Red Lion Chambers is ‘a well-respected criminal set with a strong stable of well-regarded advocates’ that defends and prosecutes all crime and financial crime-related matters. Christopher Paxton KC, who is ‘extremely hard-working, determined and single-minded in the pursuit of whatever case is presenting’, successfully prosecuted a woman who murdered her husband in the presence of their two children. Simon Spence KC has expertise in handling serious violence, drugs, sexual offences, fraud, and regulatory offence cases. Junior Dan Taylor is known for his ‘sound tactical judgment and strong strategic oversight of cases.’
Crime (general and fraud) in
Regional BarRed Lion Chambers
Testimonials
Set
‘Red Lion is very well known as a top criminal set.’
‘High quality set.’
‘Red Lion Chambers is a very strong, leading criminal set with a large number of silks and a good, broad cross-section of junior barristers.’
Clerking
‘Efficient, personable, nice to deal with.’
‘Theresa Feeney is excellent – cooperative, pleasant on the phone, efficient.’
‘The clerks’ room is highly efficient and well run by the practice manager, Mark Bennett. Two clerks, Christopher Jones and Theresa Feeney, are responsible for the East Anglian practitioners. They are both highly competent and efficient with a friendly manner that appeals to solicitors, police officers and CPS representatives alike.’
Work highlights
Six Pump Court
Six Pump Court has an ‘extremely experienced and skilled criminal team’ that is ‘versatile and prosecute and defend in the most serious cases’.. Nina Ellin KC prosecuted the parents of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, who were convicted of the child’s murder, while rising star Emin Kandola prosecuted four defendants for the stabbing of a teenage girl. Prior to his appointment to the circuit bench in Maidstone in September 2022, Oliver Saxby KC (as was) acted for a man referred to in the press as the “Tonbridge Wells Bedsit Killer”, who pleaded guilty to murdering and then sexually assaulting two women, as well as acts of necrophilia carried out decades earlier.
Testimonials
Set
‘An excellent set, with strong depth across the board.’
‘A very good set, with a wide range of abilities in varied types of work.’
Work highlights
187 Chambers
‘A high-quality set’ 187 Fleet Street Chambers is well known for prosecuting and defending cases involving murders, fraud, rape, and serious sexual offences cases. Junior Neil Fitzgibbon successfully defended a railway guard prosecuted for endangering the lives of his passengers. In July 2021, Simon Mayo KC (as was) was appointed to the circuit bench at the Old Bailey.
Testimonials
Set
‘The set has a reputation for excellence in advocacy in offering first-class service.’
‘187 Fleet Street Chambers has a good range of counsel.’
‘Efficient and communicate well with instructing solicitors.’
‘The set has good strength in depth.’
Clerking
‘John Pyne is very good at his job and is always on the phone to help.’
‘John Pyne, the senior clerk, is very efficient and provides a service of a high standard. Steve Parr, the deputy clerk, together with the other clerks, works really hard in providing a good service in finding replacement counsels.’
Work highlights
23ES
23ES is ‘one of the largest criminal sets with a wide pool of counsel at all levels’. Kate Lumsdon KC successfully prosecuted a man who murdered his girlfriend in a room at the Holiday Inn in Greenwich. James Bloomer successfully defended a man against allegations of sexual abuse of his niece five decades earlier. Alan Gardner KC and Nathan Rasiah KC took silk in March 2022.
Testimonials
Set
‘Chambers has an excellent array of counsel across general crime, from pupils to silks, confident in their expertise.’
’23ES is one of the best sets in the country, the best prosecution and judge-breeding set in the country. Uniformly capable barristers.’
’23ES is a strong prosecution set with a number of brilliant barristers at all levels. It is also a very influential set.’
Clerking
‘The criminal clerks are good. Adam Chapman is excellent, a decent person who is really engaged in what he does, very responsive, and extremely good at his job. Adam sets a very high benchmark for those working with him.’
‘The clerks’ room adopts modern practices and matches the skills of each of their barristers to the particular instructions.’
Drystone Chambers
Drystone Chambers is a leading specialist criminal chambers with members who prosecute and defend across a wide range of criminal cases, including murders, sexual offences, and serious violence. Karim Khalil KC’s practice is an even split of defence and prosecution and is well known for calling and cross-examining experts from all fields. Lynne Shirley has extensive expertise in handling cases involving serious sexual offences or complex mental health and learning disabilities.
Testimonials
Set
‘Drystone Chambers is a good reliable set.’
‘Drystone Chambers is a ‘go-to set’ with excellent barristers and a good depth of counsel.’
‘Drystone Chambers is sufficiently large to offer a range of counsel with various specialisms to cover most courts in England and Wales.’
Clerking
‘Clerks are helpful and experienced.’
‘The clerks’ room is friendly and approachable and has excellent communication skills.’
‘Very capable and efficient team. Particular standouts are Steve McCarthy and David Cox. Always accessible, accommodating and well organised.’
Work highlights
Red Lion Chambers
Testimonials
Set
‘Red Lion is very well known as a top criminal set.’
‘High quality set.’
‘Red Lion Chambers is a very strong, leading criminal set with a large number of silks and a good, broad cross-section of junior barristers.’
Clerking
‘Efficient, personable, nice to deal with.’
‘Theresa Feeney is excellent – cooperative, pleasant on the phone, efficient.’
‘The clerks’ room is highly efficient and well run by the practice manager, Mark Bennett. Two clerks, Christopher Jones and Theresa Feeney, are responsible for the East Anglian practitioners. They are both highly competent and efficient with a friendly manner that appeals to solicitors, police officers and CPS representatives alike.’
Work highlights
Six Pump Court
Six Pump Court has an ‘extremely experienced and skilled criminal team’ that is ‘versatile and prosecute and defend in the most serious cases’.. Nina Ellin KC prosecuted the parents of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, who were convicted of the child’s murder, while rising star Emin Kandola prosecuted four defendants for the stabbing of a teenage girl. Prior to his appointment to the circuit bench in Maidstone in September 2022, Oliver Saxby KC (as was) acted for a man referred to in the press as the “Tonbridge Wells Bedsit Killer”, who pleaded guilty to murdering and then sexually assaulting two women, as well as acts of necrophilia carried out decades earlier.
Testimonials
Set
‘An excellent set, with strong depth across the board.’
‘A very good set, with a wide range of abilities in varied types of work.’
Work highlights
187 Chambers
‘A high-quality set’ 187 Fleet Street Chambers is well known for prosecuting and defending cases involving murders, fraud, rape, and serious sexual offences cases. Junior Neil Fitzgibbon successfully defended a railway guard prosecuted for endangering the lives of his passengers. In July 2021, Simon Mayo KC (as was) was appointed to the circuit bench at the Old Bailey.
Testimonials
Set
‘The set has a reputation for excellence in advocacy in offering first-class service.’
‘187 Fleet Street Chambers has a good range of counsel.’
‘Efficient and communicate well with instructing solicitors.’
‘The set has good strength in depth.’
Clerking
‘John Pyne is very good at his job and is always on the phone to help.’
‘John Pyne, the senior clerk, is very efficient and provides a service of a high standard. Steve Parr, the deputy clerk, together with the other clerks, works really hard in providing a good service in finding replacement counsels.’
Work highlights
23ES
23ES is ‘one of the largest criminal sets with a wide pool of counsel at all levels’. Kate Lumsdon KC successfully prosecuted a man who murdered his girlfriend in a room at the Holiday Inn in Greenwich. James Bloomer successfully defended a man against allegations of sexual abuse of his niece five decades earlier. Alan Gardner KC and Nathan Rasiah KC took silk in March 2022.
Testimonials
Set
‘Chambers has an excellent array of counsel across general crime, from pupils to silks, confident in their expertise.’
’23ES is one of the best sets in the country, the best prosecution and judge-breeding set in the country. Uniformly capable barristers.’
’23ES is a strong prosecution set with a number of brilliant barristers at all levels. It is also a very influential set.’
Clerking
‘The criminal clerks are good. Adam Chapman is excellent, a decent person who is really engaged in what he does, very responsive, and extremely good at his job. Adam sets a very high benchmark for those working with him.’
‘The clerks’ room adopts modern practices and matches the skills of each of their barristers to the particular instructions.’
Drystone Chambers
Drystone Chambers is a leading specialist criminal chambers with members who prosecute and defend across a wide range of criminal cases, including murders, sexual offences, and serious violence. Karim Khalil KC’s practice is an even split of defence and prosecution and is well known for calling and cross-examining experts from all fields. Lynne Shirley has extensive expertise in handling cases involving serious sexual offences or complex mental health and learning disabilities.
Testimonials
Set
‘Drystone Chambers is a good reliable set.’
‘Drystone Chambers is a ‘go-to set’ with excellent barristers and a good depth of counsel.’
‘Drystone Chambers is sufficiently large to offer a range of counsel with various specialisms to cover most courts in England and Wales.’
Clerking
‘Clerks are helpful and experienced.’
‘The clerks’ room is friendly and approachable and has excellent communication skills.’
‘Very capable and efficient team. Particular standouts are Steve McCarthy and David Cox. Always accessible, accommodating and well organised.’