Set Profile > Chambers of Charles Gibson QC > London , London

Set overviews: England and Wales

A ‘first-class set for product liability and personal injury’, Henderson Chambers becomes ‘a go-to set when the two areas combine’, according to solicitors. The set is also ‘the first port of call’ for health and safety work, and has ‘a very good range of counsel – from QCs to impressive juniors to very competent junior juniors’. In recent chambers news, regulatory specialist Tim Green joined from Outer Temple Chambers, while John White announced he will be retiring on 31 May 2020 after almost 45 years in chambers, 30 of them as chief clerk. The clerking team ‘reflects John’s emphasis on client care’; senior practice manager Daniel Kemp is ‘an asset to the set’. Overall the team is described as ‘efficient with fee notes and always willing to make counsel available and to facilitate accessibility’. Practice managers Nick Bryant, Daniel Smith, and Joseph Sutton are 'always helpful and responsive'; Shaun Wright has joined as a junior clerk from One Essex Court. Offices in: London

Health and safety Tier 1

As 'a leading set for health and safety cases', Henderson Chambers has 'considerable strength in depth', housing an 'excellent' team of 'impressive, charismatic and intelligent barristers'. Multiple members of the set continue to advise on the Grenfell Tower disaster; other highlights include Prashant Popat QC and Oliver Campbell QC successfully defending British Cycling and the event organiser respectively against allegations of health and safety breaches following a fatal accident at a mountain bike race.

Product liability Tier 1

'The leading defence practice for product liability', Henderson Chambers is a 'great set with huge strength in depth from very good quality juniors through to the silks'. Members of chambers are frequently instructed in high-profile and high-stakes litigation. Recently, this has included Prashant Popat QC's work for VW and other companies in the emissions litigation. A number of the set's barristers – including Charles Gibson QC, Malcolm Sheehan QC, Andrew Kinnier QC, and Adam Heppinstall – have been instructed in the pharmaceutical product liability group action alleging that the antidepressant Seroxat is a defective product.

Consumer Tier 2

Henderson Chambers 'has a range of barristers from the young and talented to people of undoubted seniority and authority'. The set is highly regarded for health and safety, product liability, and consumer law. Recent instructions for Toby Riley-smith QC include his representation of Whirlpool Corporation in the Grenfell Tower inquiry. Nazeer Chowdhury acted in the VW emissions group action litigation.

Financial services regulation Tier 2

Henderson Chambers is 'a good set for work of this nature' and 'always able to provide counsel at the right level of experience for claims of all sizes'. Members regularly act for and against regulators including the Financial Conduct Authority, with recent cases including FCA v Gopee (in which Julia Smith represented the regulatory body) , and are also highly experienced on the non-contentious side.

Environment Tier 3

Henderson Chambers has unrivalled experience in large-scale environmental group actions, as well as a range of other regulatory matters and civil claims arising from pollution and other environmental issues. The set has notable expertise in  the railway, waste and mining industries, and clients note that it is 'a strong set for health and safety and product liability matters, and for all kinds of regulatory work'. It also has a 'good, practical clerking team that is always there to sort out problems'. Charles Gibson QC acted for Vedanta in a group action concerning alleged water pollution, environmental damage and personal injury as a result of the operation of a major copper mine in Zambia. Kathleen Donnelly represented Volkswagen in claims arising from vehicle emissions testing, including allegations that NOx emissions have damaged the environment.

Public procurement Tier 3

At Henderson Chambers 'excellent advocate' Rhodri Williams QC counts local and regional government departments among his client who find him 'very user-friendly'. Some of his high-stakes cases have reached the Supreme Court and European Court of Justice, the subjects of which range from health to construction and defence and related funding issues. Andrew Kinnier QC's heavy-weight cases include advising on European structural funds and substantial infrastructure matters. In one case Kinnier is acting for HM Treasury and the Department for Communities & Local Government in relation to procurement issues relating to grants for the restoration of the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool and other regeneration projects.

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) Tier 4

Henderson Chambers has 'a very good range of counsel, from QCs to impressive juniors, to very competent junior juniors', according to one instructing solicitor. The set has an excellent reputation for consumer credit issues, where its members are among the most experienced in the market. The set's members, including Richard Mawrey QC, William Hibbert and Julia Smith, have been involved in several key recent consumer banking cases, including DGOFT v First National Bank, OFT v Lloyds TSB Bank, and Wadham Stringer v Meaney.

Property litigation Tier 5

Henderson Chambers is a ‘good set, with considerable strength in property related-law’, according to clients. Chambers' members are active on both the domestic and commercial property fronts with experience in property damage, right to light, co-ownership, trusts of land, environmental, and landlord and tenant disputes. Lucy McCormick recently acted on Radiosites Ltd v O’Connor, a dispute over a telecommunications tower which resulted in an application or an injunction to obtain access.

Diversity/Community

Henderson Chambers is committed to Equality and Diversity. We regard it as essential to our standing as a leading set of chambers that we should seek to excel in this. We have two equal opportunities officers both of whom are Members of Chambers.

We recognise the obligation not to discriminate against clients, members, pupils or staff on grounds of gender, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), sexual orientation, age, disability, marriage and civil partnership and religion or belief is a fundamental and legal obligation imposed on us by legislation and the Bar Code of Conduct.

These are the summary results of the Diversity Data which was collected by Henderson Chambers during December 2018 in respect of its pupils. The survey was conducted in accordance with the Model Questionnaire prepared by the Bar Standards Board.

So as to comply with both Data Protection legislation and the recommendations of the Bar Standards Board members of Chambers, publication of data is made in accordance with the requirements of Part 2, paragraph D.1.2 r.C110.3.s of the Bar Standards Board Handbook.

Notable Cases

Supreme Court Cases: January to October 2019:

· Vedanta Resources PLC and another v Lugowe & others – Citation: [2019] UKSC 20 – Hearing 15-16/01/19 –- Judgment 10/04/19. Issue: procedural appeal about the jurisdiction of the English courts in relation to a group tort claim. It concerns alleged toxic emissions from the Nchanga Copper Mine (‘the Mine’) in Zambia.

· Shanks v Unilever PLC – Hearing 06-07/02/19, waiting judgment. Issue: What amounts to an ‘outstanding benefit’ for the purposes of determining whether an employee who has made an invention belonging to an employer for which a patent has been granted is entitled to compensation pursuant to s.40(1) of the Patents Act 1977.

· Cape Intermediate Ltd -v Dring (for Asbestos Victims Support Groups) – Hearing 18-19/02/19, Judgment 29/07/19. Issue: What are the powers of the court pursuant to the Civil Procedure Rules or its inherent jurisdiction to permit access to documents used in litigation to which the applicant was not a party.

· Association of Independent Meat Suppliers v Food Standards Agency – Hearing 05/03/19, Judgment 24/07/19. Issue: Whether there is a right of appeal against an Official Veterinarian’s assessment of the fitness of meat for human consumption where there is a dispute as to the fitness of the meat for human consumption.

· Micula & others v Romania – Hearing 18/06/19, adjourned to 07-09/10/19. Issue: Does the High Court have the power to stay the enforcement of an award given in accordance with the procedure in the International Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID).

· Duval v Randolph Crescent – Hearing 10/10/19. Action concerning the construction of various leasehold covenants.

International Group Action Claims

· Vehicle Emissions litigation

· Brazil Dam Disaster

· Claims arising out of election Violence in Kenya – Jurisdiction decision from Court of Appeal on parent company liability

· Asbestos Victims Group Claims

· Environmental claims arising out of a Copper mine in Zambia

· In Amenas hostage compensation claims

· Bomu-Bonny Pipeline Litigation

Product Liability

· Vehicle Emissions litigation · HIPS litigation · Seroxat Litigation– alleged defective drug – one of The Lawyer Top 20 cases of 2019.

· Pandemrix litigation

Health & Safety and Environment

· Representing parties involved in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

· Successfully defending private landowners in a landmark private prosecution under the Environmental Protection Act.

· Instructed in Maritime & Coastguard Agency prosecution arising from collision between a tug and its tow resulting in tug capsizing and sinking with loss of 1 life.

· Acting in prosecution of a contractor arising from death of four workers at the Pembroke Refinery explosion in 2011.

· Ongoing case between a Council and Rail operator, relating to noise nuisance arising from a train care depot.

· Acting in the first prosecution of its kind brought against a sporting governing body for alleged H&S breaches following a fatal accident.

Commercial Litigation

· The Post Office Group Litigation – one of the Lawyers Top 20 cases of 2018 – in particular the developing area of relational contracts and a wide range of legal issues on incorporation of standard terms, unfair contract terms and implied terms. · Google Group Action – breach of data protection rights

· Libyan Investment Authority v. Various Defendants: acting for series of UK parties in commercial conspiracy claim brought in respect of UK joint venture arrangements

European and Public Law

· Court Challenge against Brexit on the ground of breaches in electoral law.

Employment

· King v The Sash Window Workshop Ltd. A landmark case concerning working time and holiday pay.