Public international law

Leading Juniors

Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.

1
Sean Aughey
Essex Court Chambers
'Sean is phenomenally clever - he gets right to the heart of the issues and his drafting is exceptionally strong. Sean is also a very intelligent and persuasive advocate. He has very good instincts and is extremely calm even with the most difficult witnesses.'
1
Amal Clooney
Doughty Street Chambers
'Amal is a brilliant and tireless advocate. She is 100% laser focused on her clients and their objectives and is able to quickly grasp the key elements of complicated and nuanced legal issues. She is unafraid of a debate, bringing both substantive and emotional intelligence as well as pragmatism to her work.'
1
Belinda McRae
Twenty Essex
'Has tremendous judgement as well as deep learning and clear and compelling advocacy.'
1
Cameron Miles
3 Verulam Buildings
‘Cameron is a formidable opponent. His written advocacy is extremely persuasive. He comes up with game-changing arguments which are meticulously researched. He has a deep knowledge of international law in all its forms and is experienced in the many fora in which it arises.’
1
Penelope Nevill
Twenty Essex
'Penelope has a great insight into trade treaty matters, and she is a great advocate.'
1
Kate Parlett
Twenty Essex
'Superb judgment with an excellent sense of pragmatism. A great team player. Very persuasive in her oral and written advocacy.'
1
Amy Sander
Essex Court Chambers
'She is a brilliant advocate with a brilliant mind.'
1
Philippa Webb
Twenty Essex
'There is simply nobody better as a public international law strategist, advocate, and thinker. One of the most charming and persuasive lawyers you could ever hope to meet.'
1
Can Yeginsu
3 Verulam Buildings
'What sets Can apart in this field is his ability to fuse scholarly depth with practical litigation instincts. His strategic insight is of the highest order, allowing him to anticipate procedural complexities and position arguments to maximum effect. His advocacy is measured, authoritative, and compelling, and he has a unique ability to engage with both legal and policy dimensions of a case. His presence in a matter lends confidence and credibility to the entire legal team.'
2
Ali Al-Karim
Brick Court Chambers
‘Ali combines sharp legal acumen with a collaborative and grounded approach—never arrogant, and consistently respectful in team settings. He is a strong team player, generous with his time and input.’
2
Paolo Busco
Twenty Essex
'Paolo is very bright and always considering innovative legal approaches. He has broad knowledge of public international law and is able to offer carefully considered strategic advice. Paolo has a knowledge and understanding of how to work with states well beyond what might be expected of a counsel of his years of call, he has an understanding of the needs of key stakeholders and the wider political implications of legal decision making.'
2
Michelle Butler
Matrix Chambers
'Michelle is a very strong litigator, very devoted to her clients and with excellent strategic and pleading skills.'
2
Emilie Gonin
Brick Court Chambers
‘Very knowledgeable, highly intelligent and a sincere pleasure to work with.’
2
Courtney Grafton
Twenty Essex
'Courtney is exceptionally strong - hard-working, talented and very quick to digest large amounts of information and convert it into strong written advocacy. A real superstar.'
2
Matthieu Gregoire
Essex Court Chambers
2
Naomi Hart
Essex Court Chambers
'Hard working, clever and a pleasure to work with, producing clear, compelling and effective written and oral advocacy that takes everything into account but focuses only on what matters.'
2
Edward Ho
Brick Court Chambers
2
Lucian Ilie
Outer Temple Chambers
'Lucian is very smart, extremely responsive and a skilled advocate. He has deep experience in international law and investment arbitration and extensive knowledge across multiple jurisdictions. He always delivers fantastic work.'
2
Paul Luckhurst
Blackstone Chambers
'Paul is a superb junior with deep experience of public international law matters. He has great judgement and real depth of experience. He is a measured but highly persuasive advocate and has a great sense of how to pick the winning points to persuade a court.'
2
Robert McCorquodale
Brick Court Chambers
‘He is hugely knowledgeable about public international law, in particular human rights, self-determination and the law of territory and the interface with business, and is able to combine compassion with practical advice.'
2
Calum Mulderrig
3 Verulam Buildings
'A young international lawyer who is rapidly coming into his own.'
2
Simon Olleson
Twenty Essex
'Simon has a sharpness of mind which is second to none. He is a master of his field with an acute attention to detail meaning that no point or stone is left unturned in his effort to represent his clients' interests.'
2
Christopher Staker
39 Essex Chambers
‘Extremely hard-working and will not rest until all avenues have been addressed to present the best possible case on behalf of his client. Has deep and academic understanding of the wider legal issues at play in the case and harnesses them to powerful effect.’
2
Mark Wassouf
3 Verulam Buildings
'Very straight-thinking combined with deep knowledge of every aspect of arbitration-related English court proceedings. Willing to work as part of a team and roll his sleeves up when necessary. Simply excellent.'
3
Ian McDonald
3 Verulam Buildings
'He is careful and responsive, remains calm at all times. He has good communication skills and he was knowledgeable of the facts of the case and the legal aspects.'
3
Anthony Jones
4 New Square Chambers
‘Anthony has a deep knowledge of and real enthusiasm for public international law. He is one of the few practitioners at his level who can be relied on to bottom out the detail and produce excellent drafting and advocacy.’
3
Alex Haines
4 Pump Court
Alex’s strengths lie in his comprehensive understanding of public international law, coupled with their ability to break down complex legal issues into clear, persuasive arguments. His advocacy is both authoritative and compelling, often marked by an ability to confidently navigate intricate international legal principles. He possesses a strategic mindset, tailoring his approach to the unique dynamics of each case, while also demonstrating practical insight into how legal decisions may affect broader international relations.’
3
Camilla Cockerill
Brick Court Chambers
‘Excellent team player with a real passion for the case and the cause.’
3
Aarif Abraham
Doughty Street Chambers
‘Aarif is a brilliant lawyer with an outstanding knowledge of international law. He is also a genius communicator. He engages with other participants and their arguments in such a deeply honest and open manner that it is impossible not to pay attention and almost impossible not to be convinced.’
3
Joanna Buckley
Matrix Chambers
3
Kevin Lee
Twenty Essex
'Kevin has clear, concise and persuasive advocacy and knows how to read judges well. Kevin understands complex issues easily and breaks these complex issues down in his oral submissions for easy understanding. Kevin is very personable and great with clients. A very safe pair of hands to trust your disputes with.'
3
Zahra Al-Rikabi
Brick Court Chambers
'An outstanding international lawyer who is rapidly getting the recognition she deserves.'
3
Monica Feria-Tinta
Twenty Essex
'Monica is a dedicated barrister who is astute in synthesising the winning arguments. She has an intricate knowledge of human rights and the law as it pertains to climate change issues. Her written and oral advocacy is clear, to the point, and passionate where appropriate which makes her advocacy compelling.'
3
Jessica Jones
Matrix Chambers
3
Jackie McArthur
Essex Court Chambers
3
Tetyana Nesterchuk
Fountain Court Chambers
3
Thomas Sebastian
Essex Court Chambers
3
Luke Tattersall
Essex Court Chambers
3
Jacob Turner
Fountain Court Chambers
‘Jacob is outstanding. Ferociously intelligent, hugely hard working, a great team player. Really building a reputation in particular in sovereign related work and an excellent senior junior who will go far.’
3
Manuel Casas
Twenty Essex
'Manuel is draws on his extensive background working in commercial arbitration, international law and civil law legal systems, to provide top notch legal analysis and drafting skills in advice and disputes at the international level. A joy to work with as part of a team, responsive and engaging.'
3
Rishab Gupta
Twenty Essex
'Rishab is not just a barrister, his advocacy is guided by market realities. This makes him stand out as he is driven to assist in outcomes. He is more experimental than others.'
3
Peter Webster
Essex Court Chambers
‘Peter is a barrister with skills far above his years of call. His advocacy is calm, persuasive and extremely substantively capable.’
3
Paul Wee
Essex Court Chambers
‘Paul is one of the star performers at the Bar. He drafts beautifully and his ability to digest and distill masses of information into clear concise legal submissions is second to none.’
3
Jonathan Worboys
4 New Square
‘Jonathan has extensive experience in public international law, and is a go-to junior.’

Rising stars

Rising stars at the Bar are defined as barristers between four and eight years’ call who are seen as up-and-coming members of the Bar in their respective practice areas by clients and peers alike. They will already be instructed in high-profile, complex, and high-value contentious and non-contentious matters, working with and opposite more experienced leading counsel.

3
Lorraine Aboagye
Essex Court Chambers
‘Highly intelligent, very hardworking, excellent drafting skills. A top junior in this area.’