Farrar's Building > London, England > Set Profile

Chambers of Paul Lewis KC
Farrar's Building
TEMPLE
LONDON
EC4Y 7BD
England

London Bar > Personal injury, industrial disease and insurance fraud Tier 4

‘Excellent set’ Farrar’s Building has a strong personal injury offering, with a particular weighting towards juniors in its team. Particularly exceptional members include Joshua Hedgman , who frequently acts on high-value catastrophic injury work, namely having represented the defence on the multi-party action brought against them in the case of Various Claimants v Lime Green Events Limited (We Are FSTVL) regarding a stampede in a festival queue in 2019 which led to numerous injuries, ranging in severity. Huw Davies is also noteworthy for his representation of high-profile defendants on complex quantum cases, as is Howard Cohen for his frequently high-value independent action on injury cases and Nick Blake for his complex and consistently high-value cases.

Personal injury - Leading Juniors

Lee EvansFarrar’s BuildingStraight-talking, gets to the issues quickly and is commercially focused, always ahead of the pack with his intuition with what is next.'
Ranked: Tier 2
John Meredith-HardyFarrar’s Building ‘John's attention-to-detail is second-to-none and he is an excellent advocate.'      
Ranked: Tier 4
Ranked: Tier 4
Andrew WilleFarrar’s Building ‘Andrew takes a forensic approach to evidence and is clear and well-reasoned in his advice.'
Ranked: Tier 4
Joshua HedgmanFarrar’s Building ‘Joshua’s written work is superb and he is a top advocate; a go-to junior.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Andrew ArentsenFarrar’s Building ‘Andrew is calm, thorough, has a good attention-to-detail. He is thoroughly charming to work with.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Andrew PeeblesFarrar’s BuildingStrong technical ability.
Ranked: Tier 5
Ranked: Tier 5
Hannah SaxenaFarrar’s Building 'Hannah is thorough, approachable, dedicated and hard-working.'
Ranked: Tier 5
Howard Cohen Farrar’s Building ‘Howard is a genial and capable opponent, who focuses on the material issues in the case and works hard to find solutions to disputes.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Nick Blake Farrar’s Building ‘He is approachable, pragmatic, helpful and a very good advocate.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Huw Davies  – Farrar’s Building ‘Pragmatic and quickly cuts to the issues.’
Ranked: Tier 5

Testimonials

Set

‘Farrar’s has a number of excellent individuals whom we instruct frequently.’      

‘Farrar’s is an excellent set with a good range of counsel for all types of cases. They are my go-to’ set.’      

‘The set has a good offering at different levels.’      

‘Farrar’s Building is my preferred set for personal injury claims. They have a large number of suitably experienced counsel that can assist on personal injury matters, and I have always been pleased by any of the ‘substitutes’ if my preferred choice of Counsel is unavailable for any reason.’

‘A good set of chambers and choice of counsel.’     

Clerking

‘Very approachable clerks. James Shaw and Kraig Marsh are both very amenable.’      

Work highlights

    Wales and Chester Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)

    Wales and Chester Circuit > Personal injury

    Leading Juniors

    Ranked: Tier 1
    Simon HughesFarrar’s BuildingSimon is an excellent barrister and a safe pair of hands across the entire spectrum of personal injury matters. A superb cross-examiner, very thorough and knowledgeable, and excellent with clients.’
    Ranked: Tier 1
    Andrew MorseFarrar’s Building  ‘He is very knowledgeable in personal injury matters and has an excellent bedside manner with clients. He has a meticulous eye for detail and achieves excellent outcomes.’
    Ranked: Tier 1

    London Bar > Professional disciplinary and regulatory law

    Leading Silks

    Geoffrey Williams KCFarrar’s BuildingExcellent advocate - presents complex matters in a spare and simple way increasing the chances of success. Excellent strategist. Very approachable but realistic and good with clients.'
    Ranked: Tier 3

    South Eastern Circuit > Personal injury

    London Bar > Clinical negligence

    Leading Juniors

    Ranked: Tier 3
    Aidan O’BrienFarrar’s Building ‘Aidan is an absolute dream to work with – he’s hardworking, he goes the extra mile and is charming and persuasive with clients, witnesses and experts.’
    Ranked: Tier 3
    Nigel Spencer LeyFarrar’s Building ‘Nigel is very knowledgeable, constantly strive to improve and remain up to date on the law. His pleadings are excellent and one of the best in the country – very clear and succinct.’
    Ranked: Tier 4

    London Bar > Employment

    Leading Juniors

    Leslie Millin – Farrar’s BuildingLeslie has exceptional skills and is a top-quality counsel. She has an excellent empathetic manner with her own clients and witnesses, and is clearly capable of bringing the best out of them; and she is fearless in front of the tribunal, not shying away from taking the difficult points.
    Ranked: Tier 4
    Emma Sole - Farrar's Building 'Very easy to work with and approachable, amazing attention to detail and very knowledgeable about the law. A brilliant and tenacious advocate, who is client friendly, sympathetic, and fantastic at drafting.'
    Ranked: Tier 5

    London Bar > Fraud: crime

    Regional Bar > Wales and Chester Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)

    Regional Bar > Wales and Chester Circuit > Personal injury

    Leading Juniors

    Ranked: Tier 1
    Simon HughesFarrar’s BuildingSimon is an excellent barrister and a safe pair of hands across the entire spectrum of personal injury matters. A superb cross-examiner, very thorough and knowledgeable, and excellent with clients.’
    Ranked: Tier 1
    Andrew MorseFarrar’s Building  ‘He is very knowledgeable in personal injury matters and has an excellent bedside manner with clients. He has a meticulous eye for detail and achieves excellent outcomes.’
    Ranked: Tier 1

    Regional Bar > South Eastern Circuit > Personal injury

    Farrar’s Building is a long-established specialist civil and common law set of chambers based in London with a strong historic regional presence in Wales.

    Chambers areas of practice include the following: personal injury; clinical negligence; employment; credit hire; civil fraud and fundamental dishonesty; serious and white-collar crime; health and safety; inquests; disciplinary; regulatory; professional negligence; insurance; product liability; trusts and probate; commercial law; costs; travel; and public inquiries (see individual profiles).

    The set: Farrar’s Building has been occupied by barristers for many centuries and its name derives from Thomas Farrar, treasurer of Inner Temple in 1679. Over the years, chambers has provided a number of judges in the House of Lords, Court of Appeal and elsewhere, and current members sit as deputy High Court judges, recorders and in other public positions.

    Farrar’s Building prides itself on being a friendly and reliable set, which is efficiently clerked and administered by an experienced and long-established team.

    Chambers has a reputation for excellence, with members acting for a variety of corporate bodies, insurance companies, prosecuting authorities, sporting bodies and players, disciplinary, regulatory and professional bodies, as well as individuals. Members act in privately funded cases and under conditional fee agreements.

    Types of work undertaken: Chambers core areas of practice are:

    Personal injury: Farrar’s Building is recognised as a leading set of chambers in the personal injury field with a long-established reputation for offering high-quality specialist advocacy and advice in all aspects of personal injury work. Personal injury is the largest field of practice within chambers. Chambers is involved in the whole spectrum of cases ranging from catastrophic brain and spinal injury claims to lower value multi-track and fast-track work.

    Health and safety: The health and safety team works closely with, and benefits from, Farrar’s Building’s strong PI team. Chambers has been involved in a number of high-profile cases in this area and has a tradition of acting in large-scale disasters, including the Hatfield Rail Disaster, the Ladbroke Grove Rail Disaster and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

    Employment: Chambers and members of the employment law group are recognised in the field for their efficient, commercially sensitive and competitive approach. Members act at all stages of employment disputes by advising, drafting pleadings and providing advocacy before employment tribunals, the EAT and the higher courts. Members also have experience acting in judicial and private mediations.

    Regulatory and disciplinary: Farrar’s Building has been heavily involved in the development and administration of disciplinary proceedings over the past 30 years. Chambers provide specialist advice and advocacy across the full range of regulatory and disciplinary law. The depth of knowledge and understanding that the team at Farrar’s Building has to offer comes not only from its members who have experience of appearing before all major disciplinary and regulatory tribunals, but also from those members who regularly advise and chair such panels themselves.

    Crime: Chambers has a specialist criminal team, involved in major fraud and serious crime cases, and has close links with Wales where it remains a dominant force on the Welsh Circuit. Chambers is and has been involved in many of the major cases on the circuit and members of the crime team are highly sought-after.

    Public inquiries: Chambers has a long history of involvement in public inquiries and of chairing/appearing before a range of regulatory and disciplinary tribunals.

    Members of chambers also offer expertise in: contract and commercial litigation, covering areas such as sale of goods and consumer credit and commercial fraud, insurance matters and product liability; clinical negligence and all areas of professional negligence; costs and taxation actions, including solicitor’s bills of costs, counsel’s fees and legal aid costs; sports and competition cases include contracts, advertising and sponsorship and restraint of trade; all aspects of disciplinary and regulatory law; and matters pertaining to trusts and probate.

    Members also have experience in administrative and public law work, including matters relating to judicial review, local government, education, health, housing and pharmaceutical actions.

    DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
    Chief Executive & Director of Clerking CRAY, Paul
    Head of Chambers LEWIS KC, Paul (1981)
    Member of Chambers WILLIAMS KC, Geoffrey (2013)
    Member of Chambers COLE KC, Gordon (1979)
    Member of Chambers QUINLAN KC, Christopher (1992)
    Member of Chambers LEY, Nigel Spencer (1985)
    Member of Chambers PEEBLES, Andrew (1987)
    Member of Chambers MILLIN, Leslie (1988)
    Member of Chambers MEREDITH-HARDY, John (1989)
    Member of Chambers LAKHA, Shabbir (1989)
    Member of Chambers ARENTSEN, Andrew (1995)
    Member of Chambers EVANS, Lee (1996)
    Member of Chambers BLAKE, Nick (1997)
    Member of Chambers DAVIES, Huw P (1998)
    Member of Chambers PRETSELL, James (1998)
    Member of Chambers WILLE, Andrew (1998)
    Member of Chambers COHEN, Howard (1999)
    Member of Chambers MORSE, Andrew (2000)
    Member of Chambers COX, Carwyn (2002)
    Member of Chambers KERRUISH-JONES, Matthew (2003)
    Member of Chambers HUGHES, Simon (2003)
    Member of Chambers PLANT, James (2004)
    Member of Chambers BOURNE-ARTON, Tom (2005)
    Member of Chambers SOLE, Emma (2005)
    Member of Chambers BROWN, John (2005)
    Member of Chambers GOODLAD, Grant (2006)
    Member of Chambers FOUND, Tim (2006)
    Member of Chambers RODERICK, David (2005)
    Member of Chambers LOGUE, Victoria (Tory) (2005)
    Member of Chambers ROZIER, James (2007)
    Member of Chambers SAXENA, Hannah (2010)
    Member of Chambers HEDGMAN, Joshua (2011)
    Member of Chambers O'BRIEN, Aidan (2011)
    Member of Chambers GOLIN, Robert (2011)
    Member of Chambers ROWLEY, Jake (2011)
    Member of Chambers LYON, Frederick (2012)
    Member of Chambers BRADY, Stuart (2012)
    Member of Chambers NIETO, James (2012)
    Member of Chambers McMILLAN, Joel (2014)
    Member of Chambers FITZGIBBON, Laura (2016)
    Member of Chambers EMSLIE-SMITH, Tom (2016)
    Member of Chambers FERGUSON, Martin (2016)
    Member of Chambers YOUNG, Rosalind (2017)
    Member of Chambers DOUGHERTY, Michael (2017)
    Member of Chambers HIGHNAM, Amelia (2016)
    Member of Chambers SAVORY, Peter (2018)
    Member of Chambers WIGG, Leonard (2017)
    Member of Chambers JONES, Lauren (2017)
    Member of Chambers KHAN, Kamran (2018)
    Member of Chambers ROSS, Ryan (2019)
    Member of Chambers IRVING, Sam (2020)
    Member of Chambers DERVIN, Sorcha (2021)
    Member of Chambers IVE, Richard (2018)
    PhotoNamePositionProfile
    Andrew Arentsen photo Andrew ArentsenAndrew Arentsen’s practice is predominantly personal injury, with a focus on high…
    Nick Blake photo Nick BlakeNick Blake has experience of a broad range of civil matters.
    Tom Bourne-Arton photo Tom Bourne-ArtonBarrister. Specialises in personal injury and employment.
    John Brown photo John BrownBarrister specialising in personal injury, clinical negligence and regulatory/professional discipline.
    Howard Cohen photo Howard CohenBarrister specialising in personal injury and motor insurance fraud; general common law…
    Gordon Cole photo Gordon ColeGordon Cole QC specialises in all types of serious crime. He has…
    Carwyn Cox photo Carwyn CoxBarrister specialising in personal injury litigation, including high value multi-track catastrophic claims.…
    Huw Davies photo Huw DaviesHuw Davies has a predominantly civil practice and is regularly instructed on…
    Michael Dougherty photo Michael DoughertyBarrister specialising in personal injury, employment and education law.
    Lee Evans photo Lee EvansLee Evans has a busy personal injury practice, with particular emphasis on…
    Martin Ferguson photo Martin FergusonBarrister specialising in personal injury, commercial and general common law.
    Laura Fitzgibbon photo Laura FitzgibbonLaura has a busy practice in line with Chambers’ areas of expertise,…
    Tim Found photo Tim FoundTim has particular expertise in clinical negligence and personal injury for both…
    Robert Golin photo Robert GolinRobert Golin’s practice focuses on personal injury, employment, commercial and insurance, and…
    Grant Goodlad photo Grant GoodladSpecialist areas of practice include employment law; personal injury and clinical negligence;…
    Patrick Harrington photo Patrick HarringtonBarrister specialising in Crime (general and serious fraud); prosecution and defence; health…
    Joshua Hedgman photo Joshua HedgmanJosh acts for defendants in catastrophic injury work. He is instructed in…
    Simon Hughes photoMr Simon HughesSimon practices across the spectrum of personal injury claims in cases of…
    Matthew Kerruish-Jones photo Matthew Kerruish-JonesCoroner’s inquests/public (representing insured parties), Health and safety (defending), personal injury (defendant…
    Kamran Khan photoMr Kamran KhanBarrister at Farrar’s Building
    Shabbir Lakha photo Shabbir LakhaHas practised almost exclusively in employment law work for over ten years.…
    Paul Lewis photo Paul LewisPaul  has appeared in over 200 homicide cases and in many major…
    Victoria Logue photo Victoria LogueVictoria Logue (Tory) joined Farrar’s Building in 2017 after 10 years as…
    Frederick Lyon photo Frederick LyonBarrister. Specialising in Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence, Coroner’s Inquests, Commercial and Cross-Jurisdictional…
    Joel McMillan photo Joel McMillanJoel has a busy and successful general common law practice. His particular…
    John Meredith-Hardy photo John Meredith-HardyAreas of work undertaken for claimants and defendants include personal injury, insurance…
    Leslie Millin photo Leslie MillinLeslie specialises in all aspects of employment law, where she represents both…
    Andrew Morse photoMr Andrew MorseAndrew Morse joined Farrar’s Building in April 2022 having practised for 20…
    Aidan O'Brien photo Aidan O'BrienAidan is ranked as a ‘Leading Junior’ in the Legal 500 (2022),…
    Andrew Peebles photo Andrew PeeblesBarrister with a wide experience of litigation in chancery, commercial, employment, regulatory…
    James Plant photo James PlantJames’ practice consists of three main areas of work: Personal Injury, Property…
    James Pretsell photo James PretsellJames’s practice consists largely in multi track personal injury work. He also…
    Christopher Quinlan photo Christopher QuinlanSpecialises in crime, sport and regulatory work.
    David Roderick photo David RoderickDavid has an established general common law practice, with particular expertise in…
    Jake Rowley photo Jake RowleyBarrister specialising in personal injury, commercial and general common law. The areas…
    James Rozier photo James RozierJames Rozier’s practice encompasses personal injury, costs, inquests and employment. He also…
    Peter Savory photo Peter SavoryPeter is a barrister specialising in personal injury, clinical negligence and commercial…
    Hannah Saxena photo Hannah Saxena  Hannah Saxena is a well respected junior with a focus on…
    Emma Sole photo Emma SoleEmma Sole joined Farrar’s Building in 2007 after a pupillage at Littleton…
    Nigel Spencer Ley photo Nigel Spencer LeyNigel is a highly experienced barrister who undertakes high value clinical negligence,…
    Andrew Wille photo Andrew WilleBarrister with an exclusively civil practice primarily in the fields of personal…
    Geoffrey Williams photo Geoffrey WilliamsGeoffrey Williams QC has specialised exclusively in the field of professional disciplinary…
    :

    Farrar’s Building is committed to actively promoting equality and diversity at the Bar. We demonstrate our commitment through a variety of initiatives, for example:

    • We have in place a comprehensive Parental Leave Policy which we take a great deal of pride in. It is one of the most supportive polices in place at the Bar.
    • We actively encourage flexible working, allowing our members and staff the ability to work away from our London office. We realise that everyone associated with Farrar’s has very different personal circumstances, so we entrust everyone with the freedom to work remotely to ensure that the rigidity of purely office-based working does not make their lives unnecessarily difficult.
    • We support non-profit and community organisations that promote diversity, inclusion and education at the Bar from underrepresented groups, for exampleupReach. A recent example of this is Farrar’s hosting a student for a week in July via the upReach programme, which seeks to create the conditions for undergraduates from less-advantaged backgrounds to access and sustain top-level graduate jobs. This placement followed on from a workshop delivered via upReach to students with volunteers from Farrar’s in 2021. We are also looking at ways we can support other organisations, such as Bridging the Bar and 10,000 Black Interns, and Inner Temple with Discovery Days for Schools.
    • We are completing a race equality audit to identify and take action in relation to any barriers to race equality within our practice, including by: (a) engaging with members of chambers and staff from minority racial and ethnic backgrounds ; (b) analysing available data on recruitment, work allocation, ethnicity pay gaps and opportunities for development and progression; and (c) critically analysing our procedures for recruiting, retaining and supporting the progression of barristers and staff from minority racial and ethnic backgrounds.
    • We actively encourage applications from people within underrepresented groups at the Bar – members or staff – in our recruitment promotional materials, for example clerking roles, pupillage, probationary tenancies or lateral recruits.
    • We are considering adjustments to our mini-pupillage programme, for example funded mini-pupillages to broaden our reach within communities where financial support is necessary for individuals to take advantage of such an opportunity.
    • We have frameworks in place to assess, and if necessary, address inequalities in income/work distribution by race or gender.

    CLIENT: Andrew Pieri
    COMPANY/FIRM: Keoghs LLP
    TESTIMONIAL:

    I can put hand on heart and say that Farrar’s from the ground up are truly exceptional in the service they provide solicitors. I have instructed Chambers from the very start of my career and have never been let down once.

    John Meredith Hardy is one of the best commercial counsel I have come across. He is truly exceptional with a deep understanding of insurance law. He has a keen eye for detail and leaves no stone unturned in his quest for an answer to a client’s problem. He is simply the best.

    Carwyn Cox is a hidden gem. He is very client focused, demonstrates empathy with the client and is a good problem solver. He is a very safe pair of hands who you can trust to guide and look after your case in your clients’ best interests.

    Farrar’s are a brilliant set of chambers with a brilliant set of counsel. I and my colleagues at Keoghs will continue to instruct Chambers for the future, that I am sure.


    CLIENT: Lindsey Bartling
    COMPANY/FIRM: Clyde & Co
    TESTIMONIAL:

    Relationships with counsel and the ability to have frank and honest discussions are paramount in assisting instructing solicitors and clients to build trust and appreciate the risks in their case. Farrar’s offers this service in abundance, from their very senior counsel through to their pupils, ably assisted by their fantastic team of clerks.

    Particular thanks from me for the training seminars that Farrar’s have provided and to the support offered by Hannah Saxena and Lee Evans, who always respond promptly to e-mails and answer queries, and to James Pretsell who took the time to provide invaluable insight and guidance regarding a case recently.


    CLIENT: Carole Ward
    COMPANY/FIRM: Ward Hadaway
    TESTIMONIAL:

    I have worked with Farrar’s Building for around 12 years and there is nothing that they have been unable to assist with during that time.

    I know that can rely on them to provide advice and to draft documents in a timely manner and I never have to chase or remind them of pending deadlines.

    They are my go-to chambers due to their reliability, professionalism and calm approach, with the ability to put my clients at ease at a very stressful time.

    If I was to mention individuals it would be Carwyn Cox and Emma Sole, but also James and Kieran from the clerking team for their valuable assistance over the years.


    CLIENT: Colin Vickers
    COMPANY/FIRM: DWF Law LLP
    TESTIMONIAL:

    Farrar’s are a top-drawer Chambers. The clerks provide a first-class and efficient service in looking after your hearing dates and paperwork. Counsel across the set are excellent with whatever you put their way. They hit the right note with the balance between being technically leading in their field while maintaining a down-to-earth and approachable outlook.


    CLIENT: Laura Twist
    COMPANY/FIRM: Clyde & Co
    TESTIMONIAL:

    Farrar’s Building are simply excellent from start to finish. The Clerks are extremely competent and go over and above what is offered by many other sets; nothing is too much trouble. The barristers are first rate and always deliver sound, sensible advice. The drafting work is robust and impressive, leaving the clients in no doubt that they have first rate counsel fighting their corner. The advocacy skills are second to none, as demonstrated by the great results achieved at a wide range of Hearings, over and over again.


    CLIENT: Jennifer Sore
    COMPANY/FIRM: Blake Morgan LLP
    TESTIMONIAL:

    Farrar’s Building are my go-to chambers for all aspects of civil litigation. They go the extra step to ensure that I, and my clients, feel supported and in very capable hands irrespective of the level of call or complexity of the instruction. Their personal approach sets them apart from other chambers.