David Allen KC
7 King’s Bench Walk‘David is exceptional. He is clear, very direct and tells it how it is. He is a robust advocate, who is very good at focusing on the key issues.’
Energy
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.
Sean Brannigan KC
4 Pump Court‘First an amazing advocate, second a brilliant strategist. A fierce intellect, a gritty fighter and a great manager, Sean is user-friendly and combines a UK and international practice with ease.’
Helen Davies KC
Brick Court Chambers‘Helen is, without doubt, at the top of her game. She is laser-sharp, highly responsive and a pleasure to deal with.’
Stephen Dennison KC
Atkin Chambers‘Stephen is a brilliant advocate and extremely diligent. He is able to cut across complex issues quickly, focusing on the core issues in dispute.’
Alexander Gunning KC
One Essex Court'Alex is simply brilliant and captivates the tribunal. His advocacy makes the complex simple and breathes life into most technical cases.'
Mark Howard KC
Brick Court Chambers‘A senior statesman and leader among the insurance Bar, he brings gravitas and incisive analysis. His cross-examination is in a different league.’
Paul Key KC
Essex Court Chambers‘Paul is brilliantly intelligent and erudite, as well as highly articulate and persuasive as an advocate, and he is willing to get into the granular detail and do the hard work.’
John McCaughran KC
One Essex Court‘An excellent technical lawyer with a huge amount of experience in energy work.’
Luke Parsons KC
Quadrant Chambers‘He is extremely clever and able very quickly get to the heart of complex cases. An excellent advocate with a real gift for expressing complicated points in a concise and easy-to-follow fashion.’
Laurence Rabinowitz KC
One Essex Court‘The leading appellate court advocate for energy cases. A class act.’
Simon Rainey KC
Quadrant Chambers‘Simon provides very insightful analysis, and tremendous legal and commercial judgement.’
David Streatfeild-James KC
Atkin Chambers‘‘He is the best technical barrister in the offshore wind sector. His knowledge and understanding of the geotechnical complications and commercial drivers in any scenario are impressive, adding additional gravitas to his advice.’
Daniel Toledano KC
One Essex Court‘Daniel is at the very pinnacle of the commercial Bar, in particular in relation to energy. He is razor-sharp and sees to the very heart of the issue straightaway, but at the same time is approachable and accessible.’
Andrew White KC
Atkin Chambers‘Meticulous and with great attention to detail, Andrew is an excellent advocate with a great ability to get what is takes from witnesses and experts.’
Veronique Buehrlen KC
Keating Chambers‘Veronique does not waste time with fringe issues but directs the tribunal to the points that are truly important. She also has an excellent grasp of complex legal issues and is able to cut through very difficult problems with ease.’
Simon Hughes KC
Keating Chambers‘Simon is a master strategist who is able to see ahead of all the moving parts, advise on realistic outcomes, and lead the team on a clear path to achieve them.’
Michael Ashcroft KC
Twenty Essex‘Very clever, with an efficient advocacy style, he also has strong analytical skills and provides very clear written communications.’
Stuart Catchpole KC
Atkin Chambers‘Stuart is an eminently experienced and skilled advocate with a deep understanding of construction projects and construction law. He works tirelessly to get across the detail of a case and is a master of developing strategy.’
Alain Choo Choy KC
One Essex Court‘In a profession of extremely clever people, Alain stands out as one of the most brilliant. He is an exceptionally impressive advocate and Commercial Court judges clearly listen to him and find his submissions reliable.’
Stephen Cogley KC
4 Pump Court‘Stephen is one of the best commercial barristers in the City. He is a brilliant advocate - bold, aggressive and thoughtful, and a go-to barrister on challenging matters.’
Anneliese Day KC
Fountain Court Chambers‘Anneliese is utterly brilliant: she is client-friendly, easy to work with, a great leader of the team, and has an eye for detail. She is an excellent judge of the arguments that will win a case.’
Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC
Atkin Chambers‘Very good with the tribunal, Chantal is calm and reliable. She shows mastery of detail in a short time.’
Vernon Flynn KC
Brick Court Chambers‘The best in the business, the man you need on your side in court, he can sweet talk the most difficult judge with effortless charm. A brilliant leader who just nails it every time he is on his feet.’
Karim Ghaly KC
Atkin Chambers‘Like a chess player, Karim is always several steps ahead of everyone else in the room. An extraordinary strategist, tenacious and pugnacious on his feet, and one of the most charming barristers in practice today.’
Lord Grabiner KC
One Essex Court
Sa’ad Hossain KC
One Essex Court‘Sa’ad is a very nice guy, a great advocate, and has good judgement.’
James Howells KC
Atkin Chambers‘His hard work is extraordinary. What sets him apart is his patience with clients are not on the same wavelength with most English barristers.’
David Lewis KC
Twenty Essex‘David is extremely clear in communicating complex legal opinions and, importantly, has a good grasp of clients’ commercial considerations. He is a great advocate, being calm under pressure.’
Simon Lofthouse KC
Atkin Chambers‘He is a superstar advocate. He absolutely crushes the detail, and presents the case as a simple series of points leading to an obvious conclusion, and his cross-examinations are an absolute masterclass.’
Harry Matovu KC
Brick Court Chambers‘He is the gold standard. His analytical capacity and advocacy is stellar, and he is second to none.’
Sean O’Sullivan KC
4 Pump Court‘Very user-friendly and approachable. He is a very effective cross-examiner with strong oral and written advocacy.’
Jeffery Onions KC
One Essex Court‘Jeffery exudes a calmness reflecting his well-deserved senior status at the top end of the commercial bar. Jeffery is excellent with clients, keeping them focused on the real issues at hand.’
Andrew Rigney KC
Crown Office Chambers‘Very clever and great in court, Andrew works very hard, is a gifted communicator with clients, and is very collaborative and user-friendly.’
Stephen Tromans KC
39 Essex Chambers‘Stephen is simply the best nuclear barrister in the UK. His knowledge of international and UK nuclear regulation runs deep and the strength of his advocacy comes from the fact that he just knows everything.’
Steven Walker KC
Atkin Chambers‘A go-to silk for complex work where a clear concise view is needed.’
Lucy Garrett KC
Keating Chambers‘Whether it is strategic advice, drafting submissions or pleadings, or advocacy in court, her output is always first-class. She is incredibly cerebral but does not lose sight of the commercial aspects of a case.’
David Thomas KC
Keating Chambers‘David is a highly regarded barrister excelling in complex cases across international arbitration, construction, and engineering law. He quickly identifies key legal, factual, and evidential points, with a sharp analytical mind.’
Sean Wilken KC
Keating Chambers‘Incredibly clever and very sharp. A real leader.’
Rachel Ansell KC
4 Pump Court
Monica Carss-Frisk KC
Blackstone Chambers‘Monica is an excellent commercial silk who combines superb intellect with excellent instincts as to arguments that will persuade the court, masterful advocacy, and excellent client service.’
Serena Cheng KC
Atkin Chambers‘A particularly strong advocate, with a clear, precise and persuasive style. Serena produces impressive and clear written and oral advice and can be relied on to engage clearly with the client.’
Rupert Choat KC
Atkin Chambers‘Rupert’s exceptional strength is being able to distil complex matters into straightforward and practical advice. He leaves no stone unturned and his advocacy style is thorough and convincing.’
Nigel Cooper KC
Quadrant Chambers‘Calm, measured, understated, and convincing. No pyrotechnics or extreme arguments.’
Simon Croall KC
Quadrant Chambers
Nicholas Dennys KC
Atkin Chambers‘Nick is wonderfully calm and has always makes himself available to assist wherever possible. He is an extremely articulate and intelligent advocate and is a pleasure to deal with.’
Graham Dunning KC
Essex Court Chambers‘Graham is an extremely able and hardworking who is able to get difficult points across to judges and arbitrators in an appropriate way that does not alienate them.’
Jonathan Gaisman KC
7 King’s Bench Walk‘Probably the best advocate of his generation. Always on top of the detail.
Charles Graham KC
One Essex Court‘An outstanding barrister with deep specialisation in the energy sector. Brilliant client-handling skills, and meticulous attention to detail when preparing cross-examination.’
Alexander Hickey KC
4 Pump Court
Stephen Hofmeyr KC
7 King’s Bench Walk‘Stephen is a very strong advocate operating at the highest level. Very thorough with high-level legal analysis, he makes sure his arguments are fully understood with forceful clarity.’
Philippa Hopkins KC
Essex Court Chambers‘An excellent lawyer. Philippa is extremely intelligent, energetic and tremendously well organised.’
Timothy Howe KC
Fountain Court Chambers‘Tim is first-class when grappling with complex issues of contractual construction. He works cohesively in a team environment, which is rare for a silk of his stature and seniority.’
Adrian Hughes KC
39 Essex Chambers‘He is always reliable and trustful. He is able to manage the case efficiently, and his advocacy is always persuasive.’
Daniel Jowell KC
Brick Court Chambers‘Excellent advocacy. He is able to read the room and is incredibly fluent and persuasive.’
Charles Kimmins KC
Twenty Essex‘Charles is absolutely charming, liked and respected by solicitors and clients. His drafting – of statements of case, skeleton arguments and witness statements – is excellent and persuasive.’
Yash Kulkarni KC
Quadrant Chambers‘His attention to detail is superb and he can distil complex financial arguments into easily digestible submissions. Clients love him.’
James Leabeater KC
4 Pump Court‘An excellent advocate who provides consistently solid advice on complex shipping and offshore cases.’
Gwion Lewis KC
Landmark Chambers'Gwion is very down-to-earth and relatable. He makes clients feel at ease and part of the process, clearly explaining everything in plain English.’
Tim Lord KC
Brick Court Chambers‘A good advocate who appears in many top cases. Tim is one of the most forensic lawyers – he knows where to look and how to interpret what he sees.’
Alan Maclean KC
Blackstone Chambers‘His advice is always technically excellent but also commercially pragmatic and eminently sensible.'
Hodge Malek KC
3 Verulam Buildings‘Decent, full of knowledge, hardworking and caring. Hodge is a superb advocate who commands the respect of the courtroom and is effortlessly persuasive in his advocacy style.’
Duncan Matthews KC
Twenty Essex‘He has a firm, clear grasp of the law and a conscientious approach to getting on top of the facts.’
James McClelland KC
Brick Court Chambers‘A very skilful advocate – very measured, with matter-of-fact delivery that builds to the inescapable conclusion that his position is correct. He leaves no stone unturned in anticipating the other side’s arguments.’
Manus McMullan KC
Atkin Chambers‘An extraordinary advocate with an ability to assess and integrate vast amounts of facts and fashion targeted arguments that swiftly cut to the core of the case.’
David Mildon KC
Essex Court Chambers
Wendy Miles KC
Twenty Essex‘Wendy is an expert in all things energy, climate, and international arbitration. She has proven again and again to be the best of the best, and her insight and advice are always on point.’
Fionn Pilbrow KC
Brick Court Chambers‘A very good hands-on lawyer who is very bright technically. Fionn is a highly persuasive advocate who provides clear advice and is very client-friendly.’
Alistair Schaff KC
7 King’s Bench Walk‘The Thierry Henry of insurance silks, Alistair is a first-rate advocate who is able to establish a real rapport with the court.’
Thomas Sharpe KC
One Essex Court'He is particularly good at seeing the bigger picture and making a complex story digestible for the court, and presents complex matters in a simple way so it appeals to a judge.'
Chris Smith KC
Quadrant Chambers‘Chris listens, is responsive, and provides helpful insights. He is also incredibly sharp and excellent on his feet.’
Marion Smith KC
39 Essex Chambers‘Marion is wonderful – always grasps the commercial issues and provides a new and welcome perspective. Clients love her.’
James Strachan KC
39 Essex Chambers‘James is excellent. A very good communicator, who is decisive and manages risks in a calm and assuring manner.’
Nigel Tozzi KC
4 Pump Court‘He puts arguments firmly but is always sensible, so keeps confidence of the tribunal. He has very thorough and superb expertise on the commercial/ construction side.’
Crispin Winser KC
Crown Office Chambers‘A brilliant advocate who has the ear of the court, Crispin is measured but persuasive, and not afraid to take positions when advising.’
Lord Wolfson KC
One Essex Court‘David is one of the top advocates practising at the Commercial Bar at present. He has fantastic analytical skills aligned with incredible advocacy strengths, plus the ability to read the court well.’
Vincent Moran KC
Keating Chambers
Lucas Bastin KC
Essex Court Chambers‘Lucas is an all-round star with strengths across the board, from substantive excellence to wonderful client relationship skills. The best barrister of his generation – very good technically but he also strong business acumen.’
Kieron Beal KC
Blackstone Chambers
Michael Bools KC
Brick Court Chambers‘Michael knows the energy sector well and this shows in his submissions.’
Mark Chennells KC
Atkin Chambers‘He can sort information like a super-computer and turn out poetry in his resulting submissions. A robust and engaging advocate who tends to have the ear of the court or tribunal.’
Nicholas Craig KC
3 Verulam Buildings‘Nick is smart, responsive and commercially minded. He has strong analytical skills and a practical approach, and his advocacy is focused and persuasive.’
Siddharth Dhar KC
Essex Court Chambers‘Calm advocacy and excellent drafting. Detailed analysis. Overall a willingness to muck in.’
David Elvin KC
Landmark Chambers‘A superb KC, the best energy and planning KC in the UK. He is at the very top of his game and is a superb strategic thinker and always provides clear and decisive advice.’
Laurence Emmett KC
One Essex Court‘Approachable and easy to work with, very well prepared for hearings, he provides great written work, really thinks through the critical issues in the case, and is great on his feet.’
Richard Eschwege KC
Brick Court Chambers‘In a hardworking profession, Richard stands out as absurdly diligent. Extraordinary intelligence combined with an extraordinary work ethic and very extensive trial experience makes him a formidable silk.’
Gerry Facenna KC
Monckton Chambers‘Gerry has an insightful, targeted, and devastating approach to advocacy. He is incredibly approachable and supportive of his team, and has the all-important calm and considered manner.’
Andrew Fulton KC
Twenty Essex‘Andrew has a powerful courtroom presence and is incredibly bright and very commercial. He is like a dog with a bone and will fight for them to the end.’
Orlando Gledhill KC
One Essex Court'Orlando is smart, well prepared and thorough in his analysis. He is very thoughtful on calls and client-friendly in the way he breaks the matter down and takes it in stages.'
Alec Haydon KC
Brick Court Chambers‘Alec is great to work with: hardworking, thorough and collaborative.’
Siobán Healy KC
7 King’s Bench Walk‘A superb advocate operating at the highest level. She is very thorough with high level legal analysis and has the highest level of experience on the trading side.’
Timothy Hill KC
Twenty Essex‘He is very hands on in terms of drafting and also very good, and assertive, in his advocacy skills as well as in cross-examination of witnesses.’
Christopher Lewis KC
Atkin Chambers
Shantanu Majumdar KC
Radcliffe Chambers‘An extremely thorough barrister who leaves no stone unturned. Shantanu is a brilliant advocate who is very quick on his feet with razor-sharp mind.’
Ali Malek KC
3 Verulam Buildings‘Ali is simply brilliant. He is a formidable advocate with a stirring courtroom presence and is able to distil intricate issues down to very clear submissions.’
Lynne McCafferty KC
4 Pump Court‘A good brain, hardworking and yet approachable, and very good to work with.’
Stephen Midwinter KC
Brick Court Chambers‘Stephen’s incredible speed of analysis is accompanied by great judgment on the big calls. When on his feet, the advocacy was crisp and effective.’
Hanif Mussa KC
Blackstone Chambers
Gordon Nardell KC
Twenty Essex‘Gordon understands the intricacies of energy law, and especially regulation, very well. He is knowledgeable, intelligent and at the same time commercial.’
Claire Packman KC
4 Pump Court‘Claire is an outstanding barrister. She gives clear and sensible advice, is very personable with clients, and is a real team player.’
Fiona Parkin KC
Atkin Chambers‘Fiona is great to work with and a tireless barrister. She is very much prepared to be creative and challenging where required.’
Conall Patton KC
One Essex Court‘Conall has an outstanding intellect and a highly persuasive advocacy style. He is a team player with a good sense of humour.’
Rajesh Pillai KC
3 Verulam Buildings'Raj mixes smooth but forceful advocacy with a forensic eye for detail. He is great with clients and always has in mind the commercial objective.’
Iain Quirk KC
Essex Court Chambers‘Flexible, robust, and hardworking, he gets to the point. A go-to barrister for any sort of case.’
Dominique Rawley KC
Atkin Chambers‘Incredibly bright and methodical, he works hard to support the commercial aims of the client and to support instructing solicitors.’
Philip Riches KC
Twenty Essex‘Philip is a well-respected and excellent silk. He is bright, approachable, hardworking, and is able to read the court well.’
Nick Vineall KC
4 Pump Court‘Nick is a very effective advocate, delivering very well-structured and sharp arguments whilst maintaining a very pleasant tone, devoid of arrogance.’
David Wolfe KC
Matrix Chambers'David is indefatigable and refuses to be put off by hostile judges. He is genuinely fearless in pursuit of his clients' objectives and leaves no stone unturned.’
Emily Wood KC
Essex Court Chambers'Emily is a rare and exceptional talent in the energy space. Her ability to synthesise and present complicated cases and topics, and to master the details of the documents in any case, is unparalleled.’
Alexander Wright KC
4 Pump Court‘Calm and persuasive, and a good strategist, he is very hardworking and fits in well with the team.’
Lord Banner KC
Keating Chambers‘Charles understands that to win an argument it has to be made simple and have logic as well as being correct in law and policy. His presentation of arguments always runs alongside a very human narrative of persuasion.’
Paul Buckingham KC
Keating Chambers‘Paul is such a strong specialist when it comes to complex engineering disputes that he is one of the finest advocates for energy disputes.'
Calum Lamont KC
Keating Chambers‘Calum is incredibly smart and immersed in the detail of a case, not only the legal aspects, but also the technical components, no matter how challenging they are.’
Jern-Fei Ng KC
Duxton Hill ChambersAlexander Nissen KC
Keating ChambersSamuel Townend KC
Keating Chambers‘‘A highly skilled and astute barrister, Sam combines sharp intellect with a grounded, practical approach to his work. He has the ability to quickly grasp complex legal issues and distil them into clear, actionable strategies that are readily understood.’
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.
Tariq Baloch KC
Essex Court Chambers
Anton Dudnikov KC
Essex Court Chambers‘Anton is a triple threat: he has an unwavering work ethic, will be the brightest person in any room, and is likeable and easy to understand.’
Simon Hale KC
4 Pump Court
Ciaran Keller KC
Essex Court Chambers‘Ciaran is extremely user-friendly, responsive, and thoughtful. He considers issues deeply, his advocacy is clear and well-articulated, and his manner with decision-makers is admirable.’
Jason Robinson KC
7 King’s Bench Walk‘Jason is an exceptionally smart individual, whose written and oral advocacy are top-notch. His analysis and his instincts are very well-tuned and he anticipates how matters will develop very clearly.’
Niranjan Venkatesan KC
One Essex Court'One of the next generation of super-silks in the energy sector. One of the outstanding lawyers of his generation.’
2024 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.
Jane Davies Evans KC
3 Verulam Buildings‘Jane works extremely hard and is really on top of the dispute. She is very well experienced in construction and energy disputes, and clients really like her commitment.’
Sanjay Patel KC
4 Pump Court‘Great attention to detail, spirited advocacy and razor-sharp intellect. He is hugely enthusiastic, very sharp and great on his feet.’
Nicholas Sloboda KC
One Essex Court‘He is amongst the first pick of people when you are building a team for a case that really matters. Also, completely charming and funny and so will make everyone’s participation more pleasurable.’
Tom Owen KC
Keating Chambers‘Tom is really good with clients. He is thoughtful, empathetic, and not afraid to give clear and unequivocal advice on strategy, merits and next steps.’
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.
Gemma Morgan KC
Quadrant Chambers‘Her intelligence is second to none and she is fiercely clever in terms of written and oral advice, submissions and case strategy. Her advocacy is easily at silk level.’
Caroline Pounds KC
Quadrant Chambers‘Caroline is legally smart, commercially minded, good at breaking down complicated points, and efficient. She is the advocate you want on your side.’
Michael Ryan KC
7 King’s Bench Walk‘Michael is incredibly bright and grasps facts and legal issues really quickly. He is very capable at juggling various different aspects of litigation proceedings and advising on the strategic and legal implications of steps taken.’
Nehali Shah KC
One Essex Court‘Nehali is calm and collected, responsive, proactive and a delight to work with. She is immensely bright and has great attention to detail.’