Fenella Morris KC KC > 39 Essex Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile

39 Essex Chambers is ‘a strong set of good quality and specialised Court of Protection barristers who practice solely in these areas of law’. Fenella Morris KC is ‘very good on mental health and healthcare regulatory aspects and complex matters involving novel points of law’ and recently acted for the Royal College of Nursing before the Court of Appeal in Abbasi v Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Haastrup v King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, cases concerning the decisions about end of life of children and vulnerable adults. Jenni Richards KC also handles cases concerning medical interventions throughout life, including cases involving pregnant women who lack capacity. Neil Allen is representing the claimant in a case addressing whether a husband could divorce his wife and, if he could, if the divorce was in his best interests.

‘Impressive set‘ 39 Essex Chambers fields ‘an excellent and versatile range of counsel in the field of administrative and public law‘. The ‘succinct‘ Fenella Morris KC has established strength in advising on high-profile administrative law cases, with notable expertise in handling matters involving healthcare issues and challenges concerning public sector pensions. Recent work highlights include Katherine Apps KC acting for the Lord Chancellor in R (Gulshan) v Lord Chancellor, concerning the lawfulness of HMCTS’ policy on kirpans – small ceremonial swords carried by observant Sikhs – into court buildings. Among the junior end of chambers, the ‘brilliant‘ Catherine Dobson has ‘an incredibly sharp legal mind‘, and Katherine Barnes is ‘extremely knowledgeable‘, ‘adapts well to challenging situations and remains composed under pressure‘. Bolstering the team at the senior end, Colin Thomann KC took silk in March 2024.

Professional disciplinary work forms the backbone of 39 Essex Chambers‘ practice, with members regularly advising on complex disciplinary issues involving the medical, legal, media, sport and environment sectors. Fenella Morris KC has an excellent track record in acting for clients in the education, healthcare, financial services, legal and veterinary arenas in a broad range of disciplinary matters, and Andrew Tabachnik KC is sought after for his expertise in advising on regulatory issues involving architects and doctors. Among the juniors, Peter Mant is ‘always reliable‘, and Alexis Hearnden is well versed in representing lawyers in disciplinary proceedings.