Employment

Leading Silks
2026 Silks
2025 Silks

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.

Robin Allen KC

Keith Bryant KC

Outer Temple Chambers

Keith is a leading expert in the area of equal pay. He is at the very top of his field. His advocacy is impressive and effective. Keith is also a brilliant team leader. In 8 years, I have never found him unapproachable on any front. He is fazed by nothing.

Andrew Burns KC

Andrew is incredibly bright, has great attention to detail, is a strong advocate "on his feet," and also has a very client-friendly manner (i.e., commercial and attuned to client objectives and sensitivities).

Bruce Carr KC

Bruce is genuinely preeminent in the Industrial Relations field. That sentence does not do him justice. He combines forensic advocacy skills with a powerful commercial and contextual understanding, along with deep and insightful strategic and tactical thinking. He also has a true appreciation of client care.

Ben Cooper KC

Old Square Chambers

The best employment lawyer at the bar, and probably the best lawyer in any practice area. The sharpest mind I have ever come across, paired with total (and totally unmerited) modesty. A pleasure and a privilege to work with.

David Craig KC

Essex Court Chambers

Highly committed, detail-oriented, a great advocate, and these days, without parallel in the field of restrictive covenant enforcement.

Tom Croxford KC

Blackstone Chambers

Tom is excellent at knowing the details of a case (it is particularly complex) and in judgment regarding strategy and how to approach a particular point with a judge.

Paul Epstein KC

Paul is probably the leading expert on equal pay and is an outstanding advocate.

Michael Ford KC

Old Square Chambers

Caspar Glyn KC

Extremely hard-working. Very responsive. Brilliant strategist. Relates to the client extremely well.

Paul Goulding KC

Blackstone Chambers

Superb legal mind, both strategically and in terms of detail. Fights every point robustly but with consummate judgment and courtesy.

Diya Sen Gupta KC

Blackstone Chambers

Diya combines highly skilled advocacy with a personable and client-oriented advisory style. Diya operates creatively, collaboratively, and responsively across a broad legal team encompassing junior counsel, solicitors at all levels, and senior client stakeholders. She is a huge asset to any complex contentious employment matter.

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Lord Hendy KC

Old Square Chambers

Andrew Hochhauser KC

Essex Court Chambers

Schona Jolly KC

She is legally incredibly smart, strategic, and savvy.

Sean Jones KC

Sean has the ability to put complex issues simply. He is incredibly knowledgeable, obviously, but his experience as an employment judge is invaluable. He is clear and concise with clients.

James Laddie KC

Matrix Chambers

Incredibly clear and strategic, seeing litigation as part of the wider picture. Brilliant manner with witnesses and senior management, which conveys expertise and command. Destructive cross-examination.

Karon Monaghan KC

Matrix Chambers

Jane Mulcahy KC

Blackstone Chambers

Akash Nawbatt KC

Extremely calm, thoughtful, and has a nice manner. Presents extremely well in front of clients and acts as part of the team - with no ego.

Katharine Newton KC

Old Square Chambers

Katharine is a pleasure to work with. She has a friendly and direct manner, striking an excellent balance between being professional and down to earth. Katharine is all over the detail, while keeping the bigger picture and client objectives in mind. She's excellent on her feet - very friendly but can be devastating when making submissions and in cross-examination. She's also unbelievably hardworking and always responsive and contactable.

Daniel Oudkerk KC

Essex Court Chambers

Obviously top tier. Highly sought after. Commands the respect of every tribunal.

David Reade KC

Littleton Chambers

David is incredibly user-friendly. He is pragmatic and commercial, as well as being an engaging and persuasive advocate who is clearly well-respected by his opponents and judges.

Daphne Romney KC

Daphne is superb. Not only is she obviously a leading expert in discrimination and pay inequality claims, she is a great team player and a formidable advocate and has a great manner with the lay clients. I would not hesitate to instruct her again and would wholeheartedly recommend her to others.

Oliver Segal KC

Old Square Chambers

Oliver Segal KC is in a class of his own. He is highly intelligent and can always be relied on to give advice of the highest quality in the most difficult of cases. His skills as an advocate are formidable, and he always appears calm and unphased in even the most highly pressurized situations, when the stakes for clients are extremely high. He would always be my first choice senior counsel, particularly for High Court injunction challenges.

Mohinderpal Sethi KC

Littleton Chambers

Mo is very clear, commercial, organized, and persuasive. His advocacy, including with stakeholders, is very impressive.

Andrew Short KC

Outer Temple Chambers

Andrew is a consummate advocate. He is funny, committed, encouraging, and appreciative of more junior team members, as well as being a fantastic tactician and a lawyer second to none.

Adam Solomon KC

Littleton Chambers

The KC every solicitor wants in their corner when they have to win and the odds against them. He's charming, engaging, and, in the courtroom, brilliant.

Daniel Stilitz KC

Dan is top-notch: a smooth operator with a depth and breadth of legal knowledge and experience that makes him a first choice for complex, high-value claims.

Mark Sutton KC

Old Square Chambers

Calm, brilliant at understanding the case and keeping the proceedings running in a civil way; commands the respect of judges and opponents. Excellent specialist knowledge. Clients all adore the style and want to have him back time and again. No weaknesses known to me.

Edward Brown KC

Essex Court Chambers

Not afraid to stick his neck out; great written work and smooth advocacy.

Tom Coghlin KC

Tom is fantastic, always across the details and offers invaluable input. His advocacy is on point, easy to follow, and clearly articulated. I would not hesitate to instruct him again or to recommend him to others.

Ben Collins KC

Old Square Chambers

Ben blends the calm authority of silk with the tenacity and work rate of a campaigning junior. His ability to distill complex principles into straightforward logical propositions is unmatched.

Rachel Crasnow KC

Very bright, hugely experienced, and astoundingly calm under pressure. Unafraid to give a view whether it is popular or not, works well with her instructing solicitors.

Betsan Criddle KC

Old Square Chambers

Betsan is one of my favorite barristers to work with. She's an absolute star while also being easy to work with and extremely client-friendly.

Simon Devonshire KC

Simon Devonshire KC is my "go-to" employment law barrister. Simon has profound intellect and exceptional and diverse communication skills at all levels. He is responsive and has the ability to master complex and challenging material quickly, inspiring confidence in solicitors and clients alike. This has even extended to the parties who have been the subject of the independent investigations which Simon has undertaken on my instructions, resulting in reliable, substantive, and conclusive investigation reports on which all parties have been able to rely.

Jason Galbraith-Marten KC

Jason is a proven statesman of the employment bar. He is a charming and persuasive advocate, easy to work with, and inspires confidence in clients, judges, and opponents alike. He has an exceptional ability to simplify the complex and get to the heart of the case.

Paul Gott KC

Fountain Court Chambers

Paul is an industrial relations powerhouse; he has incredible in-depth knowledge in the area and has worked on some of the most high-profile collective disputes.

Richard Leiper KC

Richard is one of the finest KCs working in the employee competition field today. I can say without hesitation that he is exceptional in every respect — his written advocacy is first-rate and he is a commanding and highly effective presence in the High Court.

Dale Martin KC

Littleton Chambers

Encyclopedic knowledge of the law, getting on top of the documents and factual issues, and a tenacious and highly skilled advocate. Above all, Dale never loses sight of the client's commercial objectives.

Julian Milford KC

Julian is a joy to work with. He is hugely personable with supreme intellectual prowess. His advocacy is polished and compelling. Highly recommended.

Nadia Motraghi KC

Old Square Chambers

Nadia is a robust advocate who puts the client's objectives at the heart of case strategy. She has an excellent understanding of complex legal issues allied to very good client care. She has a particular strength in NHS discrimination cases.

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Paul Nicholls KC

4 New Square Chambers

Great ability to cut through complex issues and get to the crux of the situation. Always great manner with clients, and Paul is great to collaborate with on significant and high-risk/high-complexity matters.

Mathew Purchase KC

Matrix Chambers

Mathew is thoughtful, articulate, and a reassuring presence in high-pressure situations. He is particularly strong from a technical perspective, and I value his judgment on tricky legal issues.

Stuart Ritchie KC

Fountain Court Chambers

Stuart is without a doubt the cleverest barrister at the commercial bar, who unusually combines his stellar intellect with consummate oral advocacy and excellent client skills. Truly one of the great barristers of his generation.

Dinah Rose KC

Blackstone Chambers

Nicholas Siddall KC

Littleton Chambers

Nick's key strength is his extraordinary attention to detail. I have always been impressed by how deep his knowledge goes in a matter, and I am always confident that he will pick up even the smallest issue. He is also excellent with clients.

Niran de Silva KC

Littleton Chambers

He is a very smooth operator. He makes his points in a clever and highly persuasive way such that he has the judge eating out of the palm of his hands.

Andrew Allen KC

Outer Temple Chambers

Andrew Allen has a great manner with lay clients, will take on difficult matters, and is inventive in his approach.

Charles Ciumei KC

Essex Court Chambers

Charles is first-rate. He's willing and able to apply the sort of intellectual firepower that you would expect of a KC at a top set, but also roll up his sleeves, engage with clients, and be responsive.

Jonathan Cohen KC

Littleton Chambers

Fierce advocate and cross-examiner - clinical cross-examination. Extraordinary attention to detail; doesn't miss anything. Terrifyingly bright. Extremely hard-working.

Kate Gallafent KC

Blackstone Chambers

Kate is a tremendously gifted lawyer but also a uniquely brilliant asset as a team player. She has outstanding gifts of perception regarding witnesses. She has an exceptional ability in her advice to condense great legal and factual complexity into clear analysis and recommendations.

Paul Gilroy KC

Littleton Chambers

Amazing advocate. Always available and approachable. Despite being a genius, he makes people feel comfortable around him instantly.

Jeremy Lewis KC

Littleton Chambers

Massive brain, driven, tenacious, hard-working, always goes the extra mile. Good advocate.

Alice Mayhew KC

Alice is bright and insightful, but she also offers a commercial and practical approach and is willing and able to work with clients to identify a sensible way forward.

John Mehrzad KC

Fountain Court Chambers

John will always seek a solution to meet the client's needs even if he has to look outside the mainstream arguments. He is loved by clients and feared by opponents.

Anya Proops KC

Instills immediate confidence and loyalty from clients. Tireless and compassionate, she fights incredibly hard for her clients but is also able to cut through the noise to focus on outcomes. A perfect choice for high-value discrimination disputes. A formidable and effective advocate who builds immediate rapport with judges.

Akua Reindorf KC

Akua's courtroom presence is second to none: she exudes an authority that inspires trust from the bench so that even the trickiest of submissions are received positively. Her skills in cross-examination are similarly superlative.

Daniel Tatton-Brown KC

Littleton Chambers

Ed Williams KC

Very client-friendly, with a wealth of experience in employment law, making for an extremely safe pair of hands. Super smart and great on his feet.

Katherine Apps KC

39 Essex Chambers

A brilliant advocate who takes on the most challenging legal issues. Katherine has a fierce intellect combined with an ability to add calm within the maelstrom. She is a leader in her field. Katherine is building a stellar reputation in relation to AI and the intersection with employment.

Rehana Azib KC

2 Temple Gardens

Rehana is incredibly detail-oriented, and her submissions - both written and oral - are clear and precise. Judges appreciate her preparation and her ability to distill the issues in a case and make clear and comprehensive submissions.

Anna Beale KC

A true employment law heavyweight - outstanding in her ability to get judges onside, not afraid to fight difficult points, and astute when giving advice.

Nicola Braganza KC

Garden Court Chambers

Stuart Brittenden KC

Old Square Chambers

Stuart is my first choice of employment barrister. He is bright, exceptionally hard-working, very responsive, always ready to muck in, and an excellent advocate. He also has an encyclopaedic knowledge of industrial relations law in particular.

Sarah Fraser Butlin KC

Sarah is just brilliant. She is so, so clever, but so approachable in the way she communicates that intellect. Her academic background is palpable, but she is not unduly technical in style, and she is exceptionally human in her interactions with clients. She is just a delight to deal with, and I have the utmost respect for her abilities.

Simon Cheetham KC

Old Square Chambers

Simon is personable yet formidable. His spoken advocacy is highly compelling. He is engaging and very good with clients.

Claire Darwin KC

One of the standout employment silks at the Bar. She is exceptional: fiercely intelligent, strategically brilliant, and consistently compelling in both written submissions and oral advocacy. She has an uncommon ability to identify the decisive point early, master the factual record, and present technically complex issues with clarity and authority. When the stakes are highest and the law is at its most difficult, Claire is the person you want. Beyond her intellectual and technical excellence, Claire is outstanding to work with. She is responsive, calm under pressure, and impressively collegiate. She works seamlessly with solicitors and junior counsel, is meticulous in preparation, and is very effective with clients and witnesses—combining absolute candour about risk with practical, solutions-focused advice. She brings real leadership to a team and real confidence to the client.

Carol Davis KC

Littleton Chambers

It is an utter pleasure to work with her - she is so responsive and always available for queries. Our associates love working with her too, as she never makes them feel stupid for asking procedural or smaller queries, and she is always so full of praise for their efforts. She is a really tough cross-examiner, not at all afraid to have a fight, and she does this so effectively. She is a real team player, and it is great to have her on the team!

Nick De Marco KC

Blackstone Chambers

Kathleen Donnelly KC

Henderson Chambers

Tenacity, an eye for detail, and an excellent strategist.

Iris Ferber KC

42BR Barristers

Iris is hugely experienced and able to quickly work through cases to give advice, but a big strength is her ability to work with clients in a very practical and strategic way. She is always approachable and easy to work with.

Niazi Fetto KC

2 Temple Gardens

Niazi is an extremely effective advocate, as well as being a delightful person - he is very straightforward in his dealings with everyone.

James Goudie KC

Robert Howe KC

Blackstone Chambers

Jeffrey Jupp KC

Jeffrey is exceptionally good on the details, and his oral advocacy is exquisite. He is pitch-perfect in court.

Jane McCafferty KC

Jane is an absolutely exceptional KC and one of the most formidable advocates I have had the privilege of working with. Her written work is superb, and in the courtroom, she is in a class entirely of her own — her cross-examination is a masterclass every single time. She is a titan of the Bar.

Aileen McColgan KC

Aileen is technically astute and willing to advance novel arguments. She is my first choice for disputes involving misuse of confidential information and privacy issues, including data protection and human rights. Aileen is personable and combines pragmatism with exceptional advocacy skills. We regard her as a leader in her specialisms.

Eleena Misra KC

Old Square Chambers

Eleena is a pleasure to work with; she promotes a real team approach and puts clients at ease when dealing with complex legal issues. She is a fantastic advocate, pragmatic, and technically excellent.

Daniel Northall KC

Littleton Chambers

He is calm, yet very capable. He made himself available at short notice, quickly identified the key points that were most likely to make a difference. He turned around comments on our written documents quickly. The precision and quality of his written submissions are excellent.

Ijeoma Omambala KC

Old Square Chambers

She is particularly adept at working with client personnel at all levels, translating complex legal issues into clear and practical advice while maintaining a firm grasp of the finer details.

Sheryn Omeri KC

Really bright and responsive. A clear commitment to defending the rights of workers. Proactive in keeping on top of the brief.

Deshpal Panesar KC

Old Square Chambers

Deshpal is extremely easy to work with, and he has an authoritative, clear, and calm style. He holds the bench in his thrall. Clients love him, as he puts them at their ease.

Marcus Pilgerstorfer KC

Marcus is incredibly intelligent and is a very clever and astute tactician. Marcus is particularly skilled at breaking down very complex claims and areas of law into easy-to-understand and clear chunks for the lay client. One of our partners describes Marcus as the best counsel they have ever worked with for engagement with the lay client.

Tom Poole KC

Tom Poole KC is an excellent cross-examiner, strategist, and communicator. He puts these skills to particularly good use in employment litigation.

Laura Prince KC

Matrix Chambers

Craig Rajgopaul KC

Blackstone Chambers

Craig is my KC of choice, regardless of the forum. He is a consummate all-rounder and the epitome of what you want in a barrister: he is a highly persuasive advocate, fiercely intelligent, and very client-friendly.

Amy Rogers KC

The clarity of Amy's advice and her willingness to give a view on strategy makes her continue to stand out. She doesn't sit on the fence and she understands the client's commercial drivers. Her legal knowledge is fantastic, but she also knows that legal analysis doesn't sit in a vacuum. Amy is responsive, thoughtful, and works well with a wider solicitor and barrister team.

Judy Stone KC

Judy is very commercial, imaginative, and tenacious, and she has excellent and very persuasive advocacy skills.

Christopher Stone KC

Chris is brilliant with clients and is so intelligent that he never misses a trick.

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Rebecca Tuck KC

Cloisters

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.

Sophie Belgrove KC

Sophie has a brilliant mind and articulates her views clearly and succinctly. I would not hesitate to work with her again.

Robert Moretto KC

Old Square Chambers

Robert is the best barrister I have ever worked with. His knowledge of the law and ability to deal with incredibly complex matters is second to none. His calm and methodical approach to advocacy lures witnesses in, which enables him to deliver the killer blow.

Martina Murphy KC

Outer Temple Chambers

Martina has been a highly regarded senior junior for some years now and has deservedly taken silk. She is knowledgeable, hard-working, client-focused, and rightly in demand.

Nicola Newbegin KC

Old Square Chambers

Lydia Seymour KC

Outer Temple Chambers

Lydia is extremely hardworking and a real expert in her field, which is very evident in tribunal. She is super well prepared for hearings, is a great advocate, and takes the unexpected in her stride. She is also a pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend.

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.

Tom Cross KC

Tom is a master of his field. His written work is superlative: both highly academic and deeply persuasive. He is also a powerful advocate, with a charming and engaging style.

Edward Kemp KC

Matrix Chambers

I really enjoyed working with Edward Kemp KC on a very stressful urgent injunction. He gave good advice and was very responsive. His work on the papers was top quality and came quickly. Just what was needed. Clearly able to handle difficult situations with ease.

Jane Russell KC

Essex Court Chambers

Jane has an incisive mind, is a pleasure to work with, and is very client-friendly.