Set Profile > Lincoln House Chambers > Manchester, England
Lincoln House Chambers Offices
Lincoln House Chambers
TOWER 12, BRIDGE STREET, SPINNINGFIELDS
MANCHESTER
M3 3BZ
England
Lincoln House Chambers > The Legal 500 Rankings
Crime (general and fraud) Tier 1
For many 'the top set in Manchester' and 'a national contender for crime work', Lincoln House Chambers has 'a formidable reputation for heavy fraud and serious criminal work'. In one such heavyweight instruction, Simon Gurney, led, appeared for a defendant charged in the SFO's investigation into Global Forestry Investments, which has been alleged to be a fraud concerning investments in non-existent Brazilian teak plantations. Simon Csoka QC has been involved in several high-profile murder and manslaughter instructions of late. Mark Ford and Tim Storrie were elevated to silk in early 2020.
Leading Silks
2020 Silks
Leading Juniors
Business and regulatory crime (including health and safety) Tier 2
'A top-drawer set', Lincoln House Chambers is a first-choice for business and regulatory crime matters. 'At every level, they have quality barristers and a depth of choice many other chambers don't have. It is evident they have a robust policy on new tenants and pupils as right down to that level they exude quality.' Austin Welch has a particular focus on health and safety in the construction and waste industries as well as a growing practice representing clients in relation to food safety offences. Of recent note, he is instructed to represent three families of those killed in the Manchester Arena bombing. A former local government lawyer, Leila Ghahhary is also adept at regulatory and health and safety matters and has recently been instructed to advise in several large scale, national trading standards investigations. Having made a smooth transition from the solicitors' profession to the Bar, Lee Huges is considered a rising star in health and safety matters.
Rising stars
Leading Juniors
Inquests and inquiries Tier 2
Lincoln House Chambers' inquest work is aided by its expertise in regulatory matters and disciplinary cases involving medical professionals. Eight members of the team are currently acting in the Manchester Bombing Arena inquiry, including Austin Welch, who represents three bereaved families. He is also instructed by the former lead investigator in the inquiry regarding the institutional response to allegations of child sexual abuse by Lord Janner. Welch has particular experience in inquests that involve health and safety issues. A 'commanding and authoritative presence on her feet', Leila Ghahhary is also one to watch in this area of practice.
Leading Juniors
Professional disciplinary law
Lincoln House Chambers is home to Simon Gurney who represents doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals, as well as police officers, solicitors, and chartered surveyors facing professional disciplinary proceedings by their respective regulators. He is experienced in both High Court and Court of Appeal instructions and is direct access qualified.
Leading Juniors
Set overviews: England and Wales
Lincoln House Chambers in Manchester focusses primarily on criminal and related work, handling some of the most serious and high-profile matters on circuit and elsewhere. Mark Ford QC and Tim Storrie QC are 2020 appointments to Silk, and Lisa Roberts QC was elected as Northern circuit leader. Ahmed Nadim is now a circuit judge.Testimonials
Clerks:
Clerking is first rate. I would single out for particular praise David Wright, David Gibbons and Andy McGuinness all of whom are first rate clerks. They don’t seek to overcharge and are adept at suggesting the right counsel for the job in hand.
Clerks are excellent and in particular Ty Price.
David Wright in particular is very helpful and accommodating.
David Wright always strives toprovide an excellent service.
David Wright is a top quality senior clerk who leads by example and a fine example at that.
Andy McGuinness is quietly one of the most talented and effective junior clerks on the circuit and deserves to be acknowledged.
Andy McGuiness is without doubt one of the best junior clerks on circuit and someone who deserves more recognition than he gets (although he would shudder at the thought).
Head clerk David Wright’s is widely regarded to be among the best criminal clerks in the country. He is measured, conscientious, organised, and lends vision and patience to his relationships with colleagues and solicitors.
I find David Gibbons to be of great assistance when contacting chambers. He will go out of his way for you and ensures you are always kept up to date with any changes.
The clerks are excellent at their jobs and have been working for chambers for many years. In particular Dave Gibbons is always willing and able to assist and manages to re-arrange hearings at short notice, in order that Counsel instructed can attend.
The clerks are extremely helpful and willing to go the extra mile. I recommend Ty Price as an excellent clerk.
The Clerks are some of the best and most helpful that I have come across. in particular, David Wright, David Gibbons and Andy McGuiness.
All clerks with whom I had contact provided a very professional service.
Set:
Chambers are a top set in the North West and indeed the go to outside of London in all cases, including the most serious and high-profile.
Chambers are top of the class when it comes to business and regulatory crime. They have counsel and clerks who excel in their field and are my preference to London chambers in all cases because, as well as expertise, they offer a truly personal service.
Excellent set of chambers, particularly in respect of prosecution and licensing work.
Extremely professional and well resourced.
First class in regulatory law
High quality counsel always made available and the set are always willing to provide tailored training seminars.
Austin Welch is one of the rising stars within Lincoln House Chambers, and plainly a future silk.
Lincoln House offer the best range of skilled advocates in Manchester. They offer some excellent training and CPD programmes and always go out of their way to help.
Lincoln house are a professional, responsive chambers. They are a pleasure to deal with.
Lincoln House are an excellent set of barristers. They are the best in the North, standing head and shoulders above the rest with phenomenal strength in depth. They have brilliant lawyers who are accessible, approachable and very user friendly. They have a vast number of business/financial crime barristers who have been instructed on some of the biggest cases in the country. They are expanding their regulatory offering with skilled, experienced barristers. Lincoln set the standard for others to aspire to.
Lincoln House are efficient, approachable and willing to go that extra mile. Great team working set both within chambers and with Solicitors. Provide a wide range of excellent quality barristers who are always in high demand but are willing and able to assist when required.
Lincoln House are my chambers of choice. I feel they have a wide selection of Counsel which assists when Counsel of choice is not always available. They are highly regarded as a set in Manchester.
Lincoln House are my first choice, always. At every level they have quality barristers and a depth of choice many other chambers don’t have. It is evident they have a robust policy on new tenants and pupils as right down to that level they exude quality.
Lincoln House Chambers are a fantastic set with great strength in depth.
Regional Bar > Northern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud) Tier 1
For many 'the top set in Manchester' and 'a national contender for crime work', Lincoln House Chambers has 'a formidable reputation for heavy fraud and serious criminal work'. In one such heavyweight instruction, Simon Gurney, led, appeared for a defendant charged in the SFO's investigation into Global Forestry Investments, which has been alleged to be a fraud concerning investments in non-existent Brazilian teak plantations. Simon Csoka QC has been involved in several high-profile murder and manslaughter instructions of late. Mark Ford and Tim Storrie were elevated to silk in early 2020.
Leading Silks
2020 Silks
Leading Juniors
Regional Bar > Northern Circuit > Business and regulatory crime (including health and safety) Tier 2
'A top-drawer set', Lincoln House Chambers is a first-choice for business and regulatory crime matters. 'At every level, they have quality barristers and a depth of choice many other chambers don't have. It is evident they have a robust policy on new tenants and pupils as right down to that level they exude quality.' Austin Welch has a particular focus on health and safety in the construction and waste industries as well as a growing practice representing clients in relation to food safety offences. Of recent note, he is instructed to represent three families of those killed in the Manchester Arena bombing. A former local government lawyer, Leila Ghahhary is also adept at regulatory and health and safety matters and has recently been instructed to advise in several large scale, national trading standards investigations. Having made a smooth transition from the solicitors' profession to the Bar, Lee Huges is considered a rising star in health and safety matters.
Rising stars
Leading Juniors
Regional Bar > Northern Circuit > Inquests and inquiries Tier 2
Lincoln House Chambers' inquest work is aided by its expertise in regulatory matters and disciplinary cases involving medical professionals. Eight members of the team are currently acting in the Manchester Bombing Arena inquiry, including Austin Welch, who represents three bereaved families. He is also instructed by the former lead investigator in the inquiry regarding the institutional response to allegations of child sexual abuse by Lord Janner. Welch has particular experience in inquests that involve health and safety issues. A 'commanding and authoritative presence on her feet', Leila Ghahhary is also one to watch in this area of practice.
Leading Juniors
Regional Bar > Northern Circuit > Professional disciplinary law
Lincoln House Chambers is home to Simon Gurney who represents doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals, as well as police officers, solicitors, and chartered surveyors facing professional disciplinary proceedings by their respective regulators. He is experienced in both High Court and Court of Appeal instructions and is direct access qualified.
Leading Juniors
Regional Bar > Set overviews: England and Wales
Lincoln House Chambers in Manchester focusses primarily on criminal and related work, handling some of the most serious and high-profile matters on circuit and elsewhere. Mark Ford QC and Tim Storrie QC are 2020 appointments to Silk, and Lisa Roberts QC was elected as Northern circuit leader. Ahmed Nadim is now a circuit judge.Testimonials
Clerks:
Clerking is first rate. I would single out for particular praise David Wright, David Gibbons and Andy McGuinness all of whom are first rate clerks. They don’t seek to overcharge and are adept at suggesting the right counsel for the job in hand.
Clerks are excellent and in particular Ty Price.
David Wright in particular is very helpful and accommodating.
David Wright always strives toprovide an excellent service.
David Wright is a top quality senior clerk who leads by example and a fine example at that.
Andy McGuinness is quietly one of the most talented and effective junior clerks on the circuit and deserves to be acknowledged.
Andy McGuiness is without doubt one of the best junior clerks on circuit and someone who deserves more recognition than he gets (although he would shudder at the thought).
Head clerk David Wright’s is widely regarded to be among the best criminal clerks in the country. He is measured, conscientious, organised, and lends vision and patience to his relationships with colleagues and solicitors.
I find David Gibbons to be of great assistance when contacting chambers. He will go out of his way for you and ensures you are always kept up to date with any changes.
The clerks are excellent at their jobs and have been working for chambers for many years. In particular Dave Gibbons is always willing and able to assist and manages to re-arrange hearings at short notice, in order that Counsel instructed can attend.
The clerks are extremely helpful and willing to go the extra mile. I recommend Ty Price as an excellent clerk.
The Clerks are some of the best and most helpful that I have come across. in particular, David Wright, David Gibbons and Andy McGuiness.
All clerks with whom I had contact provided a very professional service.
Set:
Chambers are a top set in the North West and indeed the go to outside of London in all cases, including the most serious and high-profile.
Chambers are top of the class when it comes to business and regulatory crime. They have counsel and clerks who excel in their field and are my preference to London chambers in all cases because, as well as expertise, they offer a truly personal service.
Excellent set of chambers, particularly in respect of prosecution and licensing work.
Extremely professional and well resourced.
First class in regulatory law
High quality counsel always made available and the set are always willing to provide tailored training seminars.
Austin Welch is one of the rising stars within Lincoln House Chambers, and plainly a future silk.
Lincoln House offer the best range of skilled advocates in Manchester. They offer some excellent training and CPD programmes and always go out of their way to help.
Lincoln house are a professional, responsive chambers. They are a pleasure to deal with.
Lincoln House are an excellent set of barristers. They are the best in the North, standing head and shoulders above the rest with phenomenal strength in depth. They have brilliant lawyers who are accessible, approachable and very user friendly. They have a vast number of business/financial crime barristers who have been instructed on some of the biggest cases in the country. They are expanding their regulatory offering with skilled, experienced barristers. Lincoln set the standard for others to aspire to.
Lincoln House are efficient, approachable and willing to go that extra mile. Great team working set both within chambers and with Solicitors. Provide a wide range of excellent quality barristers who are always in high demand but are willing and able to assist when required.
Lincoln House are my chambers of choice. I feel they have a wide selection of Counsel which assists when Counsel of choice is not always available. They are highly regarded as a set in Manchester.
Lincoln House are my first choice, always. At every level they have quality barristers and a depth of choice many other chambers don’t have. It is evident they have a robust policy on new tenants and pupils as right down to that level they exude quality.
Lincoln House Chambers are a fantastic set with great strength in depth.
Lincoln House Chambers > Set Profile
Lincoln House Chambers fields advocates across a range of practice areas from its stylish, modern premises in Manchester’s city centre. It prides itself on its ethos of excellence in advocacy and in meeting the demands of its clients.
For 40 years this approach has allowed Lincoln House Chambers to maintain a lead over its rivals. Its team of advocates practises in a variety of regulatory and disciplinary fields plus civil litigation, where it has established practice teams with a particular strength to meet the demands for this type of work. Its criminal caseload includes many of the major criminal cases of the day. Planned expansion and organic growth now mean that there are 14 Queen’s Counsel and 61 juniors in chambers. A number of members hold judicial appointments in tribunals and in the higher courts. Most members of chambers are qualified to accept work on a direct access basis.
The set: Considered a predominantly criminal and regulatory set, Lincoln House Chambers has an enviable reputation for its work in the prosecution and defence of regulatory crime and fraud. Additionally, chambers has developed a strong civil wing. There is particular expertise in inquiry work, inquests, professional disciplinary work, complex personal injury and industrial disease claims.
Members include specialists in health and safety, trading standards, environmental regulation and financial regulation. Lincoln House’s reputation in these fields attracts a nationwide clientele.
Types of work undertaken:
Crime: chambers remains a strong resource for those needing advice and representation in all fields of criminal practice, members are regularly instructed in cases of the utmost gravity and public interest. Members are often involved at an early stage when strategic advice is required about the investigation itself, or challenging restraint orders. Chambers has attracted praise for its work in business crime & fraud.
Regulatory: chambers has a deserved reputation as a leader in criminal regulatory work. A strong team is fielded in health and safety litigation and in waste and environmental hazard work. The team is routinely instructed in cases that give rise to fatalities and there is particular expertise in the niche area of corporate responsibility. Additionally, members of chambers have also appeared in cases that arise in a medical context.
The combination of specialisms available through chambers ensures any complex technical issues are understood and mastered. Members have advised for both the regulators and the professionals accused.
Inquiries & Inquests: Members are frequently instructed in issues arising in ancillary jurisdictions, notably inquests and public enquiries. Six members of chambers were instructed to act in the Hillsborough inquests (predominantly for senior police officers) and chambers has a presence in many of the more substantial inquest hearings which take place in the north of England. Members have been instructed by the Home Office and Department of Health to assist with substantial public and independent enquiries. The work undertaken in other regulatory areas (CQC, H&S, police and medical practitioner disciplinary) often extends to representation in Coroners Courts.
Civil: the civil team unites a number of fields of practice. The work covered includes general common law but there is an established specialist team with a national reputation that concentrates on complex personal injury, including industrial disease work (eg British coal respiratory disease litigation, miners’ knee litigation, and surface dust) and catastrophic injury claims. Members have experience of the conduct of actions for and against the police, and the public law team regularly challenges unlawful decisions that arise in a criminal context by way of judicial review. Members also welcome instructions in a range of tribunals (e.g. immigration, VAT/employment/Traffic Commissioners).
Professional disciplinary: LHC barristers advise and appear regularly in General Medical Council cases (both prosecution and defence), nursing and dental councils, HCPC, accountancy issues through the AADB, or police disciplinary issues.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director of Clerking | David Wright | ||
| Criminal Clerk | Andy McGuinness | ||
| Criminal Clerk | David Gibbons | ||
| Civil Clerk | Ty Price | ||
| Professional Discipline Clerk | Sigourney Lomax | ||
| Junior Clerk | Laura Nicholson | ||
| Junior Clerk | Abigail Lockett | ||
| Accounts Manager | Bernadette Duggan | ||
| Members of Chambers | THOMAS QC, Andrew (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WEBSTER QC, Alistair (1976) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HUSSAIN QC, Mukhtar (1971) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GOZEM QC, Guy (1972) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WRIGHT QC, Peter (1981) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PICKUP QC, James (1976) | ||
| Members of Chambers | REID QC, Paul (1973) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CSOKA QC, Simon (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BLACKWELL QC, Katherine (1992) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DAW QC, Christopher (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ROBERTS QC, Lisa (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | IQBAL QC, Abdul (1994)* | ||
| Members of Chambers | HARRISON QC, John (1994)* | ||
| Members of Chambers | KEALEY QC, Simon (1991)* | ||
| Members of Chambers | LASKER, Jeremy (1976) | ||
| Members of Chambers | NUTTALL, Andrew (1978) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ELIAS, Robert (1979) | ||
| Members of Chambers | NADIM, Ahmed (1982) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BLOOMER, Charles (1985) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STUART, Mark (1985) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BUTCHER, Richard (1985) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TAYLOR, Alan (1986) | ||
| Members of Chambers | McMEEKIN, Ian (1987) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JOHNSON, Kathryn (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BARTON, Hugh (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FRYMAN, Neil (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BOWLEY, Ivan (1990) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SIMONS, Richard (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FORD, Mark (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DONNELLY, Kevin (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BOYD, Philip (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | USHER, Neil (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STORRIE, Timothy (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WARNE, Peter (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DORAN, Gerard (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BLACKSHAW, Henry (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HOLDEN, Philip (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HOLLAND, Ricky (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WILLIAMS, Paul (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HACKETT, Martin (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | NAWAZ, Mohammed (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | KEARNEY, Robert (1996) | ||
| Members of Chambers | RIGGS, Samantha (1996)* | ||
| Members of Chambers | DUCKWORTH, Shirlie (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PIERPOINT, Katherine (1998) | ||
| Members of Chambers | KITCHIN, Louise (1998) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WHITE, Rachel (2000) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DAWSON, Richard (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LEACH, Alexander (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FRIEND, Mark (2002) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ENGLISH, Richard (2003) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JONES, Katie (2003) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FARYL, Alaha (2003) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WELCH, Austin (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | THOMAS, Daniel (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HEYWORTH, James (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GURNEY, Simon (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BARBOUR, Laura (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HUGHES, Lee (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | COOPER, Rachel (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | O'LEARY, Brendan (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GILSENAN, Emma (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | COWEN, Louise (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GHAHHARY, Leila (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WRIGHT, Lucy (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ASPINALL, Heather (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JONES, Samuel (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MCCAFFREY, Lara (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | THOMAS, Isobel (2012) | ||
| Members of Chambers | KHAN, Anam (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ALTON, Marianne (2014) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SHAW, Ellen (2014) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HOWARTH, Matthew (2016) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CHESTNUTT, Anna (2016) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MAGILL, Sarah (2016) |
Barrister Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Mr Katherine Blackwell QC QC | Kate is a barrister with extensive experience in regulatory and serious criminal… | View Profile |
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Simon Gurney | Simon has an extensive practice that combines professional disciplinary and serious criminal… | View Profile |
 |
Mukhtar Hussain QC | Barrister specialising in crime and immigration; cases of interest: Operation Pancrack (drugs… | View Profile |
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Andrew Thomas QC | Also practises at LINENHALL CHAMBERS (Chambers of Wyn Lloyd Jones and Anthony… | View Profile |
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Austin Welch | Austin Welch is a specialist in regulatory law and represents companies and… | View Profile |