Oriel Chambers > Liverpool, England > Set Profile

Oriel Chambers > Set Profile

Oriel Chambers is a Common Law set, with offices in Liverpool and Preston

The set: Since its inception in 1965, Oriel Chambers has retained an established and well-deserved reputation as a leading set on the Northern Circuit.

Oriel has long been the set of choice for the Crown Office, Local Government, Global insurers and local law firms. Oriel has consistently been retained as panel Chambers for a number of large national firms.

Oriel is proactively engaged within the local legal community, most notably with its in-demand, Family Practice Group. Oriel’s clients are viewed as real stakeholder partners and Chambers’ strategic planning is approached with that relationship in mind, ensuring that our clients are provided with the levels of service that both they and their own clients’ demand.

“Adding value” to our clients’ practice is ingrained in Oriel Chambers’ culture.

Our barrister’s expertise is additionally evidenced by their presence in the judicial ranks, holding roles as Recorders, District Judges, Assistant Coroners and Members of the Attorney General Panel.

The Directory describes Oriel as “Housing some excellent Counsel” (Legal 500) and “Well clerked and administered” (Legal 500)

Our clerks are friendly, proactive, knowledgeable and provide Chamber’s clients with a consistent high level of service.

Types of work undertaken:

Civil law: Oriel Chambers has a strong reputation for personal injury, industrial disease and clinical negligence work. Its Members provide experience and strength at all levels and in all areas of civil practice. Clients range from individuals, companies, insurers and public bodies including NHS trusts, local authorities and the police. A number of the barristers are members of the Treasury Solicitors Regional Panel. Conditional fee work is accepted in appropriate cases.

Commercial and Chancery: The Commercial and Chancery Group offers a dedicated and efficient litigation and advisory service. The team prides itself on high-quality, commercially focused, specialist advice and representation to individuals through to blue-chip companies, not only in the North West but throughout the UK.

Family law: Family and Matrimonial law are at the cutting edge of the social and economic changes taking place in society. The Oriel Chambers’ family team recognises this. It provides a specialist service, which is both sympathetic to the client’s needs and aspirations, while providing practical and constructive advice to its solicitors. Members of the team undertake all aspects of public and private law, and a number are recognised to be among the most experienced practitioners in these spheres. Chambers is particularly prominent in large money financial relief cases.

Criminal law: Members of the team provide excellence in advocacy across all areas of criminal law, including homicide, offences against the person, drugs and drug trafficking, fraud, sexual offences and theft. These are just some of the areas the team is instructed in on a regular basis, by both defendant solicitors and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Employment law: Regarded on the Northern Circuit as one of the leading Chambers for employment law, members of the team regularly act for both the private and the public sectors, appearing throughout the country before tribunals, the EAT and Court of Appeal. Members are also regularly instructed to appear at internal disciplinary meetings and appeals. Clients range from individual, or groups of employees, to corporate bodies, in-house legal teams, trade unions, public authorities and NHS trusts.

Regulatory law: In the 21st century Regulatory law is an area of increasing concern and importance. The team is known for its work and expertise in all aspects of this field both in the criminal and civil jurisdictions. In criminal cases appearing for both prosecution and defence. Areas of specific expertise include statutory nuisance, waste management, water pollution, contaminated land, air pollution, sewerage, meat hygiene, health and safety, and environmental offences.

Mediation: Trained by the Academy of Experts, Oriel Chambers mediation team is one of very few within Liverpool and the North West. It is able to offer services in all civil and commercial disputes, whether within court proceedings or otherwise.

Clerks

Oriel Chambers’ well established clerking team is renowned on the Northern Circuit for their “nothing is too much trouble” approach.

The clerks are friendly, proactive, knowledgeable and provide Chamber’s clients with a consistently high level of service.

Nick O’Neill has recently joined Chambers as Chambers Director and as a former solicitor of some 22 years PQE brings with him a wealth of knowledge. Nick was a long-standing client of Oriel Chambers and fully appreciates the level of performance that his clerking team can deliver.

Paul Thompson is Chambers’ manager and works closely with the clerking team, ensuring that client care and practice innovation are always at the forefront of their minds.

The 2020/21 pandemic gave the clerking team the opportunity to show how they work as a team and they have delivered consistently, ensuring a seamless offering for Chambers’ diverse client base.

Types of work undertaken: Civil law: Oriel Chambers has a strong reputation for personal injury, disease and clinical negligence work. Its members provide experience and strength at all levels and in all areas of civil practice. Clients range from individuals, companies, insurers and public bodies including NHS trusts, local authorities and the police. A number of the barristers are members of the Treasury Solicitors Regional Panel. Conditional fee work is also accepted in appropriate cases.

Commercial and chancery: The Commercial and Chancery team offers a dedicated and efficient litigation and advisory service. The team prides itself on high-quality, commercially focused, specialist advice and representation to individuals through to blue-chip companies, not only in the North West but throughout the country. Regular clients recognise that London is not the only centre that can meet their specialist needs.

Family law: family and matrimonial law are at the cutting edge of the social and economic changes taking place in society. The Oriel Chambers family team recognises this. It provides a specialist service, which is both sympathetic to the clients needs and aspirations, while providing practical and constructive advice to its solicitors. Members of the team undertake all aspects of public and private law, and a number are recognised to be among the most experienced practitioners in these spheres. Chambers is prominent in big money financial relief cases.

Criminal law: Members of the team provide excellence in advocacy across all areas of criminal law, including homicide, offences against the person, drugs and drug trafficking, fraud, sexual offences and theft. These are just some of the areas the team is instructed in on a regular basis, by both defence solicitors and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Employment law: Regarded on the Northern Circuit as one of the leading Chambers for employment law, members of the team regularly act for both the private and the public sectors, appearing throughout the country before tribunals, the EAT and Court of Appeal. Members are also regularly instructed to appear at internal disciplinary meetings and appeals. Clients range from individual, or groups of employees, to corporate bodies, in-house legal teams, trade unions, public authorities and NHS trusts.

Regulatory law: In the 21st century Regulatory law is an area of increasing concern and importance. The team is known for its work and expertise in all aspects of this field both in the criminal and civil jurisdictions. In criminal cases appearing for both prosecution and defence. Areas of specific expertise include statutory nuisance, waste management, water pollution, contaminated land, air pollution, sewerage, meat hygiene, health and safety, and environmental offences.

Mediation: Trained by the Academy of Experts, Oriel Chambers mediation team is one of very few within Liverpool and the North West. It is able to offer services in all civil and commercial disputes, whether within court proceedings or otherwise. Insofar as practicalities are concerned, chambers can offer facilities for mediation.

Barrister Profiles

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Christopher Alldis	Christopher has a strong practice in the field of personal injury and…	View Profile
	Heather Belbin	Heather has a strong civil practice particularly specialising in the area of…	View Profile
	Martyn Bennett	Martyn Bennett specialises in family law and particularly in money cases. He…	View Profile
	James Benson	James is a common law practitioner although his work predominantly relates to…	View Profile
	Karl Berry	Karl is a skilled trial advocate, whose practice encompasses all aspects of…	View Profile
	Richard Bradley	Richard specialises in all aspects of employment law including discrimination, in technology…	View Profile
	Paul Brant	Paul Brant has an expertise in civil and commercial work, especially commercial,…	View Profile
	Gillian Bundred	Family lawyer dealing with public and private children work,financial relief applications and…	View Profile
	Judith Burns	Judith Burns is a personal injury specialist with particular experience in serious…	View Profile
	Karina Champion	Karina is regularly instructed in the following fields: Commercial Litigation General contractual…	View Profile
	Mark Cooper	Mark has built a thriving civil practice at Oriel Chambers and is…	View Profile
	Matthew Cottrell	A large proportion of his practice arises from road traffic accidents including…	View Profile
	Peter Cowan	Peter has a wide-ranging civil practice covering personal injuries (with a particular…	View Profile
	Harry East	Personal InjuryHarry has an extensive practice in Defendant EL and PL personal…	View Profile
	Catherine Ellis	Catherine is proud to be an old-style common law practioner covering a…	View Profile
	Suzanne Evans	During her years at the Bar, Suzanne has developed a specialised practice…	View Profile
	Anna Fox	Anna is experienced matrimonial counsel and is head of the Oriel Chambers…	View Profile
	Alexander Frodsham	Alex has a strong personal injury practice and he undertakes all areas…	View Profile
	Peter Goodbody	Peter has developed a strong commercial practice, especially in the field of…	View Profile
	John Gray	John Gray is a barrister who is fascinated by and has a…	View Profile
	Sarah Gruffydd	Sarah has a mixed Civil and Criminal practice.  On the Civil side…	View Profile
	Timothy Holloway	Practising barrister approaching 30 years’ call with a well-established practice in Crown…	View Profile
	Andrew Howe	A highly regarded personal injury specialist, instructed in complex, high value claims,…	View Profile
	Rachel Hughes	Rachel undertakes personal injury work on behalf of claimants and defendants and…	View Profile
	Katherine Huyton	A financial remedy specialist, Kate has a busy matrimonial practice.  She has a…	View Profile
	Tom Hynes	Tom is very familiar with the principles and practicalities of representing spouses…	View Profile
	Mark McCormick	Prior to coming to the Bar, Mark practised as a solicitor. During…	View Profile
	Christopher Middleton	Chris’ principal area of practice is personal injury, acting on behalf of…	View Profile
	Stuart Mills	Stuart is a successful and well-respected jury advocate. He has a wealth…	View Profile
	Darren O’keeffe	Personal injury litigation (mostly employers or public liability claims, or from road…	View Profile
	Cecilia Pritchard	Cecilia has particular expertise in the field of personal injury law. She…	View Profile
	Deirdre Purcell	Deirdre has a strong common law practice specialising in personal injury litigation working…	View Profile
	Yaqub Rahman	Yaqub has a substantial civil practice covering all aspects of personal injury…	View Profile
	William Rankin	William specialises in personal injury work on behalf of claimants (30%) and…	View Profile
	Indunee Seneviratne	Indunee is a common law practitioner with a firm foundation in the…	View Profile
	Marc Tyler	Marc has a busy, mixed practice which is spread in equal measure…	View Profile
	Melissa Vaughan	Melissa is a barrister specialising in family law, with a focus on…	View Profile
	Graham Wells	Graham Wells has a practice that does not fit neatly into any…	View Profile
	Alexander Williams	Called in 2004, Alexander has developed a reputation as a go-to…	View Profile
	Graham Williams	Graham is a dual qualified lawyer who acts in Employers’ Liability, Public…	View Profile