St Philips Chambers > Birmingham, England > Set Profile

St Philips Chambers Offices

Chambers of Richard Atkins KC
St Philips Chambers
55 TEMPLE ROW
BIRMINGHAM
B2 5LS
England
Visit website 0121 246 7000 0121 246 7001

St Philips Chambers > The Legal 500 Rankings

Midland Circuit > Chancery, probate, and tax Tier 1

St Philips Chambers is ‘a tremendous commercial set with a number of talented barristers and a strong clerking team’. John Randall KC, who is ‘extremely hard-working’ with an ‘excellent tactical brain,’ recently represented several property owners from the Cayman Islands in a land registry dispute. Andrew Charman successfully represented the estate of a deceased sole shareholder of a private company to obtain rectification of the register of shareholders for the appointment of a new director.

Leading Silks

Ranked: Tier 1
John Randall KC –St Philips Chambers ‘John is the go-to silk for heavy corporate litigation in both Birmingham and London. He is a real polymath across many areas of law. He is peerless, fearless and is always the right choice for big cases.’  
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Gavin McLeod –St Philips Chambers ‘Gavin is extremely diligent, and he will properly consider everything and do a thorough and well-considered job. He is also very bright and wonderfully personable. He is an excellent and user-friendly barrister all round.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Christopher Buckingham – St Philips Chambers ‘Christopher is highly knowledgeable and good with clients.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
John Brennan –St Philips Chambers ‘John has a keen intellectual grasp of the subject and is thorough in his advice and paperwork. He puts forward his client's case effectively in court and is sharp on cross-examination.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Andrew Charman –St Philips Chambers ‘Andrew is a counsel of exceptional ability and experience. His ability to handle complex matters inspires great confidence and ensures that his clients receive the very best service. In matters of high value and complexity his instruction is essential to a successful outcome.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

Set 

‘A strong set- with a range of counsel of varying levels of seniority.’ 

‘Chambers as a whole are well organised.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers is a strong regional set.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers is consistently operating at the top of the profession.  It is diverse and inclusive in all respects.’ 

‘St Philips is the best set in Birmingham.’ 

Clerking  

‘Clerks are excellent, particularly Arron Snipe, who is always efficient and diligent in his engagements.’ 

Midland Circuit > Commercial litigation Tier 1

St Philips Chambers is a ‘strong regional commercial set for commercial disputes’ that regularly gets instructed by clients from small to multinational companies. The set handles complex and high-profile cases in the business and property courts to the highest court. James Morgan KC  get praised for his ‘excellent drafting and forensic focus on the key points in dispute’ and recently acted for a claimant seeking £4.9m damages for breach of a warranty in a share sale agreement and resisting a counterclaim for unpaid purchase. Ali Tabari successfully represented the claimant in the recovery of three loans matter which the claimant had given to the defendants during their mutual dealings in international commodities.

Leading Silks

James Morgan KC –St Philips Chambers ‘James is cool, calm, collected and extremely persuasive in the court room. His attention to detail is second to none. He is an advocate who prepares meticulously and delivers consistently high levels of service.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
John Randall KC –St Philips Chambers ‘John's towering strength is his ability to absorb the whole landscape of a document, pinpoint the issues and analyze them with surgical precision. He never looks down on his clients, even if they have made mistakes.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Robert Mundy –St Philips Chambers ‘Robert’s style is to be calm and measured. His arguments (oral and written) are extremely well-structured, thorough, and effective. He delivers all the work to deadlines and consistently produce excellent written documents and robust oral advocacy. He is a go-to candidate for all commercial litigation work.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ali Tabari –St Philips Chambers ‘Ali is extremely user-friendly. He is very strategic and thinks well on his feet.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ranked: Tier 2
Marc Brown –St Philips Chambers ‘Marc is able to explain complex issues in accessible detail and has attention to detail.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Simon Clegg –St Philips Chambers ‘Simon is excellent at assessing the commercial considerations of a case and identifying the core legal arguments. His judgement is excellent, and his drafting skills are very good.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Mark Grant –St Philips Chambers ‘Mark is technically a very good lawyer. His approach is always clear, concise and on point, whether that is in relation to written advice, skeleton arguments, or oral submissions in court. He is good with clients.’     
Ranked: Tier 2
Ranked: Tier 3
Andrew Charman –St Philips Chambers ‘Andrew is incredibly bright, and one immediately feels that one has an advantage over one's opponent when he is instructed. He is also very sensible in his approach to cases, and he consistently sees the pragmatic route to resolving the case. His paperwork is excellent, and he is very responsive and approachable. He is very much my "go to" barrister.’  
Ranked: Tier 3
Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set 

‘Good strength in depth and excellent service, very commercial in relation to fees.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers provides fantastic training sessions, and the business and property barristers are highly Knowledgeable and experienced in commercial areas.’ 

‘Very strong at all levels of seniority.’ 

‘St Philips is an excellent chamber for commercial disputes. The juniors are of extremely high quality (especially senior juniors).’ 

‘Chambers are always available to help for example when counsel is needed at short notice.’ 

Clerking 

‘Justin Luckman is an excellent senior clerk – best in business and looks after us extremely well.’ 

Midland Circuit > Company and insolvency Tier 1

The ‘strongest commercial set in Birmingham’ St Philips Chambers is a ‘well-regarded and broad set’ with ‘a strength and depth in insolvency area’. James Morgan KC known as ‘very capable’ and ‘exceptionally bright barrister’ and is acting for Hong Kong trustees in bankruptcy seeking recognition of a bankruptcy in that jurisdiction in England under s.426 Insolvency Act 1986.

Leading Silks

James Morgan KC –St Philips Chambers ‘James is very incisive in dealing with the legal issues in respect of the appeal. He is technically superb, always reads the papers thoroughly, gets to grips with the key issues and is solutions driven.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
John Randall KC –St Philips Chambers ‘John is the go-to silk for heavy corporate litigation in both Birmingham and London. He is a real polymath across many areas of law. He is peerless, fearless and is always the right choice for big cases.’  
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Marc Brown –St Philips Chambers ‘Marc has a keen eye for detail and is able to quickly identify the key points. He provides robust, commercial advice and is also a complete advocate.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Andrew Charman –St Philips Chambers ‘Andrew is immensely knowledgeable on the subject of shareholder disputes and company law. His technical expertise in this area is second-to-none. He swiftly understands the psychological and commercial drivers of the clients and communicates with them in a clear, empathetic, and sensible manner. He is the first port of call for any shareholder dispute.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Robert Mundy –St Philips Chambers ‘Robert has good advocacy skills both in court and at mediation and excellent written opinions and never sits on the fence.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ranked: Tier 2
Ali Tabari –St Philips Chambers ‘Ali has the perfect balance of technical knowledge and client relationship skills. He makes himself available to assist including initial discussions pre instructions as to whether it is a matter he can assist with.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

Set 

‘St Philips has some exceptional barristers at its top end.’ 

‘Huge set which can usually find a suitable counsel even at short notice.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers strength and depth in this area is excellent.’ 

‘The set has a fantastic strength in depth and offers great value. It also offers a strong program of seminars and other relevant events.’ 

‘St Philips has a particularly strong commercial team with some excellent senior junior lawyers as well as leaders.’

‘St Philips is an excellent chamber for commercial disputes. The juniors are of extremely high quality (especially senior juniors).’

Clerking

Midland Circuit > Crime (general and fraud) Tier 1

St. Philips Chambers is a ‘large and efficiently run set of chambers’ with an ‘extensive range of advocates available to cover all levels of criminal cases’. Head of the chamber and ‘excellent orator’ Richard Atkins KC specialises in murder cases and regularly appears in the Court of Appeal. Andrew Smith KC’s recent work highlights include prosecuting Gareeca Gordon, who was convicted of murdering a former friend and attempting to dispose of her body in the Forest of Dean. Jennifer Josephs is praised for her ‘preparation and care during cases’ and secured a conviction for a father accused of shaking one of his twin babies to death in case that dealt with complicated medical evidence. Simon Davis is now the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Cayman Islands.

Leading Silks

Richard Atkins KC –St Philips Chambers 'Richard is a very high-quality advocate who has proven ability over many years in regulatory crime. He has a tremendous eye for detail, excellent judgment, and decision-making under pressure. He is able to bring the judge and jury along with him when prosecuting or defending. His easy manner and calm authority in all situations make his advocacy very persuasive.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Andrew Smith KC –St Philips Chambers 'Andrew’s intelligence is legendary. He is able to assimilate evidence amounting to thousands of pages and identify issues clearly. He can present even the most complex of issues in terms that allow defendants and juries to understand them. He has an aura of confidence because he knows the material he is working with thoroughly. He has a depth of character and charm that warms him to fellow professionals and defendants alike. He can be relied upon totally to represent those instructing him in the ablest way.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Ranked: Tier 2

Leading Juniors

Jonathan Barker –St Philips Chambers ‘Jonathan has a very technical mind and is able to assimilate in-depth evidence very quickly. He has a good presence in front of a jury and commands the attention of the court room. He has good relationships with other members of the Bar and respect for the judiciary.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Jennifer Josephs –St Philips Chambers ‘Jennifer is an experienced and dedicated senior junior. She commits fully to each case she is involved in and has a very good technical grasp of the relevant law. She shows excellent tactical awareness and works well as a key member of any team. Her advocacy is effective and measured. She has the respect of both the judiciary and her opponents.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ben Williams –St Philips Chambers ‘Ben is intelligent and pragmatic. He is responsive in his communications and has the ability to put clients at ease. He is robust with prosecutors and judges alike. His drafting of advice and applications is always of a very high standard.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ben Close – St Philips Chambers ‘Ben gets to grip with the details of a case quickly. He has excellent drafting skills and delivers a great service every time.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Darron Whitehead  – St Philips Chambers ‘Darron is a class act. As an advocate he is highly persuasive and tenacious. He always has a firm grasp of the details of the case and is always diligent and well-prepared. His written work is precise, detailed and persuasive. He is a very effective cross-examiner and an astute trial tactician. He is well respected by colleagues and highly rated by judges.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Rajinder GIll –St Philips Chambers ‘Rajinder is extremely good at calming nervous clients who are new to the criminal justice system and building confidence with them. He is a likeable barrister which is good for client relationships. The effort he puts in is always 110% and his attention to detail shows in trials.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Andrew Jackson –St Philips Chambers ‘Andrew is extremely thorough and hardworking in preparing a case, and fearless in advocacy- both in cross-examination and with judges. He gets on extremely well with clients from across the spectrum of society and brings an air of confident calm to a case. He takes time to explain the issues to clients in a language they understand.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Ben Mills –St Philips Chambers ‘Ben has a relaxed and reassuring manner and cannot be fazed and is unflappable in court. He is collegiate and has very good working relationships with adversaries and benches and is a master tactician.’  
Ranked: Tier 2
Tom Walkling – St Philips Chambers ‘Tom has always shown an excellent ability in analysing and assimilating the evidence in order to identify the issues in the case. He is able to identify very quickly those matters which are of importance and which require further scrutiny. He has a sound judgement in relation to case strategy and decision making. He is an intuitive trial advocate, with the ability to deal with issues as they arise throughout trials calmly and appropriately.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set 

‘Lovely set, full of excellent barristers with varying levels of strengths and experience. Counsel instructed are always very informative and try to cover their cases as much as possible.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers is a strong set with a good range of counsel even when an instructed advocate is not available.’ 

‘The strongest spread of counsel at all levels in criminal work, including the best selection of silks in the Midlands.’ 

‘The best set in Birmingham.’ 

‘A very strong set, with great strength in depth.’ 

‘The premier set for crime in Birmingham. Many of its members go to the bench or take silk. It is a breeding ground for high quality advocates.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers is the go-to set in the Midlands area.’ 

Midland Circuit > Employment Tier 1

St Philips Chambers has a ‘vast employment department’ with ‘a large number of counsel available at varying levels of expertise’. ‘Outstanding employment law expert’ Edmund Beever heads the department and recently handled a case related to fraudulent accounting and whistleblowing dismissal. Sophie Garner is ‘extremely able and a superb communicator’ and recently successfully defended a high-profile academy against claims of whistleblowing and disability discrimination. Elizabeth Hodgetts is always ‘methodical and thorough’ and recently secured a favourable verdict for a university in a case involving claim of unfair dismissal by a former warden and lecturer.

Rising stars

Lorna Badham –St Philips Chambers ‘Lorna has fantastic attention to detail, a good understanding of case law, strong communication skills, and is able to work to very tight deadlines.’  
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Edmund Beever –St Philips Chambers 'Edmund is an incredible and tenacious advocate, highly effective, with an admirable success rate. He has the ability to converse with commercial clients and individuals at every level.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Sophie Garner –St Philips Chambers ‘Sophie is adept at dealing with complex employment matters and explaining in a way that clients are able to understand. She goes the extra mile when instructed.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Elizabeth Hodgetts –St Philips Chambers ‘Elizabeth is an outstanding practitioner. She is particularly good at getting to grips with the intricate details of a case in a short time, always being one step ahead of her opponent and being both practical and approachable with clients.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ranked: Tier 2
Julie Duane –St Philips Chambers ‘Julie is extremely thorough and technically sophisticated. She is also very personable, establishes an excellent rapport with clients and offers pragmatic and commercially focused advice.’  
Ranked: Tier 2
Jonathan Gidney –St Philips Chambers ‘Jonathan is understanding and empathetic in his dealings with the cases instructed upon, giving an honest assessment and opinion on the case's chances of success or otherwise. He is knowledgeable and approachable and gives the best advice. His approach and manner instil a great sense of confidence and trustworthiness, which keeps those instructing him at ease and appreciative of the efforts undertaken on their matters.’  
Ranked: Tier 2
Patrick Keith –St Philips Chambers ‘Patrick is very approachable, efficient, knowledgeable, and good with witnesses. He is very personable and collaborative to ensure that the correct strategy is adopted for a particular client and case.’  
Ranked: Tier 2
Ranked: Tier 2
Alexander Rozycki- St Philips Chambers ‘Alexander is great to work with, has a deep understanding of complex employment issues, is very helpful and liked by clients; both individuals and businesses alike.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Theodora Hand - St Philips Chambers ‘Theodora is incredibly approachable and great with clients and solicitors alike. She is exceptional at digesting large swathes of information and understanding the central issues in a case. She does not sit on the fence and gives an honest and accurate assessment of merits.’  
Ranked: Tier 3
Paul Wilson –St Philips Chambers ‘Paul is able to grapple with complex areas of law and relay this to clients constructively and concisely. He works tirelessly to achieve great results and is always on hand to help and give advice.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set 

‘Chambers has a wide range of barristers available with experience and expertise ranging throughout and the availability of counsel is always good.’ ‘Responsive, supportive and professional.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers has a broad range of junior to senior barristers who will wherever possible strive to ensure the right person is available for the case.’ 

‘St Philips offer a good availability on counsel and flexibility in terms of fees and availability.’ 

‘Excellent set. Very easy to deal with.’ 

‘The set is very good at providing training to instructing solicitors.’ 

‘Good availability of counsel and chambers linked up well so an alternative counsel could be provided if another is unavailable.’ 

Clerking 

Midland Circuit > Family and children law Tier 1

St Philips Chambers offers ‘great depth and breadth of experience of counsel’ across the entire range of family proceedings at every level of court. Sara Lewis KC is ‘immensely hard working and determined’ and handles many serious family law cases and proceedings in the High Court. Christopher Adams is a ‘tenacious and well-prepared advocate’ who regularly handles cases involving serious and medically complex injuries to children. Rising star William Horwood is an ‘incredibly articulate advocate’ and is frequently instructed in difficult cases related to child death and abuse. Jack Redmond was appointed to the circuit bench in August 2022.

Rising Stars: Child Law (Public and Private)

William Horwood –St Philips Chambers ‘William is a very good counsel who advises the client and puts the client's case even if the views of the client go against the advice which has been provided. He is very good at meeting the client's expectations and very good at putting the client's case across.’  
Ranked: Tier 1

2021 Silks

Sara Lewis KC –St Philips Chambers ‘Sara is always impeccably prepared for all her cases. She has an excellent rapport with clients and is extremely approachable. She cross-examines witnesses, particularly experts, with skill and care and is particularly impressive in cases where complex medical analyses are required. She is diligent, hard-working and demonstrates real integrity, and is an extremely impressive advocate.’

Leading Juniors: Child Law (Public and Private)

Christopher Adams –St Philips Chambers ‘Christopher presents a complex public law matter before a judge fairly and empathetically whilst at the same time representing the client's interests determinedly. He has an attention to detail that is second to none and a genuine focus on child law.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Carolyn Jones –St Philips Chambers ‘Carolyn is a very experienced, plain speaking and straightforward advocate who gets to the point quickly with judges and witnesses.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Yolanda Pemberton –St Philips Chambers ‘Yolanda is always well-prepared, and her paperwork is outstanding. She is a calm but forceful advocate. Her work ethic is remarkable.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Christopher Watson –St Philips Chambers ‘Christopher is a strong advocate, and his case preparation is very thorough. He has an excellent ability to represent vulnerable clients.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Gemma Bowes –St Philips Chambers ‘Gemma has a wonderful court manner. She is unfailingly polite but deeply effective. She is passionate about her clients and fights hard to ensure they have fair treatment. She is amazing with vulnerable clients.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Nicholas Brown – St Philips Chambers ‘Nicholas has a very approachable and caring manner. He takes an incredibly sensitive approach with clients with learning disabilities, communicating apprehension and vulnerabilities to the tribunal to secure extra time and measures to ensure cases are conducted in a manner to enable full involvement and accommodation of any needs and special measures. He is always thoroughly prepared and is available for discussion at any time. He produces professional and comprehensive position statements and skeleton arguments.’  
Ranked: Tier 2

Leading Juniors: Divorce and Financial Remedy

Leisha Bond –St Philips Chambers ‘Leisha is a fearless and unapologetically stunning advocate. She misses no detail and will be able to recall one line, on one page of seemingly unimportant medical records and can then use that to the benefit of the case. Her preparation is second to none.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Jonathan Nosworthy –St Philips Chambers ‘Jonathan is always very well prepared and has great manners with clients. He has a great style when he delivers his advocacy and is able to deal with the most difficult opponent or opposition.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Juliet Allen –St Philips Chambers ‘Juliet is adept at assimilating complex financial information very fast. She has a fantastic grasp of the issues and is confident when faced with complex calculations. She has no trouble crunching numbers in financial remedy claims and can think fast on her feet.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Davinia Riley –St Philips Chambers ‘Davinia is an all-round star performer. She works tirelessly for clients and is able to argue their cases robustly while demonstrating a thoughtful and creative approach to problem-solving and negotiation. She very swiftly gets to the heart of her instructions and engages with instructing solicitors before, during and after a hearing to provide invaluable support and advice.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Victoria Edmonds –St Philips Chambers ‘Victoria is smart and practical as well as being open to discussion on the correct legal and strategic path to follow.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set 

‘The barristers dealing with Public Law Children Act cases in this set and in the local area are excellent.’ 

‘Chambers has a good family team, with a broad breath of expertise and experience.’ 

‘Chambers has a strong set of family counsel, with a broad breath of expertise and experience.’ 

‘The chambers is excellent. It is always happy to help and try to accommodate with urgent hearings at short notice. It offers an excellent training facility and timely responses to queries.’ 

‘St Philips is a strong and innovative team which has consistently produced real leaders in the field. They have a number of star talents who will reach the very top of the profession.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers are simply excellent. Their strength lies not only in the variety of family law barristers they have available but also in their ability to anticipate and solve problems before they arise.’ 

‘St Philips offers great depth and breadth of experience of counsel re childcare matters from junior/ senior junior and leading counsel.’ 

Midland Circuit > Professional negligence Tier 1

St Philips Chambers continues to handle a wide variety of professional negligence claims as a part of business and property practice. John Randall KC and John Brennan have extensive experience of handling complex and high-value disputes involving legal professions, accountants, and wealth managers, among others.

Leading Silks

John Randall KC –St Philips Chambers ‘John is extremely hard-working. He has an excellent tactical brain but is very user-friendly in consultations.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

John Brennan –St Philips Chambers ‘John is a very knowledgeable barrister who enjoys getting into complex, technical issues. He is able to quickly assess detailed factual matters and break them down into the key issues. He is also a very strong advocate who commands great respect in the courtroom.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

 Set 

‘St Philips Chambers is a strong regional set.’ 

‘St Philips is undoubtedly the best set in Birmingham.’ 

Clerking 

‘Justin Luckman is always exceptionally helpful.’ 

‘Justin Luckman is very responsive.’ 

Midland Circuit > Property and construction Tier 1

St Philips Chambers’ business and property team continues to handle some of the most complex, varied, and high-profile cases for a broad client base. ‘Hard-working silk’ John Randall KC is handling a land registry rights issue for the residents of the Britannia development on Grand Cayman. ‘Extremely knowledgeable’ John Brennan recently acted on behalf of a householder on a dispute over rights of way, rights of drainage and boundary, against a neighbouring property development site. Anthony Verduyn is known for his ‘incredible knowledge and commercial approach’ and recently represented multiple companies in an action for wrongful forfeiture of a lease. In January 2022 Christopher Buckingham joined the team from Enterprise Chambers.

Rising stars

John Aldis – St Philips Chambers ‘John has an excellent, analytical mind, with a calm and measured demeanour. He patiently and skillfully deals with witnesses who ramble in evidence and adroitly reveals the flaws in that evidence.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

John Randall KC –St Philips Chambers ‘John is extremely hard-working. He has an excellent tactical brain and is very user-friendly in consultations.’
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

John Brennan –St Philips Chambers ‘John is knowledgeable and very good with paperwork. He is also approachable and prepared to discuss the case in its wider context.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Anthony Verduyn –St Philips Chambers ‘Anthony is highly knowledgeable about property law. He is calm, reasonable, and thorough. He is very good at communication.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Christopher Buckingham – St Philips Chambers ‘Christopher is highly intelligent with an excellent grasp of the law. He is also approachable and clear in his advice.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Gavin McLeod –St Philips Chambers ‘Gavin is meticulous in his drafting and has a thorough working knowledge of property related issues and the law surrounding these. He is impressive on his feet, unflustered and thoroughly prepared for the advocacy in respect of which he is instructed. He is extremely personable and enjoys a good working relationship with clients from all walks of life. He is conscientious and goes the extra mile to consider the position before him and advise clients on how best to proceed.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

Set 

‘They have fantastic strength in depth, offer great value and are able to accommodate our needs, even at short notice. They also offer a really strong programme of seminars and other relevant events.’ 

‘They have a considerable strength in depth in counsel that specialise in property litigation.’ 

‘St Philips is a driving force in the Birmingham legal scene and its 130 plus barristers cover all practice areas a solicitor’s practice needs. Commercial and criminal sets are excellent with some stellar silks and senior juniors.’

 ‘An outstanding commercial set.’

‘St Philips is undoubtedly the best set in Birmingham.’ 

Clerking 

‘The clerks are very personable and quick to respond.’ 

Midland Circuit > Business and regulatory crime (including health and safety) Tier 2

The St Philips Chambers regulatory team of ‘highly effective advocates both at trial and on appeal’ has ‘strength in depth covering all major fields of regulatory activity’. Ben Mills garners praise for ‘attention to detail and meticulous preparation’ and successfully prosecuted a defendant who posed as a travel agent and defrauded more than 300 elderly people. Health and safety matters specialist James Puzey regularly handles fatal accident cases, and Jonathan Barker is described as ‘an excellent communicator’.

Leading Silks

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Jonathan Barker – St Philips Chambers ‘Jonathan is extremely approachable and helpful.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Ben Mills –St Philips Chambers ‘Ben always provides the highest quality advice in regulatory cases. He is very approachable and always responds without delay.’
Ranked: Tier 1
James Puzey –St Philips Chambers 'Jim is an impressive barrister. He has an excellent and calm manner with clients. He always ensures that the lay client fully understands the basis for his advice. He is a team player and works excellently with solicitors and barristers alike. His advocacy in court is thoroughly prepared and well presented.'
Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

Set 

‘St Philips has an excellent regulatory team and has the highest levels of ability and experience.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers is a very strong set of barristers covering all common law work.’ 

‘Wonderful set of Chambers with an impressive array of talent.’ 

‘The premier set for crime in Birmingham. It is a breeding ground for high quality advocates.’  

Clerking 

‘The clerks are incredibly helpful, particularly Alan Durham. Communication is exceptional.’ 

‘Alan Durham the regulatory clerk is excellent and goes the extra mile to ensure happy and harmonious relations between solicitor and barrister. He is brilliant at anticipating issues and offering resolutions before one has even realised there could be a potential issue.’ 

Midland Circuit > Personal injury Tier 2

St Philips Chambers’ personal injury team provides specialist advice and representation to both claimants and defendants across the vast spectrum of personal injury litigation. Sofia Ashraf  has a particular interest in claims brought by minors or protected parties or claims for psychiatric injuries and is appreciated by clients for her ability to ‘clarify information and put lay clients at ease’. Andrew Evans recently represented a claimant who suffered acoustic shock injury due to an aircraft engine. Rising star Lorna Badham is known for her ‘meticulous and thoughtful approach’ and has extensive experience in representing child and vulnerable claimants.

Rising stars

Lorna Badham –St Philips Chambers ‘Lorna is respectful, professional and very responsive. She is approachable and very well-liked by clients. She is very thorough in her assessments of cases and goes above and beyond to ensure the best outcome. She is a credit to her profession.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Andrew Evans –St Philips Chambers ‘Good on his feet, trusted by clients, and happy to take on difficult cases.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Sofia Ashraf –St Philips Chambers ‘Sofia is conscientious, with great attention to detail. She is honest in her evaluation of evidence and the instructions. She is very approachable and extremely good with witnesses.’ 
Ranked: Tier 3
Colin Baran – St Philips Chambers ‘Colin is extremely thorough and his attention to detail is exemplary. He is very good with clients and always makes them feel comfortable. He is an excellent advocate both in cross-examination and legal arguments.’ 
Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set 

‘The personal injury department and/or international personal injury work carried out by St Philips chambers barrister has always been carried out to a high standard.’ 

‘Wide ranging offer from this set covering most of the Midlands. Good availability and conference facilities.’ 

‘St Philips have good strength in depth in personal injury and it is a pleasure to work with them.’ 

‘Very good, well organised, and always able to offer a suitable alternative if chosen counsel is not available.’ 

Clerking 

‘The clerks at St Philip’s Chambers are always happy to help, especially on short notice instructions.’ 

‘Gary Carney is the go-to clerk in Birmingham. Nothing is ever too much trouble and there is nothing he cannot sort out.’ 

Midland Circuit > Clinical negligence Tier 3

St Philips Chambers is a ‘quality set of chambers’ which handles all clinical negligence claims, such as birth injury, delayed diagnosis, failed aesthetic procedures, and spinal injury. An expert for the claims relating to cosmetic surgery procedures, Andrew Evans, is praised for his ‘meticulous eye for detail’.

Leading Juniors

Andrew Evans –St Philips Chambers ‘Andrew is strategically brilliant. He has great foresight in complex clinical negligence matters and has the ability to plead claims in a very robust way. He is very personable and is fantastic with clients. He invests time and thought into cases.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Peter Starcevic –St Philips Chambers 'Peter is a good fit for clinical negligence clients and has a mastery of handling multiple experts in a conference on complex claims.' 
Ranked: Tier 2
Colin Baran – St Philips Chambers ‘Colin is brilliant at distilling calm into clients who have suffered a tragedy. He is very personable and goes to great lengths to ensure that no stone is left unturned. He has a very keen eye for detail, which reflects in his ability to plead cases in a very robust manner.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

 Set

‘Impressive set of chambers with quality barristers.’

‘St Philips’ clinical negligence offering is a very good one. The set boasts a range of barristers of varying seniority. There is always someone who is able to help.’

‘Broad spectrum knowledge and expertise, excellent clerking, clear preparation always for conferences with the provision of helpful agendas to steer discussions, precise and clear advice and always on hand for a discussion with instructing solicitors if needs be. Accessible to clients.’

‘Well organised and always able to offer alternative counsel of good quality if chosen counsel is not available.’

Clerking

‘Clerks are responsive and proactively search out feedback. Always helpful.’

‘Clerks are responsive and collaborative. They ensure to search out feedback and ensure instructions are dealt with promptly.’

Midland Circuit > Costs

Midland Circuit > Inquests and inquiries

Leading Juniors

Sofia Ashraf –St Philips Chambers 'Sofia is very considerate in her advice and very patient with clients who are going through a very distressful period of their life. She provides concise advice that is easy to read for vulnerable clients. She is readily available if clients have any questions about their work, which is invaluable.'  
Ranked: Tier 1

Midland Circuit > Licensing

Leading Juniors

Andrew Evans – St Philips Chambers 'Andrew is one of the outstanding “first-class” juniors. He knows and understands the client and works tirelessly so that no stone is left unturned. He is extremely open and transparent.' 
Ranked: Tier 1

North Eastern Circuit > Employment

Leading Juniors

Bruce Frew – St Philips Chambers ‘He is always well-prepared, puts clients at ease and has an ability to explain complicated issues in clear and straightforward terms. He has an air of confidence in the tribunal.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Julie Duane - St Philips Chambers 'Julie is technically excellent, thorough, responsive, tactical and strategic. She provides tailored advice.'
Ranked: Tier 3

North Eastern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)

Leading Juniors

Charles Blatchford - St Philips Chambers 'Charles is very proactive and has a great work ethic. He builds fantastic rapport with clients and is a well-respected advocate.'
Ranked: Tier 4

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Chancery, probate, and tax Tier 1

St Philips Chambers is ‘a tremendous commercial set with a number of talented barristers and a strong clerking team’. John Randall KC, who is ‘extremely hard-working’ with an ‘excellent tactical brain,’ recently represented several property owners from the Cayman Islands in a land registry dispute. Andrew Charman successfully represented the estate of a deceased sole shareholder of a private company to obtain rectification of the register of shareholders for the appointment of a new director.

Leading Silks

Ranked: Tier 1
John Randall KC –St Philips Chambers ‘John is the go-to silk for heavy corporate litigation in both Birmingham and London. He is a real polymath across many areas of law. He is peerless, fearless and is always the right choice for big cases.’  
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Gavin McLeod –St Philips Chambers ‘Gavin is extremely diligent, and he will properly consider everything and do a thorough and well-considered job. He is also very bright and wonderfully personable. He is an excellent and user-friendly barrister all round.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Christopher Buckingham – St Philips Chambers ‘Christopher is highly knowledgeable and good with clients.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
John Brennan –St Philips Chambers ‘John has a keen intellectual grasp of the subject and is thorough in his advice and paperwork. He puts forward his client's case effectively in court and is sharp on cross-examination.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Andrew Charman –St Philips Chambers ‘Andrew is a counsel of exceptional ability and experience. His ability to handle complex matters inspires great confidence and ensures that his clients receive the very best service. In matters of high value and complexity his instruction is essential to a successful outcome.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

Set 

‘A strong set- with a range of counsel of varying levels of seniority.’ 

‘Chambers as a whole are well organised.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers is a strong regional set.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers is consistently operating at the top of the profession.  It is diverse and inclusive in all respects.’ 

‘St Philips is the best set in Birmingham.’ 

Clerking  

‘Clerks are excellent, particularly Arron Snipe, who is always efficient and diligent in his engagements.’ 

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Commercial litigation Tier 1

St Philips Chambers is a ‘strong regional commercial set for commercial disputes’ that regularly gets instructed by clients from small to multinational companies. The set handles complex and high-profile cases in the business and property courts to the highest court. James Morgan KC  get praised for his ‘excellent drafting and forensic focus on the key points in dispute’ and recently acted for a claimant seeking £4.9m damages for breach of a warranty in a share sale agreement and resisting a counterclaim for unpaid purchase. Ali Tabari successfully represented the claimant in the recovery of three loans matter which the claimant had given to the defendants during their mutual dealings in international commodities.

Leading Silks

James Morgan KC –St Philips Chambers ‘James is cool, calm, collected and extremely persuasive in the court room. His attention to detail is second to none. He is an advocate who prepares meticulously and delivers consistently high levels of service.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
John Randall KC –St Philips Chambers ‘John's towering strength is his ability to absorb the whole landscape of a document, pinpoint the issues and analyze them with surgical precision. He never looks down on his clients, even if they have made mistakes.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Robert Mundy –St Philips Chambers ‘Robert’s style is to be calm and measured. His arguments (oral and written) are extremely well-structured, thorough, and effective. He delivers all the work to deadlines and consistently produce excellent written documents and robust oral advocacy. He is a go-to candidate for all commercial litigation work.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ali Tabari –St Philips Chambers ‘Ali is extremely user-friendly. He is very strategic and thinks well on his feet.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ranked: Tier 2
Marc Brown –St Philips Chambers ‘Marc is able to explain complex issues in accessible detail and has attention to detail.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Simon Clegg –St Philips Chambers ‘Simon is excellent at assessing the commercial considerations of a case and identifying the core legal arguments. His judgement is excellent, and his drafting skills are very good.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Mark Grant –St Philips Chambers ‘Mark is technically a very good lawyer. His approach is always clear, concise and on point, whether that is in relation to written advice, skeleton arguments, or oral submissions in court. He is good with clients.’     
Ranked: Tier 2
Ranked: Tier 3
Andrew Charman –St Philips Chambers ‘Andrew is incredibly bright, and one immediately feels that one has an advantage over one's opponent when he is instructed. He is also very sensible in his approach to cases, and he consistently sees the pragmatic route to resolving the case. His paperwork is excellent, and he is very responsive and approachable. He is very much my "go to" barrister.’  
Ranked: Tier 3
Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set 

‘Good strength in depth and excellent service, very commercial in relation to fees.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers provides fantastic training sessions, and the business and property barristers are highly Knowledgeable and experienced in commercial areas.’ 

‘Very strong at all levels of seniority.’ 

‘St Philips is an excellent chamber for commercial disputes. The juniors are of extremely high quality (especially senior juniors).’ 

‘Chambers are always available to help for example when counsel is needed at short notice.’ 

Clerking 

‘Justin Luckman is an excellent senior clerk – best in business and looks after us extremely well.’ 

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Company and insolvency Tier 1

The ‘strongest commercial set in Birmingham’ St Philips Chambers is a ‘well-regarded and broad set’ with ‘a strength and depth in insolvency area’. James Morgan KC known as ‘very capable’ and ‘exceptionally bright barrister’ and is acting for Hong Kong trustees in bankruptcy seeking recognition of a bankruptcy in that jurisdiction in England under s.426 Insolvency Act 1986.

Leading Silks

James Morgan KC –St Philips Chambers ‘James is very incisive in dealing with the legal issues in respect of the appeal. He is technically superb, always reads the papers thoroughly, gets to grips with the key issues and is solutions driven.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
John Randall KC –St Philips Chambers ‘John is the go-to silk for heavy corporate litigation in both Birmingham and London. He is a real polymath across many areas of law. He is peerless, fearless and is always the right choice for big cases.’  
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Marc Brown –St Philips Chambers ‘Marc has a keen eye for detail and is able to quickly identify the key points. He provides robust, commercial advice and is also a complete advocate.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Andrew Charman –St Philips Chambers ‘Andrew is immensely knowledgeable on the subject of shareholder disputes and company law. His technical expertise in this area is second-to-none. He swiftly understands the psychological and commercial drivers of the clients and communicates with them in a clear, empathetic, and sensible manner. He is the first port of call for any shareholder dispute.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Robert Mundy –St Philips Chambers ‘Robert has good advocacy skills both in court and at mediation and excellent written opinions and never sits on the fence.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ranked: Tier 2
Ali Tabari –St Philips Chambers ‘Ali has the perfect balance of technical knowledge and client relationship skills. He makes himself available to assist including initial discussions pre instructions as to whether it is a matter he can assist with.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

Set 

‘St Philips has some exceptional barristers at its top end.’ 

‘Huge set which can usually find a suitable counsel even at short notice.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers strength and depth in this area is excellent.’ 

‘The set has a fantastic strength in depth and offers great value. It also offers a strong program of seminars and other relevant events.’ 

‘St Philips has a particularly strong commercial team with some excellent senior junior lawyers as well as leaders.’

‘St Philips is an excellent chamber for commercial disputes. The juniors are of extremely high quality (especially senior juniors).’

Clerking

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Crime (general and fraud) Tier 1

St. Philips Chambers is a ‘large and efficiently run set of chambers’ with an ‘extensive range of advocates available to cover all levels of criminal cases’. Head of the chamber and ‘excellent orator’ Richard Atkins KC specialises in murder cases and regularly appears in the Court of Appeal. Andrew Smith KC’s recent work highlights include prosecuting Gareeca Gordon, who was convicted of murdering a former friend and attempting to dispose of her body in the Forest of Dean. Jennifer Josephs is praised for her ‘preparation and care during cases’ and secured a conviction for a father accused of shaking one of his twin babies to death in case that dealt with complicated medical evidence. Simon Davis is now the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Cayman Islands.

Leading Silks

Richard Atkins KC –St Philips Chambers 'Richard is a very high-quality advocate who has proven ability over many years in regulatory crime. He has a tremendous eye for detail, excellent judgment, and decision-making under pressure. He is able to bring the judge and jury along with him when prosecuting or defending. His easy manner and calm authority in all situations make his advocacy very persuasive.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Andrew Smith KC –St Philips Chambers 'Andrew’s intelligence is legendary. He is able to assimilate evidence amounting to thousands of pages and identify issues clearly. He can present even the most complex of issues in terms that allow defendants and juries to understand them. He has an aura of confidence because he knows the material he is working with thoroughly. He has a depth of character and charm that warms him to fellow professionals and defendants alike. He can be relied upon totally to represent those instructing him in the ablest way.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Ranked: Tier 2

Leading Juniors

Jonathan Barker –St Philips Chambers ‘Jonathan has a very technical mind and is able to assimilate in-depth evidence very quickly. He has a good presence in front of a jury and commands the attention of the court room. He has good relationships with other members of the Bar and respect for the judiciary.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Jennifer Josephs –St Philips Chambers ‘Jennifer is an experienced and dedicated senior junior. She commits fully to each case she is involved in and has a very good technical grasp of the relevant law. She shows excellent tactical awareness and works well as a key member of any team. Her advocacy is effective and measured. She has the respect of both the judiciary and her opponents.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ben Williams –St Philips Chambers ‘Ben is intelligent and pragmatic. He is responsive in his communications and has the ability to put clients at ease. He is robust with prosecutors and judges alike. His drafting of advice and applications is always of a very high standard.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ben Close – St Philips Chambers ‘Ben gets to grip with the details of a case quickly. He has excellent drafting skills and delivers a great service every time.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Darron Whitehead  – St Philips Chambers ‘Darron is a class act. As an advocate he is highly persuasive and tenacious. He always has a firm grasp of the details of the case and is always diligent and well-prepared. His written work is precise, detailed and persuasive. He is a very effective cross-examiner and an astute trial tactician. He is well respected by colleagues and highly rated by judges.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Rajinder GIll –St Philips Chambers ‘Rajinder is extremely good at calming nervous clients who are new to the criminal justice system and building confidence with them. He is a likeable barrister which is good for client relationships. The effort he puts in is always 110% and his attention to detail shows in trials.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Andrew Jackson –St Philips Chambers ‘Andrew is extremely thorough and hardworking in preparing a case, and fearless in advocacy- both in cross-examination and with judges. He gets on extremely well with clients from across the spectrum of society and brings an air of confident calm to a case. He takes time to explain the issues to clients in a language they understand.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Ben Mills –St Philips Chambers ‘Ben has a relaxed and reassuring manner and cannot be fazed and is unflappable in court. He is collegiate and has very good working relationships with adversaries and benches and is a master tactician.’  
Ranked: Tier 2
Tom Walkling – St Philips Chambers ‘Tom has always shown an excellent ability in analysing and assimilating the evidence in order to identify the issues in the case. He is able to identify very quickly those matters which are of importance and which require further scrutiny. He has a sound judgement in relation to case strategy and decision making. He is an intuitive trial advocate, with the ability to deal with issues as they arise throughout trials calmly and appropriately.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set 

‘Lovely set, full of excellent barristers with varying levels of strengths and experience. Counsel instructed are always very informative and try to cover their cases as much as possible.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers is a strong set with a good range of counsel even when an instructed advocate is not available.’ 

‘The strongest spread of counsel at all levels in criminal work, including the best selection of silks in the Midlands.’ 

‘The best set in Birmingham.’ 

‘A very strong set, with great strength in depth.’ 

‘The premier set for crime in Birmingham. Many of its members go to the bench or take silk. It is a breeding ground for high quality advocates.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers is the go-to set in the Midlands area.’ 

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Employment Tier 1

St Philips Chambers has a ‘vast employment department’ with ‘a large number of counsel available at varying levels of expertise’. ‘Outstanding employment law expert’ Edmund Beever heads the department and recently handled a case related to fraudulent accounting and whistleblowing dismissal. Sophie Garner is ‘extremely able and a superb communicator’ and recently successfully defended a high-profile academy against claims of whistleblowing and disability discrimination. Elizabeth Hodgetts is always ‘methodical and thorough’ and recently secured a favourable verdict for a university in a case involving claim of unfair dismissal by a former warden and lecturer.

Rising stars

Lorna Badham –St Philips Chambers ‘Lorna has fantastic attention to detail, a good understanding of case law, strong communication skills, and is able to work to very tight deadlines.’  
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Edmund Beever –St Philips Chambers 'Edmund is an incredible and tenacious advocate, highly effective, with an admirable success rate. He has the ability to converse with commercial clients and individuals at every level.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Sophie Garner –St Philips Chambers ‘Sophie is adept at dealing with complex employment matters and explaining in a way that clients are able to understand. She goes the extra mile when instructed.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Elizabeth Hodgetts –St Philips Chambers ‘Elizabeth is an outstanding practitioner. She is particularly good at getting to grips with the intricate details of a case in a short time, always being one step ahead of her opponent and being both practical and approachable with clients.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Ranked: Tier 2
Julie Duane –St Philips Chambers ‘Julie is extremely thorough and technically sophisticated. She is also very personable, establishes an excellent rapport with clients and offers pragmatic and commercially focused advice.’  
Ranked: Tier 2
Jonathan Gidney –St Philips Chambers ‘Jonathan is understanding and empathetic in his dealings with the cases instructed upon, giving an honest assessment and opinion on the case's chances of success or otherwise. He is knowledgeable and approachable and gives the best advice. His approach and manner instil a great sense of confidence and trustworthiness, which keeps those instructing him at ease and appreciative of the efforts undertaken on their matters.’  
Ranked: Tier 2
Patrick Keith –St Philips Chambers ‘Patrick is very approachable, efficient, knowledgeable, and good with witnesses. He is very personable and collaborative to ensure that the correct strategy is adopted for a particular client and case.’  
Ranked: Tier 2
Ranked: Tier 2
Alexander Rozycki- St Philips Chambers ‘Alexander is great to work with, has a deep understanding of complex employment issues, is very helpful and liked by clients; both individuals and businesses alike.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Theodora Hand - St Philips Chambers ‘Theodora is incredibly approachable and great with clients and solicitors alike. She is exceptional at digesting large swathes of information and understanding the central issues in a case. She does not sit on the fence and gives an honest and accurate assessment of merits.’  
Ranked: Tier 3
Paul Wilson –St Philips Chambers ‘Paul is able to grapple with complex areas of law and relay this to clients constructively and concisely. He works tirelessly to achieve great results and is always on hand to help and give advice.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set 

‘Chambers has a wide range of barristers available with experience and expertise ranging throughout and the availability of counsel is always good.’ ‘Responsive, supportive and professional.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers has a broad range of junior to senior barristers who will wherever possible strive to ensure the right person is available for the case.’ 

‘St Philips offer a good availability on counsel and flexibility in terms of fees and availability.’ 

‘Excellent set. Very easy to deal with.’ 

‘The set is very good at providing training to instructing solicitors.’ 

‘Good availability of counsel and chambers linked up well so an alternative counsel could be provided if another is unavailable.’ 

Clerking 

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Family and children law Tier 1

St Philips Chambers offers ‘great depth and breadth of experience of counsel’ across the entire range of family proceedings at every level of court. Sara Lewis KC is ‘immensely hard working and determined’ and handles many serious family law cases and proceedings in the High Court. Christopher Adams is a ‘tenacious and well-prepared advocate’ who regularly handles cases involving serious and medically complex injuries to children. Rising star William Horwood is an ‘incredibly articulate advocate’ and is frequently instructed in difficult cases related to child death and abuse. Jack Redmond was appointed to the circuit bench in August 2022.

Rising Stars: Child Law (Public and Private)

William Horwood –St Philips Chambers ‘William is a very good counsel who advises the client and puts the client's case even if the views of the client go against the advice which has been provided. He is very good at meeting the client's expectations and very good at putting the client's case across.’  
Ranked: Tier 1

2021 Silks

Sara Lewis KC –St Philips Chambers ‘Sara is always impeccably prepared for all her cases. She has an excellent rapport with clients and is extremely approachable. She cross-examines witnesses, particularly experts, with skill and care and is particularly impressive in cases where complex medical analyses are required. She is diligent, hard-working and demonstrates real integrity, and is an extremely impressive advocate.’

Leading Juniors: Child Law (Public and Private)

Christopher Adams –St Philips Chambers ‘Christopher presents a complex public law matter before a judge fairly and empathetically whilst at the same time representing the client's interests determinedly. He has an attention to detail that is second to none and a genuine focus on child law.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Carolyn Jones –St Philips Chambers ‘Carolyn is a very experienced, plain speaking and straightforward advocate who gets to the point quickly with judges and witnesses.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Yolanda Pemberton –St Philips Chambers ‘Yolanda is always well-prepared, and her paperwork is outstanding. She is a calm but forceful advocate. Her work ethic is remarkable.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Christopher Watson –St Philips Chambers ‘Christopher is a strong advocate, and his case preparation is very thorough. He has an excellent ability to represent vulnerable clients.’  
Ranked: Tier 1
Gemma Bowes –St Philips Chambers ‘Gemma has a wonderful court manner. She is unfailingly polite but deeply effective. She is passionate about her clients and fights hard to ensure they have fair treatment. She is amazing with vulnerable clients.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Nicholas Brown – St Philips Chambers ‘Nicholas has a very approachable and caring manner. He takes an incredibly sensitive approach with clients with learning disabilities, communicating apprehension and vulnerabilities to the tribunal to secure extra time and measures to ensure cases are conducted in a manner to enable full involvement and accommodation of any needs and special measures. He is always thoroughly prepared and is available for discussion at any time. He produces professional and comprehensive position statements and skeleton arguments.’  
Ranked: Tier 2

Leading Juniors: Divorce and Financial Remedy

Leisha Bond –St Philips Chambers ‘Leisha is a fearless and unapologetically stunning advocate. She misses no detail and will be able to recall one line, on one page of seemingly unimportant medical records and can then use that to the benefit of the case. Her preparation is second to none.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Jonathan Nosworthy –St Philips Chambers ‘Jonathan is always very well prepared and has great manners with clients. He has a great style when he delivers his advocacy and is able to deal with the most difficult opponent or opposition.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Juliet Allen –St Philips Chambers ‘Juliet is adept at assimilating complex financial information very fast. She has a fantastic grasp of the issues and is confident when faced with complex calculations. She has no trouble crunching numbers in financial remedy claims and can think fast on her feet.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Davinia Riley –St Philips Chambers ‘Davinia is an all-round star performer. She works tirelessly for clients and is able to argue their cases robustly while demonstrating a thoughtful and creative approach to problem-solving and negotiation. She very swiftly gets to the heart of her instructions and engages with instructing solicitors before, during and after a hearing to provide invaluable support and advice.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Victoria Edmonds –St Philips Chambers ‘Victoria is smart and practical as well as being open to discussion on the correct legal and strategic path to follow.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set 

‘The barristers dealing with Public Law Children Act cases in this set and in the local area are excellent.’ 

‘Chambers has a good family team, with a broad breath of expertise and experience.’ 

‘Chambers has a strong set of family counsel, with a broad breath of expertise and experience.’ 

‘The chambers is excellent. It is always happy to help and try to accommodate with urgent hearings at short notice. It offers an excellent training facility and timely responses to queries.’ 

‘St Philips is a strong and innovative team which has consistently produced real leaders in the field. They have a number of star talents who will reach the very top of the profession.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers are simply excellent. Their strength lies not only in the variety of family law barristers they have available but also in their ability to anticipate and solve problems before they arise.’ 

‘St Philips offers great depth and breadth of experience of counsel re childcare matters from junior/ senior junior and leading counsel.’ 

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Professional negligence Tier 1

St Philips Chambers continues to handle a wide variety of professional negligence claims as a part of business and property practice. John Randall KC and John Brennan have extensive experience of handling complex and high-value disputes involving legal professions, accountants, and wealth managers, among others.

Leading Silks

John Randall KC –St Philips Chambers ‘John is extremely hard-working. He has an excellent tactical brain but is very user-friendly in consultations.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

John Brennan –St Philips Chambers ‘John is a very knowledgeable barrister who enjoys getting into complex, technical issues. He is able to quickly assess detailed factual matters and break them down into the key issues. He is also a very strong advocate who commands great respect in the courtroom.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

 Set 

‘St Philips Chambers is a strong regional set.’ 

‘St Philips is undoubtedly the best set in Birmingham.’ 

Clerking 

‘Justin Luckman is always exceptionally helpful.’ 

‘Justin Luckman is very responsive.’ 

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Property and construction Tier 1

St Philips Chambers’ business and property team continues to handle some of the most complex, varied, and high-profile cases for a broad client base. ‘Hard-working silk’ John Randall KC is handling a land registry rights issue for the residents of the Britannia development on Grand Cayman. ‘Extremely knowledgeable’ John Brennan recently acted on behalf of a householder on a dispute over rights of way, rights of drainage and boundary, against a neighbouring property development site. Anthony Verduyn is known for his ‘incredible knowledge and commercial approach’ and recently represented multiple companies in an action for wrongful forfeiture of a lease. In January 2022 Christopher Buckingham joined the team from Enterprise Chambers.

Rising stars

John Aldis – St Philips Chambers ‘John has an excellent, analytical mind, with a calm and measured demeanour. He patiently and skillfully deals with witnesses who ramble in evidence and adroitly reveals the flaws in that evidence.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

John Randall KC –St Philips Chambers ‘John is extremely hard-working. He has an excellent tactical brain and is very user-friendly in consultations.’
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

John Brennan –St Philips Chambers ‘John is knowledgeable and very good with paperwork. He is also approachable and prepared to discuss the case in its wider context.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Anthony Verduyn –St Philips Chambers ‘Anthony is highly knowledgeable about property law. He is calm, reasonable, and thorough. He is very good at communication.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Christopher Buckingham – St Philips Chambers ‘Christopher is highly intelligent with an excellent grasp of the law. He is also approachable and clear in his advice.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Gavin McLeod –St Philips Chambers ‘Gavin is meticulous in his drafting and has a thorough working knowledge of property related issues and the law surrounding these. He is impressive on his feet, unflustered and thoroughly prepared for the advocacy in respect of which he is instructed. He is extremely personable and enjoys a good working relationship with clients from all walks of life. He is conscientious and goes the extra mile to consider the position before him and advise clients on how best to proceed.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

Set 

‘They have fantastic strength in depth, offer great value and are able to accommodate our needs, even at short notice. They also offer a really strong programme of seminars and other relevant events.’ 

‘They have a considerable strength in depth in counsel that specialise in property litigation.’ 

‘St Philips is a driving force in the Birmingham legal scene and its 130 plus barristers cover all practice areas a solicitor’s practice needs. Commercial and criminal sets are excellent with some stellar silks and senior juniors.’

 ‘An outstanding commercial set.’

‘St Philips is undoubtedly the best set in Birmingham.’ 

Clerking 

‘The clerks are very personable and quick to respond.’ 

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Business and regulatory crime (including health and safety) Tier 2

The St Philips Chambers regulatory team of ‘highly effective advocates both at trial and on appeal’ has ‘strength in depth covering all major fields of regulatory activity’. Ben Mills garners praise for ‘attention to detail and meticulous preparation’ and successfully prosecuted a defendant who posed as a travel agent and defrauded more than 300 elderly people. Health and safety matters specialist James Puzey regularly handles fatal accident cases, and Jonathan Barker is described as ‘an excellent communicator’.

Leading Silks

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Jonathan Barker – St Philips Chambers ‘Jonathan is extremely approachable and helpful.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Ben Mills –St Philips Chambers ‘Ben always provides the highest quality advice in regulatory cases. He is very approachable and always responds without delay.’
Ranked: Tier 1
James Puzey –St Philips Chambers 'Jim is an impressive barrister. He has an excellent and calm manner with clients. He always ensures that the lay client fully understands the basis for his advice. He is a team player and works excellently with solicitors and barristers alike. His advocacy in court is thoroughly prepared and well presented.'
Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

Set 

‘St Philips has an excellent regulatory team and has the highest levels of ability and experience.’ 

‘St Philips Chambers is a very strong set of barristers covering all common law work.’ 

‘Wonderful set of Chambers with an impressive array of talent.’ 

‘The premier set for crime in Birmingham. It is a breeding ground for high quality advocates.’  

Clerking 

‘The clerks are incredibly helpful, particularly Alan Durham. Communication is exceptional.’ 

‘Alan Durham the regulatory clerk is excellent and goes the extra mile to ensure happy and harmonious relations between solicitor and barrister. He is brilliant at anticipating issues and offering resolutions before one has even realised there could be a potential issue.’ 

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Personal injury Tier 2

St Philips Chambers’ personal injury team provides specialist advice and representation to both claimants and defendants across the vast spectrum of personal injury litigation. Sofia Ashraf  has a particular interest in claims brought by minors or protected parties or claims for psychiatric injuries and is appreciated by clients for her ability to ‘clarify information and put lay clients at ease’. Andrew Evans recently represented a claimant who suffered acoustic shock injury due to an aircraft engine. Rising star Lorna Badham is known for her ‘meticulous and thoughtful approach’ and has extensive experience in representing child and vulnerable claimants.

Rising stars

Lorna Badham –St Philips Chambers ‘Lorna is respectful, professional and very responsive. She is approachable and very well-liked by clients. She is very thorough in her assessments of cases and goes above and beyond to ensure the best outcome. She is a credit to her profession.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Andrew Evans –St Philips Chambers ‘Good on his feet, trusted by clients, and happy to take on difficult cases.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2
Sofia Ashraf –St Philips Chambers ‘Sofia is conscientious, with great attention to detail. She is honest in her evaluation of evidence and the instructions. She is very approachable and extremely good with witnesses.’ 
Ranked: Tier 3
Colin Baran – St Philips Chambers ‘Colin is extremely thorough and his attention to detail is exemplary. He is very good with clients and always makes them feel comfortable. He is an excellent advocate both in cross-examination and legal arguments.’ 
Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set 

‘The personal injury department and/or international personal injury work carried out by St Philips chambers barrister has always been carried out to a high standard.’ 

‘Wide ranging offer from this set covering most of the Midlands. Good availability and conference facilities.’ 

‘St Philips have good strength in depth in personal injury and it is a pleasure to work with them.’ 

‘Very good, well organised, and always able to offer a suitable alternative if chosen counsel is not available.’ 

Clerking 

‘The clerks at St Philip’s Chambers are always happy to help, especially on short notice instructions.’ 

‘Gary Carney is the go-to clerk in Birmingham. Nothing is ever too much trouble and there is nothing he cannot sort out.’ 

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Clinical negligence Tier 3

St Philips Chambers is a ‘quality set of chambers’ which handles all clinical negligence claims, such as birth injury, delayed diagnosis, failed aesthetic procedures, and spinal injury. An expert for the claims relating to cosmetic surgery procedures, Andrew Evans, is praised for his ‘meticulous eye for detail’.

Leading Juniors

Andrew Evans –St Philips Chambers ‘Andrew is strategically brilliant. He has great foresight in complex clinical negligence matters and has the ability to plead claims in a very robust way. He is very personable and is fantastic with clients. He invests time and thought into cases.’ 
Ranked: Tier 1
Peter Starcevic –St Philips Chambers 'Peter is a good fit for clinical negligence clients and has a mastery of handling multiple experts in a conference on complex claims.' 
Ranked: Tier 2
Colin Baran – St Philips Chambers ‘Colin is brilliant at distilling calm into clients who have suffered a tragedy. He is very personable and goes to great lengths to ensure that no stone is left unturned. He has a very keen eye for detail, which reflects in his ability to plead cases in a very robust manner.’ 
Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

 Set

‘Impressive set of chambers with quality barristers.’

‘St Philips’ clinical negligence offering is a very good one. The set boasts a range of barristers of varying seniority. There is always someone who is able to help.’

‘Broad spectrum knowledge and expertise, excellent clerking, clear preparation always for conferences with the provision of helpful agendas to steer discussions, precise and clear advice and always on hand for a discussion with instructing solicitors if needs be. Accessible to clients.’

‘Well organised and always able to offer alternative counsel of good quality if chosen counsel is not available.’

Clerking

‘Clerks are responsive and proactively search out feedback. Always helpful.’

‘Clerks are responsive and collaborative. They ensure to search out feedback and ensure instructions are dealt with promptly.’

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Costs

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Inquests and inquiries

Leading Juniors

Sofia Ashraf –St Philips Chambers 'Sofia is very considerate in her advice and very patient with clients who are going through a very distressful period of their life. She provides concise advice that is easy to read for vulnerable clients. She is readily available if clients have any questions about their work, which is invaluable.'  
Ranked: Tier 1

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Licensing

Leading Juniors

Andrew Evans – St Philips Chambers 'Andrew is one of the outstanding “first-class” juniors. He knows and understands the client and works tirelessly so that no stone is left unturned. He is extremely open and transparent.' 
Ranked: Tier 1

Regional Bar > North Eastern Circuit > Employment

Leading Juniors

Bruce Frew – St Philips Chambers ‘He is always well-prepared, puts clients at ease and has an ability to explain complicated issues in clear and straightforward terms. He has an air of confidence in the tribunal.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Julie Duane - St Philips Chambers 'Julie is technically excellent, thorough, responsive, tactical and strategic. She provides tailored advice.'
Ranked: Tier 3

Regional Bar > North Eastern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)

Leading Juniors

Charles Blatchford - St Philips Chambers 'Charles is very proactive and has a great work ethic. He builds fantastic rapport with clients and is a well-respected advocate.'
Ranked: Tier 4

St Philips Chambers > Set Profile

St Philips is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary set of barristers, widely recognised as one of the most forward-looking chambers in the UK.

The set: It is committed to expanding upon the first-class service it is renowned for, reinforcing its objective to make its exceptional team of barristers the first choice for clients nationally and internationally. Chambers serves a range of clients, including international companies, local authorities, sporting authorities, trade unions, public bodies and regulators. Members of chambers also accept instructions under the Direct Access rules.

St Philips attributes its continued success to a forward-thinking and flexible strategy coupled with innovation. Chambers has a reputation for being friendly and approachable. Strong client relationships and an understanding of clients’ needs are central to how it operates, how it assists its clients in achieving their goals, and how it seeks to excel on their behalf. St Philips’ specialist groups of barristers are supported by dedicated teams of clerks led by the chambers director, Joe Wilson. St Philips also has the benefit of in-house teams of support staff in IT, HR, marketing, finance and business development.

Types of work undertaken: St Philips offers a specialist service in administrative law, ADR, arbitration (domestic and international), banking, clinical negligence, commercial, construction, criminal, employment, family, fraud (civil and criminal), immigration, insolvency, intellectual property, personal injury, private international law, property, public law, regulatory, trusts, and wills and probate. Members are actively involved in writing academic articles and some members have published books. Chambers’ members offer a wide range of seminars, lectures, workshops and other training events, both in-house and externally.

St Philips business and property group currently has specialist teams in the following areas: ADR, banking and financial services, commercial and chancery litigation, commercial fraud and asset tracing, company and partnership, construction, contentious wills, trusts and probate, insolvency and restructuring, international arbitration, intellectual property, private international law, professional liability, real estate, and restraint of trade and confidentiality.

St Philips employment group offers a truly nationwide service with members providing advice, drafting and advocacy in tribunals, county courts, the High Court and the EAT. Members have particular expertise in cases with issues of discrimination, religion and belief, and in conducting complex group claims.

St Philips personal injury group acts for claimants and defendants and offers particular expertise in cases of fatal accidents, catastrophic injuries, industrial disease (including stress), fraud and allegations of fraud, and travel and holiday claims.

St Philips clinical negligence group has gained a reputation for providing first-class legal advice and attracts work from nationally recognised leading firms in this field. The team has particular expertise in the areas of birth injury, cosmetic surgery, hospital-acquired infections, coroners’ inquests, maximum severity spinal injury and amputations, product liability, multi-party actions, human rights claims, dental claims and negligence in general practice.

St Philips family group is one of the largest in the country, having a leading reputation nationally for providing high-quality advice and representation across family finance, public law care and adoption, private law children and domestic abuse, and Court of Protection and social care. Members have appellate experience in the High Court and Court of Appeal, and extensive experience in the judicial review of local authority decisions.

St Philips criminal group offers unrivalled strength from junior through to Silk. Members prosecute and defend, in equal measure, all aspects of serious crime across the country, including murder, corporate manslaughter, serious sexual offences, white collar fraud and large scale drug conspiracies. Members appear on the preferred lists for the Attorney General, Crown Prosecution Services, Organised Crime Divisions and key national defence firms.

St Philips regulatory group defends and prosecutes on behalf of a wide range of commercial clients and regulatory bodies throughout the UK. Matters include fatal accidents, corporate manslaughter, trading standards, environmental regulation, VAT and revenue appeals, health and safety, police powers, benefit fraud, licensing and inquests. In addition, several members sit on a variety of disciplinary bodies such as the RFU, ASA, BDO, The Sport Resolutions Disputes Panel, the GMC and the GDC, including one barrister who is an appointed arbitrator for the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Main Contacts

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Chambers Director Joe Wilson
Head of Chambers ATKINS KC, Richard (1989) (Silk 2011)*
Member of Chambers LINEHAN KC, Stephen (1970) (Silk 1993)
Member of Chambers RANDALL KC, John (1978) (Silk 1995)
Member of Chambers MILLINGTON KC, Christopher (1976) (Silk 2001)*
Member of Chambers KHANGURE KC, Avtar (1985) (Silk 2003)*
Member of Chambers HAYNES KC, Peter (1983) (Silk 2008)
Member of Chambers HEGARTY KC, Kevin (1982) (Silk 2010)*
Member of Chambers MORGAN KC, James (1996) (Silk 2017)*
Member of Chambers MARKLEW KC, Lee (1993) (Silk 2021)
Member of Chambers LEWIS KC, Sara (1996) (Silk 2021)
Member of Chambers DILLON, Clare (1974)
Member of Chambers SPOLLON, Guy (1976)
Member of Chambers HARRISON-HALL, Giles (1977)
Member of Chambers CLEGG, Simon (1980)
Member of Chambers MATHEW, Nergis-Anne (1981)
Member of Chambers STARCEVIC, Petar (1983)
Member of Chambers AHMAD, Dr Mirza (1984)
Member of Chambers STOCKILL, David (1985)
Member of Chambers JACKSON, Andrew (1986)
Member of Chambers ADAMS, Christopher (1986)*
Member of Chambers THOMPSON, Blondel (1987)
Members of Chambers BUXTON, Sarah (1988)
Member of Chambers RAI, Amarjit (1989)
Member of Chambers WILSON, Paul (1989)
Member of Chambers PUZEY, James (1990)
Member of Chambers GARNER, Sophie (1990)
Member of Chambers BEEVER, Edmund (1990)
Member of Chambers WILLIAMSON, Melanie (1990)
Member of Chambers GIDNEY, Jonathan (1991)
Member of Chambers TODD, Susan (1991)
Member of Chambers SAMUEL, Glyn (1991)
Member of Chambers LEWIS, Robin (1991)
Member of Chambers BARNES, Matthew (1992)
Member of Chambers BAKER, William (1992)
Member of Chambers MOSELEY, Julie (1992)
Member of Chambers SPARROW, Julie (1992)
Member of Chambers VERDUYN, Anthony (1993)*
Member of Chambers KOLODYNSKI, Stefan (1993)
Member of Chambers JOHNSTON, Anthony (1993)
Member of Chambers WAINWRIGHT, Patrick (1994)
Member of Chambers CHARMAN, Andrew (1994)*
Member of Chambers BEARDWELL, Philip (1994)
Member of Chambers CHAND, Ragveer (1994)
Member of Chambers DUNSTAN, James (1995)
Member of Chambers JONES, Carolyn (1995)
Member of Chambers WHITEHEAD, Darron (1995)
Member of Chambers BRENNAN, John (1996)
Member of Chambers PHILLIPS, Simon (1996)
Member of Chambers JONES, Huw (1997)
Member of Chambers ALI, Huma (1997)
Member of Chambers BLATCHFORD, Charles (1997)
Member of Chambers HODGETTS, Elizabeth (1998)
Member of Chambers PUNIA, Raj (1999)
Member of Chambers BOND, Leisha (1999)
Member of Chambers WILLIAMS, Heledd (1999)
Member of Chambers AHMED, Ishfaq (1999)
Member of Chambers EVANS, Andrew (2000)
Member of Chambers SARGINSON, Jane (2000)
Member of Chambers AFZAL, Zaheer (2000)
Member of Chambers HOWELL-JONES, Nicholas (2000)
Member of Chambers JOSEPHS, Jennifer (2000)
Member of Chambers SPEED, Ian (2000)
Member of Chambers MILLS, Benedict (2000)*
Member of Chambers NOSWORTHY, Jonathan (2000)
Member of Chambers WALKLING, Tom (2001)*
Member of Chambers GRIFFITHS, David (2001)
Member of Chambers RICHARDS, Elizabeth (2001)
Member of Chambers MILLER, Wendy (2001)
Member of Chambers GILL, Rajinder (2001)
Member of Chambers PEMBERTON, Yolanda (2002)
Member of Chambers WATSON, Christopher (2003)*
Member of Chambers BARAN, Colin (2003)
Member of Chambers CANDLIN, Naomi (2003)
Member of Chambers RILEY, Davinia (2004)
Member of Chambers PARATHALINGAM, Amrisha (2004)
Member of Chambers EDMONDS, Victoria (2004)
Member of Chambers BROWN, Marc (2004)*
Member of Chambers HEARD, Jonathan (2004)
Member of Chambers BROWN, Nicholas (2005)
Member of Chambers FREW, Bruce (2005)
Member of Chambers ROZYCKI, Alexander (2005)
Member of Chambers GILES, Molly (2005)
Member of Chambers ALLEN, Juliet (2005)
Member of Chambers WILLIAMS, Ben (2006)*
Member of Chambers BARKER, Jonathan (2006)
Member of Chambers TABARI, Ali-Reza (2006)
Member of Chambers TEMPLAR-VASEY, Carl (2006)
Member of Chambers KEITH, Patrick (2006)
Member of Chambers HANCOX, Lisa (2006)
Member of Chambers MOHAMMED, Iqbal (2007)
Member of Chambers MUNDY, Robert (2008)
Member of Chambers RANK, Christopher (2008)
Member of Chambers MILLINGTON, Joseph (2009)
Member of Chambers GALE, Jonathan (2009)
Member of Chambers CLOSE, Ben (2009)
Member of Chambers BOWES, Gemma (2009)
Member of Chambers BUCKINGHAM, Christopher (2009)
Member of Chambers CLAYTON, Benjamin (2009)
Member of Chambers ASHRAF, Sofia (2009)
Member of Chambers McLEOD, Gavin (2010)
Member of Chambers ROBERTS, Dominic (2011)
Member of Chambers HAFEEZ, Mohammad (2011)
Member of Chambers WHITE, Kirsty (2011)
Member of Chambers WILLIAMSON, Emma (2013)
Member of Chambers HUGHES, Sharon (2013)
Member of Chambers DUANE, Julie (2013)
Member of Chambers GITTINS, Steven (2014)
Member of Chambers TRIVEDI, Raghav (2014)
Member of Chambers GRANT, Mark (2015)
Member of Chambers BADHAM, Lorna (2015)
Member of Chambers MACMILLAN, Alexander (2015)
Member of Chambers KEARNEY, Natalie (2015)
Member of Chambers KENDALL, Emma (2016)
Member of Chambers ALDIS, John (2016)
Member of Chambers HORWOOD, William (2016)
Member of Chambers DHAMI, Harinderpal (2016)
Member of Chambers BARBOUR, Alexander (2017)
Member of Chambers RAVENSCROFT, Catherine (2017)
Member of Chambers PEASTON, Anna (2017)
Member of Chambers CULLEN, Matthew (2018)
Member of Chambers ETHAKADA, Sandamini (2018)
Member of Chambers HODGINS, Ryan (2019)
Member of Chambers TALLIS, Luke (2019)
Member of Chambers ARMITAGE, Bethany (2019)
Member of Chambers HARTY, Sarah (2019)
Member of Chambers COTON, Laura (2019)
Member of Chambers MORTIN, Francis (2020)
*Recorder

Barrister Profiles

PhotoNamePositionProfile
Christopher Adams photo Christopher AdamsChristopher joined Number 2 Fountain Court in 1988 and initially practised in…View Profile
Zaheer Afzal photo Zaheer AfzalZaheer has a strong and established criminal practice currently focusing mainly on…View Profile
Mirza Ahmad photoDr Mirza AhmadCalled to the Bar in 1984, Mirza is nationally recognised as an…View Profile
Ishfaq Ahmed photo Ishfaq AhmedIshfaq Ahmed has over 20 years of experience, maintaining a rounded and…View Profile
John Aldis photo John AldisSpecialises in commercial law, real estate and wills, trusts and probate.View Profile
Huma Ali photo Huma AliHuma started her career in Sussex. Having practised on the northern circuit…View Profile
Juliet Allen photo Juliet AllenJuliet is a matrimonial finance and family trusts specialist. She is experienced…View Profile
Bethany Artmitage photo Bethany ArtmitageBeth accepts instructions in all areas of public law and private law…View Profile
Sofia Ashraf photo Sofia AshrafSofia accepts instructions in the following practice areas: Costs, Civil Litigation, Fraud,…View Profile
Richard Atkins photo Richard AtkinsRichard practises in crime and regulatory offences. He specialises in murder (including…View Profile
Lorna Badham photo Lorna BadhamSpecialises in employment law, personal injury and clinical negligence.View Profile
William Baker photo William BakerWilliam specialises in the law relating to children. He acts for parents,…View Profile
Colin Baran photo Colin BaranColin practices primarily in clinical negligence and personal injury law, which he…View Profile
Alexander Barbour photo Alexander BarbourPractises in crime and regulatory.View Profile
Jonathan Barker photo Jonathan BarkerJonathan is a specialist criminal practitioner. He has established a practice far…View Profile
Matthew Barnes photo Matthew BarnesMatthew is a specialist advocate in the field of criminal law. Having…View Profile
Philip Beardwell photo Philip BeardwellBefore joining St Philips Chambers in March 2017, Philip worked for 10…View Profile
Edmund Beever photo Edmund BeeverEd is a specialist employment practitioner with substantial commercial litigation experience. Ed…View Profile
Jack Best photo Jack BestJack is taking instructions involving financial remedies, private children and care.View Profile
Charles Blatchford photo Charles BlatchfordSpecialising in criminal law and regulatory work Charles has a heavyweight practice.…View Profile
Leisha Bond photo Leisha BondLeisha is a matrimonial finance specialist dealing primarily in ancillary relief. Her…View Profile
Gemma Bowes photo Gemma BowesSpecialises in public children law.View Profile
John Brennan photo John BrennanJohn’s practice encompasses a very broad range of chancery and commercial work.…View Profile
Nicholas Brown photo Nicholas BrownNick has been at St Philips since pupillage in 2005 and now…View Profile
Nicholas Brown photo Nicholas BrownNick has been at St Philips since pupillage in 2005 and now…View Profile
Marc Brown photo Marc BrownMarc undertakes work across a broad spectrum of commercial work, with a…View Profile
Christopher Buckingham photoMr Christopher BuckinghamChristopher is a Chancery Commercial practitioner. His work covers a range of…View Profile
Sarah Buxton photo Sarah BuxtonSarah began her career in Birmingham and remained there until she left…View Profile
Naomi Candlin photo Naomi CandlinNaomi’s practice primarily covers property, private client and planning. She was appointed…View Profile
Ragveer Chand photoMr Ragveer ChandRagveer specialises in criminal defence work and his practice includes fraud, drugs,…View Profile
Andrew Charman photo Andrew CharmanAndrew possesses substantial expertise and experience in chancery work and commercial litigation…View Profile
Benjamin Clayton photo Benjamin ClaytonAs a result of attending in excess of 5000 hearings, he has…View Profile
Simon Clegg photo Simon CleggSimon has extensive experience of a wide range of commercial litigation. His…View Profile
Ben Close photo Ben CloseBen has been a specialist criminal practitioner since he was called to…View Profile
Laura Cotton photo Laura CottonLaura Coton is developing her advocacy practice in criminal and regulatory law…View Profile
Matthew Cullen photo Matthew CullenMatthew Cullen has quickly developed a strong criminal and regulatory practice. He…View Profile
Harinderpal Dhami photoMr Harinderpal DhamiBefore joining chambers in December 2017, Paul was employed by West Midlands…View Profile
Clare Dillon photo Clare DillonClare was called to the Bar in 1974 and joined Number 1…View Profile
Julie Duane photo Julie DuaneJulie is an employment law specialist and former Solicitor-advocate working across the…View Profile
James Dunstan photo James DunstanJames was a scholarship winner at King Edward’s School, Edgbaston and a…View Profile
Victoria Edmonds photo Victoria EdmondsSince completing her pupillage in 2005 Victoria has specialised in family law.…View Profile
Sandamini Ethakada photo Sandamini EthakadaSandamini regularly acts in care proceedings and welcomes instructions on behalf of…View Profile
Andrew Evans photo Andrew EvansAndrew has an established practice in claimant and defendant personal injury work,…View Profile
Bruce Frew photo Bruce FrewBruce has an extensive practice specialising in employment law. He represents both…View Profile
Jonathan Gale photo Jonathan GaleJonathan regularly acts for finance houses on disputes surrounding hire purchase and…View Profile
Sophie Garner photo Sophie GarnerSophie is an experienced specialist in employment and discrimination law whose caseload…View Profile
Jonathan Gidney photo Jonathan GidneyJonathan has been recognised as a leading junior in the Midlands for…View Profile
Molly Giles photo Molly GilesSpecialises in both public and private law children cases.View Profile
Rajinder Gill photoMr Rajinder GillRajinder Gill is an experienced specialist in serious crime and regulatory law…View Profile
Steven Gittens photo Steven GittensSteven accepts instructions to undertake pleadings, Schedules of Loss, and to advise,…View Profile
Mark Grant photo Mark GrantSpecialising in commercial disputes.View Profile
David Griffiths photo David GriffithsDavid practises in the areas of general commercial litigation, personal injury and…View Profile
Mohammad Hafeez photo Mohammad HafeezSpecialises in criminal law.View Profile
Lisa Hancox photo Lisa HancoxSpecialises in criminal law.View Profile
Giles Harrison Hall photo Giles Harrison HallBarrister specialising in personal injury, commercial and Chancery.View Profile
Sarah Harty photo Sarah HartySarah accepts instructions across the full range of employment law, including High…View Profile
Peter Haynes photo Peter HaynesPeter has practised as a criminal courts advocate throughout his career. Domestically,…View Profile
Jonathan Heard photo Jonathan HeardEmployment law specialist.View Profile
Kevin Hegarty photo Kevin HegartyKevin is a regulatory and financial crime specialist. His approach is particularly…View Profile
Elizabeth Hodgetts photo Elizabeth HodgettsElizabeth practises exclusively in employment law and employment-related civil litigation. She is…View Profile
Ryan Hodgins photo Ryan HodginsRyan is instructed by both prosecution and defence. His developing criminal practice…View Profile
William Horwood photoMr William HorwoodWilliam undertook pupillage in chambers in 2016/17, and joined chambers on completion…View Profile
Nicholas Howell-Jones photo Nicholas Howell-JonesNick joined St Philips Chambers from St Ives Chambers in February 2012.…View Profile
Sharon Hughes photo Sharon HughesSharon regularly appeared before the High Court as well as Circuit and…View Profile
Chevan Ilangaratne photo Chevan IlangaratneChevan accepts instructions to draft pleadings, Schedules of Loss, and to advise…View Profile
Andrew Jackson photo Andrew JacksonAndrew has established a strong practice in criminal law. A polished advocate…View Profile
Anthony Johnston photo Anthony JohnstonAnthony has practised in Birmingham throughout his professional life, starting at 1…View Profile
Carolyn Jones photo Carolyn JonesCarolyn is a specialist family practitioner who practises in all areas of…View Profile
Huw Jones photo Huw JonesHuw was called to the Bar in 1997 after 12 years’ commissioned…View Profile
Jennifer Josephs photo Jennifer JosephsJennifer is a leading junior on the Midland Circuit who prosecutes and…View Profile
Amanprit Kaur photo Amanprit KaurAmanprit Kaur began a specialist Business and Property pupillage in October 2021…View Profile
Natalie Kearney photo Natalie KearneyNatalie appears regularly as sole counsel in the County Court and High…View Profile
Patrick Keith photo Patrick KeithPatrick is instructed across the whole spectrum of employment law, with a…View Profile
Emma Kendall photoMiss Emma KendallBetween 2011 and 2016 Emma specialised in public law children proceedings as…View Profile
Avtar Khangure photo Avtar KhangureAvtar was called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in 1985. Having…View Profile
Stefan Kolodynski photo Stefan KolodynskiStefan is an experienced practitioner whose core areas are property and serious…View Profile
Robin Lewis photo Robin LewisRobin undertook pupillage at Number 1 Serjeants’ Inn, London and began practice…View Profile
Sara Lewis photo Sara LewisFamily practitioner specialising in public law cases.View Profile
Stephen Linehan photo Stephen LinehanStephen is a specialist criminal practitioner, instructed by both prosecution and defence…View Profile
Stephen Linehan photo Stephen LinehanStephen is a specialist criminal practitioner, instructed by both prosecution and defence…View Profile
Miranda Lopez photo Miranda LopezMiranda Lopez started her pupillage in October 2021 and started accepting work…View Profile
Alexander MacMillan photo Alexander MacMillanSpecialising in commercial litigation and employment law.View Profile
Lee Marklew photo Lee MarklewLee is regularly instructed to appear for both the prosecution and the…View Profile
Nergis-Anne Mathew photo Nergis-Anne MathewAfter having completed her degree course in Manchester, Nergis-Anne completed her legal…View Profile
Gavin McLeod photo Gavin McLeodGavin is an established junior who specialises in Chancery proceedings, especially real…View Profile
Wendy Miller photo Wendy MillerWith over twenty years’ experience in dealing with some of the most…View Profile
Joseph Millington photo Joseph MillingtonJoseph joined chambers as a tenant in October 2011 following the successful…View Profile
Christopher Millington photo Christopher MillingtonChris is one of the leading and most experienced criminal silks in…View Profile
Christopher Millington photo Christopher MillingtonChris is one of the leading and most experienced criminal silks in…View Profile
Ben Mills photo Ben MillsFor the past decade, Ben has been consistently recognised by the industry…View Profile
Iqbal Mohammed photo Iqbal MohammedIqbal is a specialist commercial barrister. He undertakes commercial litigation, which includes…View Profile
James Morgan photo James MorganJames is an established commercial practitioner, with particular expertise in the fields…View Profile
Francis Mortin photo Francis MortinFrancis is an employment specialist and recent transfer to the Bar from…View Profile
Julie Moseley photo Julie MoseleyJulie completed pupillage and became a tenant of No 7 Fountain Court,…View Profile
Robert Mundy photo Robert MundyCommercial litigation, particularly company and insolvency law. High Court employment. Also a…View Profile
Jonathan Nosworthy photo Jonathan NosworthyJonathan undertakes all types of work relating to resolving financial issues between…View Profile
Amrisha Parathalingam photo Amrisha ParathalingamAmrisha joined chambers after successfully completing a pupillage supervised by Simon Clegg…View Profile
Anna Peaston photo Anna PeastonAnna Peaston is a family law specialist with an established practice in…View Profile
Yolanda Pemberton photo Yolanda PembertonAfter completing her pupillage in 2003 with St Philips, Yolanda has specialised…View Profile
Simon Phillips photo Simon PhillipsCurrently a Grade 4 prosecutor, Simon practises across all areas of crime.…View Profile
Raj Punia photo Raj PuniaPrior to joining St Philips Chambers, Raj taught the English legal system…View Profile
James Puzey photo James PuzeyJames specialises in government litigation, particularly in the fields of tax and…View Profile
Amarjit Rai photo Amarjit RaiAmarjit has wide experience in civil litigation focusing on commercial disputes, property…View Profile
John Randall photo John RandallJohn has a broad based practice in chancery and commercial law, acting…View Profile
Christopher Rank photo Christopher RankFamily law specialist.View Profile
Catherine Ravenscroft photo Catherine RavenscroftCatherine Ravenscroft specialises in criminal and regulatory law. She has a straight-forward…View Profile
Meredith Rawsthorne photo Meredith RawsthorneMeredith Rawsthorne began a specialist Family Law Pupillage in October 2021 and…View Profile
Elizabeth Richards photo Elizabeth RichardsElizabeth undertook her pupillage with St Philips and while she initially practised…View Profile
Davinia Riley photo Davinia RileyDavinia specialises in Financial Remedies and has experience of the full range…View Profile
Dominic Roberts photo Dominic RobertsDominic advises on all aspects of company law, directors’ duties, corporate governance…View Profile
Alexander Rozycki photo Alexander RozyckiSpecialises in commercial and employment law.View Profile
Jane Sarginson photo Jane SarginsonJane obtained a 2(1) BSc Honours degree in Pharmacology/Psychology from the University…View Profile
Julie Sparrow photo Julie SparrowJulie practises in all areas of family law with an emphasis on…View Profile
Ian Speed photo Ian SpeedIan came to the Bar having retired as a senior detective officer.…View Profile
Guy Spollon photo Guy SpollonGuy frequently appears in both complex and highly sensitive cases involving children…View Profile
Petar Starcevic photo Petar StarcevicFrom a grounding in common law, Petar now undertakes employment work with…View Profile
David Stockill photo David StockillDavid has a practice broadly based, so far as the commercial world…View Profile
Ali Tabari photo Ali TabariIn addition to core commercial litigation, Ali’s practice focuses on fraud, insolvency…View Profile
Luke Tallis photo Luke TallisLuke is accepting instructions in all areas of public law, financial remedy…View Profile
Carl Templar-Vasey photo Carl Templar-VaseySpecialises in criminal law.View Profile
Blondel Thompson photo Blondel ThompsonBlondel has been a practising barrister for over 20 years specialising in…View Profile
Susan Todd photo Susan ToddSusan has worked as a self-employed barrister in the West Midlands since…View Profile
Raghav Trivedi photo Raghav TrivediRaghav Trivedi is a member of Chambers’ Business and Property Group. He…View Profile
Anthony Verduyn photo Anthony VerduynReal estate litigation (including overage, restrictive covenants, boundaries, easements and trusts of…View Profile
Patrick Wainwright photo Patrick WainwrightFollowing his pupillage in 1994, Patrick initially enjoyed a mixed practice with…View Profile
Tom Walkling photo Tom WalklingWith a specialist criminal practice, Tom has experience and expertise in all…View Profile
Christopher Watson photo Christopher WatsonChristopher is a children law expert and practises exclusively within that field.…View Profile
Kirsty White photo Kirsty WhiteSpecialises in commercial litigation.View Profile
Darron Whitehead photo Darron WhiteheadHaving returned home to the Midland Circuit in 2000, Darron has established…View Profile
Heledd Williams photo Heledd WilliamsHeledd joined St Philips in August 2007 having undertaken pupillage and tenancy…View Profile
Ben Williams photo Ben WilliamsBen has expertise in prosecuting and defending complex criminal cases, particularly murder,…View Profile
Melanie Williamson photo Melanie WilliamsonSpecialises in regulatory and personal injury.View Profile
Emma Williamson photo Emma WilliamsonEmma joined chambers following the successful completion of her pupillage and accepts…View Profile
Paul Wilson photoMr Paul WilsonA tribunal advocate through and through, Paul has over 20 years’ experience…View Profile