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Leading Silks

Ray Tully KC – Guildhall Chambers ‘Ray is a true crime heavyweight who always has the trust of the jury. His preparation is meticulous and his knowledge of strategy and tactics is first-class.’
Sarah Jones KCPump Court ChambersSarah is exceptional. She is tenacious, fearless, and a first-class advocate who always has the jury with her.’
Andrew Langdon KCGuildhall Chambers ‘Andrew is one of the most senior and impressive criminal silks in the country with a huge presence and authority in court. He has a charming style with witnesses which often wins blood out of the stoniest of them. He is outstanding and brilliant.' 
Joanna Martin KCDevon Chambers ‘Jo is superb; very thoughtful, determined and charming as an advocate – one of those in whom juries place their trust. She is always beautifully prepared and brings a lightness of touch to her advocacy which is compelling.’ 
Christopher Quinlan KCGuildhall ChambersChristopher leaves no stone unturned in his preparation and presentation of cases. He thinks through every point and this enables him to present in a sensible and highly cogent manner. His legal submissions on paper and in court are second-to-none. His attention to detail is astonishing.’
Richard Smith KCGuildhall Chambers 'Richard is a master of court craft. He is naturally and understatedly commanding and authoritative. He is a master of making the most difficult ideas sound straightforward and is strategically faultless.' 
Anna Vigars KCGuildhall ChambersAnna is an exceptional advocate. She has a sharp and incisive mind and an ability to quickly grasp and retain large amounts of information. She also quickly builds a rapport with even the most difficult of clients.' 

2022 Silks

Charles Row KCQueen Square Chambers ‘Charles is an outstanding advocate who brings clarity and persuasion whilst controlling a courtroom. He always has excellent command of the materials and is completely unflappable.’

Leading Juniors

Timothy Bradbury3PB ‘Tim is at the zenith of the junior Bar; you are getting silk quality in a highly experienced junior. His affable and relaxed manner disguises an extremely acute brain. He is refined, conspicuously well-prepared, and never wrong-footed or out of his depth. His delivery is also measured and sophisticated.’ 
Mary CoweGuildhall Chambers ‘Mary is an outstanding advocate who is more than capable of handling the biggest cases. She is excellent at dealing with interventions from judges and charming with juries.'
Rebecca Fairbairn  – Pump Court Chambers ‘Rebecca is a fearless and tenacious advocate with a calm and effective style. She is all over the detail of a case and very effective in cross-examination.'
James HaskellGuildhall Chambers ‘James is a first-class advocate who is always on top of his brief and presents his cases with great care and skill.’
Piers NorsworthyDevon Chambers ‘Piers is a natural trial advocate who is always prepared for every case. He is experienced, talented and versatile.' 
Dan Pawson-PoundsWalnut House ‘Dan has an unusual gravitas: it is clear to the jury when he speaks how important it is that they listen to what he says. His economy of expression is noticeable in both his drafting and his advocacy and his command of some of the most challenging areas of the criminal law is obvious. He is a very fine practitioner.’ 
David ScuttGuildhall Chambers ‘David is a robust advocate who shows no fear and is relentless in the fight. His preparation is meticulous and he grasps vast quantities of evidence and distils the salient points for lay clients, including those with significant vulnerabilities. His advocacy style draws in the jury and has them nodding along with every word.’
Robin ShellardQueen Square Chambers ‘Robin is very good at preparation and his advocacy skills are great. He comes across well in court and clients like him.'
Jennifer TallentireGuildhall ChambersShe has extraordinary skills of organisation and so is suited to complex cases. She is also a compelling advocate and very good at managing difficult clients.'
Mark WorsleyGuildhall Chambers ‘Mark is a high-class criminal barrister. He is a clever and persuasive advocate who thinks hard about the law and deploys it with fine judgement. He is probably the pre-eminent criminal junior in Bristol now.’
Michael BrownKBG Chambers ‘A compelling and charismatic advocate who can adapt to every professional and lay client. He is able to explain the most complex points in understandable and relatable language and builds relationships with lay clients from any walk of life.'
Sarah Regan  – Albion Chambers ‘Sarah is always fantastically well-prepared. Her grasp of the intimate detail of any case is staggeringly good; she is a master of detail.'
Jason BealDevon Chambers 'Jason's attention to detail and case preparation is outstanding. He is a safe pair of hands for the most complex of cases.'   
Robert BryanDrystone ChambersRobert is a class act. He has meticulous attention to detail and defends and prosecutes with real skill and dedication. He is a silk in all but name.'
Nicholas Cotter3PBNick is a consummate advocate who combines clarity and brevity in a very attractive style. It is only a matter of time before he attains silk status.' 
Thomas Evans3PB ‘Tom is one of the finest young barristers around with a very good future ahead of him. He has masses of common sense and gets to the nub of cases very quickly. He is highly intelligent, a very effective advocate, and judges like him.' 
Edward HetheringtonAlbion ChambersEdward is forensically brilliant, with a keen eye for detail and an incredible ability to digest the most complex of material. His tactical ability is unrivalled and in court he is personable and approaches judges and juries with a well measured and persuasive humour. He is the epitome of the modern day jury barrister.' 
David MaunderQueen Square ChambersDavid is a superb strategist and a great trial advocate. He advocates brilliantly but speaks plainly with clients.’
Richard Onslow3PBRichard is a formidable advocate with a very engaging and effective presence in court. He is liked by judges and juries and fights for his clients with vigour. He is well respected by all on circuit - and perhaps best known for his no-nonsense approach.' 
Ramin PakroohGuildhall ChambersRamin is an outstanding advocate; highly original, compelling and extremely effective at bringing a clear perspective to a case with his unique powers of analysis. A very bright star.'
Charley PattisonAlbion Chambers ‘Charley is highly intelligent and insightful. She combines great empathy and understanding with determination and a will to succeed. She is a charismatic and appealing advocate to whom judges are drawn.'
Ali RafatiKBG ChambersAli is a formidable trial advocate and a standout barrister in his field in the South West. He is particularly effective in cross-examination of witnesses at trial and in closing speeches to the jury. His knowledge of the law and application to any case is second to none.'
Mark RuffellPump Court Chambers ‘Mark is one of the most fastidious lawyers in the criminal courts. His preparation is unfailingly rigorous, insightful and fair. He is calm, friendly and perfectly easy to work with and his advocacy is always considered, forceful and compelling.'
Rupert Russell - Albion Chambers 'Rupert is adept at thinking on his feet and has an in-depth knowledge of his cases so he can give a swift yet considered response to everything that arises. He has an assured manner in court which both judges and juries find persuasive.'
Emma Martin - Albion Chambers 'Emma has a warm and engaging advocacy style, which is persuasive with both juries and judges. She is very sympathetic so always gets the best out of vulnerable witnesses or defendants.' 
Katie Churcher – KBG ChambersOne of her strengths is her ability to communicate with vulnerable defendants. She is also excellent in cross-examination.' 
Berenice Mulvanny  – 3PB ‘The combination of skill, hard work and compassion which Berenice brings has earned her an excellent reputation amongst instructing solicitors, colleagues and judges alike. Her tactical approach means that she is regularly entrusted with cases of the most difficult nature.’ 
Ellie Fargin – Pump Court ChambersEllie is an excellent advocate in full command of papers. She is liked by juries and presents cases eloquently and persuasively.' 
Gemma White  – 3PB ‘Gemma is a diligent and extremely capable barrister. Whether prosecuting or defending, she is particularly adept at dealing with cases of the utmost sensitivity. She is always on top of her brief and combines intellect with a common sense approach.'
Thomas Acworth3PB ‘Thomas is an extremely diligent practitioner with an extraordinary eye for detail and his knowledge is genuinely astounding. No stone is left unturned in his preparation and his advocacy is equally impressive.'
Alistair HaggartyGuildhall ChambersHe is a very clever barrister whose relaxed manner and easy charm persuade judges and juries alike.'
Sam JonesGuildhall ChambersSam has a natural charisma which transmits itself to his style of advocacy. He has built up a practice which for his level of call is second to none.' 
Nicholas LewinKBG Chambers ‘Nick is a brilliant barrister; he is tenacious and will go above and beyond what you might expect of counsel. He is also a big personality and clients love his directness and sense of humour.'
Jodie Mittell3PB ‘Jodie is meticulous in her preparation. She leaves no stone unturned and excels at developing her case strategy. Jodie gains the confidence of clients with ease and is widely liked and respected.'
Nick Robinson3PB ‘Nick is diligent and always enthusiastic about his work. His written work is of the highest quality. He is also a very persuasive and effective advocate.'

Rising Stars

Chloe Griggs - Guildhall Chambers 'Chloe is developing a very effective advocacy style and gaining in confidence hugely. She is clever, thoughtful and cuts to the heart of things. She works very hard, has a great grasp of detail, and brings an interesting, fresh perspective to cases.'
Althea Brooks – Devon Chambers 'Althea has good judgement and a calm and balanced approach. She is a rising star.' 

Crime (general and fraud) in Regional Bar

3PB


3PB‘s criminal team possesses ‘great strength in depth‘ and its members are ‘respected and trusted across the Western Circuit’. Richard Onslow is a ‘formidable advocate’ handling a wide variety of cases, including those involving serious violence, sexual abuse, drugs conspiracies, and human trafficking. Nicholas Cotter is a ‘thoughtful advocate’ with ‘a ruthless legal mind’, while Jodie Mittell specialises in multi-handed cases, including joint enterprise murders and class A drug conspiracies, as well as sexual offences cases. ‘First rate counselThomas Evans ‘demonstrates an agility of mind and perspicacity possessed by very few indeed’. He primarily handles serious organised crime and sexual offences cases and was recently instructed as junior counsel for the Crown in a case in which a man was alleged to have killed his drug dealer. Gemma White, whose ‘particular strength lies in the cross-examination of young or vulnerable witnesses’, is now a part-time Deputy District Judge. Adam Feest KC, as was, was appointed a Circuit Judge in September 2022.

Testimonials

‘Chris Mitchell is a fantastic clerk and a breath of fresh air when it comes to clerking. He knows how to handle complex situations in the most efficient manner, and always comes back to you when he promises. He is an extremely reliable individual and it seems that his qualities have permeated to those that work alongside him in the clerks room.’

‘The clerks at 3PB are excellent. They have excellent market knowledge and are always able to find the right lawyer for the right case. Lee Giles and Stuart Pringle are hugely experienced and excellent to work with. Regulatory practice director Chris Mitchell is very responsive and able to make things happen even against the odds.’ 

‘3PB is an excellent chambers with great strength in depth. Their barristers are respected and trusted across Western Circuit.’

‘An excellent and well-respected set, one of the foremost sets on the Western Circuit.’

‘The range and depth of counsel in this set is ideal, allowing an almost bespoke tailoring of counsel and client fit.’

‘The clerks in this chambers are all of high quality and are always very helpful.’

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Guildhall Chambers


Guildhall Chambershas an unrivalled team of excellent criminal barristers‘. Richard Smith KC, ‘a formidable trial advocate‘, is well-known for handling murder cases and recently prosecuted a man who was convicted of murdering his ex-partner in the 1990s by setting her on fire; she died of her injuries more than two decades later, after the defendant had already served fifteen years of a life sentence for GBH. With a ‘beautiful advocacy styleAndrew Langdon KC regularly defends and prosecutes in homicide and gang-related cases, among others. Christopher Quinlan KC, ‘with impeccable judgement and a formidable grasp of the law‘ and Anna Vigars KC, whose ‘courtroom work is carried out with great skill and precision‘, also both have broad experience in serious crimes cases, as well as in cases with several complicating factors, both evidential and medical. Ray Tully KCunderstands every nuance of a case‘ and recently acted for the defence in the case of a man who killed a stranger with a claw-hammer at a bus stop in Plymouth. Chloe Griggs, ‘a star in the making‘, was recently involved in a murder trial involving a defence of diminished responsibility founded on evidence of long-term coercive control and domestic abuse.

Testimonials

‘Lucy Northeast is easy to deal with and is a very experienced senior clerk and practice manager.’

‘The clerking team is exceptional. Grant Bidwell is charismatic, helpful and reasoned even in the face of adversity. Lucy Northeast epitomises everything the very best clerk should be. She is always able to find a solution to problems, engaging, always on hand to assist, and able to identify perfect counsel with every instruction. They are both a pleasure to work with and a credit to the profession.’

‘Guildhall Chambers has an unrivalled team of excellent criminal barristers. The clerking and ancillary services provided are second to none. As a set, Guildhall Chambers is unrivalled on the Western Circuit and now has a national reputation for excellence. The silks are widely respected but there is strength at every level of seniority.’

‘The pre-eminent criminal set in the Western Circuit with quality barristers from silk to the most junior.’

‘Guildhall Chambers is the premier set for high quality criminal barristers on the Western Circuit.’

‘An absolutely first class chambers, clerked by a superb team of clerks.’

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Pump Court Chambers


Pump Court Chambershas an excellent reputation for crime work on the Western Circuit‘, with silks through to newly qualified juniors instructed in a wide range of cases. Sarah Jones KC is ‘tenacious and fearless‘ and divides her practice evenly between defence and prosecution work, focusing on murder, manslaughter, and child destruction. Rebecca Fairbairn is ‘very effective in cross-examination‘ and specialises in sexual offences and organised crime cases. Mark Ruffell is well-known for prosecuting multi-handed drugs and fraud offences for CPS Wessex, while Tom Wilkins has considerable experience representing service personnel in the Court Martial as well as in the Crown Court. In October 2023 James Newton-Price KC was appointed a Circuit Judge.

Testimonials

‘Ben, James and Tony are very helpful clerks.’

‘The clerking team is great – Tony George, Ben Harfield and James May will do their utmost to ensure that booked counsel can attend the hearing and that conferences are booked on a convenient date and at a convenient time for clients.’ 

‘Pump Court has an excellent reputation for crime work on the Western Circuit.’

‘An excellent set that recruits exceptional talent at the junior end. Over recent years they have consistently added to their criminal team.’

‘Pump Court is a formidable set that has real strength in its Criminal Team. From its silks to its new juniors, each and every member of is a safe pair of hands. As a set, Pump Court really delivers.’





Albion Chambers


Albion Chambers is ‘one of the pre-eminent crime sets on the Western Circuit’ with ‘an excellent mix of different levels of call’. Rupert Russell, a ‘smooth and witty advocate’, has considerable experience handling sexual offences cases as well as multi-handed organised crime cases. Edward Hetherington has a varied practice and recently defended a case concerning a former CPS employee accused of abusing her position to obtain sensitive information about prominent criminals and organised crime groups. Emma Martin , ‘a first-class advocate’, has recently appeared unled in serious violence and sexual offences cases.

Testimonials

Joanna Cload is very efficient and organised and works hard with instructing solicitors and the local courts to ensure hearings are effective and covered often at very short notice. She is responsive and will go the extra mile to help.’

‘Ken Duthie and Joanna Cload are brilliant. They quickly respond on availability, fees, admin and suitable dates. A really good team.’

‘Albion Chambers has a number of highly experienced barristers covering all aspects of criminal work. They are professional, dedicated and committed.’

‘Albion Chambers is an established provincial powerhouse, with a solid clerking team and a reputation for excellence.’

‘This chambers has a broad depth of counsel with varying experience and expertise.’

‘The clerks are always extremely helpful and accommodating. They are quick to respond to queries and if a problem arises, they are promptly on hand to find a solution.’

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Devon Chambers


Based in Plymouth, Devon Chambers is a ‘fantastic set‘ well-known for providing quality representation in all areas of criminal law. Leader of the Western Circuit Joanna Martin KC is a ‘heavyweight silk’ with a strong reputation both for her defence and prosecution work. Recently she has acted for the defence in a murder case in which sentencing was complicated by the fact the individual convicted had already been convicted in absentia of other murders by the Serbian courts, and another murder case involved a defence of diminished responsibility founded on evidence of long-term coercive control and domestic abuse. Head of chambers Jason Beal is regularly instructed in cases involving allegations of serious sexual offences, serious violence, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and financial offending. Piers Norsworthy, a ‘natural trial advocate‘, is known for his defence work, especially in acutely sensitive cases or in cases concerning defendants with mental health issues, as well as for his road traffic offences expertise.

Testimonials

‘Schannine Dobson has the respect of solicitors, listing officers and the bar alike. She has that good balance of pro-active and re-active clerking.’

‘Rachael Duchnowski keeps the clerks room friendly.’

‘Devon Chambers is excellent. Schannine Dobson needs particular mention for excellent communication skills and for being constantly helpful.’

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KBG Chambers


KBG Chambers is widely regarded as a ‘strong set in the South West‘ for criminal work. Nicholas Lewin  is a ‘brilliant barrister‘ with considerable experience in Crown Court cases - he has a track record of defendants with mental health issues and intermediary needs and, notably, is a retired naval officer with Court Martial experience. Katie Churcher’s practice is evenly split between defence and prosecution work - she is regularly instructed in cases involving serious violence, allegations of historic sexual abuse, and major drug offences and recently acted for the defence in a complex case concerning the rape of a teenage girl by a man previously sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Michael Brown‘s experience includes cases involving rape, firearms offences, drug conspiracies, armed robbery, blackmail, and false imprisonment, while ‘formidable trial advocateAli Rafati is a ‘standout‘ on the Western Circuit for his experience in serious sexual or violent offending, as well as complex drugs and fraud cases.

Testimonials

‘Colin Palmer is the best clerk in the business and goes above and beyond.’

‘A good service from the clerks room. Rebecca Shepherd and Colin Palmer are standout clerks in this chambers.’

‘KBG is a great set, not one bad barrister amongst them.’

‘KBG Chambers is a strong set in the South West. They have a broad depth of suitable, experienced and talented counsel to instruct in any criminal case.’

‘Excellent strength in depth.’

‘A strong clerks room which functions well.’

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Queen Square Chambers


Queen Square Chambers‘rapidly growing’ criminal team is involved in a wide variety of cases across the Western Circuit. Head of Chambers Charles Row KC, a ‘go-to silk in the South West’, is sought after for his handling of especially complex and sensitive cases, particularly murder cases. Of late he has been instructed in multiple juvenile murder cases. Robin Shellard is ‘an excellent jury advocate’ with considerable prosecution experience, including in relation to multi-handed drug supply and fraud conspiracies. David Maunder is a ‘very accomplished trial advocate‘ whose practice includes cases involving homicide and serious violence, serious sex cases involving vulnerable defendants and witnesses, and large-scale fraud and drug conspiracies. James Tucker and Ellen McAnaw are both regularly instructed to act in serious sexual offences cases.

Testimonials

‘Colleen Inker and her team provide a first class service, communicating in a timely and effective way. They are perfectly able to discuss choice of counsel in any given situation.’ 

‘Colleen Inker runs the show, and she can be counted on to sort things out when she needs to.’ 

‘Queen Square Chambers has long been a well-respected set of criminal chambers.’ 

‘They are rapidly growing the number barristers in chambers and Colleen Inker has slowly built a set of clerks who are beginning to challenge the old establishment in Bristol.’

‘Excellent. They have a team that is still growing but the service provided is not compromised.’

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