Henderson Chambers

hendersonchambers.co.uk

Christopher Adams

Christopher has extensive experience in health & safety, corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter investigations and prosecutions, inquests and related commercial disputes and product liability proceedings, including group actions. On the civil side, he has been involved in a number of jurisdictional disputes including the landmark Supreme Court decision in Lungowe v Vedanta, acting for a vehicle manufacturer defending ‘emissions’ claims, and representing the corporate defendants in the largest (in terms of number of claimants) group claim ever brought in England, the Fundão dam litigation. He has been instructed as junior defence counsel in a number of Crown Court health & safety trials, including the successful defence of a tower crane supplier and ensuing application for defence costs and judicial review proceedings. He regularly advises and represents companies in investigations and sentencing proceedings. He has particular experience in representing corporate manufacturers of product ranging from vehicles to vaccines at inquest proceedings. He also provides advice to property developers in relation to regulatory matters such as wildlife mitigation and special treatment licences. His clients include public and private businesses, including a number of Very Large Organisations, local authorities and individuals working in the construction, tower crane hire, pier refurbishment, property development, education, restaurant, nightclub, passenger and rail freight transport, port, hotel, healthcare, pharmaceutical and manufacturing sectors.

Faiza Ahmed

Faiza has a broad practice in commercial, property, employment, consumer law, and financial services, and acts as sole and junior counsel for both claimants and defendants. Faiza undertook a period of secondment at Griffiths and Partners in the Turks and Caicos Islands where she worked on a range of litigation and advisory matters including commercial, real estate, wills and probate, and constitutional law cases. Before joining chambers, Faiza was a Stipendiary Lecturer in Law at Lincoln College, Oxford, where she taught Jurisprudence, Constitutional Law, and Criminal Law.

David Brook

Barrister specialising in all aspects of employment law: including wrongful and unfair dismissal, discrimination, redundancy, restrictive covenants, confidential information, injunctive relief (including freezing and search orders), employee share agreements, status of agency workers, stress related claims, actions involving fraudulent employees, health insurance, transfer of undertakings, bonus claims; related commercial work undertaken. Representative cases include Onwuka v Spherion and others (EAT 21 March 2007) regarding the scope of the Igen v Wong guidelines in race discrimination claims; Glidepath BVI and Others v J Thompson and Others (High Court April 2005 AER) intervener’s action for disclosure of court file for related employment action, jurisdiction in issue, limit of confidentiality within arbitration proceedings; Astbury v Gist (on referral from the EAT 2005 and 2007) whether the employment agency should be joined as a party in order to examine a Dacas-type tripartite arrangement and subsequently substantial wages claim; Lake v Larco Ltd (EAT 2004), regarding the effect of refusing a ‘Calderbank’ offer where offer made on the basis of ‘overwhelming evidence’ against the party refuting the offer; Olatokun v Ikon (EAT May 2004 and August 2005), race discrimination whether the employer’s insistence that the employee produce her passport or be dismissed was a discriminatory act; Elliott v Pertemps (EAT 2003) for employer – time for assessment of impairment under DDA; Steen v Ikon (EAT 2003) for employer – meaning of notice where employer entitled to vary terms and bonus on notice; Clark v CPS (EAT 2002) for employee – whether late evidence is admissible, whether certain words (‘Mad Mary’) discriminating per se; Secondsite Ltd v Rowlatt & Vass (High Court 2002) injuncture relief – whether restrictive covenants valid – whether claimant entitled to seek relief given full admissions prior to issue; LSE v Pearson & Evans (High Court 2000), for employee contracts manager – allegations of secret profits and conspiracy with subcontractor to defraud college; Maynard v Dyno Rod Plc (ET 2000), for employer – alleged wrongful/unfair dismissal of managing director/share options/counterclaim of misappropriation of company funds; Dolce Vita Leisure Ltd & Intournet v Kostas Markou (High Court 2000) – junior counsel for defendant – variation of time clauses in agreement to transfer shares valued at circa £25m; Mindworks Ltd v Shear (High Court 2000), for employee director – validity of restrictive covenants – whether Anton Pillar appropriate relief – security for costs. An ADR-accredited mediator, he advises and acts in the mediated resolution of employment disputes and chairs university Academic Appeals Panel.

Chloe Campbell

Chloë has a broad civil and commercial practice with a particular focus on group actions, product liability and employment but also encompassing public inquiries, personal injury, health and safety, environment, employee patent compensation, property and commercial disputes.Chloë has particular expertise in medical device product liability. For many years Chloë represented a major pharmaceutical company in a number of group actions forming part of the worldwide vaginal mesh litigation and she is currently representing an international producer on a coordinated group litigation involving knee replacement products. Chloë has extensive experience managing multiple claims in group actions and dealing with complex scientific and medical expert evidence. She advises and acts on a wide range of product liability claims as well as advising on product recall and labelling requirements under UK and EU consumer protection laws, and the complex chain of supply disputes that arise following a product recall, often involving cross jurisdictional issues.Most recently Chloë’s reported group action work includes acting as lead junior defending a high-profile Equal Pay claim against NEXT brought by more than 3500 retail assistants claiming equal pay with warehouse workers.Chloë is also a qualified and experienced mediator and applies her product liability and commercial expertise to the successful mediation of domestic and cross border disputes.

Oliver Campbell KC

For more than a decade he has appeared regularly in the highest profile health and safety and manslaughter prosecutions. These have included the Sellafield and Network Rail appeals; Eastbourne pier prosecution; Marks and Spencer asbestos prosecution; British Cycling prosecution; Falcon Crane prosecution; the Hatfield train crash prosecution; and the prosecution arising from the Averies waste sites fires. He has been recognised as Chambers UK ‘Health and Safety Silk of the Year’, and before taking silk as junior of the year.Oliver also specialises in all aspects of product liability, acting for both claimants and defendants. He has particular experience of group actions including data protection and environmental group actions, as well as product liability group actions. Examples of such group actions include: the Mercedes, VW, Renault and Ford NOx Emissions group claims; the Lloyd v Google claim before the Supreme Court; the Farley v Equiniti data breach group action; the TSB mortgage prisoners group claim; the OCENSA pipeline litigation; the Viridor Runcorn environmental group claim; the Lloyds / HBOS group litigation; the Metal on Metal hip litigation; the Para Red and Sudan Red food contamination litigation; the Lariam litigation; and the PIP litigation.He regularly appears in major inquests and inquiries, including: the Grenfell Tower Inquiry; the Ben Leonard Scouts inquest; the inquest arising out of the Vauxhall helicopter crash; Avonmouth Bridge disaster; Potters Bar rail accident; Basildon hospital legionella outbreak. He also has considerable experience of criminal and civil environmental claims, including waste management and pollution claims.

Jack Castle

Jack has experience ranging across commercial, financial services, competition/subsidy control, employment and public law. He acts in individual and group claims.He is frequently instructed to deal with human rights issues arising in his core practice areas, whether in judicial reviews, statutory appeals or civil litigation. Recent instructions concern: social security, taxation, pensions, free movement, freedom of expression, privacy, trade union rights, fair trial issues and commercial human rights cases under Article 1 of the First Protocol.He has appeared as sole or leading counsel in the Court of Appeal, High Court, Upper Tribunal and the Employment Appeal Tribunal, conducted oral advocacy (led) in the Supreme Court, and acts in the European Court of Human Rights. Many of his cases involve issues of retained EU/assimilated law and the impact of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. He is a member of the Attorney General’s C Panel and Public International Law C Panel.Full details of Jack’s practice and recent cases can be found at: https://www.hendersonchambers.co.uk/barristers/jack-castle/

Nazeer Chowdhury

Nazeer Chowdhury has developed a broad practice in consumer credit and financial services law, advising and representing both finance houses and consumers in complex financial disputes. His experience in contract law ranges from claims under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, UCTA 1977, Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999 to complex disputes under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. He was seconded to the Financial Services Authority in 2005 to assist in numerous matters arising out of the operation of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, secondary financial services legislation and in particular the FSA handbook. Among other things, he has advised the Financial Services Authority on the application of the Insurance Directives to the reinsurance sector. He regularly acts for local authorities in a broad variety of tortious and contractual claims, including matters arising from landlord and tenant (residential and business) and property law.

Abigail Cohen

Health and safety & Inquests: advocacy and advisory experience in health and safety prosecutions in the Magistrates and Crown Courts primarily for Defendant companies facing prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and related health and safety regulations, and in civil litigation for personal injury arising out of workplace accidents. Regularly instructed to appear at Coroner’s Inquests on behalf of Interested Parties including Article 2 Inquests. Representative cases include the Buncefield criminal prosecution (junior to Roger Henderson QC and Prashant Popat QC) which led to a 3 month jury trial at St Albans Crown Court; Defended company prosecuted under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (led by Prashant Popat QC). The prosecution was dismissed at a pre-trial review following legal argument as to the correct interpretation of the RRO; Inquests on behalf of Ministry of Justice re prison suicides. Product Liability & Commercial disputes including Group Actions: Regularly instructed to advise in claims under the CPA 1987 and/or in negligence in relation to various products. For example, instructed by leading pharmaceutical company in relation to cases concerning medicinal products. Other recent representative cases include acting for food manufacturer re EU regulatory regimes governing food additives and enzymes, acting for manufacturers re claims for property damage arising from flooding due to defective tap valves, acting for manufacturer of equipment used by disabled persons for access to pools.Instructed in commercial disputes including supply chain disputes re conformance to specification of products supplied under contract; third party claims between contractors and sub contractors.In Group Actions regularly instructed for example in a group action (led by Charles Gibson QC) arising out of two oil spills in the Niger Delta brought in the English courts by several thousand Nigerian nationals. Instructed by MOD in over 100 claims brought in respect of hearing loss and re adequateness of hearing protection/PPE provided. Instructed by MOJ in over 1,000 claims brought for historic child sex abuse in detention centre in 1970/1980s.Further experience in Employment law; for example recently acted in 5 day disability discrimination trial for employer and regularly instructed to appear in Tribunal.Junior Counsel to the Crown (C Panel).

Cameron Crowe KC

Regulatory law specialist with an emphasis on consumer law, fraud, product safety, health and safety, fire safety, food safety and life sciences. He has represented clients in some of the most significant and high-profile cases in his areas of specialism over the last twenty years, in both the criminal and civil jurisdictions.He has acted as leading junior, leading other barristers, in multiple large-scale, national prosecutions brought by national regulators, as well as for large corporates and their directors during both investigations and prosecutions, advising on issues of compliance, strategy and, ultimately, representing them in court.

Hannah Curtain

Hannah is an experienced Inquiry counsel. She represented the Welsh Government in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry into the national response to and the impact of the pandemic and acted as counsel to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, working on the modules concerning the London Fire Brigade’s operational response to the fire, and fire safety regulation. She has considerable experience of managing teams of junior counsel and leading on large-scale disclosure exercises, as well as conducting Inquiry advocacy. Hannah regularly represents clients in the coroner’s court, with a particular focus on deaths involving medical devices. Both as part of her Inquiry and Inquest work, she has considerable experience of working closely with technical experts across a diverse range of disciplines.In addition to her Inquiry work, Hannah has a busy civil and common law practice, with an emphasis on employment and product liability law. In her employment practice, Hannah represents claimants and respondents in all types of cases including unfair dismissal, TUPE, wages, and whistleblowing, with a particular focus on discrimination claims. She is currently acting for Tesco in defending multi-party equal pay claims. In product liability, she acted for the manufacturer of hip implants in the Corin Metal-on-Metal Hip group litigation, and was instructed by one of the manufacturers in the POP/ SUI vaginal mesh products litigation. Hannah is a contributor to Tolley’s Employment Law Service, and to the Equality Act chapter of Tolley’s Health and Safety at Work Service.

Harrison Denner

Harrison has a broad practice, with a wealth of experience both led and unled in a variety of fields. Harrison has a particular focus on group actions, commercial litigation, banking and consumer finance and product liability. He has been ranked in the Legal 500 since 2023, when he was recognised as a “Rising Star” and has been ranked as a Tier 3 “Leading Junior” in the most recent edition, being described as being “very good on his feet” and “easy to work with”, and possessing “excellent written skills” and “good commercial awareness”. Harrison is comfortable at every level of the Court system. He has appeared unled in a number of appeals in the County Court, as well as appearing unled in the High Court on numerous occasions, in both interlocutory hearings and trials. He has also been instructed as sole counsel in claims valued in excess of £20 million.

Noel Dilworth

Barrister specialising in employment; landlord and tenant; health and safety; product liability.

Kathleen Donnelly KC

Kathleen specialises in group actions, product liability, commercial, environment and employment law. Kathleen has acted in some of the largest and most significant class actions in the English Courts. She acted for the 555 subpostmasters against the Post Office in civil litigation concerning the operation of the Horizon IT system, resulting in the unravelling of the largest miscarriage of justice in UK history. She also acted for VW in the first vehicle emissions group action, and continues to act in the ongoing wider emissions litigation. Kathleen also acts for NEXT in the equal pay litigation concerning the effect of market forces on pay. Kathleen has broad commercial litigation experience, including in the high profile aviation dispute between Qatar Airways v Airbus, and has experience of large scale environmental claims including the OCENSA pipeline litigation. She also continues her longstanding employment practice, with a focus on employee competition cases, both in the courts and by international arbitration.

Thomas Evans

Thomas has a broad commercial practice. He is ranked in Tier 1 for Group Litigation (Legal 500) and in Band 3 for both Product Liability and Group Litigation (Chambers UK), and is a member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown. Thomas’ ongoing and recent cases include: Qatar Airways v Airbus (commercial dispute concerning the A350 aircraft); Novitas Loans v AmTrust Europe (£55m claim arising out of a failed litigation funding scheme); the VW NOx Emissions Group Litigation Nos. 1 and 2 (now part of the Pan NOx Litigation, and instructed by Volkswagen); and Minol v FireAngel (commercial dispute concerning fire detection apparatus). He has also recently acted in high value cases concerning agricultural machinery, maritime vessels and plant equipment. Thomas has a particular expertise in costs and litigation funding, including in the context of group litigation (in respect of which he is authoring the costs and funding chapters of the latest edition of Hodges on Multi-party Actions). Allied to this, Thomas has a particular depth of experience in consumer protection matters arising out of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (both regulatory and contentious). He has contributed to the Journal of International banking and Finance Law.

Freya Foster

Freya has experience acting as sole and junior counsel on matters ranging from group actions to public inquiries and judicial review challenges. Freya has a particular interest in public and regulatory law. She is a member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel and regularly acts for both defendants and claimants in disputes relating to matters such as data protection, product liability, environmental law and consumer rights. She has experience advising private entities in their interaction with public bodies across civil, regulatory, and criminal proceedings. Freya represented the Home Office (led by Prashant Popat KC) in the Cranston Inquiry into the sinking of a migrant boat in the English Channel in November 2021 and is instructed by MHCLG in the Covid-19 Public Inquiry. Freya has acted in a number of cases where claims are brought in the UK by groups of claimants from other jurisdictions. These cases cover a variety of allegations ranging from environmental damage to intentional torts and often raise issues of private international law and the scope of liability of corporate entities under both English and foreign law. Freya is also instructed in the Pan NOx litigation, having previously worked on the VW NOx Emissions litigation. Before joining Chambers, Freya was employed at the Government Legal Department where she represented and advised the Home Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on issues ranging from data protection to the creation of new criminal offences. Prior to being called to the Bar she gained experience at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP as a paralegal, working exclusively on the RBS Rights Issue litigation, and worked as a Legal Officer in the Presidency of the International Criminal Court.

Kate Gardiner

Kate has a broad commercial practice, with a particular interest in product liability, insurance, and consumer finance, as well as in environmental law. She acts for claimants and defendants in both individual and group claims. Prior to pupillage, Kate undertook an internship at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and was a volunteer representative in early-stage employment disputes for CAIWU.

Charles Gibson KC

International commercial litigation with an emphasis on large mass tort and group actions, product liability, environmental, health and safety, regulatory and insurance law. Notable cases include: Representing BHP in the Fundao Dam Litigation, Dyson, VW in the Diesel Emissions claims; the Seroxat litigation; the Vedanta and Unilever group litigation, parent company, subsidiary jurisdiction claims; OCENSA Pipeline group litigation; Bomu Bonny Pipeline group litigation; Foodles film company Health & Safety prosecution; the Mesh Litigation; The Metal on Metal Hip litigation; the Atomic Veterans litigation; the Buncefield litigation; the Sabril litigation; Lubbe v Cape plc; Hodgson v Imperial Tobacco (the tobacco litigation); Bass Britvic v Terra; the Opren litigation; the Benzodiazepine litigation; Garland v West Wiltshire District Council; The Norplant litigation; the MMR litigation; group actions involving Prozac, Lariam, Minocin, Shiley heart valve, breast implants, drink contamination; the organo-phosphate litigation; the interest rate swap litigation; asbestos claims, mine radiation injury claims; other product liability cases for various manufacturers and producers; the Potters Bar Inquest; the King's Cross and Clapham Inquiries for the London Fire Brigade; the Severn Tunnel Inquiry.

Sabrina Goodchild

Sabrina is a specialist regulatory barrister with particular expertise in regulated financial services work and consumer law, spanning both civil and criminal jurisdictions. She also regularly acts in mis-selling claims, including in the context of green products, insurance and timeshares. She is frequently instructed in cases with substantial strategic or national importance, and has an increasing appellate practice.Her clients include financial institutions, businesses and regulators, and Sabrina is often instructed as specialist counsel when consumer law issues arise in related areas of law.Recent court work includes acting in R v AUH [2023] EWCA Crim 6 and [2022] EWCA Crim 1113 (the leading cases on the power of local authorities to prosecute “consumer offences” out-of-area), in the appeal from CFL Finance Ltd v Gertner [2021] EWCA Civ 228 on the definition of “credit”, as sole counsel in a 4-day High Court trial against a legal expenses insurer, and in multi-handed trading standards prosecutions.Recent advisory work includes advising on the legality of differential booking fees, the regulation of ebikes and funeral plans, on Enterprise Act undertakings and enforcement orders, on customer journeys for compliance with consumer law, and reviewing loan books for FCA compliance.PUBLICATIONSContributing editor to ‘The Encyclopedia of Financial Services Law’

Beatrice Graham

Beatrice is developing a broad practice across the range of Chambers’ specialisms and welcomes instructions as both sole and junior counsel. Her practice has a specific focus on group litigation and product liability, commercial and consumer law. She was instructed as junior counsel for the Claimants in the Volkswagen NOx Litigation until the matter settled in 2022 and continues to represent the Claimants in the Pan NOx emissions litigation. As sole counsel Beatrice has built significant experience of consumer credit work and is regularly instructed by well-known banks and financial providers in unfair relationship claims made on various grounds from alleged undisclosed and secret commission claims arising out of PPI Policies covering credit card, mortgage and loan agreements to allegations of fiduciary breach in loan broker and motor finance commission contexts. Often she represents Defendant banks against consumer litigants in person making a broad range of complaints both at trial and interim hearings. She has spent time seconded part-time to the Financial Services Disputes and Investigations team of a major firm. Recent work has also included representing mortgage providers in residential property proceedings and a family business in a High Court action to claim under an indemnity for tax liabilities. Beatrice has gained advisory and litigation experience in the County and High Court across the practice areas of Chambers, and accepts instructions in Commercial Litigation, Group Litigation, Product Liability, Consumer Credit, and Property.

Patrick Green KC

Specialist in commercial law, employment law, public law/judicial review and ADR. Recent appeal cases of interest include: Hertfordshire CC v LB Hammersmith v Fulham [2011] EWCA Civ 77 (mental health – local authority liability for after-care); Jones v Neath Port Talbot CBC [2011] EWCA Civ 92 (liability of Local Education Authorities); and Shanks v Unilever [2010] EWCA Civ 1283 (employee patent compensation); Autoclenz v Belcher [2009] EWCA Civ 1046 (leading case on employee and worker status, going to the Supreme Court); and Neary v St Albans Girls’ School [2009] EWCA Civ 1190 (striking out and relief from sanctions); Masdar v The Commission, [2008] EUECJ C-47/07 ECJ (non-contractual liability of Community institutions). He is co-author (with Adam Heppinstall of Henderson Chambers) of The Manual of Employment Appeals (Jordans: December 2008), which was favourably cited by Mummery LJ in Woodhouse School v Webster [2009] EWCA Civ 91 and which is shortly to go into its 2nd edition. He is often instructed in novel or high-profile cases.

Tim Green KC

Tim Green has been recognised by both Chambers UK and Legal 500 for 20 years as one of the Bar’s outstanding advocates in crisis management work, with particular emphasis on product safety/liability work. His practice includes investigations into companies and their officers arising from: (1) defective products, death or severe injury at work; (2) public inquiries and inquests; (3) serious environmental harm, and (4) complex and high value financial wrongdoing, including FCA/PRA, HMRC and SFO investigations. Clients include most of the top-tier law firms in these fields, as well as global data driven businesses, multi-national manufacturers, global life science companies, financial institutions, company officers, off-shore regulators and governments.

Adam Heppinstall KC

Adam has recognised expertise in product liability, ESG actions, public, regulatory, commercial and employment law. He is a group action specialist. He has acted for a number of corporate groups facing mass tort actions (including based on their parent company liability for the acts of their subsidiaries and/or supply chains abroad) including Dyson, Camellia, Shell, Unilever, G4S and Cape. He is acting in a number of ESG related claims/group actions relating to supply chains and climate change. He is also defending a number of mass data breach claims. He has extensive service out, setting service out aside, forum and conflicts experience. He has also acted in a number of domestic product liability group actions, including in relation to NOx, Pandemrix, vaginal mesh, anti-depressants, hormone tablets, pacemakers and for GSK in the Seroxat group action. He has advised upon and conducted a wide variety of COVID-19 related litigation (PPE, testing, FOIA, procurement vaccines, and employment law). He led for a Government Department before the Covid Inquiry. He is used to dealing with complex medical/epidemiological evidence and is a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society and an Associate of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. He has extensive automotive and white goods product liability experience, including in product recalls, dealing with Trading Standards and OPSS. He is experienced in costs and funding issues, particularly in group actions. He acted for a Core Participant before the Grenfell Inquiry and has represented a number of clients before Coroner’s Inquests, regulatory tribunals (he has appeared in all of the non-tax Chambers of the FTT and UT, as well as the Investigatory Powers Tribunal and has conduct of cases before the Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal) and in health and safety/regulatory matters before the criminal courts. He is also expert in claims and regulatory actions relating to renewable energy, batteries, vehicles, emissions, noise, vibration, farming, food, medicines, medical devices, chemicals, seeds, fire alarms, fire safety, oil, ionising radiation and flooding. He has prosecuted for and has advised the MHRA, the Foods Standards Agency and the Environment Agency. He has extensive mesothelioma and asbestos-related conditions experience. He is regularly instructed in commercial arbitrations and public procurement disputes. He has public and employment law practices. He was Junior Counsel to the Crown (A-C Panels, 2004 until 2021) and has acted, and continues to act for government departments in a large range of matters, in particular DHSC, HM Prisons, and the MOD (not least in a series of serious personal injury claims, employment tribunals and group actions) He has addressed the Supreme Court in a regulatory judicial review which was referred to the CJEU. He appeared for the GMC in the Professor Sir Roy Meadow proceedings and before the Shipman Inquiry. He acts for private clients in judicial reviews, including against regulatory decisions (in particular relating to the regulation of medicines and medical devices) and as interested parties (for example in relation to climate change related claims). He acts in FOIA and GDPR proceedings (including in relation to archives, historic events and national security issues). He produced a report for the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in relation to the appointment of Richard Sharp, Chair of the BBC. He is available for instruction to carry out or to advise upon private or public investigations and inquiries.

William Hibbert

Specialist in commercial aspects of consumer finance and financial services (including consumer credit and mortgages) and consumer protection law (including unfair contract terms, unfair commercial practices, advertising, package holidays and timeshare). Also food law, food labeling, cosmetics and medicines.Cases: Popely v Scott (legal advice as due diligence) (2001) 165 JP 742; DG Fair Trading v First National [2002] 1 AC 481 (Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations); Wilson v First County Trust [2004] 1 AC 816 (Whether irredeemable unenforceability under CCA compatible with HRA); Uren v First National [2005] EWHC 2529 (Ch)(No free-standing claim of “unjust enrichment”); Goshawk v Bank of Scotland [2006] 2 AER 610 (Wording of prescribed notices of CCA cancellation rights); OFT v Lloyds TSB [2008] 1 AC 318 (HL) (Lender's liability under s.75 CCA for credit card transactions financing foreign transactions); Conister Trust v Hardman [2009] CCLR 4 and Sutherland Professional Funding v Bakewells [2014] CTLC 1 (Solicitor's liability for client's litigation funding agreement); Meah v GE Money [2013] 1 P&CR DG 18 (Mortgagee's liability for valuation of repossessed property); RTA (Business Consultants) v Bracewell [2015] Bus LR 800 (Sole trader selling business not a “consumer”; sale agent’s contract void for illegality because of non-compliance with money laundering regulations); Warwickshire CC v Halfords Autocentres [2019] 1 W.L.R. 3597 (TSO’s test purchase can establish unfair commercial practice); Stamp v Capital Home Loans [2024] EWHC 1092 (KB) (Court’s remedies for deterring misselling claims that relied on ancient and irrelevant legislation to invalidate the claimants' mortgages); Breeze and others v TSB [2026] EWCA Civ 32 (claims by former Northern Rock borrowers for equal interest rate treatment to that of assignee’s other mortgage customers (“mortgage prisoners”)).

Amelia Jefford

Amelia Jefford is a junior barrister who is developing a broad civil and commercial practice in line with Henderson Chambers profile. During pupillage, Amelia assisted leading counsel in proceedings before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court, including multiple multi-million-pound commercial disputes and proceedings concerning the Energy Charter Treaty. She has also gained experience of large-scale consumer and group litigation. Amelia regularly appears as sole counsel in court, where her experience includes contractual and consumer disputes, financial services claims, property and possession proceedings, and general civil litigation.Prior to pupillage, Amelia represented an NGO with Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council at the 11th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva, contributing to work under the mandate of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights. She also worked as a paralegal at a leading national solicitors’ firm

Andrew Kinnier KC

Product liability: acting for defendants in mass tort, group and unitary actions, particularly relating to pharmaceutical products, medical devices and motor vehicles. Inquests and public inquiries: acting as Counsel to the Inquiry and representing core participants in major public inquiries; Public procurement: advises central government, local and other public authorities on a broad range of procurement matters (particularly defence-related); Health & safety law: represents corporate clients in respect of regulatory prosecutions, civil proceedings and inquests.

Julie Leenane

Julie has a broad practice, with a particular interest in commercial litigation, employment and public international law. She has been led in a consumer claim at Court of Appeal level, and assisted during pupillage in the Supreme Court appeals in Republic of Zimbabwe v Border Timbers Ltd [2026] UKSC 9 and Iconix v Dream Pairs [2025] UKSC 25. Julie has a lively court practice and is frequently instructed as sole counsel. She has appeared unled in the High Court, County Court, Employment Tribunal, Coroners Court and Magistrates Court. Before pupillage, Julie graduated with First Class Honours from Trinity College Dublin. She completed an MPhil in Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge, and converted to law as a Bedingfield and David Karmel Scholar of Gray’s Inn. Julie welcomes instructions as sole or junior counsel in all areas of Chambers’ practice.

Reanne MacKenzie

George Mallet

George is a leading junior specialising in a broad range of civil/commercial litigation. He regularly represents clients at all levels including as sole advocate in the High Court. He has appeared before both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. He has particular expertise in product liability claims, banking matters and group actions. He is regularly instructed by major banks, government departments and FTSE 100 companies. George is also regularly instructed as junior counsel alongside leading KCs in a wide range of complex and high-value cases.George specialises in complex and fact heavy product liability litigation. He successfully represented McLaren Automotive in a claim concerning alleged defects in a supercar ([2026] EWHC 1126 (TCC)). He has represented the Department of Health and Social Care in a series of claims concerning the supply of defective COVID-19 tests (see DHSC v Primer Design [2024] EWHC 1071 (TCC), Mornington 2000 v DHSC [2025] EWHC 3479 (TCC) and Origin v DHSC - ongoing). He is also acting in the ongoing Litigation concerning the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine on behalf of the DHSC.In addition, George regularly represents FTSE listed manufacturers in claims concerning manufacturing and/or design defects in relation to engineering products ([2020] EWHC 3404 (TCC)), food products, vehicles, and agricultural machinery.George is a leading consumer finance barrister and regularly represents major banks and other financial institutions. He is currently representing Barclays Bank PLC in ongoing proceedings brought under s.75 CCA and Mercedes-Benz Finance Services in its challenge to the FCA’s motor redress scheme. George previously represented Tesco Bank PLC with respect to the proposed PPI group action.He has a wealth of experience in key consumer finance matters including claims under the CCA, secret commission claims, injunctions, PPI matters and motor finance actions. He also co-authors chapters in Goode: Consumer Credit Law and Practice and contributed to Practical Law (including the Practice Note on Unfair Relationships). Before practising at the Bar, George worked in investment banking.

Thomas Mallon

Thom has a broad practice that includes commercial, finance and insurance, group actions, product liability, data protection, health and safety, and intellectual property.

Douglas Maxwell

Lucy McCormick

Called to the Bar by Middle Temple (2008); Judicial Assistant to Mummery LJ, Royal Courts of Justice (2008); Secondment to HSBC to assist with the FCA’s Interest Rate Hedging Product Review (2014); Attorney General’s ‘C’ Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown (2016-2022); Middle Temple Advocacy Trainer (2017-present).

Anna Medvinskaia

Specialist in consumer and regulatory law, including e-commerce and digital rights, unfair trading, advertising and financial services.Acts for online platforms, high street retailers, regulators and government agencies.Regularly instructed in cases involving complex questions of EU law and public law.Holds a first class LL.M degree from the University of Cambridge.Was a visiting lawyer at the European Commission (Consumer Enforcement Unit).Taught EU law at the London School of Economics (having previously worked as a research assistant there).PublicationsAuthor of the ‘Advertising’ chapter and co-author of the ‘Consumer Rights’ chapter in ‘Consumer and Trading Standards: Law and Practice’ (Lexis)Contributing editor of ‘The Encyclopedia of Financial Services Law’ (Sweet & Maxwell)Co-author (with Professor Riefa) of the ‘Consumer Law on the Internet’ chapter in ‘Gringras: The Laws of the Internet’ (Bloomsbury Professional, 2022)

Ognjen Miletic

Ognjen’s practice has an emphasis on commercial work, group litigation and jurisdictional disputes. He also focuses on product liability, particularly where it intersects with these areas of specialism. Ognjen is ranked by Legal 500 as a Leading Junior (Band 2) in Group Litigation. He is also ranked by Chambers and Partners as a Leader in the Field in Group Litigation and in Band 5 for Commercial Dispute Resolution. Ognjen was instructed as junior counsel for the Claimants in the long-running Post Office Group Litigation. Arising from a scandal frequently described as “the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history”, Ognjen was part of the successful team that secured multiple judgments in its favour on important legal issues. These judgments have also been imperative in the overturning of more than 90 criminal convictions. Ognjen is instructed in multiple group actions arising from ‘emissions’ claims against different vehicle manufacturers. Outside of a purely domestic context, he has been instructed in many cases that have been brought in the UK by groups of claimants from all over the world. These cases are often founded on alleged international mass torts, and include the landmark decisions of the Supreme Court in Lungowe v Vedanta and the Court of Appeal in AAA v Unilever. In terms of his commercial work, he is currently instructed in Commercial Court litigation arising as a result of a BIT Arbitration Award made against the Czech Republic in the sum of c.£560m.

William Moody

William practices in commercial, group litigation, consumer law, financial services, product liability and public procurement. He has appeared both led and unled across his areas of practice, including in some of the most famous cases of the day (NOx Emissions; Primodos; the Bunzl PPE Litigation) and clients include multinationals, government departments as well as individuals and small businesses.

Lia Moses

In recent years, Lia’s practice has focused on mass claims and group actions. She is currently instructed by the Defendants in the Mercedes Benz NOx Emissions Litigation. She has acted in several sets of mass claims involving consumer credit and consumer contract law. These claims have involved allegations of (i) defective products (ranging from sofas to medical devices), (ii) the mis-selling of products (ranging from credit and insurance products to solar panels and timeshares), (ii) connected lender liability (i.e. under sections 56 and 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974), (iv) unfairness under section 140A of the 1974 Act, and/or (v) prohibited practices under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Lia has also acted in mass tort claims involving claims for personal injury. Employment law is another area of Lia’s practice. She has represented both employers and employees in a range of employment disputes. The breadth of her experience (and its focus, from the early years of her practice, on court work) means that she is an experienced advocate able to deliver an effective and comprehensive service to her clients which draws on her experience of multiple practice areas and of all stages of the dispute resolution process (from pre-issue and interim hearings, through to trial and enforcement).

Ben Norton

Celia Oldham

Celia has a wide-ranging commercial litigation practice with a particular focus on group litigation, product liability, consumer law, environmental law and employment litigation.She was named Group Litigation and Consumer Junior of the year in 2022 by Legal 500 and has sine been nominated for the same award in 2025 and 2026. She is recognised as a much sought-after junior with particular technical ability and significant experience in high stakes commercial litigation.She has appeared in many high-profile group actions including the ongoing Pan-NOx litigation and the River Wye group claims, and many other significant group claims and multi-party actions.She is regularly instructed in product liability disputes in both unitary and group claims. She has particular experience in claims which raise complex technical issues and require substantial expert evidence, as well as claims with a regulatory angle.Celia also regularly appears in employee competition cases involving significant fact and expert evidence.She also has broad commercial litigation experience and acts in a wide range of commercial disputes including aviation claims, fraud claims, and consumer disputes including consumer finance litigation.

James Palmer

Common law: product liability, personal injury, professional negligence, health and safety, consumer credit and general insurance. Employment law: wrongful and unfair dismissal, discrimination, TUPE and whistleblowing claims, directors’ duties, restraint of trade, non-solicitation and injunctive relief. General commercial: contractual and shareholders disputes, property insurance risks and company directors disqualification. Reported cases include: Gardner v Marsh & Parsons [1997] 1 WLR 489 (CA), measure of damages – surveyor’s negligence; Banco Exterior v Mann [1995] 1 All ER (CA), undue influence – bank entitled to assume company solicitor would give independent advice to wife; Allen & Others v BREL CA [2001] PIQR QIO, personal injury – apportionment of damages between concurrent negligent and non-negligent causes.

Vishnu Patel

Vishnu has a broad commercial practice, with a particular interest in civil fraud, banking and financial services, and insolvency. He acts for claimants and defendants in both individual and group claims, accepting instructions as both junior and sole counsel. Prior to pupillage, Vishnu was a Harold G. Fox Scholar (Middle Temple), for which he spent 10 months in Toronto, Canada, at a leading litigation firm working across the full spectrum of commercial disputes. He then undertook a placement at a UK-based litigation boutique working on multiple group actions.

Charles Peto

Charles is building a broad practice across commercial, property, financial services and consumer law, representing both claimants and defendants. He accepts instructions as both junior and sole counsel. Prior to pupillage, Charles spent three years as a social researcher specialising in energy and transport policy. He was then a Visiting Lecturer in Public law at City University of London before taking a role as Judicial Assistant to the Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights.

Prashant Popat KC

In the field of product liability his substantial group action experience encompasses litigation concerning: the NOx Emissions issue; Covid-19 vaccine; metal-on-metal hip implants; PIP breast implants; Benzodiazepines; Norplant; blood transfusions; MMR; Sabril; and Seroxat. His commercial product liability practice includes litigation and arbitrations concerning products ranging from gastric bands to fuses and fire appliances to helicopters to motor vehicles. He has been involved in leading reported cases in this field, including appellate and CJEU decisions. Over 3 decades he has also represented defendants in major manslaughter and health and safety cases (and associated inquiries and inquests) arising from incidents such as the railway disasters at Southall, Ladbroke Grove, Hatfield, Potters Bar and Lambrigg, the explosion at the Buncefield oil depot, the Pembrokeshire Oil Refinery, the Atherstone upon Stour fire and the Glesion Mine flooding and the helicopter crash at the Leicester City FC ground. He represents interested persons in connection with ongoing investigations, including the Didcot power station collapse, the Grenfell fire, the Covid Inquiry and the Cranston Inquiry. He has previously been nominated for, and twice recognised as, the Chambers UK “Health and Safety Silk of the Year” and also awarded the Legal 500 award for “Corporate Crime” silk of the year.

James Purnell KC

Barrister specialising in Group Litigation, Commercial, Product Liability, Health & Safety and Environmental,Personal Injury, Employment, Regulatory Law, Public & Administrative Law.

John Ratliff

John specialises in EU Competition law, offering advice on all types of issue and advocacy in European Commission proceedings. He has 40 years’ legal experience, having studied or worked in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and France. John has practised in Brussels since 1986. For 13 years, with a leading EU boutique, Stanbrook and Hooper. Then, for 23 years with what is now WilmerHale, a leading American firm, from which he retired in December 2022. He has dealt with a wide range of competition issues, including: (i) advising companies on compliance issues (e.g., Articles 101 and 102 TFEU); (ii) handling clearance procedures for mergers and acquisitions at the European Commission (EC), including complex ‘Phase 1’ and ‘Phase 2’ clearances with remedies; (iii) opposing mergers and acquisitions, where third parties are prejudiced; (iv) bringing complaints to the EC about anti-competitive practices to obtain remedies; (v) defending companies accused of infringing the EU Competition rules. He has also assisted companies and their counsel on other EU regulatory issues, notably advice and investigations as regards energy market manipulation and REMIT.

Toby Riley-Smith KC

He is a leading silk in the fields of (1) consumer law, (2) environmental law, (3) health and safety, (4) inquests/inquiries and (5) product liability. He acts for organisations and individuals in claims, prosecutions, mediations, public inquiries and/or inquests – often representing clients in all of the different processes that follow product failures, accidents or disasters. He has particular expertise in group litigation, having acted in some of the most significant group actions of the last two decades including The Tobacco Litigation, The MMR Vaccine Litigation, The PIP Breast Implant Litigation, The Bodo Oil Pipeline Litigation, The Corin Metal-on-Metal Hip Litigation, The Vaginal Mesch Litigation, the Essure Litigation and the Pan Nox Diesel Emissions Litigation.

Thomas Samuels

Thom’s practice concentrates on consumer, financial services and commercial matters. He regularly appears, both led and unled, at all levels of Court dealing with a range of specialist technical issues. In particular, those arising under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, Consumer Credit Act 1974 and Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. His clients include: national and international retailers across a range of sectors, banks, insurers, pensions providers, start-ups, local authorities, charities and regulators, as well as high net-worth individuals. Thom has been instructed in relation to all of the major consumer “mis-selling” scandals of the past 10 years including payment protection insurance (PPI), green energy/solar panels (ESG), self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs) and timeshares/holiday products. He has also been retained in a number of high-profile judicial review claims giving rise to consumer and financial services issues on behalf of both claimants and defendants. In addition, Thom maintains a non-contentious advisory practice. He regularly advises on points of technical regulatory compliance for start-ups (including fintechs) and blue chip corporates launching new products. Thom is also frequently instructed to assist with due diligence in high-value debt-sale and securitisation transactions. Notable work includes: Beavis v Parking Eye Limited [2016] AC 1172 (penalties/unfair terms), Berkeley Burke litigation [2017–19] (SIPP mis-selling), Jackson v Ayles [2021] EWHC 995 (Ch) (FSMA “by way of business” test), R (Chadwin & Ors) v Financial Services Compensation Scheme [2021] EWHC 2523 (Admin) (causation on judicial review), and Stamp v Capital Home Loans Ltd [2024] EWHC 1092 (KB) (abuse of process/strike out). Publications Mis-Selling Financial Services (2nd ed.) (co-author); Encyclopedia of Banking Law (contributor); Consumer Credit Law & Regulation (2024); White Book 2024 (contributor)

Isha Shakir

Isha has a broad commercial litigation practice. She regularly appears in the County Court and the Winding Up Court. She has recently been instructed as sole counsel in the High Court in a £200,000 commercial case. Isha has worked on matters across a spectrum of practice areas within Chambers, encompassing group litigation, product liability, property, health and safety, employment, consumer credit, data protection, civil fraud, and harassment cases. Isha recently embarked on a one-month secondment with Griffiths and Partners in the Turks and Caicos Islands, gaining invaluable experience while working closely with the litigation team on a range of cases. Isha graduated top of her year in Law at the University of York and has completed the BCL at the University of Oxford. She received the Queen Mother scholarship from Middle Temple. Isha has also spoken at the House of Lords. Before starting pupillage, she volunteered for the Citizens Advice Bureau. Isha welcomes instructions in all practice areas within Chambers, both as sole and junior counsel.

Malcolm Sheehan KC

Commercial and common law practice concentrating on product liability, group actions, property, arbitration and insurance, personal injury and health and safety. Product liability experience includes acting for defendants in leading multi-party and individual claims relating to pharmaceutical products, medical devices and motor vehicles. Malcolm's Property expertise includes commercial and residential landlord and tenant, covenants, dilapidations and public law property claims. His personal injury practice includes international tort claims, employer liability claims and sporting accidents. Malcolm's reported cases include Young v Home Office, the Seroxat Group Litigation and Rogers v Hoyle. He is experienced in health and safety and environmental criminal and civil litigation.

Benn Sheridan

Benn is developing a broad commercial and group litigation practice, in line with Chambers’ profile. His practice covers a spectrum of commercial and common law matters, including heavy commercial litigation, employment disputes (both in the ET and High Court), environmental litigation, and product liability. Prior to joining Chambers, Benn worked in the disputes team of a leading City solicitors’ firm.

Julia Smith

Specialist practice areas: banking and finance and consumer law, including consumer credit, mortgages, sale and supply of goods, unfair contract terms and unfair commercial practices. Cases include: Office of Fair Trading v Ashbourne Management Services Limited [EWHC] 1237 (Ch), [2011] All E R (D) 276 (May) – unfair terms and unfair commercial practices in relation to gym membership agreements. Sternlight v Barclays Bank plc [2010] EWHC 1865 (QB) – test cases on whether mismatch in credit card agreement between stated APR and stated interest rate renders interest rate inaccurate and agreement unenforceable under the CCA; Adris v The Royal Bank of Scotland plc [2010] EWHC 941 (QB), [2010] 4 Costs LR 598 – non-party costs orders against claimants’ solicitors and a claims management company; Carey v HSBC Bank plc, [2009] EWHC 3417 (QB), [2010] BusLR 1142 – test cases on the true copy requirements, unfair relationships and the burden of proving improper execution under the CCA; McGuffick v The Royal Bank of Scotland plc [2009] EWHC 2386 (Comm), [2010] 1 All E R 634 – test case on whether banks may report unenforceable debts to credit reference agencies; Abbey National Bank Plc v Stringer [2006] EWCA Civ 338, CA – whether express agreement for property to be held on trust for the sole benefit of one of two registered proprietors could be inferred; Office of Fair Trading v Lloyds TSB and others [2004] EWHC 2600 (Comm); [2005] 1 All E R 843 – whether arrangements between card issuers, card networks, merchant acquirers and suppliers are ‘arrangements’ for the purposes of section 12(b) of the CCA; Thew v Cole [2003] EWCA Civ 1828, [2004] RTR 25, CA – whether credit hire agreement was exempt and so not a regulated credit agreement for the purposes of the CCA; Farrell v Sandwell MBC, [2001] EWCA Civ 1107, [2002] RVR 11 – level of compensation payable for the compulsory purchase of property; Royal Bank of Scotland plc v Etridge (No2) [2001] UKHL 44, [2002] 2 AC 773 – undue influence and extent of a solicitor’s duty when advising a third party provider of security; Jarrett v Royal Bank of Scotland Plc [1999] QB 1, CA – jurisdiction of UK courts to hear a claim under section 75 of the CCA where credit was provided to finance a timeshare in foreign property; First National Bank plc v Syed [1991] 2 All ER 250, CA – discretion to make a time-order under section 129 of the CCA.

Jonathan Steinert

Barrister dealing with property and commercial law: options, mortgages, sale of land, easements, boundary disputes, co-ownership, undue influence, nuisance, trespass, adverse possession, enforcement of covenants; landlord and tenant: disputes over commercial and residential leases, forfeiture, 1954 Act renewals, rent review, dilapidations, enfranchisement; professional negligence: claims against valuers, solicitors, insurance brokers, licensed conveyancers, surveyors, accountants, financial advisers, planners, architects and engineers; commercial law, company acquisitions (lending, contractual claims, guarantee claims, domestic and international sale of goods, consumer and partnership); other areas of practice include telecoms, information technology, product liability, construction, franchising, company, consumer credit, insurance, insolvency, probate and registration under the Care Standards Act; in addition, has particular expertise in the commercial and property aspects of the leisure industry, and in franchising disputes; noteworthy cases include: Salman v Salman [2010] EWHC 1315 (Ch) – probate, due execution, attestation, forgery; Lambe v Saunders, LTL 14/12/09 (Blake J) – planners’ professional negligence; Wellington Pub Co v Hancock [2009] 48 EG 108 – enforcement of guarantees under the judgement regulation; Rouf v Cafe Rouge [2009] All ER (D) 29 – concerning the effect of multiple disclaimers; Clarkson v Credit Agricole [2008] EWHC 41 (QB) – as to the enforcement of European mortgage debts; Anderson Antiques (UK) Ltd v Anderson Wharf (Hull) Ltd and others [2007] EWHC 2086 (Ch) – exploring statutory tort under the Land Registration Act; Carnegie v Elsword and Giessen and Others [2005] EWCA 191 [2005] ALL E RD 22 – upholding the validity of a charging order and real property denominated in a foreign currency; Stotardt v Selkent [2003] All ER (D) 315 – automatism as a defence in tort; In Re a Debtor (No 503 SD 2001) reconsideration of the law as to the substantial invalidity of statutory demands; Thames Water Facilities Plc v Snowcrest Ltd (unreported) 4 November 1999 (CA), successful appeal against refusal at first instance to strike out part of claim on the ground of abuse of process following six months’ delay in its prosecution; Ayelsbond Estates Ltd v MacMillan & Garg (No1) 32 HLR 1 (CA), the jurisdiction of the Land Valuation Tribunal; Chase Property (UK) Ltd v Barton 27 February 1996 (QBD), relief from forfeiture and waiver; Prudential Property Services Limited v Capital Land Holdings Ltd (1992) 66 P & CR 398, rent review.

Peter Susman KC

Barrister specialising in complex contract litigation, with particular experience of acting in contractual disputes about bespoke or customised computer systems and website designs; construction and engineering disputes; commercial litigation in both the Queen’s Bench and Chancery Divisions of the High Court, including interim and final remedies for breach of contract; the interpretation and drafting of commercial contracts, and insurance, public procurement, company law, employment and other issues arising in relation to commercial transactions and disputes; product liability, consumer and other financing contracts; professional negligence claims, including those against accountants, architects, solicitors, surgeons and surveyors; broadcasting and telecommunications law; and other litigation involving technology, more than one area of law, complicated issues or facts, or other difficulties.

Rachel Tandy

Rachel has a commercial and common law practice, with an emphasis on commercial litigation, product liability and health and safety. She regularly appears in court, at both trial and appellate level, and is equally at home working as sole counsel or as a member of a larger team. Recent instructions include: representing multiple defendants in a conspiracy claim arising out of joint venture arrangements brought by the Libyan Investment Authority; acting for one of the biggest Claimant groups in the Volkswagen Emissions Litigation; advising in the early stages of a high value ad hoc arbitration relating to the collapse of a partnership; and acting for a litigation funder in a complex commercial conspiracy claim proceeding in the Supreme Court in Gibraltar. Rachel also has an interest in vexatious & abusive litigation and fraud across all areas of her practice. She has recently been commissioned by OUP to author a new book on abuse of process in the civil courts.

Henry Warwick KC

Henry Warwick KC is a leading practitioner in commercial and civil fraud disputes, in group and mass claims litigation, and in financial services and consumer law.Henry has particular expertise in group and other multi-party actions: he represents many thousands of victims of the Bluesky cryptocurrency fraud, acted in group proceedings concerning FPI and Quilter financial products, represented the sub-postmasters in the Post Office Group Litigation, and GSK in the Seroxat Group Litigation. He has represented Defendants and Claimants alike in a wide range of other financial services and consumer law claims as well as in securities litigation.Henry’s commercial and civil fraud practice includes heavily contested claims in the aviation, automotive, energy, and financial services sectors as well as those involving IT and digital assets. He acted for defendants at trial arising from the administration of London Capital & Finance Plc, in sovereign wealth fund litigation Libyan Investment Authority v. King, and in disputes concerning other high profile joint ventures and corporate restructurings. His chancery work includes the recent charities case Re Yogi Divine Society, which has followed a schism in part of the Hindu faith internationally.Henry appears in proceedings in England and Wales, in arbitrations under the full range of institutional rules and has appeared offshore in Gibraltar and Isle of Man proceedings. He also is routinely instructed in costs and litigation funding matters, has acted for household name funders such as Therium in YLL v. CIL & Therium Capital Management and Woodsford in Chevron v ARL & others.Significant past cases in which Henry has acted include R (Miller & others) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, and Fair Deal v Commission, both following Brexit.

Geraint Webb KC

Barrister (silk 2013) specialising in commercial and common law with an emphasis on group actions/class actions and multi-party litigation, cross-border and jurisdictional litigation, product liability/product safety and product recall, life sciences (pharmaceutical/medical device) claims, environmental and major property damage claims, industrial disease claims, sale of goods, negligence, inquests and public inquiries, insurance, international arbitration. Geraint has acted in many of the most high-profile group action claims of the last 20 years, typically instructed on behalf of defendants. His life sciences product liability claims include the Hormone Pregnancy Test litigation, PIP breast implant litigation, metal-on-metal hip implant litigation, Acomplia litigation, Avandia litigation, Foetal Anti-consultant litigation. He has acted in numerous group action claims concerning personal injury claims, environmental claims and human rights claims arising in various jurisdictions, including oil spill and extractive industry claims. Geraint has considerable experience of cross-border and jurisdiction disputes, including parent company/overseas subsidiary claims. He has acted in a wide range of commercial and property damage claims concerning factory/industrial explosions, fires, plant and pipeline failures in the petrochemical industry, power-generation industry and construction industry. Food/drink contamination claims include the Benzene Litigation, Para Red, Sudan 1. He has acted in international arbitrations, including insurance coverage disputes, under ICC, UNCITRAL, LCIA etc. Deputy High Court Judge (2019). Further details: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk.

Lawrence West KC

Barrister specialising in environmental; personal injury; medical negligence; product liability; commercial; other areas of practice include professional negligence; and insurance; was a member of the team that handled all of the defence work for the Canadian Medical Protection Association in Ontario; regularly advises water undertakers, industrial concerns and others on environmental matters and has extensive experience in product liability cases including those involving food products; agrochemicals; petrochemicals; pharmaceuticals and other medical products; electrical equipment; and exposure to contaminants; cases include: Hughes v McKeown [1985] 1 WLR 963, damages – loss of earnings – future earnings; Thake v Maurice [1985] 2 WLR 215, public policy – damages – birth of child following vasectomy; Thake v Maurice [1986] 2 WLR 337, medical practitioner – contract – operation; Stubbings v Webb [1993] AC 498, limitation of action – personal injuries – power to override time limit; Cambridge Water Co v Eastern Counties Leather Plc [1994] 2 AC 264, Rylands v Fletcher – chemical solvent – pollution of underground water supply; Merchant Retail Group Plc v Northumberland County Council – local authority’s liability for flooding; Chappell v Imperial Design Ltd [2002] All ER (D) 1619 – contributory negligence of an infant; Joint Replacement Instrumentation Ltd Ceramtec AG [2001] All ER (D) 194 – jurisdiction of the English courts, contract; Howarth v Green [2001] All ER (D) – personal injury, negligent stage hypnotist; Afzal v Chubb Guarding Services [2002] All ER (D) 369 – defence against fraudulent personal injury claim; Donoghue v Folkestone Properties [2003] All ER (D) 382, leading authority on the Occupiers Liability Act 1984; Warrilow v Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Trust [2006] – clinical negligence; Hazelwood v Teignbridge BC [2006] – local authority liability for flooding; United Utilities v Environment Agency [2006] – applicability of the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations to sewerage undertakers; Mesothelioma Trigger Litigation [2008] and [2010] – liability of employers liability insurers for mesothelioma claims; PIP litigation – group action arising out of breast implants; Johnson Lafouric- failed cosmetic surgery claim.

James White

James has a busy commercial practice with an emphasis on group litigation, competition law and financial services disputes. James also has solid experience of consumer law, EU and regulatory matters, and employment law. James has extensive experience of working as sole counsel and as a member of large teams. For example, James has recently appeared in his own right before the Competition Appeal Tribunal, the High Court and various County Courts, and James is currently instructed as part of teams in high profile commercial and competition disputes including two of the Legal 500 and Legal Business’ cases of the year 2024.

James Williams

James practices in three core areas: group actions (in particular in product liability and industrial disease cases); general commercial law; and employment.Recent high-profile instructions include: the VW Vehicle Emissions litigation; the Pan NOx diesel emissions litigation; the JLR DPF group litigation; the Fundao Dam litigation; the Seroxat product liability group litigation; and the Cape v Dring litigation concerning non-party access to documents used in court, which reached the Supreme Court in February 2019. He has also been acting for AstraZeneca on inquests and civil claims in relation to its Covid-19 vaccine. He has considerable experience of acting for Government departments in industrial disease litigation.James also maintains an active product liability practice in unitary actions, in claims under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and at common law.James has a broad employment practice acting for both Claimants and Respondents. He has wide experience of all aspects of statutory employment work including employment status, unfair dismissal, TUPE, discrimination, redundancy and whistleblowing. He appears frequently in the Employment Tribunal and EAT. He is also experienced in employment and business protection litigation in the civil courts involving employee competition, confidential information, wrongful dismissal and restrictive covenants. James has a particular interest in the law of working time and worker status, and acted as sole counsel for the claimant throughout one of the most significant cases on holiday pay to reach the ECJ in recent years: King v Sash Window Workshop Ltd C-214/16. Helped by his experience in group actions and personal injury, particularly industrial disease, James is also familiar with the law of employer’s liability, health and safety and workplace injury claims, and acts in inquests and criminal H&S proceedings in these areas. His commercial background means he is also happy to advise in employment disputes with a commercial dimension such as unfair prejudice claims, TUPE issues in an M&A context and bonus cases.Before coming to the bar, James spent two years as an associate solicitor in the corporate group at Slaughter and May, experience which has informed his commercial practice. Current or recent High Court instructions include acting for Aon in claims arising from the Chapecoense FC air crash in 2016; for a defence supplier suing the MoD for corrupt procurement practices; and for a local authority seeking to recover funds from a collection agent.

Angus Withington KC

Angus is a specialist Health and Safety practitioner with extensive experience acting for companies and individuals facing health and safety prosecutions in all courts up to and including the Court of Appeal. He also appears in related Inquests and can provide early advice on regulatory duties (such as product recall and challenging prohibition notices) as well as the best tactical approach to responding to criminal investigations. He is regularly instructed in high profile and difficult cases including corporate manslaughter and other fatal workplace accidents. His clients include product manufacturers (including medical devices), public utility companies, construction companies, theme and leisure park owners, care homes, charities, public authorities and individual employees.

Weishi Yang

Weishi focuses on commercial, insolvency, product liability, consumer finance, and property law, and accepts instructions as sole and junior counsel. She acts for claimants and defendants in both individual and group claims. Before joining chambers, Weishi completed pupillage at a leading commercial set. Prior to pupillage, she was the main research assistant on the Electronic Trade Documents project in the Law Commission of England and Wales. She also worked as a casework volunteer at Advocate.