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Leading Silks

David Allison KCSouth Square ‘David has knowledge of judges’ comments married with excellent judgement as to when points are robust or should be dropped and an accessible, open and friendly manner all help to make David the very top of his chosen game. His advocacy is also second to none.’
Peter Arden KCErskine Chambers ‘Peter is an absolute guru in the field of company voluntary agreements and the emerging area of restructuring plans. He analyses proposed plans and arrangements from the ground up, starting from base principles. No-one understands this area of law as profoundly as Peter does.’ 
Jonathan Crow KC4 Stone Buildings ‘He is one of the best advocates at the English Bar today – an incredibly impressive trial advocate and an effective cross-examiner.’
Lexa Hilliard KCWilberforce Chambers ‘She is an extremely engaging advocate. She always holds the court’s attention. You wouldn’t want to be against Lexa.’
Mark Phillips KCSouth Square ‘Vastly experienced, quite probably the most so in the insolvency and restructuring space. Pragmatic and no-nonsense barrister, comes to a clear view and gives advice rather than just pointing out risks.’
Felicity Toube KCSouth SquareFelicity is really fantastic and a go-to in this area.’
Catherine Addy KCMaitland ChambersVery strong and well-prepared advocacy.  The judges always listen to Catherine.’
David Alexander KCSouth Square ‘Excellent. Calm, authoritative and pleasure to work with.’
Stephen Atherton KCTwenty Essex ‘Stephen is a pre-eminent barrister in this area.'
Daniel Bayfield KCSouth Square ‘Daniel has unparalleled experience of investment bank insolvencies and is one of the stars of the insolvency Bar. He is excellent on his feet and is able to deal with difficult points when they arise.’
Adrian Beltrami KC3 Verulam Buildings ‘He is sharp, pragmatic, constructive and commercial and a pleasure to work with. His advocacy is intelligent and measured and he commands the respect of the bench.'
Richard Fisher KCSouth Square 'Very commercial. Good strategic strengths. Strong advocate.'
Ewan McQuater KC3 Verulam Buildings 'Very intelligent, thorough, focused on winning and an excellent advocate.'
Peter Shaw KC9 Stone Buildings ‘Confident, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, good ability to express ideas and arguments clearly. An analytical mind and logical approach to things.'
Marcia Shekerdemian KCWilberforce Chambers ‘Absolute leader in her field. Respected and loved by all. Can drill down to the main issues in breakneck speed to seize the issues and suggest original solutions to conclude disputes succinctly.'
Tom Smith KCSouth Square ‘Extremely smart. Always helpful and responsive. Excellent judgement – knows where to push the envelope and where discretion is the better part of valour.’
Jonathan Adkin KCSerle CourtJonathan exudes the intellect, deft touch and courtroom gravitas you might expect from a leading KC.’
Lance Ashworth KCSerle CourtLance is very approachable and down to earth for a KC. He gets on very well with clients, putting them at ease with his confidence. He is one of the best advocates, dealing with issues confidently and with a sense of humour.’
James Bailey KCWilberforce ChambersJames' strengths are attention to detail, clear and concise advice and excellent advocacy. His clients feel in good hands.’
David Chivers KCErskine Chambers ‘He provides cute forensic analysis of the legal side, formidable understanding of the nuances of the case. A calm and authoritative advocacy which judges can’t help but be swayed by.’
Joseph Curl KC9 Stone BuildingsTenacious and courteous advocacy style, really fights his clients’ corner, deep expertise and specialist knowledge of insolvency law.’
Simon Davenport KC4 Pump CourtGreat on his feet.’
Stephen Davies KCEnterprise Chambers 'Stephen is very, very good to work with. He turns work around exceptionally quickly and produces written work that is of a very high quality. He integrates well as part of a team and is very easy to work with collaboratively to achieve results for clients.'
Glen Davis KCSouth Square ‘Great attention to detail. Very happy to get stuck into the minutiae and provide a practical solution.'
Andreas Gledhill KCBlackstone Chambers ‘Andreas is an outstanding advocate, who is always thoroughly prepared.’
Matthew Hardwick KC3 Verulam Buildings 'Matthew's strength is his ability to dive into a complex case and very quickly identify the key issues and what matters the judge would like want parties to address. He is extremely sharp and hardworking, as well as patience in trying to explain the issues to client.' 
Louise Hutton KCEssex Court ChambersDiligent and details orientated but with complete clarity of the bigger picture. Cuts through and delivers the winning point that she has identified.’
Barry Isaacs KCSouth Square ‘Barry has a brilliant way of getting into the intricacies of financial details on a matter and a fabulous work ethic when called in to save the day. Barry’s manner in court is excellent, meticulous and persuasive even when under intense fire from the judge.’
Daniel Lightman KCSerle CourtDaniel is an excellent advocate who undoubtedly has the ear of the court. His ability to develop arguments on technical points of law and procedure stand him apart from the rest, which he can deliver owing to the quality and diligence of his analysis and preparation.’
Elspeth Talbot Rice KCXXIV Old BuildingsHer clients are great fans.’
Sharif Shivji KC4 Stone Buildings ‘Sharif has a passion for equality and justice, alongside being brilliantly clever and held in high regard across the breadth of the chancery Bar and particularly in the insolvency field.’
Stephen Moverley Smith KCXXIV Old Buildings ‘Stephen is a smooth operator. His written and oral advocacy is top-notch. His calm demeanour is great when meeting with the client and interacting with a judge. With Stephen, you know you are in safe hands.'
Clare Stanley KCWilberforce Chambers ‘Clare thoroughly deserves all of the recognition in the market she is currently receiving. She is a top grade silk who is just as comfortable dealing with a complex insolvency matter as she is in highly contentious commercial litigation and private client disputes. Her written work is as wonderful as her court room advocacy.’
Sonia Tolaney KCOne Essex CourtSonia is one of the top advocates at the Commercial Bar. Brilliant but also down to earth. Her stellar advocacy and demeanour inspire confidence in clients. The best of the best.’
Raquel Agnello KCErskine Chambers ‘Raquel is hugely experienced and knowledgeable. She is an excellent advocate and very impressive in a hearing. Despite her experience and seniority she is extremely approachable and inspires confidence in solicitors and lay clients.'
Mark Arnold KCSouth Square ‘Mark is the leader in his field. He is technically very very good, he is enthusiastic about his subject matter, he is extremely knowledgeable and really gets into the detail. He is also very approachable, easy to work with, proactive and willing to assist.'
Andrew Ayres KCTwenty EssexAndrew is very calm, considered and thorough – definitely among my first choices for complex insolvency and restructuring work.  He is also very easy to deal with – responsive and a pleasure to work with.’
Christopher Boardman KCRadcliffe Chambers ‘Christopher is excellent at strategy and is able to pick out the key issues in a case from the outset. His drafting is excellent and is able to get the right balance in presenting a case. His advocacy is second to none and he has grown into the role of leading counsel seamlessly.'
John Brisby KC4 Stone Buildings ‘Extremely experienced and a very good litigation instinct. His insights borne of his experiences are much valued and relied on by clients whose trust he gains by his passion for their case.’
Edward Cumming KCXXIV Old Buildings ‘Ed is an exceptional strategist.'
Andrew De Mestre KC4 Stone Buildings ‘Andrew is incredibly personable. He is a pleasure to work with and really engages with his instructing solicitors. He is able to think quickly on his feet and is so well prepared that it is unlikely that an issue will come out of the blue. He takes the stress out of stressful situations, being extremely calm and rational.'
Michael Gibbon KCMaitland Chambers ‘Michael is very responsive and a strong advocate.’
Jeremy Goldring KCSouth SquareJeremy is excellent – extremely thoughtful and insightful with a great grasp of case law with a flair for finding the innovative point of view, which adds great value. He is also very calm and collected, both in court and in conference. He has a wealth of experience.’
Hugh Jory KC4 New Square Hugh is a stand-out advocate. His preparation and ability to grasp oversight and understanding of the issues is second-to-none.
Tom Poole KC3 Hare CourtTom is a realist. He is a people-person with a real connection with both his instructing solicitors and clients. He is very sharp on the detail and very knowledgeable in commercial law.’
Jeremy Richmond KCQuadrant ChambersJeremy is great on his feet and a thorough advocate. He is measured and his technical expertise is wide ranging.’
Andrew Sutcliffe KC3 Verulam Buildings ‘Andrew is incredibly bright, user-friendly, hard-working, completely unflappable and also a delight to have on the team. He has a unique charm when on his feet and presents his cases with charisma, clarity and eloquence. Andrew is also a real champion of those working with and around him and inspires others to pull together and work hard.’
Ian Wilson KC3 Verulam Buildings ‘Ian is a class act. He presents clearly and commercially to clients, who take great confidence from his counsel. An excellent advocate for banking appeals.’
Hermann Boeddinghaus KC4 Stone BuildingsHermann is a very astute and bright advocate, who is able to produce top notch work under intense time pressure. He is always a pleasure to work with and knows when to push the difficult points at a hearing.’
Orlando Fraser KC – 4 Stone Buildings ‘Orlando is a diligent and well rehearsed specialist in his field; a polished and persuasive advocate; someone in whom you can place your trust. He is a straight-talker – not afraid, and well able, to give difficult advice – but when the gloves are off no one is better placed to fight your corner.’
David Mohyuddin KCRadcliffe Chambers ‘David is able to cut through the issues quickly and effectively. Very practically minded and down to earth.’
James Morgan KCRadcliffe ChambersJames is superb at cross-examination with piercing, straightforward questioning.’
Jamie Riley KC3 Verulam Buildings ‘Commercial, responsive and sensible and a powerful advocate.’
Matthew Weaver KCRadcliffe ChambersMatthew is a fearsome advocate and extremely tenacious on his feet. He prepares thoroughly and has a growing following amongst City firms doing upper mid-market work.’

2022 Silks

Tony Beswetherick KCTwenty Essex 'Exceptional in all aspects, Tony is fantastic to work with and impresses clients in conference.'
Matthew Weaver KC –Radcliffe Chambers 'Extremely client facing and accessible, he performs very well in contested situations on his feet and is able to easily grasp the commerciality of what is required.'
Andrew Westwood KCMaitland Chambers ‘Andrew is supremely user-friendly and approachable, and completely unflappable even in the face of unique and novel circumstances which are untested before the courts.’
Andrew Westwood KCMaitland ChambersAndrew is supremely user-friendly and approachable, and completely unflappable even in the face of unique and novel circumstances which are untested before the courts.’

2023 Silks

Alexander Cook KC4 Stone BuildingsAlexander is everything that you want in a barrister. Intelligent, responsive, clear, decisive and commercial.’
Ben Shaw KCErskine ChambersBen is a very welcome addition to the senior insolvency Bar.  His analysis and advice is thorough and clear, and he has an amazing grasp of the details.  Ben is also strong advocate and highly effective cross-examiner.’
Alexander Cook KC4 Stone Buildings 'Alexander is everything that you want in a barrister. Intelligent, responsive, clear, decisive and commercial.'
Ben Shaw KCErskine Chambers ‘Ben is a very welcome addition to the senior insolvency Bar. His analysis and advice is thorough and clear, and he has an amazing grasp of the details. Ben is also strong advocate and highly effective cross-examiner.'

Leading Juniors

Stuart AdairXXIV Old Buildings ‘He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the field and combines this will with a polished but remorseless approach to litigation.’
Adam Al-AttarSouth Square ‘Very bright, very personable and completely gets being a team player. Not a star of the future - a star of now.'
Henry PhillipsSouth Square ‘Henry has a fearsome intellect, and brings the full force of that to his analysis and advocacy. He is quick to understand the complexities of a particular matter, and always thoroughly interrogates issues, leaving no stone unturned. He is great to work with – approachable, insightful and a really nice guy.’
David Eaton TurnerNew Square Chambers ‘Hugely knowledgeable and respected. David provides extremely practical and user-friendly advice on a tricky application to extend an administration.’
William WillsonSouth Square ‘William is a great operator – he has the confidence and skills of a KC, and a great commercial sense without compromising his pure legal knowledge. Clients are very comfortable with him advising unled and doing the advocacy at big hearings. He has a great connection with judges.’
Matthew AbrahamSouth Square ‘Matthew is very knowledgeable and experienced in cross-border insolvency matters. He is adept at explaining complex technical issues to lay clients, is extremely bright and is a pleasure to work with.’
Adam DeacockRadcliffe Chambers ‘He is meticulous around detail and is robust in his advice. He is confident on his feet.’
Kavan GunaratnaEnterprise Chambers ‘Confident and measured advocate.’
Tina KyriakidesRadcliffe Chambers ‘Tina is clearly an expert in her field and has a sharp mind. She knows insolvency law exceptionally well. She is practical and a joy to work with.’
James MatherSerle Court ‘Very bright.'
Niall McCullochEnterprise Chambers ‘Niall’s written submissions are great. He is very user-friendly and willing to roll his sleeves up when necessary – nothing is too much trouble.’
Tiran Nersessian4 Stone Buildings ‘Hard-working, very experienced, and a well-known name in this field.’
Georgina PetersSouth Square 'Georgina is top class. She has an excellent grasp of the details and what need to be put before the court. Her advocacy is clear and concise, which is received very well.' 
Robert AmeySouth Square ‘Robert is very user-friendly, smart and quick to respond.’
Sri CarmichaelWilberforce Chambers ‘Sri’s a great advocate.  She is very good on her feet, and is able to read the judge and the room well, and change tack as required. She is diligent, responsive, and has great client handing skills.’
Sarah ClarkeGatehouse Chambers 'She provides excellent strategic advice.'
Charlotte CookeSouth Square ‘Charlotte has an excellent eye for detail and a calm yet incisive manner. She knows her stuff and is a fearless advocate.’
James CouserThree Stone ‘Very bright, gives robust commercial advice and always easy to deal with. Excellent on his feet and well regarded by the insolvency and companies court judges.’
William Day3 Verulam BuildingsWill is definitely one of the rising stars of the commercial Chancery field. His greatest strength is his considerable intellect, which is combined with evident confidence and enthusiasm. Like many of the very best barristers, his oral and written skills are equally strong.’
Rosanna FoskettMaitland Chambers 'Extremely bright, operating as KC without the title, very easy to work with, a star of the bar.'
Adam GoodisonSouth Square ‘He is a truly first class senior junior. He is a superstar advocate with astonishing intellect shown through his written work. Magic with clients.'
Hugo GrovesEnterprise Chambers 'Hugo is excellent in the insolvency litigation space.'
Christopher Harrison4 Stone Buildings ‘Christopher is incredibly clever and thoughtful, and he makes sure that he has covered off all relevant points in a case. He is measured, calm and precise on his feet, and his skeleton arguments are excellent.'
Philip Hinks3 Verulam Buildings 'Phil is practical and thorough. He gets gets to the nub of the problem quickly and comes up with sensible solutions. He is approachable and always happy to discuss and explain the reasoning he has used to come up with his proposed solutions.'
Clara Johnson – South Square  ‘Clara has total command of her subject area, including all of its darker recesses.  She uses that knowledge to produce excellent strategic insight.  She has a great written style, which delights clients, since it is brisk but detailed.'
Ruth JordanSerle Court 'Ruth is highly organised and provides extremely clear and practical advice.  She has huge technical expertise.'
Olivier KalfonMaitland Chambers  'User friendly, knowledgeable and commercial.'
Nico LeslieFountain Court ChambersNico is responsive and offers hands-on, practical advice that is useful from an instructing lawyer’s point of view.’ 
Jonathan LopianNew Square Chambers ‘Very knowlegeable and experienced in insolvency to the point of reading how the courts will react to various scenarios.'
Edoardo Lupi – South SquareEdoardo is an exceptionally bright lawyer, who has an outstanding grasp of insolvency law.  He works equally well on his own or when led.’
Dawn McCambleyRadcliffe Chambers ‘Dawn's approach, and advocacy style, is focused, thorough and unflappable.'
Elaine PalserOuter Temple Chambers ‘An excellent advocate and a real team player.’
Alexander RiddifordEssex Court ChambersAlex is extremely good at quickly getting to grips with a complex factual background and breaking this down into a digestible and accessible format.’
Andrew Rose  – 4 Stone BuildingsAndrew has excellent powers of legal analysis showing real insight into complex legal problems. He was consistently good humoured and a pleasure to work with.’
Tom Shepherd4 New Square ‘Tom is highly astute and extremely intelligent. He is able to cut through complex issues and get to the heart of the matter, filling clients with confidence in his knowledge and understanding. Tom is confident on his feet and reads the room well.'
Justina StewartOuter Temple Chambers ‘Justina delivers exceptional advice in a no-nonsense, pragmatic and digestible way. She is passionate about the work that she does, the law and advocating for her clients.’
Lloyd TamlynSouth Square ‘Lloyd is an extremely hard working and collaborative barrister.  He is a team player and an instills complete confidence in solicitors and clients alike.  His knowledge of the law is incredible and he uses it very pragmatically.  As an advocate he is simply unflappable.’
Jonathan TitmussGatehouse Chambers 'Very good and grasping the key facts where there is lots of distracting evidence. Concise and thoughtful in his written opinions. Articulate and calm on his feet.'
Philip Morrison  – Erskine ChambersPhilip is off the scale good.  Pre-eminently clever and blessed with wisdom and practical nous way beyond his years, he is a future star of the Bar. He is also extremely hard working and very easy to get on with.’
John BriggsSouth Square ‘Technically proficient and very pragmatic.’
Rory Brown9 Stone Buildings ‘Rory gets to the crux of a matter and identifies the issues that need to be addressed. His advocacy and cross examination for a witness are very impressive.'
William BuckMonckton ChambersWilliam is very calm and a pleasure to work with.’
Reuben ComiskeyRadcliffe Chambers ‘Extremely bright. Inventive and very responsive.'
Catherine DoranRadcliffe Chambers ‘Very thorough advocate, personable and reliable, steady pair of hands in distress scenarios.'
Thomas EliasSerle Court ‘Thomas has a strikingly good eye for detail.  His advocacy is perfectly judged: never overplaying a point but always pressing the point home until it lands.'
Joseph EnglandQuadrant Chambers ‘Joe is a very tenacious advocate.’
Amit GuptaEnterprise Chambers ‘Amit has a number of strengths and qualities that single him out from others - he is friendly, approachable, proactive and adaptable.'
Katherine HallettThree Stone ‘Very thorough and meticulous.  Gives proper realistic, commercial advice.  Easy to work with and very client friendly.'
Patrick Harty  – One Essex Court ‘Patrick is exceptionally bright, and is among the most knowledgeable juniors in the insolvency space. He is confident, robust and decisive.’
Peter Head – Blackstone Chambers 'Peter is an exceptionally hard working and charismatic advocate and precise who provides a very clear and precise approach.  In addition, Peter is always looking to identify solutions that meet and, on occasions exceed, client expectations and offers a significant amount of legal imagination to advancing complex insolvency disputes.'
Oliver Hyams – South Square ‘Oliver is clearly clever and very familiar with the way the insolvency courts work. He has a reassuring manner and is friendly and nice to interact with.’
Faith JulianMaitland Chambers ‘Faith is a genuine star. She picks up work at short notice and masters complexities of fact and law with admirable ease.’
Donald Lilly4 Stone Buildings ‘Donald is very user friendly, works well as part of a team and is highly regarded by clients.  He excels in all aspects of his work - research, drafting and oral advocacy.  He is also excellent at managing more junior barristers.'
Morwenna MacroFive Paper ‘Morwenna is eminently sensible and offers clear and commercial advice. She provides first class drafting and advocacy and has never given less than 100% to an instruction.'
Sarah McCannGatehouse Chambers 'Sarah provides very good, but firm and polite advocacy. She is academically strong and able to take on complicated matters at short notice.'  
Giselle McGowan9 Stone Buildings ‘Giselle combines a significant intellect with a finely-honed strategic instinct. She is a fearsome and fearless advocate who is always deeply prepared and leaves no stone unturned in pursuing her client's interests.'
Conor McLaughlin  – Erskine ChambersConor is very impressive for someone of his relatively junior call and he has a keen sense for what will and will not interest the court.’
Jennifer Meech – Serle Court  ‘Jennifer is an excellent all round barrister.  Calm and very easy to deal with.  Her advice is always spot on and she is great on her feet in court.'
Hugh MiallXXIV Old Buildings ‘Hugh gives clear and confident advice. He is a team player and very personable, which gains the confidence of the clients.'  
Francis Collaco Moraes  – Three StoneExcellent presence in court.’
Matthew Morrison  – Serle CourtMatthew is very down to earth and user friendly.  He is very knowledgeable and delivers advice in a clear client friendly way.’
Martin Ouwehand – Radcliffe Chambers ‘Martin is thorough and knowledgeable.'
Rebecca PageMaitland Chambers ‘Rebecca is fantastic - very clever, very responsive, very commercial.'
Rowena PageMaitland Chambers ‘Rowena is measured and thorough and a trusted counsel. Very bright and commercially astute, an excellent advocate and delightful to deal with.'
Wendy ParkerGatehouse Chambers 'Wendy is wonderful; she possesses a world of experience in insolvency and the courts and can give a good indication of what the judge is likely to want and say; explains points of law in a clear and articulate manner to the judge and helps judge if any issues.'
Samuel ParsonsErskine ChambersBrilliant mind and tenacious advocacy. Very user friendly and is clear with his advice and strategy from an early stage in the proceedings.’
Isabel PetrieSelborne ChambersInvaluable specialist in insolvency.’
Charles RaffinGatehouse Chambers 'Charles has very good analytical skills, and an extremely well-rounded knowledge base of not only the Insolvency practice area but general civil litigation principles.'
Kate RogersRadcliffe Chambers ‘Kate is excellent - she is reliable, she is approachable, she can deal with even the most difficult clients.'
James SaundersNew Square ChambersExpedient, efficient, concise and reliable. James always goes above and beyond what is asked of him without question and is prepared to squeeze in work with tight deadlines without any effect on the quality of his advice, drafting or advocacy.’
Daniel WarentsXXIV Old Buildings ‘Daniel is extremely bright and user-friendly.  He is a very fine advocate and is able to stand his ground as against opposition's silks.'
Alaric WatsonGatehouse ChambersAlaric is tenacious and detailed.’
Jack WatsonWilberforce Chambers ‘Jacks strengths are his ability to understand the matter so quickly. He confidently provides commercial advice and has vast knowledge of the relevant areas of law.'
Joseph Wigley4 Stone Buildings 'Calm and measured approach in court; thorough preparation and willingness to pitch in as part of an overall team.'
Andrew BrownRadcliffe ChambersAndrew is good at getting to the nub of the issue.  He is helpful at providing advice as to strategy.  He is easy to work with and has a commercial approach.’
Christopher BuckleyRadcliffe Chambers ‘Christopher is very quick to pick up on the important details and is incredibly thorough. This shines through in his advocacy.'
Maxim CardewMaitland Chambers 'Maxim is thorough and has excellent attention to detail. He is also responsive and user-friendly.' 
Reuben Comiskey  – Radcliffe ChambersExtremely bright. Inventive and very responsive.’
James DaviesEnterprise Chambers ‘James is an excellent all-rounder. He is a great team player, is great with clients and manages expectations appropriately. He is calm and measured on his feet, which gives him credibility, but his written work is also excellent. You want James on your team.'
Rachael EarleWilberforce Chambers ‘She is incredibly bright, committed and tenacious.'
Bobby FriedmanWilberforce Chambers ‘Extremely cool and commanding presence and personality- unflappable and to the point.'  
Phillip Gale  – Enterprise ChambersHis advice is clear and his drafting is accurate.  He is calm when presenting the case.  He is courteous and professional.’
Simon JohnsonEnterprise Chambers ‘Simon is an extremely good advocate.'
Daniel LewisWilberforce Chambers ‘Daniel is excellent, very able, good with putting clients at ease and concise. His advocacy is very very good.'
Katie LongstaffRadcliffe ChambersKatie is a go-to counsel.’
Katrina Mather  – Gatehouse Chambers 'Very bright, user friendly and solutions based.'
Gabriella McNicholasMaitland Chambers 'Gabriella is excellent.'
James McWilliams3 Verulam BuildingsJames is particularly good for claims where there is a cross-over with insolvency and fraud because of his experience with both. He has good judgement, is good on the law and is a fine advocate.’ 
Maria MullaMaitland ChambersMaria provides very robust advice that is easy to understand, and is exceptional at managing the clients.’
Paul O’DohertyForum Chambers 'Superb barrister, good advocate and great with clients and on papers.'
Phillip PattersonGatehouse Chambers 'Phil has superb attention to detail and his preparation and planning is always thorough and precise.'
Jessica PowersNew Square Chambers ‘Technically brilliant and bright, very prompt and very good with judges and clients alike.’
Helen PughOuter Temple Chambers Impressive depth of knowledge and strong written work and drafting. Equally skilled in conference with clients and goes above and beyond for clients. She also has good connections with insolvency funders.’
Thomas Robinson - Wilberforce Chambers 'He is incredibly bright, knowledgeable, organised and a great team player. These characteristics are all displayed in his calm, measured advocacy, albeit he is tenacious when the circumstances demand.'
Angharad Start3 Verulam Buildings 'She is a powerful litigator, has an excellent commercial skills and a keen legal brain. He advocacy is measured and attractive.'
Niranjan VenkatesanOne Essex Court 'Niranjan is an extremely bright barrister. He comes up with innovative solutions to legal problems, and is very hard working and responsive to requests.' 
Nathan WebbForum Chambers 'Nathan always gets to the heart of an insolvency matter and takes a proactive approach where needed. His input on insolvency work is always very valued.'
Paul Wright  – 9 Stone BuildingsExtremely thorough in approach and proactive in anticipating questions from the court.’

Rising Stars

Karl Anderson – 4 Stone Buildings ‘Karl is a skilled and efficient cross-examiner.’ 
Thomas Cockburn  – 9 Stone BuildingsThomas has a very clear, concise and focused style of advocacy. He is also a very able written advocate who produces high quality skeleton arguments.’
Samuel HodgeEnterprise ChambersSam is very good and quick to get to the point. His style is co-operative and discursive.’ 
Philip Judd3 Hare CourtPhilip is very approachable and friendly. He has a good knowledge of the law and is good on his feet.’
Daniel Kessler4 Stone BuildingsDaniel is an exceptionally clever junior, who is highly responsive.’
Emma LoizouRadcliffe ChambersEmma is very bright, diligent and commercially astute. Emma’s advocacy skills are excellent for her level of call.’

Insolvency in London Bar

South Square


‘The number one set for restructuring and insolvency matters,South Square has all of its members specialising within insolvency and restructuring law. Members, such as Mark Phillips KC have appeared in significant and high-profile insolvency cases in the UK, such as Sova Capital Ltd in which Phillips KC, alongside William Willson, put an investment broker focussing on the Russian markets into administration, which raised numerous complex issues from valuing claims to dealing with client claims, as well as how Moscow-listed assets would be handled by a UK company. ‘Extremely knowledgeable and unflappable‘ junior Charlotte Cooke  has appeared in a number of high-profile insolvency and restructuring cases, including three times in the Supreme Court, while Felicity Toube KC has depth in experience includes acting in major insolvency cases such as Greensill and Liberty Steel. David Allison KC has developed a strong cross-border practice, handling insolvency cases in the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda and Hong Kong, whereas Clara Johnson is noted for her experience in bringing and defending claims brought by officer holders involving fraud and where urgent injunctive relief is required.

Testimonials

‘The clerks (Dylan Playfoot, Marco Malatesta and others) are highly skilled, understand the issues and direct us always to the best barrister available and are known for their understanding of urgency of a situation and quick response times- they are also and personable and always available and extremely helpful.’

‘Without a doubt my favourite clerks room.  Pragmatic, commercial, reasonable, friendly, responsive, flexible.  Everything that you could wish for. Dylan Playfoot and Marco Malatesta stand out but all are excellent.’

‘Clerks are fast and helpfully reactive.  One can be open with them about the client’s needs and will be dealt with effectively and professionally.’

‘The clerks team is excellent. Very responsive, user-friendly and helpful. They will do everything they can to be helpful in terms of engaging counsel but also helping litigation run smoothly.

‘The clerks are fantastic.  They are always on hand to help, with nothing you ask of them too much trouble.  They are polite and responsive.’

‘South Square is clearly the number one set for restructuring and insolvency matters and they have some excellent barristers at all levels.”

‘By far the best set for insolvency – and very strong for general commercial skills.’

‘South Square are the go to set if you need any insolvency advice. They have such an impressive roster of people that no matter the issue they are likely to have experience.’

Work highlights














3 Verulam Buildings


3 Verulam Buildings is known for its members having ‘great gravitas and reputation for contentious insolvency work,‘ with the set often involved in multi-jurisdictional insolvency disputes. In Lehman Brothers Holdings plc, Adrian Beltrami KC was instructed to represent the insolvent bank in ongoing waterfall disputes about the distribution of surpluses within the Lehman estate. Ewan McQuater KC was involved in NMC Healthcare Limited v Dubai Islamic Bank, the Middle East’s largest ongoing insolvency, where he led a counsel team in defending the interests of a Dubai Islamic Bank and Noor Bank in litigation concerning the collapse of the health company, alleged to be caused by fraud on the part of the company’s chairman. Looking at the juniors, Philip Hinks is noted for his work in Harrington Trading Company Ltd v Mehta, in which he acted for seven companies in liquidation and their joint liquidators in their claim that the proceeds of US$1bn of loans of gold bullion were misappropriated and laundered through a global network of companies.

Testimonials

‘The clerks at 3VB are without exception professional and accommodating. Steve Penson, Stuart Pullum and Lucy Burrows lead by example. When problems arise they are faced head on. Fee negotiations are usually fair and transparent. It is also good to see a woman in a senior position.

‘Excellent clerks – very responsive and knowledgeable.’

‘Efficient.’

‘The clerks are good. Responsive and commercial.’

‘Incredible strength in depth when it comes to counsel with financial services experience.’

‘3VB has genuine strength in depth. Their tendency to recruit former solicitors means that a number of their baby juniors have experience that others lack. Their ability to cover a wide range of commercial and financial services work makes them one of our first choice sets.’

‘Great gravitas and reputation for contentious insolvency work.’

‘Generally a strong set for insolvency work.’

Work highlights














4 Stone Buildings


4 Stone Buildings places insolvency and reconstruction as a central area of focus, with the set known for its involvement in high profile and high value insolvency work. Members of chambers have also represented the government on insolvency matters, including Tiran Nersessian, who was instructed by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to advise on the insolvency elements of the Horizon scandal, including the predicament of a cohort of postmasters who found themselves bankrupt. ‘Stand-out silk’ Jonathan Crow KC, was instructed in a multi-million dollar claim in Byers v Saudi National Bank which was brought by the liquidators of two insolvent companies against a bank for knowing receipt of funds paid in breach of trust. Alastair Tomson is frequently led by Richard Hill KC and John Brisby KC, having been instructed on noteworthy bankruptcy cases. Zara McGlone is noted for her work for Ofgem – she acted as sole counsel for the energy regulator in several cases concerning the insolvencies of energy suppliers.

Testimonials

‘Ryan Tunkel deserves particular mention. He builds a relationship with instructing solicitors and ensures that any queries or requirements are addressed quickly and efficiently. He is heavily relied on by Counsel, and therefore instructing solicitors, to maintain a good relationship with the Court meaning that urgent applications run smoothly.’

‘David Goddard is a legend in the London clerking fraternity. Well liked and respected by all.’

‘Both Ben Lashmar and Ryan Tunkel consistently provide excellent service. Both are very responsive and Ben, in particular, frequently goes above and beyond to assist where possible.’

‘First rate.’

‘This is our “go-to” chambers for insolvency/energy and general Chancery work. The Chambers has a high standard of Counsel and excellent clerks. If first choice Counsel is not available, they will always find Counsel available to take instructions who are equally as proficient in the relevant area.’

‘They are a class act throughout. Strong, commercially astute and expert counsel. I find that Four Stone is distinguished by how helpful and courteous its members and clerks are.’

‘A strong Chancery set, with some excellent juniors.’

‘Outstanding. Attentive, helpful and swift. Highly professional. As good as any leading set.’

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Erskine Chambers


Erskine Chambers find their strength in contentious insolvency and corporate restructuring, with members of chambers advising on a number of substantial restructuring and insolvency procedures. The set is noteworthy in areas where insolvency meets banking and finance, including litigation arising from the insolvency of financial institutions, as well as matters crossing over with the set's company law reputation. Peter Arden KC has been instructed in connection with major insolvencies and restructurings, including the case of Re LB Holdings Intermediate 2 Ltd which involved a dispute over the distribution of a surplus held by an element of collapsed bank Lehman Brothers, estimated between £800m and £1bn. Andrew Thompson KC is experienced in high-value litigation, while Ben Griffiths  is noted for his cross-border practice, having acted for Signal Credit on its claim to challenge the $1bn restructuring of the Galapagos Group in Galapagos Bidco v Signal. Ben Shaw KC was appointed silk in March 2023.

Testimonials

‘Alex Calder has been very responsive and friendly with a reasonable approach to fee negotiation etc.’

‘Generally very good – Michael Shillingford is particularly responsive.’

‘Always available and helpful.’

‘The clerks’ room is very responsive and helpful.’

‘Very efficient and responsive.’

‘Erskine remains the go to set for all any complex company law issues and I am very confident that any barrister there will be a real leader in this area. They are also very strong indeed on insolvency matters and vie with South Square in this area.’

‘Erskine Chambers have never let me down, and always seem to have the right Counsel available.’

‘Excellent chambers with great commercial experience, especially at senior level, but also excellent juniors.’

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Maitland Chambers


Insolvency and restructuring remains a key part of the practice for Maitland Chambers, with the set’s members engaging in disputes across a vast range of industries, from personal insolvency to through to global corporate collapses and associated asset recovery proceedings. Matthew Collings KC has appeared in numerous insolvency cases, including London Capital & Finance (LCF) where he advised on multiple issues and acting for administrators of a collapse of London Capital & Finance including successful removal of two security trustees. Michael Gibbon KC is regularly called upon to advise on the practical commercial application of insolvency law, with experience in litigating and advising on matters arising out of commercial failure, whereas Catherine Addy KC has been instructed on numerous high-profile insolvencies and related litigation alongside sitting as a Deputy Insolvency and Companies Court Judge.

Testimonials

‘Maitland are on of our key go-to sets for insolvency and restructuring work, and are always able to offer quality members at the right level for any particular assignment.’

‘Maitland are a very strong set and ought to be considered as a very good alternative to any set for insolvency matters.’

‘The clerks are super-responsive and a pleasure to deal with.’

‘Clerk service is good, responsive and attentive.’

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Serle Court


The ‘highly capable‘ set in insolvency and restructuring law, Serle Court find themselves representing clients in cases ranging from high-profile claims linked to fraud and the offshore work, alongside energy insolvencies where Lance Ashworth KC and Matthew Morrison  have represented two applicants in Croxen v Gas and Electric Markets Authority in which concerning a number of market-wide issues arising from the failure of a large number of smaller and medium-sized energy suppliers. Philip Marshall KC is a leading international insolvency silk who appears in complex commercial disputes in the UK courts while also being a Deputy High Court Judge. Daniel Lightman KC advises on insolvency issues and represents litigants in claims by and against insolvency office holders. Dan McCourt Fritz KC was appointed silk in March 2023 while Paul Johnson joined from Exchange Chambers in December 2022.

Testimonials

‘Nick Hockney and Charlie Payne are both excellent, always willing to help with listing and documents.’

‘Nick Hockney is outstanding.’

‘In any other set, the recently retired Steve Whitaker would be sorely missed, but with people like Nick Hockney, Dan Wheeler and Emma Quin, the clerks room is not short of highly efficient people who are also nice to know.’

‘Excellent set.’

‘Strong set.’

‘Serle Court remains the friendliest set out there, but also a highly capable one.’

‘The clerks are very user friendly and always very polite and accommodating.’

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Wilberforce Chambers


Wilberforce Chambers specialise in all aspects of corporate and personal insolvency litigation and advice, both domestically and internationally. Lexa Hilliard KC was instructed In the matter of Lehman Brothers Holdings PLC, a high value and multi-party trial arising out of the Lehman Brothers’ collapse concerned with the ranking of different tranches of subordinated debt, totaling several billions. Marcia Shekerdemian KC specialises in all aspects of personal and corporate insolvency, while Daniel Lewis‘ insolvency practice focusses on director and office-holder misfeasance and cross-border work, with expertise in offshore financial services insolvencies.

Testimonials

‘Wilberforce are very quick to react to requests for assistance and Jack Paxton makes himself available even when inconvenient.’

‘Very good Chambers to deal with. Clerks are always helpful and get back to you quickly, which is very helpful. Both George Salvage and Jessica Edson are a pleasure to deal with and make our jobs a lot easier.’

‘Fantastic, Antonia Matthew and Grace Mahoney are amazing, efficient and obliging.’

‘Clerks are attentive, responsive and go the ‘extra’ mile, in particular Andrew Barnes.’

‘Antonia Matthew is a pleasure to work with.’

‘Andrew Barnes is fantastic leading at the front. Approachable, readily available and always finds me the right man/woman for the job and at reasonable cost. He is a regular attendee on the usual conference circuits and great at maintaining client relationships, regularly keeping in touch. Andrew is ably assisted by Antonia Matthew at the junior clerk end.’

‘Excellent set great team at all levels in each field well managed.’

‘Wilberforce chambers ranks at the top of the Premier League when it comes to insolvency. Fantastic talent at both ends of the spectrum (Silk to Junior) which makes for an enviable position amongst their competition.’

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Enterprise Chambers


‘Efficient and friendlyEnterprise Chambers have been involved in significant cross-border cases and high profile litigation, such as Octavian Security Ltd v Ghuman which saw James Pickering KC led a team in a contested freezing injunction and then various contested bankruptcy proceedings against the former directors. Stephen Davies KC has acted in cases relating to the interface of the law and practice of insolvency in the banking and finance space, while Kavan Gunaratna  has expertise in disputes concerning insolvent tenant companies, including advising creditors on the insolvencies of Debenhams. Hugo Groves  is noted for his work in litigating claims involving directors and third parties in and around a variety of insolvency scenarios.

Testimonials

‘The service is exemplary. Morgon Green deserves particular mention on an urgent short notice matter he went above and beyond.’

‘The set as a whole has a strong insolvency team with good choice at all levels.  The training programmes are very accessible and regular.’

‘The clerks are very helpful and responsive.  They have worked with us in the past to help with the logistics of the case.’

‘Enterprise Chambers are an excellent chambers and indeed a go to chambers for all areas of insolvency in particular, and company law in general.’

‘Efficient and friendly.’

‘Enterprise have a large number of juniors who are well versed in insolvency law. They are able to supply a selection of juniors often at short notice.’

 

 

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Gatehouse Chambers


Gatehouse Chambers have grown their insolvency practice over the years, where members of the set are regularly involved in issues relating to director misfeasance, cross-border shareholder disputes with an insolvency angle and unfair prejudice petitions. Nigel Jones KC and Sarah McCann have expertise in cross-border cases, with involvement in Enterprise Insurance Co (in liquidation) to advise on the conduct of Enterprise’s UK motor claims book, and by the Gibraltar liquidator both direct and through Gibraltar solicitors to advise on multiple company matters concerning the insolvency and ongoing litigation. Lauren Godfrey  is a standout name from the chambers, having acted for a wide range of clients including banks, insurers and directors.

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Radcliffe Chambers


Radcliffe Chambers have expertise in all aspects of insolvency litigation and legal advisory work, often involving a cross-border element. Members of chambers are experienced in corporate insolvency law including administrations, liquidations and company voluntary arrangements, where members such as Christopher Boardman KC acted for investors in Infinity Developments Liverpool, a case concerning the failed £85m development of Liverpool’s tallest building, in the successful opposition of the administrators’ application to sell the lease and its associated assets to an entity suspected to have links with the developer. David Mohyuddin KC is another name active across the piece, and James Morgan KC has a strong cross-border practice, handling cases in the BVI.

Testimonials

‘Lee Wright is fantastic and always responsive in an urgent situation.’

‘I have nothing but praise for Callum Clark, he is professional, quick, helpful and a pleasure to work with. He always provides a suitable barrister for my requirements.’

‘Radcliffe Chambers is a strong insolvency set.  They have strength in depth and there is a range of counsel that we can instruct on various issues.  The value of the cases that I deal with means that I tend to instruct the more junior members of Radcliffe Chambers.’

‘Radcliffe Chambers is the only insolvency chambers I use. Excellent.’

‘The set is generally great in terms of availability and knowledge – it is rare that there is not someone who is available (often on short notice) who is willing and able to assist.’

‘The clerks are user friendly and efficient.  I tend to deal with Lee Wright who is always very responsive and good at ensuring each case is handled efficiently.’

‘The clerks are great, super responsive and quick. They are a real asset to the chambers.’

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XXIV Old Buildings


XXIV Old Buildings deals with domestic and international insolvency and restructuring cases, with members such as Elspeth Talbot Rice KC instructed on high profile liquidations and insolvencies such as the case of Gorbunova v Berezovsky where she acted for the trustees in the bankruptcy of Boris Berezovsky’s insolvent estate agent against which estate a proprietary, and other, claims are being made by the former partner of the Russian businessman, who died in suspicious circumstances in Berkshire in 2013. Stephen Moverley Smith KC and Francis Tregear KC are noted for their cross-border practice, often being instructed by clients in the Cayman Islands.

Testimonials

‘The clerks are excellent, particularly James Ladbrook.’

‘Paul Horsfield, James Ladbrook and Perry Brown are a great team, regularly attending major chancery conferences.  They are very responsive and their advice on who to instruct has been consistently reliable.’

‘Excellent clerks.  I particularly know Paul Horsfield and James Ladbrook.  They are friendly, knowledgeable and commercial.  They also go out of their way to develop relationships with their barristers’ instructing solicitors, which really helps.’

‘XXIV have superb strength in depth for insolvency work with a number of notable practitioners and a wide selection of juniors. That makes it easy to find someone to deal with short-notice work.’

‘I am a big fan of XXIV Old Buildings.  Chambers as a whole has enormous strength and experiences.  Chambers has always been able to service the needs of my clients exceptionally well and I am very grateful to them.’

‘XXIV Old Buildings is an excellent set. I have particularly worked with them in the contentious trusts area and always received excellent assistance.  They are excellent at all levels.’

‘The set consists of a sufficient number of barristers who specialize in various areas of law, thus ensuring that clients can find suitable counsel for their specific needs.  A reputable set with a commitment to excellence.’

‘Consistently good service from all clerks with whom we communicate.’

Work highlights