Set Profile > Twenty Essex > London, England
Twenty Essex Offices
Twenty Essex
20 ESSEX STREET
LONDON
WC2R 3AL
England
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Twenty Essex > The Legal 500 Rankings
London Bar > Commodities Tier 1
Twenty Essex has ‘a huge concentration of expertise and familiarity with commodities associations, as well as deep and long-standing expertise in an area in which you cannot dabble’. It is widely regarded as the leading set across the full spectrum of commodities cases, including areas of growing importance such as commodities fraud and cryptoasset trading. Leading junior Angharad Parry was also involved in a novel case, having obtained the first reported worldwide freezing order granted by an English court in relation to a Scottish limited partnership. Among its members are some of the leading names in shipping, commodities and international trade, notably Timothy Young QC and Michael Ashcroft QC, the latter having handled a major off-specification fuel oil dispute in Commercial Court. Michael Collett QC and outstanding junior Oliver Caplin recently were recently involved in MT “Tenacity” – Tenacity Marine Inc v NOC Swiss LLC, which concerned the alleged misdelivery of cargo without presentation of bills of lading following the insolvency of Gulf Petroleum.Leading Silks
2020 Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Set
‘Twenty Essex is my go-to set for commodities work. They have a great range of counsel at differing levels of seniority. The clerks are friendly, proactive and approachable. They are willing to be flexible on rates when appropriate.’
‘It has excellent strength in depth and always has someone available at the requested level of call and quality.’
‘Easy to work with and methodical.’
‘A very good set with some market-leading silks.’
‘Twenty Essex is my go-to commercial set in London. I think it has great strength in depth and provides top-quality service at prices which are acceptable. I have always felt that I am putting my clients in very good hands.’
Clerks
‘All have been patient, understanding and proactive.’
‘The clerking is reliable, with no need to chase for updates, quotes or communications with the court.’
‘Twenty Essex’s clerks provide great support. I never have to quibble over a brief. Discussions are frank and fair and for one-off advice work, the turnaround times and pricing are good.’
‘Anthony Carroll in particular is very responsive, commercial and a pleasure to deal with.’
‘A very good team – I think Chris Theobald is one of the best.’
London Bar > International arbitration: arbitrators Tier 1
Twenty Essex is praised for its 'very strong bench of well-known arbitrators' who range from former judges through to practicing barristers. The set, which has a strong background in shipping, international trade and broader commercial and investment treaty disputes, has several counsel who have excellent arbitrator credentials, with Duncan Matthews QC being a prime example. This is in addition to a strong cohort of full time arbitrators, including ex judges such as Sir Bernard Rix, and distinguished former solicitors including Judith Gill QC, Julian Lew QC and David Sutton. Clients appreciate the service, commending the set for being 'very experienced in clerking arbitrators'.
Testimonials
Set
‘Leading set for arbitration.’
‘Twenty Essex is undoubtedly still one of small number of go-to sets for arbitration/public international law work, with a very strong bench at all levels. I really rate them.’
‘Twenty Essex are one of the top players in International Arbitration.’
‘Great set, use them regularly,’
Clerking
‘I would like to credit Catherine Reeves as the arbitrators’ practice manager, for doing an outstanding job not just on the organisational side but also and – perhaps more importantly – working really hard on the profile raising efforts which are critical to growing and maintaining arbitrators’ practices. She is a real unsung hero.’
”The clerks are a very good and decent team. ‘
‘Clerks are very responsive and commercial.’
‘Very experienced in clerking Arbitrators.’
‘Arron Zitver has always been a stand out performer.’
London Bar > Public international law Tier 1
Twenty Essex fields a selection of the market's top public international law barristers, with a commendable range of expertise at the most senior and junior levels. Several, such as Sir Michael Wood KCMG and Sir Daniel Bethlehem QC came from distinguished legal careers at the UK Foreign Office, and bring a mixture of public and private expertise to a broad range of major international disputes. Notable case highlights include Islamic Republic of Iran v United States of America, concerning the question of whether the rights victims of Iranian terrorism to pursue compensation in the US courts is a treaty violation; Bethlehem is leading Belinda McRae on behalf of the USA, with Philippa Webb a member of the opposing team. Bethlehem, Webb, Wood, Sudhanshu Swaroop QC and Guglielmo Verdirame QC are also representing Italy in the MB Enrica Lexie case between India and Italy, concerning an incident where two Italian Navy marines protecting a commercial ship were detained by Indian forces after two fishermen were found shot dead off the coast of Kerala.
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Set
‘Excellent set for PIL.’
London Bar > Commercial litigation Tier 2
Twenty Essex 'is an excellent chambers for commercial disputes' and has made strong inroads into the market in recent years. Clients are quick to praise its 'impressive array of commercial barristers who are leaders in their field or will be leaders of the next generation'. Duncan Matthews QC is one of the set's leading silks and represented the fourth defendant, Igor Mints, against fraudulent conspiracy claims brought by two Russian banks in PJSC National Bank Trust v Mints, a case that involved six members in total, with Philip Edey QC and Andrew Fulton QC representing Russian businessman Boris Mints. Paul Lowenstein QC and Sam Goodman are also representing the Frontier Investment Management Partners, the third defendant in The Libyan Investment Authority v Credit Suisse International and ors, one of a portfolio of disputes concerning Libya's sovereign wealth fund.
Rising stars
Leading Silks
2020 Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Set
‘Twenty Essex is an excellent set with whom I and my firm work with regularly. They have excellent counsel at all levels of seniority and each is approachable and provides high quality advice.’
‘Twenty Essex are brilliant and are on the rise.’
‘Twenty Essex offers great variety of counsel and availability.’
‘Twenty Essex are an excellent set with expertise across the experience spectrum. In terms of banking and commercial work they are one of the very best and their growing practice in insolvency will stand them in good stead for many years to come.’
‘A very commercial set. I love to work with Twenty Essex.’
Clerking
‘Very strong support, friendly, professional and commercial. Tara Shah seems to know what instructing solicitors want and how to deliver the service.’
‘Flawless service. Sam McDowell is a real asset. He is extremely on the ball, always available, follows through on every task.’
‘Jemma Tagg has brought admirable modernity to the set and it seems to be thriving as a result. We have also received excellent training sessions from them on many occasions, on all sorts of commercial litigation issues.’
‘Tara Shah is friendly, communicative and easy to deal with. I am always thrilled to be dealing with her on a case.’
‘Chris Theobald is excellent.’
London Bar > Fraud: civil Tier 2
Twenty Essex is 'a very strong set with a wide range of experiences ranging from top-notch QCs to extremely able juniors starting out on their careers'. Civil fraud claims regularly feature on the agenda, often with a link to the set's traditional strengths in trade, commodities, and international arbitration, as well as other areas of growth such as banking, insolvency and offshore claims. Six members represented the defendants against fraudulent conspiracy claims brought by two Russian banks in PJSC National Bank Trust and PJSC Otkritie Bank Financial Corporation v Mints, with Philip Edey QC and Andrew Fulton QC representing Boris Mints, and Duncan Matthews QC defending his son, Igor Mints. Paul Lowenstein QC is also representing Standard Chartered in Standard Chartered Bank and another v Holdwave Trading Ltd and another, a fraud case involving accusations of money laundering.
Rising stars
Leading Silks
2020 Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Set
‘Twenty Essex are a formidable set with real depth and breadth of talent, both in arbitration as well as litigation.’
‘They are reliable and dependable and have a very good crew on board.’
‘Always have strong barristers to put forward for any matter.’
‘Clearly a leading set for civil fraud.’
‘A fantastic set, usually my first port of call.’
Clerking
‘Chris Theobald at Twenty Essex is an outstanding clerk who understands instructing solicitors’ demands and commercial objectives.’
‘Excellent. Tara Shah is an excellent clerk. Pleasure to work with.’
‘The clerks are great and will deal with queries promptly.’
‘Extremely helpful and experienced clerks. Good availability and, when required, will go the extra mile.’
‘Excellent, with a special mention to Chris Theobald who is always available and willing to assist.’
London Bar > International arbitration: counsel Tier 2
Twenty Essex is a 'premier chambers in international arbitration' with a selection of top-notch silks and juniors. The members cover a broad range of disputes, including investment treaty claims, as well as broader commercial, shipping and commodities arbitrations. In recent years it has also done well in recruiting esteemed former solicitor advocates, with Wendy Miles QC being the latest most high profile example. Significant public disputes include PL Holdings SARL v Republic of Poland, a dispute over an alleged forced sale of a Polish bank, in which Sara Masters QC and Belinda McRae represented Polish government, with Philip Riches QC and rising star Sam Goodman acting for the investors.
Rising stars
Leading Silks
2020 Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Set
‘Twenty Essex is well-known in the market as having excellent bench strength in arbitration, with consistently high quality counsel at all levels of seniority.’
‘Leading set for arbitration.’
‘Twenty Essex is undoubtedly still one of small number of “go to” sets for arbitration/public international law work, with a very strong bench at all levels. I really rate them.’
‘Twenty Essex is known for its silks but has an incredible team of juniors as well.’
‘Twenty Essex are one of the top players in International Arbitration.’
Clerking
‘The clerks are a very good and decent team.’
‘Very nice people to work with, always willing to help the clients.’
‘Clerks are very responsive and commercial.’
‘Excellent – Arron Zitver has always been a stand out performer.’
‘Excellent, with a special mention to Chris Theobald who is always available and willing to assist.’
London Bar > Shipping Tier 2
Fielding 'great strength in depth across all levels of call', Twenty Essex offers clients silks and juniors of 'excellent quality'. Michael Ashcroft QC remains active on many of the largest cases in the shipping Bar. In 2020, he appeared several times before the Commercial Court, and has recently been instructed by Evergreen Marine to advise on matters related to the grounding of the Ever Given in March 2021, which blocked the Suez Canal for six days. Timothy Hill QC also had a strong year, handling CMA CGM Libra in the Court of Appeal; permission has been granted to appeal this case to the Supreme Court, where it will be heard in 2021. This dispute is the first time in almost 60 years that the highest court in the United Kingdom (and the first ever under the Supreme Court name) has considered the legal test for seaworthiness, in particular the extent to which a shipowner is obligated to exercise due diligence to make a ship seaworthy. Elsewhere, Christopher Hancock QC's handled CCNI Arauco in the Commercial Court, and Michael Collett QC appeared several times in the same court including in Sea Master Shipping Inc v Arab Bank (Switzerland) Ltd & Anor, a dispute involving the question of liabilities under bills of lading. On the junior end, Colleen Hanley acts as sole counsel, including against silks, in matters ranging from charterparty chain disputes to ship arrests.
Rising stars
Leading Silks
2020 Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Sets
‘Twenty Essex is one of our go to sets for shipping and insurance work. The barristers we have worked with their are, without exception, of excellent quality.’
‘I particularly favour Twenty Essex because they are receptive to new ideas and actively help us to find the right barristers for the work at hand. I have for example discussed diversity with them and been satisfied that they are taking active steps to support a range of juniors and to arrange meet ups for them with our team.’
‘One of the pre-eminent sets for shipping work. Great strength in depth across all levels of call.’
‘The Chambers is one of the strongest in the commercial/maritime and international trade field, one of the first choices to instruct in these sectors.’
‘Twenty Essex is probably our go to set for shipping and commodities work. The strength in depth, at both silk and junior level, is what sets them apart.’
Clerks
‘There are two clerks who I consider to be particularly strong/forward thinking. These are Rachael Osborne and Robert Wheeler. They both work with us with a team attitude. Robert always provides me with clear and helpful information about costs in particular, it never feels like a fight to get to a sensible position, and I always understand why he is making a proposal. I am able to just forward on his proposal to the client, confident that it is reasonable and detailed. Rachael and I have discussed ways that we can work with different barristers, that do not place us as solicitors at risk.’
‘I have found both George Bennett and Sam McDowall to be very responsive and helpful.’
‘Always a high quality service with quick response times, and helpful suggestions where preferred counsel is not available.’
‘Generally excellent. Chris Theobald and Arron Zitver are both brilliant to deal with.’
‘Tara Shah was very responsive and helpful during my most recent instruction.’
London Bar > Banking and finance (including consumer credit) Tier 3
Twenty Essex fields a selection of impressive silks and juniors with good track records in a wide range of banking and finance claims, from complex trade-related derivatives issues through to consumer credit disputes. Paul Lowenstein QC is consistently busy on banking and related fraud claims, and led Luke Pearce on behalf of the claimants in Dove and others v HBOS and Bank of Scotland and Wells v HBOS and Bank of Scotland, a banking dispute involving significant fraud allegations. Philip Edey QC is also representing one of the defendants, Russian billionaire Boris Mints, in PJSC National Bank Trust v Mints, in a case concerning alleged fraudulent conspiracy in relation to the restructuring of loans. The arrival of Andrew Ayres QC from Maitland Chambers added further fire power.
Leading Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Set
‘On Consumer Credit work I am impressed by the firm’s ability to resource a large number of county court matters efficiently.’
’20 Essex Street are an excellent set.’
‘We are using this set more and more, they have high quality barristers.’
Clerking
‘Back office runs very smoothly and clerks are very efficient and helpful.’
‘Good clerks – very responsive and amenable.’
‘The clerking is always excellent. Arron Zitver is very approachable and easy to deal with. Tara Shah understands instructions perfectly, is efficient and goes out of her way to help.’
‘Tara Shah is always helpful and on point.’
London Bar > Energy Tier 3
Twenty Essex is ‘one of the top sets for international arbitration and I have always found any of the barristers to be extremely knowledgeable, hardworking and exceptional advocates’. Though best known for international trade, shipping and commodities matters, the set has broad expertise across the energy sector with members handling oil and gas, LNG, mining, drill and rig disputes, as well as emerging areas such as renewables and energy transition. Charles Kimmins QC is currently acting for the claimants in Dynasty v Kurdistan Regional Government, in a high profile commercial court claim for $1.6bn arising out the refusal of the local authorities to consent to a change of control in a production-sharing contract relating to oil in Iraqi Kurdistan. New silk Andrew Fulton QC recently acted as sole counsel in a dispute concerning alleged bribes in the context of a Nigerian oil concession.
Leading Silks
2020 Silks
2021 Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Set
‘Twenty Essex is one of, if not the, go-to sets for commercial disputes, especially with a commodities or energy flavour. They have countless excellent barristers, and a really user-friendly, commercial and reasonable clerking team.’
‘Twenty Essex is one of the top sets for international arbitration and I have always found any of the barristers I have instructed from Twenty Essex to be extremely knowledgeable, hardworking and exceptional advocates.’
‘A very strong set in international disputes and arbitration. Willing to provide training and support to solicitors.’
‘Twenty Essex is my go-to commercial set in London. I think they have great strength in depth and provide top-quality service at prices which are acceptable. I have always felt that I am putting my clients in very good hands.’
‘Twenty Essex has good strength in depth and has solid barristers at all levels. I have worked with a number of Twenty Essex barristers at various levels and they are always very sharp, user-friendly and with good commercial awareness of the sectors in which they operate.’
Clerks
‘The back office runs very smoothly and the clerks are very efficient and helpful.’
‘Excellent service.’
‘Tara Shah in particular provides excellent support. Always available.’
‘Twenty Essex’s clerks provide great support. I never have to quibble over a brief. Discussions are frank and fair and for one-off advice work, the turnaround times and pricing are good.’
‘I have always found the clerks to be polite and helpful.’
London Bar > Insurance and reinsurance Tier 4
'A very strong set with barristers who are excellent to a person', Twenty Essex fields experts across the whole spectrum of commercial insurance and reinsurance disputes. The current pandemic gave rise to several insurance cases, including the highly-publicised FCA test case to assess business interruption insurance policies (FCA v Arch Insurance (UK) and others), in which Philip Edey QC acted for policyholders. In other areas, Charles Kimmins QC was instructed by the LCIA to intervene in the Supreme Court Halliburton v Chubb appeal, concerning issues of arbitral appointments in the context of Bermuda Form arbitrations after the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Set
‘Twenty Essex is a very strong set with barristers who are excellent to a person.‘
Clerking
‘Superb service from the clerks.‘
‘Very responsive and always deliver as promised.‘
London Bar > Offshore Tier 4
Praised as ‘a brilliant offshore/civil fraud set‘, Twenty Essex has grown its offshore offering in recent years, with Andrew Ayres QC the latest addition with a notable practice in offshore litigation. 2020 silk Blair Leahy QC continues to advise in the BVI, Caymans and the East Caribbean on commercial disputes, insolvency and company law matters, including acting for the five claimants in $80m dispute Glen Moar Properties Ltd (and 4 others) v (i) Simon McNally (ii) Simon Cooper in the BVI, a claim involving allegations of breach of duty and knowing receipt against former management of a group of BVI and Manx investment companies. Stephen Atherton QC is a further name to note, leading Sarah Tresman in representing GHF Group and its related funds in two sets of large-scale fraud proceedings in the Cayman Islands.Leading Silks
2020 Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Set
‘Twenty Essex are a brilliant offshore/civil fraud set. They have an impressive list of counsel at all levels.‘
Clerking
‘Fantastic, responsive, commercial.‘
‘Clerk service is excellent – we deal with Chris Theobold who is responsive and commercial.‘
‘Chris Theobald is one of the best clerks I have worked with in my 30 year career.‘
London Bar > IT and telecoms
IT and telecoms (excluding regulatory) - Leading Silks
London Bar > Company and partnership
Company - Leading Silks
Company - Leading Juniors
London Bar > Environment
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
London Bar > Insolvency
Leading Silks
2020 Silks
London Bar > International crime and extradition
Leading Juniors
London Bar > Administrative and public law (including elections)
Leading Juniors
London Bar > Intellectual property
Leading Juniors
London Bar > Professional negligence
Asia Pacific - The English Bar > Shipping and commodities Tier 1
‘Offering great strength in depth’ in the shipping and commodities space, members of Twenty Essex, both silks and juniors, have the ‘sharpest legal minds’. Based in London and Singapore, the set has a strong reputation in handling ship and rig building construction disputes in both international arbitrations and the London courts. David Lewis QC is acting for the tenth defendant in an alleged commodities fraud, ED&F Man Capital Markets Ltd v Come Harvest Holdings Limited and others, in relation to forged warehouse receipts for consignments of nickel in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore. Elsewhere, Michael Ashcroft QC is leading Oliver Caplin on the matter of Trafigura Maritime Logistics Pte Ltd v Clearlake Shipping Pte Ltd, an interim application to obtain an injunction to compel performance of a maritime letter of indemnity, which questions the interpretation of the standard for International Group letter of indemnity.Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
Set
‘Twenty Essex is a preferred set for shipping and commodities work, offering great strength in depth.’
‘Excellent set with strength in depth, availability of counsel and general counsel who are easy to work with.’
Clerking
‘The clerks have always been helpful and very responsive.’
‘Most efficiently run.’
Asia Pacific - The English Bar > Commercial Tier 2
‘An impressive set in international arbitration, international trade and commodities‘, Twenty Essex has a number of barristers experienced in commercial disputes in these sectors and beyond. Key names include energy sector expert David Lewis QC and Philip Edey QC , who frequently advises on disputes involving allegations of fraud, dishonesty, bribery and conspiracy. The ‘commercial‘ Nakul Dewan SA is an Indian Senior Advocate with strong connections in Singapore.Leading Silks
Testimonials
Set
‘A leading commercial set of chambers!’
‘Twenty Essex is an impressive set in international arbitration and commodities/trade with a great team of juniors and senior barristers. Over the last year I have appointed a number of members to tribunals and also instructed counsel for advice.’
‘Twenty Essex is one of the leading, if not leading commercial set with significant strength in depth at both the senior and junior ends of the Bar.‘
‘Sharpest legal minds and always available and resourceful.‘
Clerking
‘The clerks are great. Chris Theobald and Rachel Foxton are a pleasure to deal with but all of the clerks I have dealt with are very efficient.‘
Asia Pacific - The English Bar > Construction, energy and infrastructure Tier 2
Twenty Essex is carving a reputation for its work in the energy space, with its members engaged in the full range of oil and gas, nuclear, renewables and mining disputes. While members are experienced in handling construction and engineering matters, the set also demonstrates expertise in the renewables market. Duncan Matthews QC is the joint head of chambers and his practice spans upstream, midstream and downstream disputes in the energy and natural resources sector. Nakul Dewan SA practises from Singapore and Delhi, as well as London.Leading Silks
Testimonials
Clerking
‘The clerks are always available and responsive. They are also a massive help in liaising with the court to smooth over arrangements.’
‘Always provide timely service.’
Twenty Essex > Set Profile
The Set: A leading commercial set of chambers, the barristers of Twenty Essex offer outstanding legal minds combined with a modern and commercial disputes experience.
Clients include major global companies, institutions, governments and their advisors from around the world and our barristers advise and appear as advocates in court or arbitration in relation to a broad range of company and commercial, EU, competition, and public international law disputes. Practices involve the preparation and conduct of litigation before a wide range of courts and tribunals, in the UK, in foreign jurisdictions as well as on the international stage.
The vast majority of the work is international in nature and we have well-established links to many overseas markets, including through our Asian hub in Singapore servicing clients throughout Asia Pacific and beyond.
The set is also home to a number of highly respected domestic and international arbitrators and mediators, some of whom were previously judges either in the UK or overseas.
Types of work undertaken:
Commercial dispute resolution: most members of Twenty Essex advise and act as advocates in relation to all types of commercial disputes, particularly in disputes with an international dimension. These may be resolved in the English courts, by institutional or ad hoc international arbitration, or by London maritime and commodity trade arbitrations. Members are experienced in representing overseas and large corporate clients and advising in complex, high-value and multi-forum litigation. The areas in which members accept instructions are: financial services (banking/compliance/regulation); international trade (including shipping, commodities and sale of goods); energy and natural resources; insurance and reinsurance; civil fraud; aviation; information technology, data protection; intellectual property; telecoms and media; ; shareholder, joint venture and partnership disputes; agency and sport.
Brexit, EU and competition: a number of members at Twenty Essex specialise in the substantive law of the EU (including Brexit) and in UK and EU competition law. Virtually all members deal with aspects of EU law regularly. A number have experience of working in the European Court of Justice, at the European Commission and for UK government regulatory authorities. Members appear before the: Competition Appeal Tribunal; Competition Commission; European Commission; European Court of First Instance; and European Court of Justice. In addition, members of the set appear regularly before domestic courts and tribunals to argue questions of EU and competition law. They also advise and represent Community institutions, member states, corporations and private individuals. Advice and the conduct of litigation both for and against the OFT and other regulatory bodies also forms a significant part of members work.
International arbitration: Twenty Essex has a strong reputation as a leading arbitration set. It has an exclusive team of 15 leading international arbitrators from around the globe. In addition, the set has 79 barrister members who act as advocates and arbitrators at all of the world’s major institutions. Its high-quality silks and juniors deal with all manner of international commercial disputes involving banking, shipping, international trade and energy, and investor trade disputes (among many others).
Insolvency and company: members of Twenty Essex are well known for their expertise in contentious and non-contentious restructurings (including schemes of arrangement), insolvency law and company law, spanning all business and industry sectors. In the context of restructurings and insolvency, members regularly advise and represent insolvency office-holders, companies, creditors, shareholders and company directors (both in the UK and abroad) and have been heavily involved in most of the major restructurings and insolvencies of recent years.
Public international law: Twenty Essex is pre-eminent in public international law. Two members of chambers have been principal legal advisers to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Others have been appointed judges ad hoc of the International Court of Justice, president and members of the North American Free Trade Association tribunals and members of tribunals under the World Bank’s International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes and have been engaged as legal adviser within the United Nations. Members provide legal and strategic advice to states and other parties and appear before English courts in cases in which issues of public international law arise, before international courts and tribunals including: The International Court of Justice; dispute settlement panels of the World Trade Organisation; the European Court of Human Rights; the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea; and international arbitral tribunals.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head of Chambers | Duncan Matthews QC (1986) | DMatthews@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Head of Chambers | Stephen Atherton QC (1989) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 44207842100 |
| CEO | Jemma Tagg | JTagg@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Practice Director | Arron Zitver | AZitver@twentyessex.com | 442078421205 |
| Practice Director | Christopher Theobald | CTheobald@twentyessex.com | 442078421210 |
| Practice Director | Anthony Carroll | ACarroll@twentyessex.com | 442078421230 |
| Member | Alexander Layton QC (1976) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Timothy Young QC (1977) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Christopher Hancock QC (1983) | CHancock@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Sir Daniel Bethlehem QC (1988) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Phillip Edey QC (1994) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Timothy Hill QC (1990) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Paul Lowenstein QC (1988) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Michael Coburn QC (1990) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Charles Kimmins QC (1994) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Gordon Nardell QC (1995) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Michael Ashcroft QC (1997) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Lawrence Akka QC (1991) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Sara Masters QC (1993) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Michael Collett QC (1995) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | David Lewis QC (1999) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Thomas Raphael QC (1999) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Wendy Miles QC (2020) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Andrew Ayres QC (1996) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Sudhanshu Swaroop QC (1997) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Julian Kenny QC (1997) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Guglielmo Veridrame QC (2006) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Nakul Dewan SA (2014) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 6562257230 |
| Member | Henry Byam-Cook QC (2000) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Blair Leahy QC (2001) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Phillip Riches QC (2001) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Andrew Fulton QC (1999) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Sir Michael Wood (1968) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Karen Maxwell (1992) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Julie Anderson (1993) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Malcolm Jarvis (1998) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Susannah Jones (1999) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Zannis Mavrogordato (1999) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Sean Snook (2000) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Socrates Papadopoulos (2001) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Angharad Parry (2002) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Simon Olleson (2002) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Colleen Hanley (2003) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Christopher Newman (2003) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Simon Milnes (2005) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Tony Beswetherick (2003) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Daniel Bovenseipen (2004) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Josephine Davies (2006) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Stefan Talmon (2007) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Patricia Edwards (2006) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Sarah Tresman (2008) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Harris Bor (2006) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Luke Pearce (2007) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Albert Dinelli (2007) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 6562257230 |
| Member | Penelope Nevill (2010) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Rupert Hamilton (2010) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Thomas Corby (2011) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Mahnaz Malik (2012) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Oliver Caplin (2012) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Alex Carless (2012) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Richard Greenberg (2013) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Matthew McGhee (2013) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Andrew Feld (2013) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Joshua Folkard (2013) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Andrew Dinsmore (2013) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Monica Feria-Tinta (2014) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Belinda McRae (2014) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Alexander Thompson (2014) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Kate Parlett (2015) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Sam Goodman (2015) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Alistair Wooder (2015) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Jonathan Ketcheson (2016) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Phillipa Webb (2016) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Mark Tushingham (2016) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Paulo Busco (2017) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Patrick Dunn Walsh (2012) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Michal Hain (2017) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Fiona Whiteside (2017) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Matthew Chan (2018) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Edward Gilmore (2018) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | James Gardner (2018) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Maria Kennedy (2018) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Fiona Petersen (2018) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Manuel Casas (2020) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Courtney Grafton (2020) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Talia Zybutz (2020) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Paolo Busco (2021) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Daniel Kalderimis (1999) | enquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | The Honorable Charles N Brower | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Michael Lee (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 6562257230 |
| Member | David Sutton (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | J William Rowley QC (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Malcolm Holmes QC (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | L Yves Fortier QC (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Sir Bernard Rix (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | David Owen QC (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Michael Tselentis QC (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Professor Julian Lew QC (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Dr Michael Moser (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Sir Martin Moore-Bick (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Sir Mark Havelock-Allan (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Clare Ambrose (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Judith Gill QC (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 65 62257230 |
| Member | Sir Peter Gross (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Lord Glennie (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Nigel Rawding QC (Arbitrator) | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
| Member | Professor Hi-Taek Shin | arbitralenquiries@twentyessex.com | 442078421200 |
Barrister Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lawrence Akka | Lawrence’s practice encompasses high value and technically complex commercial and contractual disputes.… | View Profile |
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Clare Ambrose | Clare is a full-time arbitrator with over 25 years’ experience of arbitration… | View Profile |
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Julie Anderson | Julie has an outstanding level of “hands on” litigation experience in the… | View Profile |
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Michael Ashcroft | Michael has a broad commercial practice, specialising in high value and complex… | View Profile |
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Stephen Atherton | Stephen’s practice comprises international and domestic corporate insolvency and restructuring, company law,… | View Profile |
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Andrew Ayres | Andrew has an established commercial disputes practice, with a core of trial… | View Profile |
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Tony Beswetherick | Tony specialises in the fields of insolvency and restructuring, civil fraud, commercial… | View Profile |
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Sir Daniel Bethlehem | Daniel specialises in public international law, accepting instructions as counsel and adviser… | View Profile |
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Dr Harris Bor | Harris’s practice covers all areas of international arbitration and commercial and company… | View Profile |
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Daniel Bovensiepen | Daniel’s practice covers a broad range of international commercial work, with a… | View Profile |
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The Honorable Charles N Brower | Charles’s 55-year career in the law has combined extensive practice at the… | View Profile |
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Paolo Busco | Paolo specialises in international dispute settlement, public international law and EU law.… | View Profile |
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Henry Byam-Cook | Henry practises in a range of commercial disputes, including shipping and international… | View Profile |
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Oliver Caplin | Oliver has a broad commercial practice which particularly focuses on international trade,… | View Profile |
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Alex Carless | Alex specialises in a broad range of commercial matters, including banking and… | View Profile |
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Michael Coburn | Michael practises in all aspects of commercial law, usually with an international… | View Profile |
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Michael Collett | Michael specialises in commercial law. His areas of practice include general commercial… | View Profile |
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Thomas Corby | Thomas has a varied commercial practice, with a focus on international arbitration,… | View Profile |
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Josephine Davies | Josephine specialises in all areas of commercial and competition law and litigation.… | View Profile |
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Nakul Dewan SA | Nakul practises from Singapore, Delhi and London. He accepts appointments both as… | View Profile |
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Albert Dinelli | Albert’s practice in London and Singapore focuses on arbitral proceedings and advice… | View Profile |
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Andrew Dinsmore | Andrew has extensive international commercial litigation and arbitration experience. His practice focuses… | View Profile |
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Patrick Dunn-Walsh | Patrick became a member of Chambers in September 2018, having joined as… | View Profile |
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Philip Edey | Philip is a specialist lead advocate whose practice focuses on commercial disputes… | View Profile |
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Patricia Edwards | Patricia has a broad commercial practice, with a particular emphasis on advising… | View Profile |
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Andrew Feld | Andrew has a busy commercial practice encompassing all areas of Chambers’ work,… | View Profile |
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Monica Feria-Tinta | Monica is a specialist in public international law. Her practice covers the… | View Profile |
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Mr Joshua Folkard | Josh has a broad commercial litigation and arbitration practice, including civil fraud… | View Profile |
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The Honorable Yves Fortier | Arbitrator/mediator, specialising in public international law and international dispute resolutions. | View Profile |
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Andrew Fulton | Andrew has a broad and busy practice. He advises and appears in… | View Profile |
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Judith Gill | Judith is recognised as one of the leading practitioners in the field… | View Profile |
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Sam Goodman | Sam has a broad commercial practice covering both litigation and international arbitration,… | View Profile |
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Richard Greenberg | Richard has a broad commercial practice, with a particular focus on civil… | View Profile |
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Michal Hain | Michal joined Twenty Essex after successfully completing his pupillage in September 2018.… | View Profile |
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Rupert Hamilton | Rupert has a varied practice covering all aspects of commercial law. He… | View Profile |
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Christopher Hancock | Christopher is joint Head of Chambers. He has appeared before courts at… | View Profile |
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Colleen Hanley | Colleen is recommended as a leading junior for both shipping and commodities… | View Profile |
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Sir Mark Havelock-Allan | Mark is a former Mercantile Judge on the Western Circuit, and judge… | View Profile |
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Timothy Hill | Timothy specialises in international commercial litigation and arbitration. He has considerable expertise… | View Profile |
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Malcolm Holmes | Malcolm is a chartered arbitrator primarily based in Sydney but with an… | View Profile |
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Malcolm Jarvis | Malcolm specialises in commercial and EU law. He acts in commercial disputes… | View Profile |
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Susannah Jones | Susannah specialises in commercial and private international law disputes, in particular concerning… | View Profile |
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Julian Kenny | Julian specialises in commercial law, particularly banking, shipping and commodities, insurance and… | View Profile |
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Jonathan Ketcheson | Jonathan practises across all Chambers’ areas of expertise, including international arbitration, public… | View Profile |
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Charles Kimmins | Charles specialises in commercial law, and represents clients in both court and… | View Profile |
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Alexander Layton | Alex is a specialist in private international law. His practice consists almost… | View Profile |
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Blair Leahy | Blair is a commercial litigator specialising in complex multi-jurisdictional fraud and asset… | View Profile |
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Michael Lee | Michael is an experienced international commercial arbitrator practising principally from Singapore and… | View Profile |
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Dr Julian Lew | Julian is a full-time arbitrator in international commercial and investment disputes. He… | View Profile |
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David Lewis | David is a specialist advocate who took silk in 2014 at the… | View Profile |
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Paul Lowenstein | Paul is a leading commercial silk in domestic and international litigation and… | View Profile |
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Mahnaz Malik | Mahnaz is a barrister and arbitrator at Twenty Essex who specialises in… | View Profile |
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Sara Masters | Sara specialises in all areas of commercial law. She has a particular… | View Profile |
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Duncan Matthews | Duncan is joint Head of Chambers. He is a leading trial advocate… | View Profile |
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Zannis Mavrogordato | Zannis is a barrister, French avocat and arbitrator. He is a specialist… | View Profile |
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Karen Maxwell | Karen practises in commercial law and international trade, with a particular focus… | View Profile |
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Matthew McGhee | Matthew enjoys a broad commercial practice. Clients instruct him to advise or… | View Profile |
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Belinda McRae | Belinda has developed an impressive and diverse commercial practice. She has a… | View Profile |
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Ms Wendy Miles QC | Wendy is a specialist in international arbitration and dispute resolution with a… | View Profile |
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Simon Milnes | Simon specialises in international dispute resolution, especially in the fields of energy… | View Profile |
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Sir Martin Moore-Bick | Sir Martin recently retired as a Lord Justice of Appeal after serving… | View Profile |
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Dr Michael Moser | Michael serves as arbitrator in high-value, complex international disputes. His specialities include… | View Profile |
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Gordon Nardell | Gordon specialises in international litigation and arbitration. He has a particular focus… | View Profile |
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Penelope Nevill | Penelope is a specialist in international law. Her practice focuses on disputes… | View Profile |
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Christopher Newman | Chris has a broad commercial practice with a focus on heavyweight commercial… | View Profile |
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Mr Simon Olleson | Simon’s practice focuses on public international law and international arbitration (including both… | View Profile |
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David Owen | David is a full-time arbitrator and mediator, with a practice covering a… | View Profile |
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Socrates Papadopoulos | Socrates has been a tenant at Twenty Essex since October 2001. He… | View Profile |
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Dr Kate Parlett | Kate specialises in public international law and international arbitration. She acts for… | View Profile |
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Angharad Parry | Angharad specialises in advisory and advocacy work in a wide range of… | View Profile |
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Luke Pearce | Luke has a broad practice covering all aspects of commercial law, with… | View Profile |
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Thomas Raphael | Thomas is a commercial silk, with a wide commercial practice, and a… | View Profile |
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Philip Riches | Philip has a wide-ranging commercial practice in international litigation and arbitration. His… | View Profile |
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Sir Bernard Rix | Sir Bernard retired in 2013 as a Lord Justice of Appeal with… | View Profile |
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J. William Rowley | Bill is a highly experienced international arbitrator. He joined Twenty Essex in… | View Profile |
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Sean Snook | Sean advises and represents clients in a broad range of commercial and… | View Profile |
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David St John Sutton | David is a full-time arbitrator practicing in London and Paris in international… | View Profile |
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Sudhanshu Swaroop | Sudhanshu practises commercial, arbitration and public international law. He has acted in… | View Profile |
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Prof Stefan Talmon | Stefan has a wide-ranging practice in public international law. He has appeared… | View Profile |
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Alexander Thompson | Alexander is a commercial litigator. He has a broad practice in all… | View Profile |
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Sarah Tresman | Sarah is a versatile barrister with extensive client-facing experience. She specialises in… | View Profile |
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Michael Tselentis | Michael’s practice as an international arbitrator covers a wide field, which includes… | View Profile |
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Mark Tushingham | Mark has a broad practice in commercial law and a growing practice… | View Profile |
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Guglielmo Verdirame | Guglielmo acts as counsel in cases before English courts, international courts and… | View Profile |
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Philippa Webb | Philippa’s practice covers all aspects of public international law. She acts for… | View Profile |
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Fiona Whiteside | Fiona became a member of Twenty Essex on successful completion of her… | View Profile |
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Sir Michael Wood KCMG | Sir Michael is a member of the United Nations (UN) International Law… | View Profile |
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Alistair Wooder | Alistair is a commercial litigator with a broad practice spanning general commercial… | View Profile |
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Timothy Young | Timothy’s principal area of practice is international trade, embracing shipping, commodities, insurance,… | View Profile |
Languages
Cantonese Chinese (Mandarin) Czech French German Greek Italian Japanese Hebrew Hindi SpanishMemberships
AIPN CEDR Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) General Council of the Bar of England and Wales Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) ICCA INSOL - International Association of Restructuring IBA (International Bar Association) International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) KLRCA London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) London Maritime Arbitrators Association (supporting member) SIAC COMBAR British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL) Young International Arbitration GroupDiversity/Community
Diversity and inclusion
Twenty Essex has adopted a proactive approach to ensuring diversity within chambers and at the Bar. With an active and engaged committee spearheading internal and external initiatives, Twenty Essex is proud to be an inclusive environment and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for members, employees, pupils, mini-pupils, prospective tenants and prospective pupils.
For questions relating to our equality and diversity policy, please contact our Equality and Diversity Officer, Angharad Parry.
We are proud to declare that we are a London Living Wage employer.
Diversity data
The Bar Standards Board Code of Conduct states that a summary of the Diversity Data submitted by the Members of the Workforce be published every three years from 31 December 2012 onwards. The summary data for Twenty Essex can be found here.
Rare contextual recruitment
We use Rare’s Contextual Recruitment System to review applications for pupillage and mini-pupillage in the context of the candidates’ socio-economic background. The system is intended to allow a recruiter to put a candidate’s achievements into the context of the candidate’s circumstances. Efforts to improve recruitment processes in terms of fairness, objectivity and awareness are just one piece of the jigsaw that will lead to a more diverse Bar and this is why a long-term commitment to diversity is one of our strategic objectives.
Women in Law Pledge
We are proud signatories to the Women in Law Pledge created by the Bar Council of England and Wales, The Law Society, and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx). We are committed to the progress of gender equality, elimination of gender discrimination and pledge to make positive change for the legal profession.
Disability and accessibility at Twenty Essex
Twenty Essex’s premises are compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and if you would like to discuss any particular requirements for adjustments to services, including specific visitor needs, please contact our Facilities Manager.
Wellbeing
We recognise that working in the legal profession can often create a highly demanding and stressful environment for members and employees. As a chambers we are determined to achieve the appropriate balance between the professional and personal demands of working at the Bar and the need for individual wellbeing. We are focused on the wellbeing of members and employees and we are pleased to highlight that we have been awarded the Wellbeing at the Bar Certificate of Recognition.
Responsibility
Pro bono
Twenty Essex has a long tradition of its’ members providing legal advice and representation on a pro bono basis. Barristers support Advocate, CLIPS, and FRU on a regular basis as well as a range of other organisations.
Social mobility
Chambers has provided placements on the Bar Placement Week in partnership with the Bar Council and a number of our barristers have volunteered as mentors for students in recent years, through the Social Mobility Foundation as well as other organisations.
Volunteering and giving
Members and employees regularly make charitable donations, and within the work environment take part in a range of charitable events such as the annual London Legal Walk and the Palace to Palace bike ride in support of The Prince’s Trust. Internally hosted fundraising events also raised money for local and nominated charities.
Disputes Yearbook 2020
Briefing
The evolution of the Commercial Bar (https://www.legalbusiness.co.uk/analysis/disputes-yearbook-2020/sponsored-briefing-the-evolution-of-the-commercial-bar/)
Duncan Matthews QC, co-head, and Jemma Tagg, chief executive, reflect on the evolution of Twenty Essex and wider sector changes across the Commercial Bar
- Commodities
- International arbitration: arbitrators
- Public international law
Top Tier Set Rankings
- IT and telecoms
- Company and partnership
- Environment
- Insolvency
- International crime and extradition
- Administrative and public law (including elections)
- Intellectual property
- Professional negligence
- Asia Pacific - The English Bar > Shipping and commodities