Set Profile > Doughty Street Chambers > London, England
Doughty Street Chambers Offices
Doughty Street Chambers
53-54 DOUGHTY STREET
LONDON
WC1N 2LS
England
Doughty Street Chambers > The Legal 500 Rankings
Inquests and inquiries Tier 1
'One of the go-to chambers in this area', Doughty Street Chambers 'has excellent barristers and the clerks are always responsive and helpful'. In the resumed inquests into the 1974 Birmingham Pub Bombings, Heather Williams QC recently led the team that represented the families of three of the 21 deceased. Also in recent work of note, Henrietta Hill QC is currently instructed as deputy counsel to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (and is leading counsel in four of the inquiry’s investigations); Fiona Murphy acted in the Anthony Grainger Inquiry, which involved a fatal police shooting by Greater Manchester Police; and Alison Gerry represented the sister of Annabella Landsberg, who died in HMP Peterborough's custody. 'Future star of the Bar' Katherine O’Byrne is an up-and-coming member of chambers.
Rising stars
Leading Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Fiona Murphy - Doughty Street Chambers ‘Unrivalled command of her brief. Fearless, real depth of knowledge, innovative thinker, and fabulous drafting skills. Great judgement and people skills, including handling judges and opponents.’
International crime and extradition Tier 1
Doughty Street Chambers 'has an excellent, in-depth extradition team', with particular strength in human rights cases, and is also 'pre-eminent in international criminal law', according to clients. In a recent highlight, 'impressive advocate' Edward Fitzgerald QC represented the appellant before the Supreme Court in Elgizouli v Secretary of State for the Home Department, a challenge to the Secretary of State’s decision to provide mutual legal assistance to the USA for a capital trial, without seeking assurances that the death penalty would not be imposed; the Supreme Court upheld the challenge. In other recent news of note, the 'fearless' Ben Cooper QC took silk in March 2020 further strengthening the set at the senior end. Elsewhere in chambers, the 'meticulous' Amal Clooney is 'tactically first class and a natural lead advocate in cases'; Australia- and English-qualified Megan Hirst has developed 'a preeminent role in acting for victims in international courts'; and Amelia Nice's experience of family law is 'an added bonus and places her ahead of many of her peers when there is an overlap of family law in extradition cases'.
Leading Silks
2019 Silks
2020 Silks
Leading Juniors
Immigration
Leading Juniors
Clinical negligence
Leading Silks
Data protection
Rising stars
Public international law
Rising stars
Leading Juniors
Social housing Tier 1
Doughty Street Chambers has a first-rate reputation acting for individuals (including tenants and homelessness applicants) in many of the leading cases seen in the social housing arena. It has a strong presence in housing cases that interface with issues such as mental health, physical disability, immigration, community care and public law, among others. In 2019, Martin Westgate QC represented Shelter an intervening party at the Supreme Court in R (DA & others) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and DS v SSWP, which involved linked challenges to the revised, lower benefit cap. In another matter, Westgate QC acted for Shelter and Child Poverty Action Group in Samuels v Birmingham City Council, which was a homelessness appeal regarding whether a person can be intentionally homeless if they lose their home through non-payment of rent when they cannot pay their rent without using subsistence benefits. Ben Chataway successfully represented the defendant in Waltham Forest LBC v Saleh, which concerned a local authority's obligations where it sought to house a homelessness applicant outside of its own district.
Rising stars
Leading Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Civil liberties and human rights (including actions against the police) Tier 2
Doughty Street Chambers is considered the 'preeminent set when it comes to the assertion and advancement of human rights' and has an 'excellent' reputation in civil liberties and human rights; particularly in the area of extradition, international law and actions against the state, and is, according to some, 'an impressive chambers with highly intelligent, and politically savvy barristers'. Recent instructions include Edward Fitzgerald QC and Jennifer Robinson representing Julian Assange in his fight against extradition to the United States, whilst Heather Williams QC continues to be engaged in the Undercover Policing Inquiry. 'Fantastic junior' Jude Bunting has an extensive public and police law interface to civil liberties work and acted in a Supreme Court test case pertaining to bail conditions and whether it requires a person to stay indoors throughout the night. Other members of note include Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC who is one of three silks acting in The Hillsborough Victims Litigation. In recent news that has further strengthened the set, Leonie Hirst has joined chambers, along with Maya Sikand and Shu Shin Luh from Garden Court Chambers.
Leading Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Court of Protection and community care Tier 2
Doughty Street Chambers is an ‘excellent set that is always motivated to help. Its barristers are the cream of the crop.’ Also, various clients have praised its webinars during the Covid-19 and have said’ Chambers is well ahead of other Chambers in keeping others updated with the knowledge it has collated and that has been so useful.’ The ‘brilliant’ set is able to handle the full range of community care and Court of Protection matters. One highlight to note is the promoted Martin Westgate QC acting for Liberty R (JCWI) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2019] EWHC 452 (Admin), EHRC, Residential Landlords Association and Liberty intervening. He also acted for the claimant in MK v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2019] EWHC 3573 (Admin), a judicial review challenge to the delays in the process for deciding asylum claims by unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC joins this year's silk rankings, and Ulele Burnham's practice continues to go from strength to strength, while in rising stars Antonia Benfield and Daniel Clarke, the future of the team looks bright.
Rising stars
Leading Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Ulele Burnham - Doughty Street Chambers ‘An excellent advocate: calm but tenacious with great courtroom presence. She has excellent judgement: judges respect her, clients like her.’
Crime Tier 2
Doughty Street Chambers is 'an excellent set' with 'a huge range of very talented barristers'. Defence work is a core pillar of strength for the set, alongside its established capabilities in criminal appeals and terrorism cases. Katy Thorne QC led Kate O’Raghallaigh in defending Adrian Hoare against charges of manslaughter after her three-year-old son died from asphyxiation after being allegedly crushed to death behind a car seat; Hoare was acquitted of manslaughter but received a two-year sentence for child cruelty. Emma Goodall acted for Sajid Idris, who pled guilty to four counts of distributing terrorist material; he received a suspended sentence. Liam Walker and Benjamin Newton represented Alice Cutter and Mark Jones, respectively, who were convicted of being members of proscribed neo-Nazi group National Action in a retrial after the jury failed to reach a verdict in an earlier trial.
Leading Silks
Sarah Elliott QC-Doughty Street Chambers‘Her core strengths are having an incredible attention to detail; but also an ability to step back from a case and provide overall strategic advice. Her cross-examination of witnesses perceived as being vulnerable is incredibly skillful. It is an incredibly difficult art; but Sarah is a master of it.’
2019 Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Immigration (including business immigration) Tier 2
Doughty Street Chambers is known for its 'outstanding work in human rights law' and for 'providing very high-quality service and client care'. Alasdair Mackenzie acted in ADL v SSHD, a judicial review challenge to the Home Office policy of charging fees for human rights applications; Charlotte Kilroy QC led Michelle Knorr in R (MS) v SSHD, a landmark judgment concerning the SSHD's investigative duties and children's right of review. Catherine Meredith acted for Liberty in its application to intervene as a third party in MS (Pakistan) over the scope of Article 4 ECHR, which reached the Supreme Court. In recent news, Shu Shin Luh and Anthony Vaughan (previously from Garden Court Chambers) have joined the set.
Rising stars
2019 Silks
Leading Juniors
Anthony Vaughan - Doughty Street Chambers ‘Technically excellent, great rapport with clients, leaves no stone unturned.’
Michelle Knorr - Doughty Street Chambers ‘She provides high-quality written work and is a tenacious advocate.’
Shu Shin Luh - Doughty Street Chambers ‘Shu Shin is very committed to public immigration work and her clients, she has strategic approach, is thorough but also very quick, produces high-standard written work and has an excellent track record.’
Employment
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Proceeds of crime (POCA) and asset forfeiture
Leading Silks
Product liability
Leading Silks
Education
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Shu Shin Luh - Doughty Street Chambers ‘Hard-working, motivated, and her drafting and advocacy is very good.’
Administrative and public law (including elections) Tier 3
'In terms of admin and public law' Doughty Street Chambers 'has a wealth of talent'. 'The set is very strong, especially at junior level', with members primarily focusing on work representing individuals. Edward Fitzgerald QC represented a number of Chagossians, the community displaced in the 1960s and '70s by the construction of the military base on Diego Garcia, in prolonged litigation concerning their potential return; Martin Westgate QC represented the defendant in RB Kingston v Moss, a High Court case concerning the local authority's selling on of watering and sewerage service at a profit. Unled, Jude Bunting represented the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in a Court of Appeal case concerning the meaning of the "exceeded" in the Abortion Act 1967. In the political space, Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC advised Stella Creasy MP on clearing with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority the appointment of a "locum" to cover constituency casework during her maternity leave from the house.
Leading Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Defamation and privacy Tier 3
Doughty Street Chambers 'offers a wide range of services' and has a 'deserved high reputation' for domestic as well as international media and information law issues. Recent work saw a number of chambers' members, who are known to 'offer in-depth analyses in their specialist areas', appear in landmark Supreme Court cases: Claire Overman and Jonathan Price were instructed for the claimant and the defendant, respectively, in social media defamation case Stocker v Stocker. Together with Heather Rogers QC, Price also acted for the Media Lawyers Association in Serafin v Malkiewicz, the first defence of publication on a matter of public interest case based on section 4 of the Defamation Act 2013.
Rising stars
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Fraud: crime Tier 3
'A very good set that has real breadth and depth in terms of expertise' and 'a huge pool of very talented barristers', Doughty Street Chambers' recent instructions include boiler room cases, carbon credit frauds, and tax evasion matters. In recent work of particular note, Benjamin Newton successfully defended Marcus Allen, one of eight defendants on trial for an alleged carbon credits fraud; Allen was acquitted following the trial's collapse when an expert witness was discredited. In August 2020, Jonathan Lennon joined from Carmelite Chambers.
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Professional disciplinary and regulatory law
Leading Juniors
Personal injury, industrial disease and insurance fraud
Personal injury - Leading Silks
Administrative and public law (including civil liberties and human rights)
Doughty Street Chambers is 'a go-to set for police actions and civil liberties work'. With a practice that benefits from experience in international human rights law abroad, Nick Stanage is 'extremely able on his feet, exuding in good measure calm and charisma, and excellent at incisive cross-examination'. Recent instructions for Stanage include the Public Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, the Undercover Policing Inquiry, and acting for the claimant in John Hemming v Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police, a human rights claims in relation to the police's investigation into false allegations of rape made against the former Liberal MP.
Leading Juniors
Crime (general and fraud)
Doughty Street Chambers' crime team has several of the most serious and high-profile cases of alleged homicide and terrorism, including the Manchester Arena bomb attack. A key name in the set's Manchester office, Erim Mushtaq recent cases have included cases involving allegations of terrorism, historic sexual abuse, and organised crime.
Leading Juniors
Employment
At Doughty Street Chambers in Manchester, the set's members are particularly known for their expertise in high value and complex discrimination claims. Paul Draycott has particular specialisms in whistleblowing, TUPE, and discrimination claims and has also handled a number of cases concerning the interplay of the criminal law and employment law. Also of note, Paras Gorasia, working with local advocates, advised on the Manx Sutton v Creechurch Capital case in the Isle of Man, in which a whistleblower was awarded compensation of around £600,000, a sum thought to be a jurisdiction record. Instructing solicitors are full of praise for 'the friendly barrister' Gorasia: 'First and foremost, Paras is an excellent team player. For instructing solicitors, the fact he always makes himself available at short notice to review a document or provide input, or just to give his view, is priceless and makes him stand out from others.'
Leading Juniors
Personal injury
Doughty Street Chambers' personal injury team in Bristol has recently been strengthened following the arrival of Andreá Risoli from Old Square Chambers. Risoli has a particular focus on high-value claims involving complex medical causation issues and is regularly instructed in cases involving catastrophic injuries and high-value fatal accidents. In recent work of note, he successfully acted for a 39-year-old claimant who suffered lower-limb fracture injuries and a wrist fracture in a road traffic accident; a £900,000 settlement was achieved on the basis of future needs against background ageing and loss of potential self-employment earnings.
Leading Juniors
Set overviews: England and Wales
With offices in London, Bristol, Manchester, and The Hague, Doughty Street Chambers has a wealth of expertise in public, civil liberties, criminal, and associated practice areas, and is among the top ten chambers for most leading junior and rising star rankings in the 2021 guide. Ben Cooper QC was appointed Queen's Counsel in March 2020. The set was further strengthened by a host of new members. In the public law and civil liberties and human rights teams, Stephen Knafler QC has joined from Landmark Chambers, while Maya Sikand, Shu Shin Luh, and Anthony Vaughan arrived from Garden Court Chambers. Sarah Palin joined the media and information law team from 1 Brick Court, while Beth Grossman joined from the now-closed Ely Place Chambers; Jonathan Lennon joined the crime team from Carmelite Chambers, as did Peta-Louise Bagott from Kingsley Napley and Rabah Kherbane from 2 Bedford Row; Leonie Hirst joined the Court of Protection and mental health team; Alice Irving joined the housing and social welfare team. In other news, Stephen Cragg QC and Benjamin Newton have been appointed as Recorders, sitting on the South Eastern and Western Circuit respectively, and David Lammy MP joined as an associate tenant.
Clerks:
Testimonials
Clerks:
The Court of Protection Clerks (Emily, Rachel and Sian) are all excellent. Friendly, responsive and practical.
A very good standard of clerking.
Adam Todd brings a depth of experience to the Clerking team. He has moved mountains for me and stops at nothing to help his clients. It’s a pleasure to do business with him and you know he has your interests at heart.
Adam Todd is a wonder and helpful in every respect. A key individual.
I would say that the service provided both by counsel and the clerks is second to none. Sian Wilkins, Rachel Finch and Emily Norman are all incredibly helpful, efficient and available to meet our needs.
Sam Verner and Richard Vile are very approachable clerks, and will go above and beyond to assist.
Ben Fitzgerald is a fantastic clerk. He is the highest calibre of clerk I have worked with.
Callum Stebbing and Sam Cooper are brilliant and always responsive.
Callum Stebbing is a very capable clerk, but the addition of Melvin Warner has really strengthened the team. Melvin is a very experienced clerk having spent many years at One Brick Court and is widely regarded as a very safe pair of hands.
Callum Stebbing provides a fantastic service. He makes finding and instructing counsel a breeze.
Great clerks who give a personal service – Richard Vile and Matthew Butchard are efficient, friendly and responsive.
Great service from clerks who know their stuff and don’t simply try to fill a barrister’s diary. They clearly listen to who or what we need and respond appropriately.
I believe the clerks’ room is excellent and they are frequently praised by solicitors for their availability and helpfulness. Sian Wilkins, the senior civil clerk, has a particularly high reputation for her judgment and accessibility to solicitors.
I have interacted most frequently with Callum Stebbing and Luke Christmas, who have both been highly professional and very pleasant to work with.
I would like to think I have built up a good relationship with the clerks in the civil team. In particular, the service I have received from Luke Christmas is excellent.
Luke Christmas is unfailingly helpful.
Matt Butchard was a great hire for the team in 2019. He has real integrity and is very straightforward in fee negotiations.
Richard Vile, Marc Gilby and Sam Verner are always reachable and will bend over backwards to help you solve a problem. They are a credit to the excellent barristers that they work with.
The clerks are fantastic and special mention has to go to Rachel Finch, Emily Norman and Sian Wilkins. Not only do they run a tight ship but they’re also extremely friendly and remain calm even during very busy periods. Furthermore, they have even helped solicitors to prepare electronic bundles during Covid-19 where the solicitor/firm does not have the required software. A remarkable service by all accounts.
The clerks are fantastic and very personal. Calling to check how things are going and offering extra help with bundling and other tasks during the Covid-19 pandemic was particularly appreciated.
The employment team, led by Callum Stebbing, are just excellent. Callum is well supported by Sam Cooper who has really impressed over the last 12 months.
Set:
During the Covid19 pandemic they have offered very insightful and relevant training sessions in relation to the Mental Capacity Act
A dynamic set with barristers who particularly stand out for human rights and freedom of expression.
A first class set with a depth of experience and knowledge especially in the areas we cover which is largely unmatched. They simply go from strength to strength. A go-to defence set.
A really good, hard working and friendly team involved in some of the most high profile extradition cases.
An excellent chambers with many wonderful barristers.
Doughty Street have made great inroads into the personal injury and clinical negligence market.
As a whole Doughty Street is an excellent set. Their immigration team is fantastic across the board. If the counsel you ask for is not available they always have a great range of alternatives. They put on excellent training.
During the covid-19, we have been offered and attended many different webinars which have been so useful to keep up to date with the developments during the pandemic. Clearly, Chambers is well ahead of any other Chambers in keeping others updated with the knowledge they have collated.
Doughty Street , like my Chambers ( Garden Court) is one of the pre-eminent defence sets . Very good standard of counsel from top to bottom .
Doughty Street are a forward thinking, professional and dynamic set, focussed on defending individual rights. They provide frequent informative and useful training programmes, which enhance our practice and knowledge of the law.
Doughty Street are an excellent set of chambers and their barristers are the cream of the crop. The clerking team are absolute superstars and seem to always go above and beyond to assist.
Doughty Street are an excellent set who I’ve been instructing regularly since I moved and began to practice in London in 2017. The clerking team are among the most friendly, professional and efficient in the country. Their regular training sessions are always informative. And their counsel are excellent without fail. A real 10/10 chambers.
Doughty Street are an excellent set, I cannot fault them. They provide pertinent training, they have a variety of experienced counsel in the field of Court of Protection and in my view they are the best set and our ‘go to’ set for Court of Protection work. Doughty Street also hold engaging events, such as on International Women’s Day, on regarding LGBTQ issues.
Doughty Street are one of the top London sets. They have first class silks and juniors. Their human rights commitment and progressive political pedigree still marks them out.an rights focused which helps for certain cases that involve civil claims.
Doughty Street Chambers is a formidable set of chambers in civil liberties and human rights and is my go to chambers when considering counsel for inquests, actions against detaining authorities and judicial review. The representation and advice from many barristers I have instructed is of a high quality and standard.
Doughty Street Chambers is a set with an immense breadth of renowned barristers with a broad range of expertise, offering advice and representation in relation to international multi-jurisdiction areas of law.
Doughty Street Chambers is a slickly oiled machine and is very well served by a competent & professional clerking team who are always very quick to react to requests for counsel assistance.
Doughty Street Chambers is an impressive chambers with highly intelligent, smart and politically savvy lawyers that push the law for the benefit of their clients and wider society.
Doughty Street has one of the best teams of barristers for acting for bereaved families in the country, all the barristers I have used in their team have been excellent.
Doughty street have a well deserved reputation as a strong extradition set.
Doughty Street have run incredibly useful training seminars for free during the pandemic.
Doughty street is a class act, across the board. They attract bright and dedicated lawyers so, at every level you have confidence in those offered to you and those you instruct.
Doughty Street is a consistently excellent chambers.
Doughty street is one of the best chambers we have in London.
Doughty Street offer a significant human rights support network.
I have worked with a few barristers at Doughty Street and overall I can safely say that the set does produce high quality barristers and I don’t recall ever having had a bad or negative experience.
They provide useful and well-pitched training sessions, and have recently also been holding very progressive and much-needed sessions on stress management for lawyers and promoting mental health awareness in the legal sector.
They are very down-to-earth for such an established set, and put considerable effort into maintaining genuinely good, friendly and collaborative relationships with instructing solicitors.
The chambers are a top set with an extensive array of very talented barristers, who have a passion for rights and justice. They understand client needs and will try to assist whenever possible.
The chambers are fantastic in all respects, including their extremely approachable/friendly/efficient clerking. They are a joy to work with.
You know that whoever holds a brief on a matter, at Doughty Street, is going to be a first class barrister. I’d say they have the best calibre of barristers, in great depth.
Set overviews: England and Wales
With offices in London, Bristol, Manchester, and The Hague, Doughty Street Chambers has a wealth of expertise in public, civil liberties, criminal, and associated practice areas, and is among the top ten chambers for most leading junior and rising star rankings in the 2021 guide. Ben Cooper QC was appointed Queen's Counsel in March 2020. The set was further strengthened by a host of new members. In the public law and civil liberties and human rights teams, Maya Sikand, Shu Shin Luh, and Anthony Vaughan arrived from Garden Court Chambers. Sarah Palin joined the media and information law team from 1 Brick Court, while Beth Grossman joined from the now-closed Ely Place Chambers; Jonathan Lennon joined the crime team from Carmelite Chambers, as did Peta-Louise Bagott from Kingsley Napley and Rabah Kherbane from 2 Bedford Row; Leonie Hirst joined the Court of Protection and mental health team; Alice Irving joined the housing and social welfare team. In other news, Stephen Cragg QC and Benjamin Newton have been appointed as Recorders, sitting on the South Eastern and Western Circuit respectively, and David Lammy MP joined as an associate tenant.
Clerks:
Testimonials
Clerks:
The Court of Protection Clerks (Emily, Rachel and Sian) are all excellent. Friendly, responsive and practical.
A very good standard of clerking.
Adam Todd brings a depth of experience to the Clerking team. He has moved mountains for me and stops at nothing to help his clients. It’s a pleasure to do business with him and you know he has your interests at heart.
Adam Todd is a wonder and helpful in every respect. A key individual.
I would say that the service provided both by counsel and the clerks is second to none. Sian Wilkins, Rachel Finch and Emily Norman are all incredibly helpful, efficient and available to meet our needs.
Sam Verner and Richard Vile are very approachable clerks, and will go above and beyond to assist.
Ben Fitzgerald is a fantastic clerk. He is the highest calibre of clerk I have worked with.
Callum Stebbing and Sam Cooper are brilliant and always responsive.
Callum Stebbing is a very capable clerk, but the addition of Melvin Warner has really strengthened the team. Melvin is a very experienced clerk having spent many years at One Brick Court and is widely regarded as a very safe pair of hands.
Callum Stebbing provides a fantastic service. He makes finding and instructing counsel a breeze.
Great clerks who give a personal service – Richard Vile and Matthew Butchard are efficient, friendly and responsive.
Great service from clerks who know their stuff and don’t simply try to fill a barrister’s diary. They clearly listen to who or what we need and respond appropriately.
I believe the clerks’ room is excellent and they are frequently praised by solicitors for their availability and helpfulness. Sian Wilkins, the senior civil clerk, has a particularly high reputation for her judgment and accessibility to solicitors.
I have interacted most frequently with Callum Stebbing and Luke Christmas, who have both been highly professional and very pleasant to work with.
I would like to think I have built up a good relationship with the clerks in the civil team. In particular, the service I have received from Luke Christmas is excellent.
Luke Christmas is unfailingly helpful.
Matt Butchard was a great hire for the team in 2019. He has real integrity and is very straightforward in fee negotiations.
Richard Vile, Marc Gilby and Sam Verner are always reachable and will bend over backwards to help you solve a problem. They are a credit to the excellent barristers that they work with.
The clerks are fantastic and special mention has to go to Rachel Finch, Emily Norman and Sian Wilkins. Not only do they run a tight ship but they’re also extremely friendly and remain calm even during very busy periods. Furthermore, they have even helped solicitors to prepare electronic bundles during Covid-19 where the solicitor/firm does not have the required software. A remarkable service by all accounts.
The clerks are fantastic and very personal. Calling to check how things are going and offering extra help with bundling and other tasks during the Covid-19 pandemic was particularly appreciated.
The employment team, led by Callum Stebbing, are just excellent. Callum is well supported by Sam Cooper who has really impressed over the last 12 months.
Set:
During the Covid19 pandemic they have offered very insightful and relevant training sessions in relation to the Mental Capacity Act
A dynamic set with barristers who particularly stand out for human rights and freedom of expression.
A first class set with a depth of experience and knowledge especially in the areas we cover which is largely unmatched. They simply go from strength to strength. A go-to defence set.
A really good, hard working and friendly team involved in some of the most high profile extradition cases.
An excellent chambers with many wonderful barristers.
Doughty Street have made great inroads into the personal injury and clinical negligence market.
As a whole Doughty Street is an excellent set. Their immigration team is fantastic across the board. If the counsel you ask for is not available they always have a great range of alternatives. They put on excellent training.
During the covid-19, we have been offered and attended many different webinars which have been so useful to keep up to date with the developments during the pandemic. Clearly, Chambers is well ahead of any other Chambers in keeping others updated with the knowledge they have collated.
Doughty Street , like my Chambers ( Garden Court) is one of the pre-eminent defence sets . Very good standard of counsel from top to bottom .
Doughty Street are a forward thinking, professional and dynamic set, focussed on defending individual rights. They provide frequent informative and useful training programmes, which enhance our practice and knowledge of the law.
Doughty Street are an excellent set of chambers and their barristers are the cream of the crop. The clerking team are absolute superstars and seem to always go above and beyond to assist.
Doughty Street are an excellent set who I’ve been instructing regularly since I moved and began to practice in London in 2017. The clerking team are among the most friendly, professional and efficient in the country. Their regular training sessions are always informative. And their counsel are excellent without fail. A real 10/10 chambers.
Doughty Street are an excellent set, I cannot fault them. They provide pertinent training, they have a variety of experienced counsel in the field of Court of Protection and in my view they are the best set and our ‘go to’ set for Court of Protection work. Doughty Street also hold engaging events, such as on International Women’s Day, on regarding LGBTQ issues.
Doughty Street are one of the top London sets. They have first class silks and juniors. Their human rights commitment and progressive political pedigree still marks them out.an rights focused which helps for certain cases that involve civil claims.
Doughty Street Chambers is a formidable set of chambers in civil liberties and human rights and is my go to chambers when considering counsel for inquests, actions against detaining authorities and judicial review. The representation and advice from many barristers I have instructed is of a high quality and standard.
Doughty Street Chambers is a set with an immense breadth of renowned barristers with a broad range of expertise, offering advice and representation in relation to international multi-jurisdiction areas of law.
Doughty Street Chambers is a slickly oiled machine and is very well served by a competent & professional clerking team who are always very quick to react to requests for counsel assistance.
Doughty Street Chambers is an impressive chambers with highly intelligent, smart and politically savvy lawyers that push the law for the benefit of their clients and wider society.
Doughty Street has one of the best teams of barristers for acting for bereaved families in the country, all the barristers I have used in their team have been excellent.
Doughty street have a well deserved reputation as a strong extradition set.
Doughty Street have run incredibly useful training seminars for free during the pandemic.
Doughty street is a class act, across the board. They attract bright and dedicated lawyers so, at every level you have confidence in those offered to you and those you instruct.
Doughty Street is a consistently excellent chambers.
Doughty street is one of the best chambers we have in London.
Doughty Street offer a significant human rights support network.
I have worked with a few barristers at Doughty Street and overall I can safely say that the set does produce high quality barristers and I don’t recall ever having had a bad or negative experience.
They provide useful and well-pitched training sessions, and have recently also been holding very progressive and much-needed sessions on stress management for lawyers and promoting mental health awareness in the legal sector.
They are very down-to-earth for such an established set, and put considerable effort into maintaining genuinely good, friendly and collaborative relationships with instructing solicitors.
The chambers are a top set with an extensive array of very talented barristers, who have a passion for rights and justice. They understand client needs and will try to assist whenever possible.
The chambers are fantastic in all respects, including their extremely approachable/friendly/efficient clerking. They are a joy to work with.
You know that whoever holds a brief on a matter, at Doughty Street, is going to be a first class barrister. I’d say they have the best calibre of barristers, in great depth.
Social housing
With 'detailed knowledge of housing and social welfare law' Doughty Street Chambers' John Hobson 'quickly grasps the relevant issues from instructions and provides expert opinion quickly. Undertakes legal aid work. Is committed to clients and can explain complex issues/legal points in a clear and easily understood manner'. Hobson has a strong record in disrepair, unlawful eviction, and possession proceedings involving anti-social behaviour and the Equality Act 2010.
Leading Juniors
Regional Bar > Northern Circuit > Administrative and public law (including civil liberties and human rights)
Doughty Street Chambers is 'a go-to set for police actions and civil liberties work'. With a practice that benefits from experience in international human rights law abroad, Nick Stanage is 'extremely able on his feet, exuding in good measure calm and charisma, and excellent at incisive cross-examination'. Recent instructions for Stanage include the Public Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, the Undercover Policing Inquiry, and acting for the claimant in John Hemming v Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police, a human rights claims in relation to the police's investigation into false allegations of rape made against the former Liberal MP.
Leading Juniors
Regional Bar > Northern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)
Doughty Street Chambers' crime team has several of the most serious and high-profile cases of alleged homicide and terrorism, including the Manchester Arena bomb attack. A key name in the set's Manchester office, Erim Mushtaq recent cases have included cases involving allegations of terrorism, historic sexual abuse, and organised crime.
Leading Juniors
Regional Bar > Northern Circuit > Employment
At Doughty Street Chambers in Manchester, the set's members are particularly known for their expertise in high value and complex discrimination claims. Paul Draycott has particular specialisms in whistleblowing, TUPE, and discrimination claims and has also handled a number of cases concerning the interplay of the criminal law and employment law. Also of note, Paras Gorasia, working with local advocates, advised on the Manx Sutton v Creechurch Capital case in the Isle of Man, in which a whistleblower was awarded compensation of around £600,000, a sum thought to be a jurisdiction record. Instructing solicitors are full of praise for 'the friendly barrister' Gorasia: 'First and foremost, Paras is an excellent team player. For instructing solicitors, the fact he always makes himself available at short notice to review a document or provide input, or just to give his view, is priceless and makes him stand out from others.'
Leading Juniors
Regional Bar > Set overviews: England and Wales
With offices in London, Bristol, Manchester, and The Hague, Doughty Street Chambers has a wealth of expertise in public, civil liberties, criminal, and associated practice areas, and is among the top ten chambers for most leading junior and rising star rankings in the 2021 guide. Ben Cooper QC was appointed Queen's Counsel in March 2020. The set was further strengthened by a host of new members. In the public law and civil liberties and human rights teams, Stephen Knafler QC has joined from Landmark Chambers, while Maya Sikand, Shu Shin Luh, and Anthony Vaughan arrived from Garden Court Chambers. Sarah Palin joined the media and information law team from 1 Brick Court, while Beth Grossman joined from the now-closed Ely Place Chambers; Jonathan Lennon joined the crime team from Carmelite Chambers, as did Peta-Louise Bagott from Kingsley Napley and Rabah Kherbane from 2 Bedford Row; Leonie Hirst joined the Court of Protection and mental health team; Alice Irving joined the housing and social welfare team. In other news, Stephen Cragg QC and Benjamin Newton have been appointed as Recorders, sitting on the South Eastern and Western Circuit respectively, and David Lammy MP joined as an associate tenant.
Clerks:
Testimonials
Clerks:
The Court of Protection Clerks (Emily, Rachel and Sian) are all excellent. Friendly, responsive and practical.
A very good standard of clerking.
Adam Todd brings a depth of experience to the Clerking team. He has moved mountains for me and stops at nothing to help his clients. It’s a pleasure to do business with him and you know he has your interests at heart.
Adam Todd is a wonder and helpful in every respect. A key individual.
I would say that the service provided both by counsel and the clerks is second to none. Sian Wilkins, Rachel Finch and Emily Norman are all incredibly helpful, efficient and available to meet our needs.
Sam Verner and Richard Vile are very approachable clerks, and will go above and beyond to assist.
Ben Fitzgerald is a fantastic clerk. He is the highest calibre of clerk I have worked with.
Callum Stebbing and Sam Cooper are brilliant and always responsive.
Callum Stebbing is a very capable clerk, but the addition of Melvin Warner has really strengthened the team. Melvin is a very experienced clerk having spent many years at One Brick Court and is widely regarded as a very safe pair of hands.
Callum Stebbing provides a fantastic service. He makes finding and instructing counsel a breeze.
Great clerks who give a personal service – Richard Vile and Matthew Butchard are efficient, friendly and responsive.
Great service from clerks who know their stuff and don’t simply try to fill a barrister’s diary. They clearly listen to who or what we need and respond appropriately.
I believe the clerks’ room is excellent and they are frequently praised by solicitors for their availability and helpfulness. Sian Wilkins, the senior civil clerk, has a particularly high reputation for her judgment and accessibility to solicitors.
I have interacted most frequently with Callum Stebbing and Luke Christmas, who have both been highly professional and very pleasant to work with.
I would like to think I have built up a good relationship with the clerks in the civil team. In particular, the service I have received from Luke Christmas is excellent.
Luke Christmas is unfailingly helpful.
Matt Butchard was a great hire for the team in 2019. He has real integrity and is very straightforward in fee negotiations.
Richard Vile, Marc Gilby and Sam Verner are always reachable and will bend over backwards to help you solve a problem. They are a credit to the excellent barristers that they work with.
The clerks are fantastic and special mention has to go to Rachel Finch, Emily Norman and Sian Wilkins. Not only do they run a tight ship but they’re also extremely friendly and remain calm even during very busy periods. Furthermore, they have even helped solicitors to prepare electronic bundles during Covid-19 where the solicitor/firm does not have the required software. A remarkable service by all accounts.
The clerks are fantastic and very personal. Calling to check how things are going and offering extra help with bundling and other tasks during the Covid-19 pandemic was particularly appreciated.
The employment team, led by Callum Stebbing, are just excellent. Callum is well supported by Sam Cooper who has really impressed over the last 12 months.
Set:
During the Covid19 pandemic they have offered very insightful and relevant training sessions in relation to the Mental Capacity Act
A dynamic set with barristers who particularly stand out for human rights and freedom of expression.
A first class set with a depth of experience and knowledge especially in the areas we cover which is largely unmatched. They simply go from strength to strength. A go-to defence set.
A really good, hard working and friendly team involved in some of the most high profile extradition cases.
An excellent chambers with many wonderful barristers.
Doughty Street have made great inroads into the personal injury and clinical negligence market.
As a whole Doughty Street is an excellent set. Their immigration team is fantastic across the board. If the counsel you ask for is not available they always have a great range of alternatives. They put on excellent training.
During the covid-19, we have been offered and attended many different webinars which have been so useful to keep up to date with the developments during the pandemic. Clearly, Chambers is well ahead of any other Chambers in keeping others updated with the knowledge they have collated.
Doughty Street , like my Chambers ( Garden Court) is one of the pre-eminent defence sets . Very good standard of counsel from top to bottom .
Doughty Street are a forward thinking, professional and dynamic set, focussed on defending individual rights. They provide frequent informative and useful training programmes, which enhance our practice and knowledge of the law.
Doughty Street are an excellent set of chambers and their barristers are the cream of the crop. The clerking team are absolute superstars and seem to always go above and beyond to assist.
Doughty Street are an excellent set who I’ve been instructing regularly since I moved and began to practice in London in 2017. The clerking team are among the most friendly, professional and efficient in the country. Their regular training sessions are always informative. And their counsel are excellent without fail. A real 10/10 chambers.
Doughty Street are an excellent set, I cannot fault them. They provide pertinent training, they have a variety of experienced counsel in the field of Court of Protection and in my view they are the best set and our ‘go to’ set for Court of Protection work. Doughty Street also hold engaging events, such as on International Women’s Day, on regarding LGBTQ issues.
Doughty Street are one of the top London sets. They have first class silks and juniors. Their human rights commitment and progressive political pedigree still marks them out.an rights focused which helps for certain cases that involve civil claims.
Doughty Street Chambers is a formidable set of chambers in civil liberties and human rights and is my go to chambers when considering counsel for inquests, actions against detaining authorities and judicial review. The representation and advice from many barristers I have instructed is of a high quality and standard.
Doughty Street Chambers is a set with an immense breadth of renowned barristers with a broad range of expertise, offering advice and representation in relation to international multi-jurisdiction areas of law.
Doughty Street Chambers is a slickly oiled machine and is very well served by a competent & professional clerking team who are always very quick to react to requests for counsel assistance.
Doughty Street Chambers is an impressive chambers with highly intelligent, smart and politically savvy lawyers that push the law for the benefit of their clients and wider society.
Doughty Street has one of the best teams of barristers for acting for bereaved families in the country, all the barristers I have used in their team have been excellent.
Doughty street have a well deserved reputation as a strong extradition set.
Doughty Street have run incredibly useful training seminars for free during the pandemic.
Doughty street is a class act, across the board. They attract bright and dedicated lawyers so, at every level you have confidence in those offered to you and those you instruct.
Doughty Street is a consistently excellent chambers.
Doughty street is one of the best chambers we have in London.
Doughty Street offer a significant human rights support network.
I have worked with a few barristers at Doughty Street and overall I can safely say that the set does produce high quality barristers and I don’t recall ever having had a bad or negative experience.
They provide useful and well-pitched training sessions, and have recently also been holding very progressive and much-needed sessions on stress management for lawyers and promoting mental health awareness in the legal sector.
They are very down-to-earth for such an established set, and put considerable effort into maintaining genuinely good, friendly and collaborative relationships with instructing solicitors.
The chambers are a top set with an extensive array of very talented barristers, who have a passion for rights and justice. They understand client needs and will try to assist whenever possible.
The chambers are fantastic in all respects, including their extremely approachable/friendly/efficient clerking. They are a joy to work with.
You know that whoever holds a brief on a matter, at Doughty Street, is going to be a first class barrister. I’d say they have the best calibre of barristers, in great depth.
Doughty Street Chambers > Set Profile
Heads of chambers: Geoffrey Robertson QC, Edward Fitzgerald CBE QC
Senior practice managers: Sian Wilkins, Matthew Butchard
Tenants: 159
The chambers: Doughty Street Chambers is a set of internationally renowned barristers with a reputation for excellence, passion, and the provision of fresh perspectives on the law. Chambers specialises in many fields across multiple jurisdictions, often in cases with a strong emphasis on human rights and civil liberties. Clients are offered a commitment to hard work and an innovative, multi-disciplinary approach. The set comprises over 150 barristers all with a fundamental commitment to going ‘above and beyond’ for clients. Clients include homeless families, children, victims of trafficking, the socially disadvantaged, the mentally and physically disabled, asylum seekers, those accused of criminal offences, regulated professionals, company directors, magic circle and Big 4 firms, United Nations officials, ministers and heads of government, and sovereign states as well as the instructing solicitors who represent them. Members practise in crime, civil law, public and administrative law, international law, mediation, and arbitration from our offices in London and Manchester.
Types of work undertaken: Doughty Street provides specialist practitioners at all levels of seniority in civil and criminal work, offering advice and representation before all the courts of England and Wales and the rest of the UK as well as in Europe and other jurisdictions worldwide. Members are often involved in high-profile, precedent-setting cases. Principal areas of practice include administrative and public law, civil liberties and all aspects of criminal law including the following:
Actions against the police and public authorities; administrative and public law; clinical negligence and personal injury; community care and health; corporate governance and policy; education law; employment law and industrial relations; equality and discrimination; freedom of information and data protection; housing and social welfare; asylum and personal immigration; business and commercial immigration; inquests and public inquiries; public and private international law; land and property; media law and defamation; mental health and Court of Protection; national security; prison law and criminal justice; product liability and group actions; professional discipline and regulation; solicitors’ negligence and professional liability; sports law.
Criminal appeals; courts martial; extradition; homicide and related grave offences; international crime; protest cases; regulatory and financial crime; terrorism.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Members of Chambers | ROBERTSON QC, Geoffrey (1973) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FITZGERALD CBE QC, Edward (1978) | ||
| Members of Chambers | KENNEDY QC, Helena (1972) | ||
| Members of Chambers | O'CONNOR QC, Patrick (1970) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SALLON QC, Christopher (1973) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CARTER QC, Peter (1974) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WOOD QC, James (1975) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HALL QC, Andrew (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ROGERS QC, Heather (1983) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BENNATHAN QC, Joel (1985) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WILLIAMS QC, Heather (1985) | ||
| Members of Chambers | OPPENHEIM QC, Robin (1988) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WATERMAN QC, Adrian (1988) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BOWEN QC, Nicholas (1984) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BENTLEY QC, David (1984) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FORSHALL QC, Isabella (1982) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WESTGATE QC, Martin (1985) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WHITFIELD QC, Jonathan (1985) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HUCKLE QC, Theo (1985) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WEERERATNE QC, Aswini (1986) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HISLOP QC, David (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STONE QC, Joe (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BRIMELOW QC, Kirsty (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FISHER QC, Richard (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TROWLER QC, Rebecca (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ELLIOTT QC, Sarah (1996) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CRAGG QC, Stephen (1996) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HILL QC, Henrietta (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GALLAGHER QC, Caoilfhionn (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MOLONEY QC, Tim (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | KNAFLER QC, Stephen (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BOWERS QC, Rupert (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | THORNE QC, Katy (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | POWLES QC, Steven (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | COOPER QC, Ben (2020) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CARTER, David (1971) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HOUGH, Christopher (1981) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SAMUEL, Gerwyn (1986) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SOERTSZ, Lauren (1987) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MILES, Sophy (2015) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TAYLOR QC, Paul (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BROWN, Nick (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MAIDMENT, Kieran (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WHITAKER, Quincy (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | REEDER, Stephen (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | NABI, Zia (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ADDY, Caroline (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | COX, Simon (1992) | ||
| Members of Chambers | COOPER, Jonathan (1992) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MURPHY, Fiona (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WALSH, John (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HENDERSON, Mark (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DRAYCOTT, Paul (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | RAWLINGS, Clive (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MACKIE, Jeannie (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BROWN, Althea (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PRESTON, Dominic (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CALDWELL, Peter (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CHATAWAY, Ben (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GOODALL, Emma (1996) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MUKHERJEE, Krishnendu (1996) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TOMS, Nicholas (1996) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BURNHAM, Ulele (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JOHNSON, LIndsay (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MIDDLETON, Joe (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STANAGE, Nick (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | VINE, Sarah (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LENNON, Jonathan (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SKIAND, Maya (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ARSHAD, Farrhat (1998) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SHEPHERD, Jim (1998) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BURTON, Jamie (1999) | ||
| Members of Chambers | COOPER, Ben (1999) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GREEN, Garry (1999) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HOBSON, John (1999) | ||
| Members of Chambers | NARAIN, Benjamin (1999) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LEMER, David (2000) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MUSHTAQ, Erim (2000) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LEWIS, Oliver (2000) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BRANDER, Ruth (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HART, Amanda (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HAYWOOD, Phil (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MARQUIS, Piers (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SLEEMAN, Sue (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WALDMAN, Amos (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WALKER, Liam (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DUBINSKY, Laura (2002) | ||
| Members of Chambers | RHODES, David (2002) | ||
| Members of Chambers | THOMAS, Richard (2002) | ||
| Members of Chambers | EASTWOOD, Philippa (2003) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GERRY, Alison (2003) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PATRICK, Angela (2003) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MACKENZIE, Alasdair (2004) | ||
| Members of Chambers | NEWTON, Benjamin (2004) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PRICE, Jonathan (2004) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STRAW, Adam (2004) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HAINES, David (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MANKAU, Louise (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GORASIA, Paras (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STEPHENSON, David (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BUNTING, Jude (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | NICE, Amelia (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LUH, Shu Shin (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HIRST, Leonie (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | VAUGHAN, Anthony (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HAWKES, Malcolm (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HOBCRAFT, Gemma (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HIRST, Megan (2015) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ROBINSON, Jennifer (2016) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PRICE, Louise (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ANNAND, Kate (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BEATTIE, Kate (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | EATWELL, Tatyana (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | OKEWALE, Tunde (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TIMAN, Annabel (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WAGNER, Adam (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WESTCOTT, Mary (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GASK, Alex (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | KNORR, Michelle (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MEREDITH, Catherine (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SAMUEL, Zimran (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STEINHARDT, Sarah (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STEVENS, Tom (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MOFFATT, Rowena (2009) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BRIGHT, Abigail (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CLOONEY, Amal (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | COHEN, Marisa (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JOHNSON, Harriet (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MIR, Maryam (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | NICHOLLS, Jesse (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ROCHE, Maria (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HALL, Graeme (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JACOBS, Sam (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MASON, Paul (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BAGOTT, Peta-Louise (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | O'RAGHALLAIGH, Kate (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SCOTT, Emma (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GONIN, Emilie (2015) | ||
| Members of Chambers | COOKE-HURLE, Tim (2012) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DOUGLAS, Hayley (2012) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TAYLOR, Jake (2012) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BENFIELD, Antonia (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CLARKE, Daniel (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | O'BYRNE, Katherine (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SANE, Jelia (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | YOSHIDA, Keina (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LYKOURGOU, Karlia (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JOHNSON, Christopher (2014) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PATYNA, Agata (2014) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WADDOUP, Daniella (2014) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WOODROW, Pippa (2014) | ||
| Members of Chambers | OVERMAN, Claire (2014) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BARKER, Paul (2015) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MCCABE, Mary-Rachel (2015) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SYKES, Christopher (2015) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HARPER, Zoe (2015) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GROSSMAN, Beth (2016) | ||
| Members of Chambers | KHERBANE, Rabah (2016) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DALY, Gemma (2017) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HURSIT, Turan (2017 | ||
| Members of Chambers | POWELL, Frederick (2017) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CORNAGLIA, Margherita (2017) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DUFFY, Clare (2017) | ||
| Members of Chambers | IRVING, Alice (2018) |
Barrister Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Caroline Addy | View Profile | |
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Kate Annand | Kate has a broad civil practice in international and European human rights… | View Profile |
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Farrhat Arshad | Described by Chambers and Partners as, “excellent in Court” and Legal 500… | View Profile |
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Peta-Louise Bagott | Peta-Louise specialises in crime, international crime, and regulatory law. | View Profile |
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Paul Barker | Paul Barker is a barrister specialising in International Arbitration and Public International… | View Profile |
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Kate Beattie | View Profile | |
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Antonia Benfield | Antonia is an immigration and public law specialist with particular expertise in… | View Profile |
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Joel Bennathan | Joel Bennathan QC has an established defence practice in serious and complex… | View Profile |
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David Bentley | David Bentley QC is a highly regarded criminal defence specialist, whose practice… | View Profile |
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Nicholas Bowen | Nicholas Bowen QC specialises in damages claims in tort and under the… | View Profile |
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Rupert Bowers | Rupert Bowers QC was called to the Bar in 1995 and took… | View Profile |
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Ruth Brander | Ruth specialises in civil actions against the police, public law, prisoners’ rights,… | View Profile |
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Abigail Bright | With a strong academic background, Abigail’s practice is diverse. She brings a… | View Profile |
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Kirsty Brimelow | Kirsty is the winner of the First 100 years Inspirational Barrister Woman… | View Profile |
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Althea Brown | Althea Brown is a specialist in employment, equality law, both public and… | View Profile |
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Nick Brown | Before coming to the Bar, Nick worked for a firm of solicitors,… | View Profile |
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Jude Bunting | View Profile | |
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Ulele Burnham | Ulele Burnham’s practice spans the law relating to mental capacity and mental… | View Profile |
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Jamie Burton | Jamie’s main areas of practise are human rights, community and health care,… | View Profile |
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Peter Caldwell | Peter is ranked by Legal 500 and Chambers UK as a leading… | View Profile |
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Peter Carter | View Profile | |
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David Carter | David specialises in housing, local government, human rights, discrimination and public law. | View Profile |
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Ben Chataway | Ben specialises in housing and social welfare, community care and public law. | View Profile |
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Daniel Clarke | Daniel has a wide range of experience across private law, public law… | View Profile |
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Amal Clooney | Amal represents clients before international courts including the International Criminal Court, the… | View Profile |
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Marisa Cohen | View Profile | |
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Tim Cooke-Hurle | Tim Cooke-Hurle practices in a broad range of civil and international law,… | View Profile |
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Jonathan Cooper | Jonathan Cooper is a Human Rights specialist with experience before English and… | View Profile |
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Ben Cooper | Ben defends some of the most complex and difficult extradition and criminal… | View Profile |
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Margherita Cornaglia | During pupillage, Margherita was supervised by Adam Straw, Steven Powles QC and… | View Profile |
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Simon Cox | Simon’s work includes judicial review, immigration, European Union and international law, social… | View Profile |
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Stephen Cragg | Stephen Cragg QC is an experienced specialist in public law and human… | View Profile |
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Gemma Daly | Gemma specialises in mental capacity and mental health law, inquests, and public… | View Profile |
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Hayley Douglas | Hayley specialises in crime, public law and human rights. In addition to… | View Profile |
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Laura Dubinsky | Laura works extensively in public law at all levels, with a particular… | View Profile |
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Clare Duffy | Clare joined Chambers in October 2019 upon completion of her pupillage under… | View Profile |
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Philippa Eastwood | Philippa is an established criminal defence advocate, regularly instructed in complex and… | View Profile |
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Tatyana Eatwell | View Profile | |
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Sarah Elliott | Sarah has a proven track record in achieving successful outcomes for clients… | View Profile |
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Richard Fisher | Richard Fisher QC provides advice and advocacy for clients whose cases involve… | View Profile |
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Edward Fitzgerald | Edward Fitzgerald QC has been named Human Rights and Public Law Silk… | View Profile |
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Isabella Forshall | sabella Forshall is a specialist criminal practitioner who listens carefully to clients… | View Profile |
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Caoilfhionn Gallagher | Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC is a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, specialising in… | View Profile |
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Alex Gask | Alex is a specialist in the protection of civil liberties and human… | View Profile |
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Alison Gerry | View Profile | |
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Emilie Gonin | Emilie specialises in investment treaty arbitration, public international law, human rights and… | View Profile |
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Emma Goodall | Emma is a specialist criminal practitioner. | View Profile |
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Paras Gorasia | Paras is a leading senior junior barrister specialising in Employment and Employment… | View Profile |
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Garry Green | A passionate and committed advocate, Garry Green fearlessly defends his clients’ right… | View Profile |
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Beth Grossman | Beth is a specialist in media and employment, equality and discrimination law. | View Profile |
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Andrew Hall | Andrew Hall is consistently named as a leader in his field and… | View Profile |
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Graeme Hall | Graeme is at the forefront of defence extradition work, both nationally and… | View Profile |
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Zoe Harper | Zoe practises in immigration, human rights and public law. She specialises in… | View Profile |
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Amanda Hart | Amanda is a highly experienced lawyer in the practice areas of employment,… | View Profile |
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Malcolm Hawkes | View Profile | |
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Phil Haywood | Prior to being called to the Bar, Phil Haywood qualified as a… | View Profile |
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Mark Henderson | According to the legal directories, he is “one of the finest legal… | View Profile |
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Nichola Higgins | A leading practitioner in the field of financial and corporate crime, Nichola… | View Profile |
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Henrietta Hill | Henrietta Hill QC specialises in inquests and public inquiries, claims against the… | View Profile |
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Megan Hirst | View Profile | |
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David Hislop | “Hislop possessed calm and charm in great measure, but could strike like a cobra.”–… | View Profile |
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Gemma Hobcraft | Gemma practises in professional discipline and regulatory work and public law. Gemma… | View Profile |
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Christopher Hough | Chris Hough specialises in clinical negligence, catastrophic personal injury and solicitors’ negligence… | View Profile |
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Theo Huckle | Head of Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury Team at Doughty Street | View Profile |
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Sam Jacobs | Sam has significant experience in both private and public law matters, primarily… | View Profile |
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Lindsay Johnson | Lindsay’s practice involves advocacy, advice and drafting, predominately in public law matters,… | View Profile |
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Christopher Johnson | Christopher’s practice encompasses medical/healthcare disputes and complex personal injury disputes. | View Profile |
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Baroness Helena Kennedy | Helena Kennedy practises predominantly in the criminal law, undertaking leading work of… | View Profile |
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Rabah Kherbane | Rabah specialises in crime, and the range of issues which arise in,… | View Profile |
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Michelle Knorr | Michelle is a specialist practitioner in immigration, asylum, human rights and public… | View Profile |
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David Lemer | David practises predominantly in immigration, asylum, public law, and employment and as… | View Profile |
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Jonathan Lennon | Jonathan Lennon’s practice encompasses serious and complex crime as well as financial,… | View Profile |
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Dr Oliver Lewis | Oliver Lewis specialises in public law and human rights, with a focus… | View Profile |
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Karlia Lykourgou | Karlia is a defence barrister who specialises in crime, extradition and public… | View Profile |
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Alasdair Mackenzie | Alasdair Mackenzie is an experienced specialist in immigration and asylum law. Alasdair… | View Profile |
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Kieran Maidment | Kieran Maidment specialises in criminal law. | View Profile |
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Louise Mankau | View Profile | |
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Piers Marquis | Piers Marquis is a committed criminal defence barrister best, but not exclusively,… | View Profile |
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Paul Mason | View Profile | |
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Mary-Rachel McCabe | Mary-Rachel specialises in mental capacity, community care and housing law, with a… | View Profile |
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Catherine Meredith | Catherine is human rights and public law specialist with particular expertise in… | View Profile |
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Joe Middleton | Joe Middleton is a versatile practitioner with crossover expertise in immigration, extradition,… | View Profile |
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Sophy Miles | View Profile | |
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Maryam Mir | View Profile | |
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Rowena Moffatt | Rowena is a public law practitioner whose main areas of practice are… | View Profile |
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Tim Moloney | Tim is the Joint Deputy Head of Chambers. Chambers and Partners describe… | View Profile |
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Krishnendu Mukherjee | Krishnendu Mukherjee is a barrister a specialising in immigration and business and… | View Profile |
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Fiona Murphy | Fiona Murphy is Joint Deputy Head of Chambers and is ranked in… | View Profile |
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Zia Nabi | Zia specialises in civil and public law. | View Profile |
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Benjamin Narain | Ben has been regularly instructed in all areas of criminal law: murder; serious… | View Profile |
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Benjamin Newton | Benjamin Newton is instructed to defend those accused of the most serious… | View Profile |
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Amelia Nice | View Profile | |
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Jesse Nicholls | Jesse specialises in public law, human rights, inquests and civil actions against… | View Profile |
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Patrick O’Connor QC | Patrick O’Connor Q.C. practices in the broadest range of criminal and civil… | View Profile |
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Kate O’Raghallaigh | Kate specialises in crime, extradition and crime related public law. | View Profile |
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Katherine O'Byrne | Katie has a broad practice specialising in international law, human rights, public… | View Profile |
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Tunde Okewale | Tunde Okewale MBE is a leading junior Barrister at the Criminal Bar.… | View Profile |
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Robin Oppenheim | Chambers and Partners describe Robin as “A go-to barrister for extremely high-value… | View Profile |
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Claire Overman | Claire specialises in all aspects of media and information law, including defamation,… | View Profile |
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Angela Patrick | Angela is a specialist in public law, civil liberties and human rights.… | View Profile |
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Agata Patyna | Agata specialises in an immigration and public law and has particular expertise… | View Profile |
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Alison Pickup | Alison is the Legal Director of the Public Law Project, a national… | View Profile |
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Frederick Powelll | Frederick represents vulnerable claimants who have been subject to mistreatment at the… | View Profile |
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Steven Powles | He has represented a number of high profile clients, accused of the… | View Profile |
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Dominic Preston | Dominic Preston is a public law lawyer specialising in housing, community care… | View Profile |
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Jonathan Price | View Profile | |
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Louise Price | Louise specialises in employment, discrimination and education law. She also undertakes work… | View Profile |
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Clive Rawlings | View Profile | |
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Stephen Reeder | Stephen specialises in the allied fields of public & administrative law, housing,… | View Profile |
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David Rhodes | “David’s closing speech was powerful, reasoned and engaging” – a recent client… | View Profile |
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Geoffrey Robertson | Geoffrey Robertson QC is founder and joint head of Doughty Street Chambers. | View Profile |
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Jennifer Robinson | Jen specialises in media law, public law and international law. | View Profile |
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Heather Rogers | View Profile | |
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Gerwyn Samuel | Gerwyn acts for substantial numbers of Claimants in a wide range of… | View Profile |
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Zimran Samuel | Zimran Samuel is an experienced human rights practitioner with a wide… | View Profile |
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Jelia Sane | Jelia practises in the areas of immigration and asylum, human rights, public… | View Profile |
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Jim Shepherd | Jim is a member of the Housing and Social Welfare Team and… | View Profile |
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Sue Sleeman | Sue has a mixed civil practice covering employment and professional disciplinary/regulatory law.… | View Profile |
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Lauren Soertsz | Described in the Legal 500 (2015) as a “Class Act” and ranked in Chambers and… | View Profile |
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Martha Spurrier | Martha is a human rights lawyer and campaigner. She is the Director… | View Profile |
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Nick Stanage | Nick Stanage specialises in actions against the police, inquests, immigration and related… | View Profile |
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Sarah Steinhardt | View Profile | |
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David Stephenson | David practises principally in the fields of employment and discrimination law and… | View Profile |
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Tom Stevens | Tom is a specialist criminal defence barrister with extensive experience of both… | View Profile |
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Joe Stone | Joe Stone QC has specialised in criminal defence for over 30 years. … | View Profile |
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Adam Straw | View Profile | |
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Christopher Sykes | Christopher specialises in criminal and regulatory advocacy | View Profile |
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Paul Taylor | Paul specialises in criminal appeals. He has developed a particular expertise in… | View Profile |
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Jake Taylor | Jake is a specialist defence barrister with expertise in defending those accused… | View Profile |
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Richard Thomas | Richard has extensive experience of complex and high-profile trials and appeals. He… | View Profile |
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Katy Thorne | Katy Thorne QC has over 25 years’ experience of defending in the… | View Profile |
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Annabel Timan | Annabel is a leading junior with particular expertise in international criminal and… | View Profile |
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Nicholas Toms | View Profile | |
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Rebecca Trowler | Chambers & Partners describe Rebecca as: “an exceptional silk” who is in… | View Profile |
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Sarah Vine | Sarah is a specialist practitioner who is instructed alone and as a… | View Profile |
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Daniella Waddoup | The focus of Daniella’s practice is criminal justice and mental health and… | View Profile |
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Adam Wagner | View Profile | |
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Amos Waldman | Criminal defence specialist with an emphasis on regulatory and financial crime, including… | View Profile |
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Liam Walker | Liam Walker is recognised by both The Legal 500 and Chambers &… | View Profile |
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John Walsh | John represents clients in immigration tribunals, parole hearings and special educational needs… | View Profile |
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Aswini Weereratne | Aswini Weereratne has built a diverse practice in challenging areas. Her expertise… | View Profile |
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Mary Westcott | Mary is an extradition barrister with a first-rate reputation for her specialist… | View Profile |
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Martin Westgate | Martin Westgate has a consistent track record of advice and representation in… | View Profile |
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Quincy Whitaker | Quincy Whitaker’s work encompasses all aspects of domestic and international criminal justice… | View Profile |
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Jonathan Whitfield | Jon specialises in defending cases of homicide, terrorism, regulatory & financial crime… | View Profile |
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Heather Williams | Heather specialises in civil liberties and human rights cases, including civil actions,… | View Profile |
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James Wood | Enormously experienced, driven, gutsy, calm and determined, James has a broad based… | View Profile |
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Pippa Woodrow | View Profile | |
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Keina Yoshida | Keina practises in the areas of human rights, public law, inquiries and… | View Profile |
Diversity
At Doughty Street Chambers, diversity is welcomed, celebrated, essential. We aim to stifle the myth that there is an acceptable way to look, talk or act to be a member of the Bar.
A commitment to promoting human rights and equality has always been part of our ethos. Securing equality, diversity and inclusion is one our five key values.
Diversity at the Bar is a driver of excellence. It is necessary to improve public confidence in the justice system: legal representatives need to reflect the society we live in. We also know that diversity is not just a fad, nor is it merely a ‘numbers’ game.
Our policies and culture play a vital role in ensuring we build an inclusive environment where all our people can grow and flourish. To achieve this, Doughty Street takes a systematic approach, with bold action on diversity and inclusion. We have a clear, innovative, impactful and joined-up diversity and inclusion strategy across Chambers that reflects our values and needs.
Our Equality, Diversity, Wellbeing and Inclusion Strategy Committee co-ordinates the initiatives of all diversity groups within chambers through a dynamic action plan for chambers towards achieving its diversity and inclusion goals. Doughty Street ensures there is cross representation of diversity across all governing committees within Chambers, as represented in all KPI data.
Doughty Street promotes diversity-targeted initiatives via partnerships and chambers diversity groups which cover all EDI aspects of Chambers life, including: Anti-Racist Pledges, OUTy Street LGTB+ group, #DoughtyStWomen, Fair Allocation of Work, Wellbeing and Inclusion, Neurodiversity in Law, Disabled Lawyers Network, City Disabilities (we are a Disability Confident Employer), Sutton Trust, The Bar Council, Diversity Working Group, Bridging the Bar, Stamma and Urban Synergy. We hold selected inclusive events such as Holocaust Memorial Day, International Justice Day, and the International Women’s’ Day conference.
Our new website now clearly showcases Doughty Street’s commitment to securing equality, diversity and inclusion, and our first Diversity-specific page demonstrates best practice throughout for the legal profession with regard to this agenda.
We are committed to promoting careers in the law to those from under-represented and disadvantaged backgrounds. Our outreach initiatives page details more information about this, together with Chambers’ E&D Policy and Chambers’ Bullying and Harassment Policy.
Some of the improvements achieved in creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace at Doughty Street Chambers are indicated by diversity data and statistics covering the past 3 years to date, which can be found here and here.
Client testimonials
CLIENT: Neil Hudgell
COMPANY/FIRM: Hudgell Solicitors
TESTIMONIAL: Hudgell Solicitors have been delighted to work alongside and instruct Doughty Street Chambers for a number of years now. Their knowledge and expertise has been invaluable to our legal team in many cases involving complicated areas of law, and in cases of high national significance and profile, including Public Inquiries, High Court Appeals and Inquests. What appeals to us is the client focussed approach of the Doughty Street team, which matches that of our own, their speed of work, clarity in communication and direction and their willingness to work together commercially to achieve a model that suits all parties.
CLIENT: Merry Varney
COMPANY/FIRM: Leigh Day
TESTIMONIAL: Doughty Street is a formidable Chambers offering a wide range of services and expertise. DSC lives up to its reputation as a leader in the field of human rights, public law and civil liberties with creative and dynamic barristers across the levels of seniority, who work collaboratively with us to deliver the best for our clients. The clerking service has gone from strength to strength and now delivers a fantastic service, with clerks easily accessible and ever helpful. DSC also offers an impressive array of seminars, delivered by their leading barristers and highly recommended!
CLIENT: Anita Vasisht
COMPANY/FIRM: Wilson Solicitors LLP
TESTIMONIAL: We are immensely proud of our longstanding and close relationship with Doughty Street’s recently expanded “elite force” immigration team led by the brilliant Joe Middleton and Alasdair Mackenzie. There are so many stars in the team it seems unfair to name individuals: every single counsel is thoroughly committed, supportive, client-focused, extraordinarily able, tenacious and ferocious when it counts. Those with greater experience possess the most in depth legal knowledge as well as the ability to skillfully prosecute cases in the highest courts.
CLIENT: Amirah Ajaz
COMPANY/FIRM: ABV Solicitors
TESTIMONIAL: Doughty Street ticks all the boxes. It is one of the most reputable chamber sets out there. The clerks are super-efficient and work tirelessly to provide a professional and first class service. Doughty Street has a wealth of outstanding Counsel and Queens Counsel who are very well respected within the industry and are highly sought after for their excellence. Their expertise is multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional making them a leading set in the UK.
CLIENT: Anna Lees
COMPANY/FIRM: Analysis Legal LLP
TESTIMONIAL: Analysis Legal have been working with Doughty Street for a number of years and they are our “go to” Chambers. The team at Doughty Street offer high quality advice at competitive rates. They offer excellent Clerking via a great team who are helpful and responsive. The Barristers are first class, they are knowledgeable but also commercial and accessible, which is very important to us. They are pragmatic, approachable and down to earth and we can’t speak highly enough about them. We work with them regularly and feel like they are an extension to our team of Employment Lawyers. We work with their junior barristers on certain cases, and know that we will receive high quality, well beyond their level of qualification and we also work with their senior barristers on the more complex claims and know that we will get first class service.
CLIENT: Nicholas Dent
COMPANY/FIRM: Kingsley Napley LLP
TESTIMONIAL: Doughty Street Chambers is a leading set of criminal defence barristers renowned for the advocacy skills of its Counsel, from Pupils to Senior QCs. Barristers cover the full spectrum of criminal defence work, from serious crimes to complex white collar investigations. The set is also well known for its commitment to human rights and access to justice, adept at dealing with public law and judicial review matters arising from criminal cases. The enthusiastic and proactive clerking team is led by Matt Butchard. We commend their collegiate approach towards working with us, and find the clerks both personable and conscientious.
Top Tier Set Rankings
- London Bar Inquests and inquiries
- London Bar International crime and extradition
- Regional Bar Immigration
- London Bar Clinical negligence
- London Bar Data protection
- London Bar Public international law
- London Bar Social housing
Set Rankings
- London Bar Civil liberties and human rights (including actions against the police)
- London Bar Court of Protection and community care
- London Bar Crime
- London Bar Immigration (including business immigration)
- London Bar Employment
- London Bar Proceeds of crime (POCA) and asset forfeiture
- London Bar Product liability
- London Bar Education
- London Bar Administrative and public law (including elections)
- London Bar Defamation and privacy
- London Bar Fraud: crime
- London Bar Professional disciplinary and regulatory law
- London Bar Personal injury, industrial disease and insurance fraud
- Regional Bar Administrative and public law (including civil liberties and human rights)
- Regional Bar Crime (general and fraud)
- Regional Bar Employment
- Regional Bar Personal injury
- Regional Bar Set overviews: England and Wales
- London Bar Set overviews: England and Wales
- Regional Bar Social housing