Set Profile > Chambers of Gavin Mansfield QC > London , London

Set overviews: England and Wales

The ‘heavyweight’ Littleton Chambers is ‘probably the top employment set’ for complex and emergency instructions. ‘They are happy to roll up their sleeves to the get the right result.’ Chambers is also well known for both commercial litigation and sector specialisms, such as sports law and professional disciplinary cases, and ‘having invested well over recent years is now seen as one of the leading business protection sets in the UK’. ‘There is real strength in depth and go-to barristers range from silks across the spectrum to more recently qualified juniors.’ In recent news, Mohinderpal Sethi (current vice chairs of the Employment Law Bar Association), Dale Martin, and Nicholas Siddall all took silk in 2019, while the set also welcomed international commercial arbitration specialist Louise Barrington as an associate tenant, and commercial litigation junior Alexander Halban joined from 3 Hare Court. Jamie Riley QC and James McWilliams joined 3 Verulam Buildings. Clerking has always been a strong suit of chambers. ‘Solutions-focused’ Jason Drakeford is ‘one of the best senior clerks’ around; ‘a number of sets could learn a trick or two from him on how chambers ought to run’. Deputy senior clerk Daniel Woodbridge ‘provides exceptional service’. Assistants Ian Smethurst and Scott Hersey are ‘always very responsive and willing to assist’. Liz Dux is chambers director. Offices in: London

Company and partnership

Littleton Chambers is 'an impressive set with a good mix of top QCs and very talented juniors'. In terms of partnership law instructions, members have particular expertise in team moves and partner exits relating to firms of solicitors and other professional services firms. In one representative instruction, David Reade QC is acting in Cardiff City Football Club v Mr Isaac for the claimant in minority shareholder proceedings.

Employment Tier 1

Littleton Chambers is 'a first-rate employment law set' with 'strength and depth of experience from juniors through to leaders in their field' and 'is viewed as the go-to set for complex employment-related work', particularly business protection and restrictive covenants, as well as 'sector specialisms such as sports law and professional disciplinary cases'. In one highlighted instruction, Gavin Mansfield QC acted for insurance broker Arthur J Gallagher in a major team move between sector rivals, successfully obtaining an interim springboard injunction. In a case with reportedly £400m at stake for the care sector, David Reade QC represents the charity in Royal Mencap Society v Tomlinson-Blake, a Court of Appeal test case which concerns if on-call care workers are entitled to be paid the minimum wage while sleeping on site - Unison's appeal will be heard by the Supreme Court in February 2020.

Sport Tier 3

Littleton Chambers has a particular strength at the interface of sports and employment law. David Reade QC and Lydia Banerjee represented former Great Britain cyclist Jess Varnish in an employment tribunal case over alleged sex discrimination, with many issues turning around the status of funded athletes as employees; an appeal is planned. Turning to governance issues, John Mehrzad chaired an independent review into the governance of the British Equestrian Federation, the umbrella body for most equine sports other than horse racing.

Commercial litigation Tier 4

Littleton Chambers has a selection of 'extremely competent and specialist barristers,' who 'have never let me down', according to one instructing solicitor. The set as a whole is praised for being 'cost effective, knowledgeable, client friendly and flexible', and has 'developed a superb commercial dispute practice in recent years', particularly for litigation with 'an employment angle'. Key cases include JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov and Ilyas Khrapunov, in which Charles Samek QC and Marc Delehanty represented Khrapunov.

Diversity/Community

EQUALITY & DIVERSITY

Pupillage & Recruitment Selection
Littleton is committed to equal opportunities and to enhancing social mobility. We value equality and diversity and take active steps to promote them. We comply with the relevant discrimination legislation and the rules/guidance issued by the Bar Council and/or Bar Standards Board and pride ourselves on being at the forefront of equal opportunities best practice.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and all sectors of the community. Candidates for pupillage and for tenancy are assessed solely on the grounds of merit.

If you are disabled and require any adjustments to be made at any stage of the application and selection process, please inform us and we will attempt to accommodate your needs.

Chambers is keen to promote access to the legal profession and the Bar. We will always try to accommodate requests for information and unassessed mini-pupillages from those from less privileged backgrounds who want to gain an understanding of life at the Bar.

DISABLED ACCESS
Littleton is easily accessible for wheelchair users/those with mobility issues. Our reception area and conferencing facilities can be accessed from street level by an automatic door and lift. Most of our accommodation for tenants is accessible via an internal lift. Chambers also has a dedicated disabled parking space directly outside its main entrance.

POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Our commitment to equal opportunities is reflected in the suite of policies which include the following:
Equality & Diversity Policy
Maternity, Paternity & Flexible Working Policy
Equal Opportunities, Diversity & Harassment Policy
Anti Harassment Policy
Reasonable Adjustments Policy

DIVERSITY DATA
Please click on the link to view our Diversity Data.

Client Testimonials

“User-friendly, well organised and easy to work with”

“From the receptionist all the way up to senior Silks, one is accorded just the most upmost respect”

“Members are involved in some of the most impressive cases of the day”