Ten Old Square > London, England > Set Profile

Ten Old Square
LINCOLN'S INN
LONDON
WC2A 3SU
England

Email firm Visit website 020 7405 0758 020 7831 8237

London Bar > Partnership Tier 1

Noted for its ‘specialist depth in partnership law,’ Ten Old Square handles a range of contentious and non-contentious partnership work, with members advising management teams in professional services on complex and sensitive internal issues, as well as assisting arbitrators with LLP and partnership disputes. Jeremy Callman acts in disputes and is also instructed on non-contentious partnership matters, including drafting and updating LLP and partnership agreements, and Jonathan Gavaghan is experienced in dealing with professional services’ firms, private equity, medical practices and farmers. Naomi Winston acts for both firms and individual partners in disputes across a range of partnerships, and also advises on drafting of non-contentious partnership documents.

Rising stars

Thomas Arnull – Ten Old Square ‘He has excellent attention to detail and is very thorough in his technical research. He has a good understanding of employment law issues which regularly arise in partnership work and is enthusiastic about his work.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Jeremy Callman – Ten Old Square ‘Jeremy’s knowledge of partnership and LLP law is encyclopaedic. He is technically rigorous and highly strategic. He knows all the moves and all the outcomes. He is an icon within the partnership law community, and yet very approachable, accessible and gracious at all times. Like Madonna, to those of us in the partnership world he is just Jeremy.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Jonathan Gavaghan – Ten Old Square ‘He's brilliant. Jonathan is creative, strategic, knowledgeable and hard working. He is also a charming yet effective advocate; a winning combination.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Gideon Roseman – Ten Old Square ‘A real streetfighter. You want him in your corner on difficult, complicated cases. Has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the brief and leaves no stone unturned in seeking success for his client. A real nightmare for opponents. Always available to discuss through an issue.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Naomi Winston – Ten Old Square ‘Great technical knowledge and clear written style. Good with clients. Picks up complex matters swiftly and gives practical and commercial advice.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘Excellent range of counsel.’

‘Specialist depth in partnership law. Always willing to deliver bespoke in house training sessions and at the forefront of developments in this area.’

‘Very good training programmes offered.’

‘A fantastic chambers, full of the brainiest barristers.’

‘Ten Old Square is one of only two sets that has genuine broad expertise in LLP and partnership law across a number of individual barristers, and in my view Ten Old Square has the greater number of experts in this field.’

Work highlights

London Bar > Private wealth and probate Tier 2

Ten Old Square is ‘a leading set on private wealth and probate matters’. The ‘intellectually rigorous’ Simon Taube KC is currently assisting the trustees of Cadogan Trusts with the appointments of altered beneficial trusts, replacement trustees and applications to vary the trusts. Georgia Bedworth, who is ‘excellent at complex trust problems, particularly with property issues’, recently acted for the trustees in Cloke v Carington, a case concerning the extension of the perpetuity and accumulation period under the Variation of Trusts Act. Susannah Meadway is ‘an intellectual powerhouse’ and highly recommended.

Rising stars

Thomas James – Ten Old Square 'Thomas is a superb all-round barrister. He is bright and punching well above his call. He has exceptional instincts regarding strategy and genuinely cares about the underlying client.'

Ranked: Tier 1

James Kirby – Ten Old Square 'James is always on top of the details and a safe pair of hands to navigate fact-heavy matters through ever-evolving case law. He is available to answer queries and his drafting is excellent.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Simon Taube KC –Ten Old Square 'Simon is excellent in his field, technically astute and very responsive.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Georgia Bedworth –Ten Old Square ‘Georgia has an excellent ability to consider complex trust issues, explain these in a straightforward and give practical and sensible advice.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Richard Dew –Ten Old Square 'Richard is thoughtful. He operates at the silk level.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Susannah Meadway –Ten Old Square ‘Susannah is calm, measured, highly knowledgeable and experienced.'

Ranked: Tier 2

James MacDougald –Ten Old Square 'James is very thoughtful and erudite, with a careful and reasonable demeanour which reassures clients and those instructing him.'

Ranked: Tier 3

James Poole –Ten Old Square

Ranked: Tier 4

Testimonials

‘Marc Schofield is the stand-out clerk, quiet, calm, assured and utterly professional.’

‘Keith Plowman is very helpful.’

‘Marc Schofield has excellent communication, matter management and recommendations to the best barrister for a particular matter.’

‘Marc Schofield is super approachable and responsive.’

‘Marc Schofield is always very helpful and responsive.’

‘Keith Plowman, Fay Bennett and Marc Schofield always stand out for their diligence and helpfulness.’

‘Ten Old Square is an academic chancery set.’

‘Ten Old Square is a go-to set.’

Work highlights

London Bar > Charities

Leading Silks

Simon Taube KC –Ten Old Square 'Simon is intensely intelligent and highly focussed. His attention to the finer details is a joy to behold.'

Ranked: Tier 1

London Bar > Agriculture

Leading Juniors

Samuel Laughton –Ten Old Square

Ranked: Tier 2

London Bar > Tax: personal

Leading Juniors

Susannah Meadway –Ten Old Square ‘Susannah’s advice is unfailing timely, clear, sensible, proportionate and pragmatic. One could not ask for anyone better.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Georgia Bedworth –Ten Old Square

Ranked: Tier 3

London Bar > Property litigation

Leading Juniors

Samuel Laughton – Ten Old Square ‘His advocacy is first class.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Jonathan Gavaghan – Ten Old Square ‘A junior with a charming and persuasive advocacy style.'

Ranked: Tier 4

James Poole – Ten Old Square ‘A confident and likeable advocate who has a good grasp of the detail and an affable client manner.'

Ranked: Tier 5

London Bar > Court of Protection: health and welfare

Leading Juniors

Georgia Bedworth –Ten Old Square

Ranked: Tier 3

London Bar > Commercial litigation

Leading Juniors

Jonathan Gavaghan –Ten Old Square ‘Jonathan is extremely knowledgeable and deploys that knowledge in a strategic and commercial manner. His ability to take complex issues and to discern an effective solution to achieve the ultimate client's outcome is a significant strength. He is also a persuasive and effective advocate.'

Ranked: Tier 5

The English Bar Offshore > Trusts and private wealth

Leading Silks

Simon Taube KC – Ten Old Square

Ranked: Tier 2

Leading Juniors

James MacDougald – Ten Old Square

Ranked: Tier 3

The chambers: Universally acknowledged as one of the finest, full-service Chancery sets, containing many outstanding barristers, Ten Old Square has an excellent reputation for traditional and commercial Chancery work.

The set: One KC and 25 juniors form the wealth of specialist talent available at this niche set of chambers. The head of chambers is Simon Taube KC and contains many distinguished experts in the private client Chancery disciplines. The set boasts many highly-regarded juniors with very busy Chancery practices. Many are authors or editors of some of the foremost textbooks on Chancery law including the authoritative ‘Williams on Wills’. All members belong to the Chancery Bar Association and many also belong to STEP, ACTAPS, APP, FLBA, PBA and COMBAR. Ten Old Square offers annual training events and provides bespoke in-house seminars in its principal areas of practice for legal professionals.

Ten Old Square is a Chancery set that employs the latest digital technology and know-how to deliver a modern and efficient client service. Keith Plowman has been the set’s Senior Clerk for over 30 years and, along with his colleagues Marc Schofield and Fay Bennett, he manages chambers and co-ordinates the practices of each barrister. Together they have all built up an enviable reputation for their professional yet candid approach to their work.

Work undertaken: The balance of traditional and commercial Chancery work at Ten Old Square is evenly distributed and compliments the demand from clients within the sector. Along with a significant amount of private client work the commercial Chancery disciplines are well catered for, along with property litigation (including a significant amount of landlord and tenant work), planning and land law. Additionally, Ten Old Square is now the foremost set for Partnership/LLP disputes and advice. The set handles a wide range of diverse cases, including major litigation in the Chancery and commercial divisions of the High Court and the Appellate courts. It has a significant presence in many offshore jurisdictions, as well as in the Court of Protection, County Court, the Administrative Court, and other tribunals. A substantial amount of ADR (arbitration and mediation) is also undertaken. As a general guide, the principal areas of work undertaken are:

Private client: Ten Old Square is one of the leading sets for contentious and non-contentious trusts work in the UK and in offshore jurisdictions. Capital taxes, inheritance, wills, probate and the administration of estates, along with Court of Protection and family provision are also comprehensively covered.

Commercial Chancery: Partnership (including dissolution, expulsions, compulsory retirement, LLPs, MDPs restrictive covenants and partnership accounts), joint ventures, asset recovery, business litigation, company, insolvency, and professional negligence.

Property, land and real estate: Contentious property work, landlord and tenant disputes, rent reviews, 1954 Act renewals, conveyancing, commercial property, leasehold enfranchisement, easements, intervener and third party property claims, cohabitation claims, mortgages and manorial rights including mineral rights.

International: The set has a number of barristers who have substantial private client practices overseas including Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Guernsey and Jersey.

Languages: French, German, Bislama.

Head of chambers: Simon Taube KC
Senior clerk: Keith Plowman
Deputy senior clerk: Marc Schofield
First junior clerk: Fay Bennett
Chambers administrator: Debbie Thomas
Marketing and events executive: Emily Overett

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Senior clerk	Keith Plowman
Deputy senior clerk	Marc Schofield
First junior clerk	Fay Bennett
Marketing Executive	Emily Overett
Members of Chambers	TAUBE KC, Simon (1980) (2000 KC)
Members of Chambers	SCHMITZ, David (1976)
Members of Chambers	ROSS, Sidney (1983)
Members of Chambers	STAFFORD, Paul (1987)
Members of Chambers	MEADWAY, Susannah (1988)
Members of Chambers	CALLMAN, Jeremy (1991)
Members of Chambers	GAVAGHAN, Jonathan (1992)
Members of Chambers	LAUGHTON, Samuel (1993)
Members of Chambers	ARNFIELD, Robert (1996)
Members of Chambers	PRICE, Evan (1997)
Members of Chambers	DEW, Richard (1999)
Members of Chambers	BEDWORTH, Georgia (2001)
Members of Chambers	JENKINS, Philip (2003)
Members of Chambers	SLATER, Matthew (2005)
Members of Chambers	WINSTON, Naomi (2006)
Members of Chambers	ROSEMAN, Gideon (2007)
Members of Chambers	MACDOUGALD, James (2011)
Members of Chambers	EGAN, James (2015)
Members of Chambers	POOLE, James (2016)
Members of Chambers	KIRBY, James (2017)
Members of Chambers	STEWART-WALLACE, Adam (2018)
Members of Chambers	ARNULL, Thomas (2019)
	JAMES, Thomas (2018)
	ATKINSON, Elizabeth (2021)
	SHEEHAN, Lara (2022)

Name	Position	Profile
Robert Arnfield	Barrister in general Chancery/commercial practice. Particular expertise in relation to trusts, wills…	View Profile
Mr Thomas Arnull		View Profile
Miss Elizabeth Atkinson		View Profile
Georgia Bedworth	A barrister whose practice encompasses litigation, drafting and advisory work across the…	View Profile
Jeremy Callman	Jeremy has a chancery commercial practice, focusing on litigation. He is a…	View Profile
Richard Dew	Richard Dew’s practice is focussed on Wills, Estates and Trusts and related…	View Profile
Mr James Egan	Barrister – Called 2015	View Profile
Mr Jonathan Gavaghan	Jonathan Gavaghan has a busy chancery and commercial practice. He has particular…	View Profile
Mr Thomas James		View Profile
Dr Philip Jenkins	An experienced Chancery practitioner, Philip Jenkins’ practice encompasses the breadth of chancery…	View Profile
Mr James Kirby	Barrister – Called 2017	View Profile
Samuel Laughton	Barrister specialising in Chancery, especially property litigation, landlord and tenant, commercial, company…	View Profile
James MacDougald	Barrister with a general Chancery practice including litigation, advice and drafting in…	View Profile
Susannah Meadway	Susannah Meadway’s practice encompasses advisory, drafting and litigation work in the fields…	View Profile
Mr James Poole		View Profile
Evan Price	Barrister specialising in general Chancery, commercial and property litigation, public and administrative…	View Profile
Gideon Roseman	Barrister with a commercial and chancery practice including litigation, contentious and non-contentious…	View Profile
Sidney Ross	Sidney Ross was called to the Bar in 1983 at the age…	View Profile
David Schmitz	Land, especially mortgages, landlord and tenant; and constructive trusts; professional negligence, insolvency…	View Profile
Matthew Slater	Matthew Slater’s practice covers a wide range of Chancery, Commercial and (as…	View Profile
Dr Paul Stafford	Barrister specialising in commercial and property-related issues of chancery work, including Lloyds’…	View Profile
Adam Stewart-Wallace		View Profile
Simon Taube KC	Barrister specialising in Chancery work (both litigation and advisory work) with special…	View Profile
Naomi Winston	Naomi’s practice covers litigation, drafting and advisory work across the full range…	View Profile