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Costs

1
4 New Square
2
Hailsham Chambers
3
39 Essex Chambers
Temple Garden Chambers

Leading Silks

1
Nicholas Bacon QC - 4 New Square ‘ A great range of knowledge and experience acquired over a stellar career. ’
Simon Browne QC – 39 Essex Chambers ‘He stands out as the pre-eminent Silk in a field of extremely talented costs silks.’
Alexander Hutton QC - Hailsham Chambers ‘ He contributes immense authority with costs cases and his quality of service is golden. ’
PJ Kirby QC - Gatehouse Chambers ‘ As well as knowing costs law backwards, PJ is highly strategic and tactical, keeping an eye on the bigger picture to drive a great result. ’
Benjamin Williams QC - 4 New Square ‘ A go-to silk in costs disputes, he has an excellent manner in court and there are few that can rival his expertise in costs litigation. ’
2
Robert Marven QC - 4 New Square ‘ Very thorough and second to none in his legal analysis. ’
3
Andrew Post QC - Hailsham Chambers ‘ An excellent advocate with no weaknesses. ’
Vikram Sachdeva QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ An excellent advocate who is very easy to work with, very responsive, and has a great understanding of the healthcare sector and clinical issues. ’
Daniel Saoul QC - 4 New Square ‘ A calming and reassuring influence, happy to roll up his sleeves and get stuck into the detail, whilst at the same time retaining a senses of the bigger picture. ’

2020 Silks

Jamie Carpenter QC - Hailsham Chambers ‘ Jamie is a leader in the field of costs law and a real credit to any legal team. ’
Roger Mallalieu QC - 4 New Square ‘ Roger is the one you want advocating for you in court: polished, personable, persuasive and poised. ’

2021 Silks

Judith Ayling QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ She cuts like a hot knife through butter to the heart of the key issues in each case. ’

Leading Juniors

1
Dr Mark Friston - Hailsham Chambers ‘ A heavy-weight intellectual with an encyclopaedic knowledge of costs law. ’
James Laughland - Temple Garden Chambers ‘ Second to none on the subject of legal costs, he has a huge depth of knowledge. ’
George McDonald - 4 New Square ‘ His attention to detail and drive to get to the heart of issues is always impressive. ’
Dan Stacey - Hailsham Chambers ‘ His advice is clear and concise - he offers an excellent service. ’
2
Rupert Cohen - Landmark Chambers ‘ A go-to guru for costs cases at the junior level. ’
Robin Dunne - Gatehouse Chambers ‘ Preparation is thorough, he takes on the details of the case and advocates with the knowledge as if had litigated the case himself. Robin leaves the client feeling as if they are in safe hands. ’
Shaman Kapoor - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ One of the best costs juniors out there. ’
Joshua Munro - Hailsham Chambers ‘ Joshua has a good knowledge of all matters costs and is able to explain complex issues to the client in a very straightforward and understandable manner. ’
Shail Patel - 4 New Square ‘ Superb on costs issues and incredibly quick on the uptake. ’
Andrew Roy - 12 King's Bench Walk
3
Imran Benson - Hailsham Chambers ‘ Approachable and has a laid-back style which is easy to work with. ’
Simon Edwards - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Excellent on costs and a measured and thoughtful advocate. ’
Martyn Griffiths - Gatehouse Chambers ‘ Incredibly diligent, approachable and forensic in approach to cases. Martyn is able to cut through problems and grasp the critical issues with ease. ’
Stephen Innes - 4 New Square ‘ Very bright and pragmatic, he has a relaxed air of quiet confidence about him. ’
Mark James - Temple Garden Chambers
Pippa Manby - 4 New Square ‘ A strong advocate, able to go up alone against leading counsel and pivot rapidly in the face of unexpected developments. ’
4
Theo Barclay - 4 New Square ‘ Extremely hard working, he gets stuck into problems very quickly, and has well-judged insights into what points really matter. ’
Timothy Chelmick - 4 New Square ‘ Has a wonderfully practical approach that boils down costs matters and complex litigation to the essentials. ’
Nicola Greaney - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ An excellent, resourceful and well-prepared advocate. ’
Ben Smiley - 4 New Square ‘ Diligent and thorough in the work undertaken and was approachable in his manner. ’
Matthew Waszak - Temple Garden Chambers ‘ A pragmatic individual with particular ability in relation to the more difficult and complex cases. ’
Gordon Wignall - Six Pump Court ‘ Understands the complexity of multi-party claims and is particularly knowledgeable on CFAs. ’
Richard Wilkinson - Temple Garden Chambers ‘ A very experienced costs practitioner, he is a robust but sensible advocate who you want on your side. ’

Rising Stars

Simon Teasdale - 4 New Square ‘ Simon is incredibly user friendly, combined with an expertise in costs litigation that is far beyond his call. ’

Costs in London Bar

4 New Square

Seen as 'the go-to set on costs litigation', Supreme Court and Court of Appeal costs cases frequently see 4 New Square members at both the silk and junior level present. In Adelekun v Ho, a new leading case on qualified one-way costs shifting and set-off of costs, Roger Mallalieu QC acted for the appellant at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court; the Supreme Court hearing case being its first in-person hearing post-COVID-19. Benjamin Williams QC acted for Norwegian billionaire Alexander Vik in defending an £85m costs claim from Deutsche Bank in a long running dispute, with Pippa Manby  on the other side. Renowned costs silk Nicholas Bacon QC continues to be a top name in the market and, in addition to his involvement against him in Adelekun, was instructed in the Supreme Court in Bott & Co Solicitors v Ryanair DAC, for the former party as appellant, in a case regarding whether the concept of a solicitor’s equitable lien was engaged when the airline contacted the firm's clients directly to settle EC 261/2004 flight delay claims without accounting for the firm's fees..  Robert Marven QC is often brought into major group and commercial litigation on specific costs issues and was recently instructed in key Court of Appeal case Chapelgate Credit Opportunity Master Fund Ltd v Money, making a significant impact on the principles applicable to ordering costs against commercial funders.

Testimonials

Set

‘Excellent chambers for legal costs. A wide range of both leading and junior talent.‘

‘I will always instruct 4 New Square on costs related matters, their barristers are the leaders in the field.‘

‘4 New Square is the cost set. It has the leading cost barristers in the country all in one place which is incredibly useful.‘

‘Real depth of experience and quality individuals. They are the go to set on costs litigation.‘

‘A leading set for costs matters.‘

Clerking

‘4 New Square have the best clerks in the business. Great on listings, straight talking and a joy to deal with.‘

‘James Barrass has been effective and highly efficient.‘

‘James Barrass is stand-out, and performs very well at listing appointments.‘

‘The clerks are fantastic (particularly James Barrass) and very helpful and accommodating.‘

‘I have found Dennis Peck to be very efficient.‘

Hailsham Chambers

Housing 'QCs through to new juniors, all of whom have an excellent understanding of the law of costs' Hailsham Chambers continues to be busy on a wide range of costs cases. CFA and other funding disputes have been common in the market, a prime example seeing Alexander Hutton QC represent the latter party as defendant in XDE v North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust at the Court of Appeal. Lawyer-client disputes are also another area of growth and Dan Stacey acted for Augustus Ullstein QC in his claim for payment under a CFA against Taylor Hampton in 2020. Juniors Imran Benson and Joshua Munro have recently acted in notable cases about non-party costs orders, and Andrew Post QC continues his stellar practice in costs and clinical negligence.

Testimonials

Set

‘They know their field and their work is of the highest standard.‘

‘The chambers are excellent with one of the best costs team in the country.‘

‘Hailsham has an number of specialist Costs Counsel from junior up to senior level.‘

‘They have a good depth of very experienced costs counsel and I can always be sure that I will be able to locate an excellent barrister for whatever level of case I am dealing with.‘

‘The team ranges from QCs through to new juniors all of whom have an excellent understanding of the law of costs and more importantly how it is applied.‘

Clerking

‘Michael Kilbey responds promptly to correspondence and is pleasant to deal with.‘

‘Michael Kilbey is always available and bends over backwards to accommodate.‘

‘The clerks who deal with the costs team are all very efficient and personable.‘

‘Stuart Paley is always keen to assist and very helpful.‘

‘The clerks at Hailsham are excellent.‘

39 Essex Chambers

‘One of the best sets around‘, 39 Essex Chambers houses a ‘very strong costs team‘ that was again involved in some of the market’s landmark costs disputes in the past year. Vikram Sachdeva QC is particularly noted for commercial costs, disciplinary costs, and costs in public law, frequently appearing at the Court of Appeal. Judith Ayling QC took silk in 2021 and instructed in connection with funding issues pertaining to an application in the Competition Appeals Tribunal, as part of UK Trucks Claim Limited v Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and others, with Simon Edwards also acting in the case on matters relating to damages-based agreements. Shaman Kapoor has been very busy on the costs front as well, including handing the costs elements of high-value group actions, and fellow junior Nicola Greaney stands out in costs matters related to personal injury and clinical negligence.

Testimonials

Set

‘A very strong costs team.‘

‘One of the strongest sets in the UK and has top practitioners in a wide range of disciplines.‘

‘Good quality throughout.‘

‘One of the best sets around.‘

Clerking

‘I have found Oscar Redif, Sheraton Doyle and Peter Campbell to be very helpful.‘

‘Alistair Davidson is a great leader and Hannah Milne is diligent, hard working and provides a fantastic service.‘

‘Alastair Davidson is the senior llerk with vast experience. He has a large team of clerks under him who work tirelessly for the members. The relationship between the members and the clerks is very good.‘

‘Alastair Davidson very helpful if I ever have any issues at 39 Essex Chambers.‘

‘I have only ever had top notch service from the clerks.‘

Temple Garden Chambers

Temple Garden Chambers ‘has carved out its own place in terms of the use of the bar for costs disputes‘ with its costs barristers sought after for both advocacy and advisory work by solicitors, litigation funders and insurers. Leading junior James Laughland has been involved in notable solicitor-client disputes, as well as advising the director of Fairlight Art Ventures on strategy for dealing with a threatened and anticipated non-party costs order in Sothebys v Mark Weiss & Fairlight Art Ventures.  Other highlights included Mark James acting for the former in Shulman v Kolomoisky, a nine-day detailed assessment of £2m bill at the SCCO.

Testimonials

Set

‘Temple Gardens has carved out its own place in terms of the use of the bar for costs disputes. They have several very knowledgeable barristers there, their online seminar last year was great, as is their newsletter.‘

‘TGC are well known for costs and we have instructed a number of other barristers there over the years.‘

‘A strong costs set of chambers that provides great costs seminars in conjunction with costs law reports.‘

‘Availability of counsel is never and issue and the breadth of counsel available, from junior through to heavyweight QC is fantastic.‘

Clerking

‘A well rounded and highly professionally structured team.‘

‘Dean Norton is always charming, and Thomas Neale is very efficient.‘

‘Dean Norton has been first class and always accommodating especially where preferred Counsel is unavailable.‘

‘The clerks are very helpful. In particular Keith Sharman is always very approachable and looks to accommodate preferred counsel if their diaries will allow.‘

‘They are always helpful, accommodating and will go that extra mile for you.‘