Hailsham Chambers > London, England > Set Profile
Hailsham Chambers Offices

CHAMBERS OF JULIAN PICTON QC
4 PAPER BUILDINGS, TEMPLE
EC4Y 7EX
England
Hailsham Chambers > The Legal 500 Rankings
London Bar > Professional negligence Tier 1
Considered to be ‘one of the standout chambers for professional indemnity work’, Hailsham Chambers is highly experienced with handling professional negligence claims across a variety of sectors such as legal, finance, and property. Michael Pooles KC successfully acted for DWF and its insurers in King v DWF, which alleged a dishonest settlement was conducted by the solicitors. Imran Benson is instructed to act for the defendant in Skykomish v Gerald Eve, a case revolving around a valuation dispute of a block of student flats in Aberdeen. Simon Wilton KC was appointed silk in March 2024. Described as ‘an excellent lawyer and advocate’, Wilton has extensive capabilities, handing a variety of negligence claims against solicitors. Deputy senior clerk Michael Kilbey retired in January 2024.2024 Silks
Rising stars
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘The clerks are very accommodating and a pleasure to work with. Stephen Smith and Stuart Paley are brilliant.’
‘Hailsham Chambers boasts an extremely effective clerking team. In particular, Stuart Paley stands out.’
‘A very friendly and experienced team of clerks who are able to direct work to the appropriate counsel. The clerks are all supportive and responsive to deadlines.’
‘Hailsham Chambers is a leading set for professional indemnity and insurance. The set has an outstanding reputation and first-class client service.’
‘A go-to set for professional negligence.’
‘Hailsham is an excellent set with a great choice of barristers both at junior and KC level.’
‘Hailsham remains one of the standout chambers for professional indemnity work.’
‘The clerks are fantastic. They are responsive, helpful, and commercial.’
Work highlights
London Bar > Clinical negligence Tier 1
Highlighted for its ‘strong showing in clinical negligence’, the clinical negligence practitioners at Hailsham Chambers offer ‘quality advice and excellent results’ across the full spectrum of medical negligence litigation. In addition to their extensive work for NHS Resolution, the set’s members routinely take on highly sophisticated medical negligence disputes pertaining to surgical and medicinal negligence, along with advisory and diagnostic errors. David Pittaway KC - who now practices exclusively as an arbitrator and a mediator - was instructed in SJ v IM v University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, in a case regarding the failure of a GP to appropriately advise a claimant to undergo vaccination prior to starting immune suppressants, resulting in a bacterial infection, optical damage and amputation of a leg. Additionally, Clementine Coram James represented the claimant in a trial pertaining to a catastrophic infection caused by an injury during intubation, where liability and quantum were both in contention.Rising stars
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘Stuart Paley has always been very helpful.’
‘Stephen Smith runs a tight ship. The clerks are always helpful and efficient.’
‘Michael Kilbey and Stuart Paley are particularly helpful.’
‘The clerks are always helpful and respond quickly especially with dates of availability etc. They are also conscious and aware of the need for information barriers with some cases. ‘
‘Hailsham Chambers is an excellent Chambers particularly in the field of clinical negligence with significant strength in depth and a consistent approach.’
 ‘I am always confident to instruct counsel from Hailsham chambers for clinical negligence matters. The set are excellent in terms of providing quality advice and excellent results for my client.’Â
‘Hailsham offers a strong showing in clinical negligence.’
‘Clerks are very responsive and keen to assist with securing dates etc.’
Work highlights
London Bar > Costs and litigation funding Tier 2
Hailsham Chambers have established ‘an excellent reputation for costs’, having been highly active in the recent significant developments related to litigation funding following the PACCAR judgment, the fallout from the Belsner case concerning solicitor-client costs, and the extension of the fixed recoverable costs regime. Jamie Carpenter KC acted for Bugsby Property LLC in the first dispute between litigation funders and a successfully funded client to reach the courts since PACCAR, with the High Court rejecting the first attempt to use the judgment to invalidate a previously agreed litigation funding agreement. ‘On the top of his game in this practice area’, Imran Benson successfully represented the respondent in Paper Mache Tiger v Mathews, an important High Court judgment on non-party costs orders in the situation of small businesses. Stephen Bailey was also successful for the respondents in Kindertons Ltd v Murtagh & Esure Services, with the decision of the High Court providing a significant win for insurers in relation to non-party costs orders.Rising stars
Thomas Mason – Hailsham Chambers ‘Thomas is meticulous in his preparation for any advice or hearing. He has impressive understanding of legal costs authorities and is a formidable advocate.’
Leading Silks
Jamie Carpenter KC – Hailsham Chambers ‘Absolutely at the top of his game. His advice is clear and unequivocal and his advocacy is extremely effective.’
Leading Juniors
Stephen Bailey – Hailsham Chambers ‘Stephen is excellent at advising on complex costs and procedural issues. He is very user friendly and his advice is clear and practical. He is a go-to for costs work, and in particular wasted costs cases.’Â
Testimonials
‘Clerks are incredibly helpful – Stuart Paley in particular.’
‘The clerks are very helpful in advising on the suitable barrister for the task required.’Â
‘The clerks are the best there is.’Â
‘The Clerks are thorough, thoughtful and diligent.’
‘Hailsham have an excellent reputation for costs and are one of the sets go-to for this type of work.’
‘A very highly regarded set in the area of costs law – good range of middle juniors and experienced seniors and some leading KCs.’Â
‘Hailsham Chambers is pre-eminent in costs litigation. It has some of the biggest hitters and most impressive advocates in the field.
‘Members of the costs group are all genuine specialists’Â
Work highlights
London Bar > Personal injury
Leading Silks
Personal injury - Leading Juniors
North Eastern Circuit > Chancery, probate, and tax
Leading Juniors
North Eastern Circuit > Commercial litigation
Leading Juniors
London Bar > Professional disciplinary and regulatory law
Leading Juniors
Hailsham Chambers > Set Profile
Hailsham Chambers strives to provide clients with excellent service. The multi-award winning set is frequently praised for its friendly and helpful clerking, the quality of its members’ work and for its reliability.
The set: Established more than 100 years ago and today offering 55 barristers, elevan of whom are silks, Hailsham Chambers contains many of the most sought-after barristers at the London Bar. The set’s progressive thinking and use of modern technologies help chambers to run efficiently and to offer clients choice and flexibility.
Types of work undertaken: Chambers acts for claimants and defendants, providing advice and representation before all levels of courts and tribunals throughout the world, in the specialist areas of:
Professional negligence: in cases involving lawyers, accountants, auditors, surveyors, valuers, financial professionals and trustees, as well as advising about professional indemnity insurance coverage points.
Clinical negligence: acting for patients and their relatives and dependants, trusts, doctors, dentists, healthcare professionals, health authorities, private hospitals and clinics in civil litigation, at inquests and in the Court of Protection.
Costs litigation: involving points of principle and advising in disputes between solicitor and client, retainers, funding arrangements, DBAs, CFAs and costs budgets.
Professional discipline: advice and advocacy before tribunals and regulatory bodies, both medical and non-medical.
Personal injury: acting for claimants and defendants and their insurers in RTA claims and claims based upon employer’s, occupier’s, public and product liability, with an emphasis on cases of high value and complexity.
Commercial litigation: acting in general commercial matters, such as insurance claims, fraud and partnership disputes.
To find out about the availability of counsel, please contact Hailsham’s clerking team by telephone (0)20 7643 5000 or email [email protected].
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
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Senior clerk | Stephen Smith | 0207 643 5000 | |
Deputy senior clerk | Michael Kilbey | 0207 643 5000 | |
Head of Chambers | PICTON KC, Julian (1988) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | DAVIDSON KC, Nicholas (1974) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | POOLES KC, Michael (1978) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | PITTAWAY KC, David (1977) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | NOLAN KC, Dominic (1985) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | FLENLEY KC, William (1988) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | POST KC, Andrew (1988) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | HUTTON KC, Alexander (1992) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | RUSHTON KC, Nicola (1993) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | CARPENTER KC, Jamie (2000) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | HOWARTH KC, Simon (1991) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | TRACY FORSTER, Jane (1975) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | MISHCON, Jane (1979) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | HOLWILL, Derek (1982) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | JACKSON, Matthew (1986) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | BACON, Francis (1988) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | MANGAT, Dr Tejina (1990) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | WILTON, Simon (1993) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | PEACOCK, Nicholas (1992) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | CHRISTIE-BROWN, Sarah (1994) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | EWINS, Catherine (1995) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | STACEY, Dan (1996) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | FRISTON, Dr Mark (1997) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | ELLIS, Dr Peter (1997) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | FERGUSON, Eva (1999) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | MUNRO, Joshua (2001) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | GILBERTHORPE, James (2002) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | MACKINNON, Lucy (2003) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | GRIFFIN, Margaret (2004) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | BENSON, Imran (2005) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | NASH, Alice (2006) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | BANKES-JONES, Henry (2004) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | O'REILLY, Niamh (2007) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | McMAHON, Heather (1999) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | BAILEY, Stephen (2006) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | JUCKES, David (2008) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | MEILAND, Justin (2010) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | PILSBURY, Nicholas (2008) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | CROCKETT, Thomas (2009) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | CAMPBELL-CLAUSE, Nicola (2010) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | ANDERTON, Richard (2010) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | CORAM JAMES, Clementine (2012) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | TEW, Alicia (2012) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | STORY, David (2012) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | STEER, Jack (2013) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | COLEMAN, Jake (2013) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | PATRICK, Michael (2014) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | ELLIOTT, Clare (2015) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | ECHLIN, Alexander (2017) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | TAYLOR, Lucile (2018) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | STAFFORD, Tom (2018) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | COOKE, Christopher (2018) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | DOCHERTY, Joe (2019) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | BADENACH-NICOLSON, Bramble (2019) | 0207 643 5000 | |
Members of Chambers | PHILLIPS, Thomas (2021) | 0207 643 5000 |
Barrister Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Richard Anderton | Richard joined Chambers in October 2012 and has developed his practice in… | View Profile |
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Francis Bacon | Francis specialises in professional negligence, commercial insurance and commercial litigation. He has… | View Profile |
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Bramble Badenach-Nicolson | Following the successful completion of her probationary tenancy, Bramble joined Hailsham in… | View Profile |
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Stephen Bailey | Stephen specialises in professional liability, medical law, commercial disputes and costs. He… | View Profile |
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Henry Bankes-Jones | Described by Legal 500, 2021 as “fantastic. He always delivers his work on… | View Profile |
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Imran Benson | Imran is an experienced litigator who is well known for a robust… | View Profile |
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Nicola Campbell-Clause | Nicola has a busy practice and specialises in claims arising out of… | View Profile |
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Jamie Carpenter KC | Jamie specialises in costs and professional and clinical negligence. Leading firms of… | View Profile |
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Sarah Christie-Brown | Sarah specialises in medical law, clinical negligence, inquests and disciplinary work. She… | View Profile |
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Jake Coleman | Jake has a busy practice spanning the full range of Chambers’ core… | View Profile |
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Christopher Cooke | Christopher accepts instructions in Chambers’ core practice areas including commercial, costs and… | View Profile |
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Clementine Coram James | Clementine’s main areas of practice are personal injury, clinical negligence and professional… | View Profile |
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Thomas Crockett | Thomas specialises in clinical negligence, professional negligence, and personal injury law. He… | View Profile |
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Nicholas Davidson KC | Nicholas Davidson KC is a commercial litigator, mediator and arbitrator. One of… | View Profile |
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Joe Docherty | Joe accepts instructions in professional negligence, clinical negligence, personal injury, and regulatory… | View Profile |
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Lewis Dunsmure | Lewis joined Hailsham as a tenant following successful completion of his pupillage.… | View Profile |
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Alexander Echlin | Alexander accepts instructions in professional negligence, clinical negligence, costs, and commercial disputes.… | View Profile |
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Clare Elliott | Clare has a busy practice across all Hailsham’s key practice areas and… | View Profile |
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Dr Peter Ellis | Dr Peter Ellis joined Hailsham Chambers in January 2018. He is ranked… | View Profile |
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Catherine Ewins | Catherine acts on behalf of both claimants and defendants in clinical negligence… | View Profile |
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Eva Ferguson | Eva is a determined and meticulous advocate who wants to win and… | View Profile |
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William Flenley KC | William Flenley KC practises in the fields of professional liability, insurance, regulatory… | View Profile |
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Dr Mark Friston | Dr Mark Friston is a leading expert on the law of costs… | View Profile |
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James Gilberthorpe | James gravitated from a general common law practice towards a practice in… | View Profile |
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Margaret Griffin | Margaret has a formidable reputation in the fields of commercial, commercial chancery… | View Profile |
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Derek Holwill | Derek Holwill specialises in professional negligence and clinical negligence claims. He is… | View Profile |
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Simon Howarth KC | Simon concentrates on professional negligence. His work principally involves lawyers, accountants, and… | View Profile |
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Alexander Hutton KC | Alexander’s practice is focused in two fields: clinical negligence, for claimants and… | View Profile |
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Matthew Jackson | Matthew specialises in clinical negligence, professional negligence, personal injury and general insurance… | View Profile |
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Connor Jones | Connor Jones joined Hailsham as a member of Chambers in June 2023… | View Profile |
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David Juckes | David has a broad practice including clinical and professional negligence, professional discipline,… | View Profile |
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Lucy MacKinnon | Lucy specialises in all aspects of medical law including clinical negligence claims… | View Profile |
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Dr Tejina Mangat | Before being called to the Bar, Tejina worked as a junior doctor… | View Profile |
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Heather McMahon | Heather’s areas of practice are professional liability, commercial law, professional discipline and… | View Profile |
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Justin Meiland | Justin specialises in medical law, professional liability, and professional discipline. He offers… | View Profile |
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Jane Malca Mishcon | Jane’s principal areas of practice are medical law (specialising in clinical negligence… | View Profile |
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Joshua Munro | Joshua is a leading junior in costs, professional negligence, construction, commercial litigation… | View Profile |
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Alice Nash | Alice’s practice is primarily focused on professional liability, medical law, costs and… | View Profile |
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Dominic Nolan KC | Dominic’s practice principally comprises complex clinical negligence and high-value, catastrophic personal injury… | View Profile |
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Niamh O'Reilly | Niamh specialises in professional liability matters with particular experience in claims against… | View Profile |
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Michael Patrick | Michael joined Chambers in September 2017, following successful completion of his pupillage under… | View Profile |
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Nicholas Peacock | Nick specialises in clinical negligence work, regulatory and disciplinary work (particularly GDC,… | View Profile |
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Thomas Phillips | Thomas completed his pupillage at Hailsham Chambers under the supervision of Thomas… | View Profile |
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Julian Picton KC | Julian specialises in professional indemnity, clinical negligence and personal injury claims. He frequently… | View Profile |
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Nicholas Pilsbury | Nicholas specialises in professional and clinical negligence. He also acts in commercial… | View Profile |
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David Pittaway KC | David Pittaway KC was Head of Chambers for a number of years,… | View Profile |
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Michael Pooles KC | Michael Pooles KC’s principal area of practice is that of professional indemnity… | View Profile |
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Andrew Post KC | Andrew undertakes clinical negligence, healthcare and disciplinary cases, and has particular expertise in dealing… | View Profile |
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Nicola Rushton KC | Nicola specialises in professional negligence and commercial claims, especially those with a… | View Profile |
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Dan Stacey | Dan Stacey is a senior junior barrister who specialises in professional indemnity… | View Profile |
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Tom Stafford | Tom joined chambers in 2019, after the successful completion of his pupillage… | View Profile |
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David Story | David’s areas of practice are professional negligence, commercial law, medical negligence, inquests,… | View Profile |
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Lucile Taylor | Lucile joined Chambers in 2019, having successfully completed pupillage under the supervision… | View Profile |
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Alicia Tew | Alicia’s practice spans professional negligence, commercial, insurance, regulatory, medical law, public law… | View Profile |
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Jane Tracy Forster | Jane specialises in medical law including clinical negligence claims and applications in… | View Profile |
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Simon Wilton KC | Simon is a highly experienced junior barrister specialising in professional negligence, professional… | View Profile |