.’
David Lowe - Blackstone Chambers ‘Exceptionally bright, good strategist, lucid draftsman and very personable to deal with.’
Alexander MacDonald - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘Excellent legal expertise balanced with practical acumen.’
Hugh Miall - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is a highly effective advocate both on paper and in person.’
Simon Mills - Five Paper ‘Simon will really fight the corner of his clients and gets the job done - he's highly regarded as a senior junior but in truth can out-perform most QCs.’
Adil Mohamedbhai - Serle Court ‘A true mega brain and a brilliant member of any legal team – a must have Junior.’
Dov Ohrenstein - Radcliffe Chambers ‘He doesn't sit on the fence, he's prepared to give definite advice and then remains consistent - greatly appreciated by clients.’
Shail Patel - 4 New Square ‘Fantastically approachable and commercial, the go-to barrister for legal issues of a quirky nature.’
Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He's not fazed by anything in either litigation or arbitration.’
Charles Raffin - Hardwicke ‘Incredibly hard-working and a very able lawyer - he is a particular expert in disclosure, where his knowledge of the detail is impeccable and second to none.’
Alan Roxburgh - Brick Court Chambers ‘He is incredibly meticulous and a most elegant draftsman, also a person of absolute integrity and good judgement.’
Edward Sawyer - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Very passionate and creative and extremely hard working.’
Laurie Scher - Maitland Chambers ‘Exceptionally intelligent with a real hunger and passion to do his best for clients - he is clear and honest in his advice, and not afraid to tell the client how it is.’
Andrew Scott - Blackstone Chambers ‘He has a phenomenal intellect which he combines with a calm demeanour; on the most challenging and complex cases, he has razor sharp clarity on the key matters and can cut through the ‘noise’ to distil the key points.’
Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Bajul stands out for the clarity of his thought - he is fantastic at seeing the wood from the trees and has an uncanny ability to pick out the issues that really matter.’
Derek Spitz - One Essex Court ‘Highly knowledgeable, very user friendly, great drafting, and good with clients.’
Charlotte Tan - Brick Court Chambers ‘Fiercely bright, which is apparent from dealing with her, and in seeing the weight which her leaders put on her input - she works really hard, and goes the extra mile, which is really appreciated.’
Andrew Thomas - Brick Court Chambers ‘Responsive, commercial, sound judgement, good advocate, good lawyer and an excellent team player.’
Karishma Vora - 39 Essex Chambers ‘Hard working, diligent, enthusiastic, good at building rapport with clients and instructing solicitors - one of only a few barristers who are dual qualified in England and Wales and India.’
Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV Old Buildings ‘She is smart, efficient, pragmatic and gets straight to the heart of contentious issues cost effectively.’
Emily Wood - Essex Court Chambers ‘A sensational barrister - she is incredibly easy to work with, always available to discuss strategy and procedure, and she is excellent with clients.’
Alexander Wright - 4 Pump Court ‘An extremely bright young barrister and definitely a star for the future.’
Geoffrey Zelin - Enterprise Chambers ‘Extremely responsive, works very hard, always available, value for money, turn around times excellent, rolls his sleeves up, extremely clever, our favourite barrister.’
5
Adam Al-Attar - South Square ‘He is an extremely able technical lawyer who is tactically shrewd.’
Nicola Allsop - Quadrant Chambers ‘Very personable, easy to instruct, down to earth, gets on with clients well and is very responsive.’
Oliver Assersohn - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Technically outstanding, and very hard working and responsive - he also has very sound client management (expectation management and empathy) skills.’
Simon Atrill - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Simon is always busy - and for good reason: he's a great technical lawyer who writes clearly and gets to the heart of any issue.’
Stuart Benzie - 2 Temple Gardens ‘He is an excellent team player who knows his way round the commercial court.’
Paul Casey - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A very good and courageous performer, with excellent judgment.’
Edward Cohen - Enterprise Chambers ‘Very thorough and clear in his written and oral opinion, thinking beyond the expected and producing well-drafted and extremely comprehensive pleadings and advice.’
Lucy Colter - 4 New Square ‘Very thorough and capable lawyer with an easy-going and highly professional attitude.’
Harriet Fear Davies - Devereux ‘An absolutely excellent barrister to work with - she has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the case and was genuinely indispensable.’
Tom Ford - Essex Court Chambers ‘He combines immense intellectual firepower with incredible focus and a great tactical sense, he drives the litigation in a way that few junior barristers can do or would even attempt.’
Jonathan Gavaghan - Ten Old Square ‘Very strategic and tactical, extremely well prepared and thorough in everything, astute with judges and witnesses, and a great Court room presence.’
Tom Gentleman - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Very good to work with, a good draftsman, and sensible and user friendly.’
Alexander Halban - Littleton Chambers ‘Incredibly impressive junior, he has a sense of judgment that exceeds his call, which means he gets to the heart of the issue - Russian language skills are a plus but as an all-round junior, he has been phenomenal.’
Patrick Harty - Erskine Chambers ‘Superb attention to detail and routinely one move ahead of the opposition.’
Peter Head - Blackstone Chambers ‘He is incredibly smart and calm under pressure, really gets stuck in, is always available and has a wonderful manner with clients.’
Josephine Higgs - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘Diligent, measured and tactically astute.’
Keir Howie - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘An outstanding barrister, he is thorough, pragmatic, incisive and has a tremendous work ethic.’
Malcolm Jarvis - Twenty Essex ‘He is particularly good on complex jurisdictional problems.’
Emma Jones - One Essex Court ‘Absolute star - incredibly clever and very thorough.’
Timothy Killen - 2 Temple Gardens ‘Tim is a rare gem of a barrister; his sharp mind and ability to quickly analyse and breakdown any legal issue make him a formidable advocate who is unparalleled in his field’
Lisa Lacob - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Commercially astute, very sharp and is excellent with clients’
Gary Lidington - Radcliffe Chambers ‘Excellent eye for detail, a very good advocate and very good client manner - his paperwork is first class.’
Anna Littler - Wilberforce Chambers ‘An absolute pleasure to work with - reliable, thorough, extremely bright, nothing is too much trouble, and wonderful with clients (even in very difficult circumstances).’
Marcus Mander - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘Attention to detail is good, responds promptly and is easy to work with.’
Paul Marshall - Cornerstone Barristers ‘Extremely personable and a joy to work with.’
Sarah McCann - Hardwicke ‘A good personal manner, and a great all-round knowledge of the law and ability to apply different areas of law to sets of facts.’
Belinda McRae - Twenty Essex ‘A brilliant communicator both as an advocate and an advisor - makes difficult points clear.’
Jennifer Meech - Enterprise Chambers ‘Extremely thorough and well prepared, excellent advice provided and great in court.’
Thomas Munby - Maitland Chambers ‘Very smart and his written work is excellent, he is excellent on his feet, and often outperforms more senior advocates.’
Sam Neaman - Littleton Chambers ‘Universally popular, a born winner, he is a boxer and it shows in his advocacy.’
Rachel Oakeshott - One Essex Court ‘She is bright, responsive and able to quickly absorb huge amounts of detail.’
Laurence Page - Hardwicke ‘Has an in depth grasp of the commercial realities, pressures and drivers that means he talks his client's language and understands their needs in a way that is rare amongst the Bar.’
Benjamin Parker - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘A tremendously perspicacious legal advisor, he is an utterly compelling and skilful advocate.’
Luke Pearce - Twenty Essex ‘A fantastic junior - highly intelligent and great to work with.’
Kendrah Potts - 4 New Square ‘Very responsive, succinct and commercial in her approach, she is an excellent pair of hands on any commercial, fraud or sports related dispute.’
Watson Pringle - Maitland Chambers‘An excellent commercial barrister, who works hard, displays sound judgment and always delivers. He can always be relied upon to produce top quality work.’
Amy Rogers - 11KBW ‘Her knowledge and experience in the administrative law and commercial law is exceptional.’
Gerard Rothschild - Brick Court Chambers ‘Very intellectually strong and analytical, stays calm under pressure, and sees the wider picture.’
Adam Rushworth - One Essex Court ‘He has a straight alpha legal brain and is first rate senior junior for any financially or legally technical case.’
Michael Ryan - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘He is so easy to work with and really makes himself part of the solicitor team.’
Max Schaefer - Brick Court Chambers ‘A first rate junior, he has superb analytical skills and cuts to the heart of any case.’
Shane Sibbel - Blackstone Chambers ‘He is certainly a star of the future and somebody I would expect to make rapid progress through the ranks as his career matures, as it is quickly doing.’
Justina Stewart - Outer Temple Chambers ‘Extremely bright, enthusiastic and commercial - she produces excellent written work and is able to both empathise with clients whilst providing well considered independent advice.’
Joseph Sullivan - Quadrant Chambers ‘Brilliant junior - intellectually superb, but also has a great feel for the strategy and tactics of a case.’
Rachel Tandy - Henderson Chambers ‘A hard working and able junior who is always ready to lend a hand and tenaciously seeks to get to the heart of the dispute.’
James Walmsley - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Extremely hard-working, on top of the papers, and has a fierce intellect.’
James Weale - Serle Court ‘Ticks all of the boxes - he is technically excellent, strategically aware and very commercial. On top of this he is very easy to deal with and down to earth.’

Rising Stars

Theo Barclay - 4 New Square ‘He is outstanding. Smart, diligent, hard-working. Absolutely will go as deep into the subject matter as necessary to find the answers and to be prepared - excellent on his feet and in the courtroom. ’
Ian Bergson - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Extremely responsive and highly technical as well as being a delight to work with, he is practical and solutions-focussed as well as unflappable under pressure - one to watch for the future, and an excellent junior.’
Stuart Cribb - Essex Court Chambers ‘A great work ethic, and an ability to marshal large amounts of detail very quickly and effectively - he's a very good team player and a pleasure to work with.’
Ashley Cukier - Littleton Chambers ‘An extremely bright barrister, committed to achieving the right result for the client.’
Max Davidson - Quadrant Chambers ‘He has a great command of the commercial aspects to a dispute, excellent on his feet and ready to argue the client corner and will not shy away from a court room fight.’
Hannah Glover - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Provides clear and succinct advice, a strong advocate, works incredibly hard to hit deadlines, honest, effective, and is received well by clients’
Jamie Holmes - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Very thorough and extends his thinking to the next level - very commercial in dealing with clients.’
Richard Hoyle - Essex Court Chambers ‘Pleasant, intelligent and hard working. Always good to work with and will do his best to understand what drives clients and solicitors in particular cases and to tailor his approach, strategy and style of advice accordingly. On my list to recommend to my colleagues!’
James Kinman - Maitland Chambers ‘Really intelligent, calm under pressure, hard working, commercial, and always on top of the detail.’
Maximilian Schlote - One Essex Court ‘Max is super bright; super committed and super easy to deal with.’
Sophie Shaw - Brick Court Chambers ‘Great attention to technical detail balanced by a clear communication style. Sophie has a collaborative way of working that made it really easy and a pleasure to instruct her.’
Joyce Arnold - One Essex Court ‘Joyce has a brain the size of a planet. She has an incisive mind and is a tenacious courtroom operator. She is always on top of her subject matter, no matter how complex.’
Niranjan Venkatesan - One Essex Court ‘One of the standout junior juniors of the commercial bar - a huge brain and an asset to every team.’
Ben Woolgar - Brick Court Chambers ‘Exceptionally commercially savvy, he is able to dissect complex issues and get to the heart of the matter, he is also a very strong advocate and cross-examiner.’

Firms in the Spotlight Commercial litigation

Chambers of Lord Grabiner QC

 Chambers of Lord Grabiner QC logo

One Essex Court is a pre-eminent commercial set of barristers’ chambers in London. Members provide specialist legal advice, support and advocacy services worldwide, and the barristers’ expertise covers all areas of arbitration, litigation, regulation and dispute resolution.

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Commercial litigation in London Bar

The increasing blurring of the lines between the Chancery and commercial worlds can be seen in the Commercial Litigation rankings, where traditional Chancery sets are growing in prominence. Equally, commercial sets that were once defined by the contractual claims they fought, are now just as likely to be found on major shareholder disputes – as demonstrated by the many oligarch litigations that have dominated the past two decades. There is inevitably much overlap between these rankings and the other more specialised categories within the London Bar section, particularly those broader areas of civil dispute that have a significant bearing on the international world of commerce and business, such as Offshore, Company and Partnership, Fraud: Civil, Insurance and reinsurance, and Banking and Finance. (Exceptions would include Construction, Property Litigation, Intellectual Property, or Product liability, where the distinctions and skillsets are clearer, even though the values in dispute are often extremely high). What distinguishes Commercial Litigation as a section, is the identification of commercial barristers whose oral and written advocacy, market reputation, and overall experience, transcends one strict category. Their unifying trait is that they are the first choice for more general, market-defining civil cases that a company, bank, or entrepreneur, simply cannot afford to lose.

3 Verulam Buildings

3 Verulam Buildings is a 'go-to set' for high-end commercial disputes and boasts 'numerous quality operators', and 'the juniors, in particular, are first-rate'. Clients also appreciate the 'conducive environment', 'very friendly and supportive staff' and the 'free training programmes to client's in-house counsel in order to build their capacity for handling commercial litigation, which makes this chambers different from other sets'. Members have been kept busy with a string of high-profile mandates, including Phones 4u Limited v Vodafone Group, in which Ewan McQuater QC and Adam Kramer are representing Vodafone. Another key case is Manning & Napier v Tesco PLC, where Peter De Verneuil Smith QC and Philip Hinks are among those acting for the claimants.

Brick Court Chambers

Brick Court Chambers is a 'first-rate set' that is 'excellent from top to bottom' and possesses 'almost universal quality'. Despite having 'the bench strength to deal with the biggest and most complex of cases', the set hasn't rested on its laurels, recently recruiting several strong junior barristers, including James McClelland and Charlotte Tan, from Fountain Court Chambers and Twenty Essex respectively. Major recent highlights included the Lloyds Banking Group shareholder litigation, where Helen Davies QC and Tony Singla successfully defended the bank. Seven members were also involved in Privatbank v Kolomoisky and others, including Mark Howard QC, Alec Haydon QC, Richard Blakeley, and Ben Woolgar.

Essex Court Chambers

Essex Court Chambers is 'top of the pile' with 'fantastic counsel at all levels'. Clients add that the set is 'a market-leader when it comes to the production of know-how and has first-class administration'. The 'great strength in depth' is demonstrated by David Foxton QC's departure to become a judge, and the availability of other tier one silks to step into the breach. Complex international disputes feature heavily, including the $1bn Avonwick v Taruta, in which Nathan Pillow QC and Anton Dudnikov are among those representing the Ukrainian businessman, Sergey Taruta. Paul McGrath QC is also leading David Davies and James Sheehan in Tatneft v Bogylubov/Kolomoisky.

Fountain Court Chambers

Fountain Court Chambers is 'rightly among the leading commercial sets' with 'an abundance of talent and depth'. The barristers 'are at the top of their game' and the set is commended for having 'done a huge amount in recent years to promote and recruit women, making them one of the most gender-diverse sets at the commercial bar'. A recent highlight was Regeneration Investment Fund for Wales LLP v (1) Amber Fund Management and (2) Lambert Smith Hampton Group in which Anneliese Day QC and Natasha Bennett are representing Amber Fund Management. Charles Bear QC and Ian Bergson achieved a notable success in the Supreme Court in One Step v Morris-Garner.

One Essex Court

One Essex Court is 'obviously an absolutely stand-out commercial set' with 'a string of leading names – from the most junior to the most senior member, you know you will have your best case presented by members of this set'. The set is praised for 'its reputation in complex, multi-jurisdictional commercial litigation' of all kinds. Notable highlights include Autonomy and others v Michael Lynch, in which Laurence Rabinowitz QC, Conall Patton QC and Emma Jones are representing the claimant. Michael Fealy QC is also representing the Danish Customs and Tax Administration, SKAT, alongside Jamie Goldsmith QC and several juniors, in its massive fraud claim against over 60 defendants.

7 King's Bench Walk

7 King's Bench Walk is 'very strong at both leader and junior level' and 'counsel are frequently involved in the biggest commercial cases'. The 'high-quality chambers' stands out for the 'quality of its barristers and the co-operative and commonsense attitude of the clerks'. Numerous members, including Jonathan Gaisman QC, Alistair Schaff QC, and Benjamin Parker, were involved in the $1.2bn Single Buoy Moorings Inc v Zurich Insurance plc and others, the largest maritime claim to hit the commercial courts. Gaisman was also involved in the Brillante Virtuoso case – Suez Fortune Investments & another v. Talbot Underwriting & others – alongside Richard Waller QC and Keir Howie.

Blackstone Chambers

Blackstone Chambers 'has become a commercial litigation powerhouse, adding to its already stellar reputation for public law work', and is praised for its 'incredible strength in depth with a roster of juniors who are bound to be future stars'. Clients also report to 'have consistently found both barristers and clerks to be down to earth and approachable and commercial in outlook'. Noteworthy cases include PCP Capital Partners LLP and Anor v Barclays Bank, in which Tom Weisselberg QC and Robert Weekes are among those representing the claimants. Other significant matters included Arcelor Mittal v Essar Steel, the enforcement of an arbitral award that involved Weisselberg, Anthony Peto QC and Andrew Scott.

Maitland Chambers

Maitland Chambers is a 'fabulous set' with 'a raft of excellent Counsel at all levels, but particularly mid to senior juniors'. Clients have appreciated how the chambers is 'good at keeping in touch with their instructing solicitors and they run a very good seminar (now webinar) programme' and overall 'the set has been fantastic, even during Covid'. Key cases include United Company Rusal PLC v Crispian Investments Limited and Whiteleave Holdings Limited in which a team of five members, including Christopher Pymont QC, David Mumford QC and Watson Pringle are representing United Company Rusal. Pymont is also leading Benjamin John in Tugushev v Orlov.

Serle Court

Serle Court is an 'absolutely top-class set for commercial chancery and civil fraud work' where the barristers are 'of a universally high quality, from bottom to top'. Clients also note that it is 'striking how well they work together as a cohesive team'. Notable cases include Glenn v Watson, in which Elizabeth Jones QC is leading a team of seven members, including Justin Higgo QC and Paul Adams. Another highlight is Rusteem Magdeev v Equix Diamonds DMCC & Others, where Jonathan Adkin QC and Adil Mohamedbhai are acting for the defendant, Equix Diamonds DMCC.

Twenty Essex

Twenty Essex is 'a very reputable commercial set' which seems 'to have an expert in every field of commercial law', and is particularly noted for its strong expertise in international trade. The set fields a strong selection of 'very able' barristers, including senior silks and up-and-coming baby juniors. Notable cases include Halliburton v Chubb, in which Charles Kimmins QC and Luke Pearce led the LCIA's intervention to the Supreme Court concerning the high profile arbitration award. Philip Edey QC also led Andrew Fulton in the $5bn dispute, Fundo Suberano De Angola and Others v Jean-Claude Bastos De Morais and Others.

Wilberforce Chambers

Clients are 'spoilt for choice' at Wilberforce Chambers, which has 'an abundance of talent at all levels'. The 'excellent set' is 'always responsive and helpful', and marries strong practices in trusts, offshore and professional negligence, with broader commercial disputes. The set's capacity for handling high profile cases was demonstrated with AHAB v SAAD, in which Thomas Lowe QC and John Wardell QC respectively acted for the defendant and claimant. Alan Gourgey QC also successfully represented Gazprom in Naftogaz v Gazprom, by resisting a Commercial Court application for the immediate enforcement of a $3bn arbitral award.

XXIV Old Buildings

XXIV Old Buildings is 'one of the leading sets of commercial and Chancery chambers' and noted for its 'strength in offshore and international cases'. The set has several 'first-class silks and excellent juniors at all ends of the experience spectrum' who represent 'fantastic value'. Clients also appreciate the 'fantastic training programmes'. Significant mandates include the liquidation of the Herald Fund, one of the largest Madoff feeder funds, in which Francis Tregear QC, Michael Black QC and Bajul Shah were all involved. Robert Levy QC and Hugh Miall have also been representing over 100 claimants in Ward & Ors v Savill & Ors.

4 New Square

4 New Square has 'quality barristers from top to bottom' and is 'clearly a set that is expanding and becoming ever-more well-known', particularly beyond areas such as professional negligence, where it is a market leader. Members are increasingly called upon to act on multi-jurisdictional cases, which stems partly from its growth in ancillary areas such as international arbitration. Highlights on this front include LIC Telecommunications SARL v VTB Capital, in which Graham Chapman QC is leading George Spalton. Another major case has been Deripaska v Chernukhin, where Justin Fenwick QC and Lucy Colter are representing the Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska.

4 Stone Buildings

4 Stone Buildings is 'an excellent set with a good balance of silks to juniors'. Clients also note that 'their barristers do a good deal of actual court work, unlike many'. The set's background in company law and insolvency matters, has over the past decade blurred into much larger commercial cases. A blockbuster example was Autonomy v Lynch and Hussain, in which Richard Hill QC led Tom Gentleman. The case also involved Robert Miles QC, before he became a judge. Several members, including John Brisby QC and Alastair Tomson, are involved in a dispute concerning the property investor Glenn Maud and the ownership of Santander's headquarters in Madrid.

Quadrant Chambers

Quadrant Chambers is 'an excellent set' with 'good strength not only in the core areas of shipping; aviation and oil & gas but also in commercial disputes generally', as well as 'real depth of expertise in contractual matters and also IT'. Clients appreciate how the barristers are 'down to earth, intelligent, commercially minded and helpful'. Significant cases involving several members include Damazien Global Investments Limited v (1) Salamanca Capital Limited and (2) Rupert Hayward, where Robert-Jan Temmink QC and Max Davidson are representing Mr Hayward. In West Ham United v E20 Stadium LLP, Paul Downes QC led the West Ham team, including Joseph Sullivan.  

South Square

South Square is a 'first choice chambers for high quality and complex mandates', and a 'go-to set for offshore insolvency and commercial litigation'. Members are unmatched when it comes to the intersection between high-end insolvency, banking and fraud cases, as has been demonstrated by their ongoing involvement in the Lehmans' litigation. Significant cases include Deutsche Trustee Co Ltd v Bangkok Land (Cayman Islands) Ltd in which David Allison QC led Stephen Robins. Several members were also involved in the dispute concerning the Debenhams CVA, with Tom Smith QC, Jeremy Goldring QC and Richard Fisher QC among those acting for the retailer.

4 Pump Court

4 Pump Court offers 'consistently excellent service and expertise, backed by top rate clerking'. The set does well to merge its strengths in more specialised areas, such as IT, construction, insurance, and shipping, with the broader commercial litigation sphere. Multijurisdictional disputes typically feature high on the agenda, and Stephen Cogley QC and Alexander Wright recently worked together on a major claim in the Russian energy sector. Nigel Tozzi QC led a team from chambers, on behalf of the Indian banks, in State Bank of India and 12 others v Mallya, while Nicholas Vineall QC represented Bank Mellat in the high profile Bank Mellat v HMT Treasury.

Gatehouse Chambers

Gatehouse Chambers is a 'dynamic and proactive' set, 'which has been especially apparent during the Covid-19 crisis'. Several clients praise the 'excellent training programmes in various areas'. The versatile commercial set draws on strengths from across several areas, including insolvency, insurance, franchising and Chancery disputes. Clients also note the set is 'one of the most human and engaging, with counsel who live in the real world'. Major mandates include the SKAT Litigation, in which Nigel Jones QC and Laurence Page are representing Sanjay Shah. David Lewis QC and Emily Betts acted together in the shareholder dispute, Andersson v Kamran.

Enterprise Chambers

Enterprise Chambers is praised for its 'fantastic range of members' all of whom are 'personable and approachable'. Clients appreciate the set's 'very able barristers, particularly at the senior junior level'. The members are highly experienced in commercial chancery matters. Notable cases include Serious Fraud Office v Smith & Others, in which James Pickering QC (who just took silk) is representing the liquidators. Jennifer Meech represents fashion designer John Richmond, who faces claims for €54m by the liquidators of a company of which he was a director. Another highlight for Niall McCulloch was representing Brazil's state of Mariana in a £5bn claim against BHP following a dam collapse in Brazil.

Erskine Chambers

Erskine Chambers is 'an excellent set for corporate law issues and company disputes', fielding a selection of 'very professional and very good to deal with' barristers and clerks. As well as company law issues and shareholder disputes, the set also offers strong capabilities in related areas such as civil fraud. Stephen Smith QC has a standout reputation and led a team including James Potts QC and Patrick Harty on Mezhprombank v Pugachev. Other highlight cases included Interactive Technology v Ferster, in which Andrew Thompson QC and Nigel Dougherty were part of a sizeable team from within chambers.

Littleton Chambers

Littleton Chambers is 'a quality outfit with a strong reputation for disputes emanating from Russia and the CIS'. The set has 'an excellent spread of experience and availability' and is noted for its 'good range of talent with some strong mid-level juniors'. Major recent cases include Allergy Therapeutics Ltd v Inflamax Research Inc, where Charles Samek QC and Ashley Cukier acted for Inflamax, and Marc Delehanty was part of the opposing team. Rupert D’Cruz and Alexander Halban, both noted for their Russian language ability, are also representing Valeriy Korotkov in AOS Holdings AG & Ors v Valeriy Korotkov & Ors.