Monckton Chambers

Reuben joined Monckton Chambers as a tenant in October 2024. He is developing a practice across Chambers’ core areas, including public law and competition law. Reuben has a first-class law degree from the University of Cambridge, and a distinction in the BCL from the University of Oxford. Before joining Chambers, he was the assistant company secretary at Oxford Mutual Aid and volunteered for the Free Representation Unit.

Michael Armitage

Michael is an experienced senior junior barrister. He specialises primarily in competition law, public law and sports law, but he also has expertise across a range of other fields including public procurement, information law and general commercial litigation and arbitration. He regularly acts unled (often against silks) and has substantial experience conducting oral advocacy and cross-examination in high-profile, high-value trials. Michael prides himself on the diversity of his practice. He acts for a range of claimants and defendants and is just as comfortable advising multi-national businesses on competition law issues as he is helping secure urgent interim relief for individuals in receipt of legal aid. Michael is Standing Counsel to the Competition and Markets Authority, and a member of the Attorney- General’s “B-Panel” of counsel. He is direct access qualified and accepts pro bono instructions in suitable cases.

Alfred has a busy practice spanning public procurement, competition, regulatory, and general commercial litigation. He is regularly instructed by a range of government, corporate and private clients on significant pieces of litigation, and has extensive trial experience in the High Court.

Fiona is an experienced commercial litigator, consistently ranked as a leading junior by the legal directories with a well-established practice in Competition, Commercial, Public Procurement, Telecommunications and Sports law. As a competition law practitioner, Fiona regularly acts in heavy weight competition litigation, acting for both Claimants (such as Ryder in its pursuit of its Trucks Cartel damages claim) and Defendants (for example, Prysmian in its defence of damages claims arising from the Commission’s power cables decision). In the field of collective actions, Fiona appeared in Gutmann v LSER and ors in the Court of Appeal (2022); and acts for Alex Neill Class Representative Limited in a multi-billion pound claim brought against Sony relating to the creation and operation of the PlayStation ecosystem (which was recently certified, including the CAT’s first consideration of funding arrangements post PACCAR). Fiona has a broad procurement law practice, in respect of which she regularly acts for Claimants, Defendants and Interveners, appearing both led and unled. Fiona recently appeared for Siemens in its challenge to the procurement of rolling stock for the HS2 railway. She has extensive experience of claims involving automatic suspensions and other injunctive relief; together with issues relating to the protection of confidential information and disclosure arising in the context of ongoing procurement litigation. Fiona’s sports practice is broad, both in terms of the number of sports her cases cover (such as boxing and rowing) but also the range of different participants and legal issues. She has appeared in numerous anti-doping cases and she is regularly involved in Formula One disputes, having appeared on multiple occasions before the International Court of Arbitration. Her football practice extends not only to acting on behalf of football clubs but also agents, players, regulatory bodies and those involved in sports broadcasting rights. Fiona is currently acting in respect of sizeable football disciplinary proceedings. She frequently appears as an advocate in her own right but also works very well as a highly valued junior in larger cases. She can accept instructions directly from clients, being direct access qualified.

Alan is ranked in the legal directories as a leading junior in competition, public procurement, EU, and telecoms law. Much of his work consists of competition, regulatory and public procurement disputes involving both complex economic issues and difficult technical points of law (including EU law). He has acted both for and against all the main UK competition and sectoral regulators and the EU Commission. He was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge in 2023, sitting in the Administrative Court and the Technology & Construction Court. Alan has played a leading role in the development of the UK’s competition law private damages regime. He led the defence team in resisting the first ever application for a Collective Proceedings Order (Gibson v Pride Mobility) and, since then, has been instructed in many collective actions. For example, he is Lead Counsel for a group of claimants in the ‘Second Wave’ Trucks proceedings and for Bittylicious in the ongoing BSV Claims v Bittylicious cryptocurrency competition law ‘opt-out’ collective action case. He is also regularly instructed in procurement law proceedings (both for claimants and for contracting authorities/utilities). His experience includes claims arising under the Utilities Contracts, Defence Contracts, and Concessions, Regulations, as well as the Public Contracts Regulations. Alan’s publications have included chapters in practitioners’ texts such as Bellamy & Child European Union Law of Competition and European Union Law of State Aid. He is a co-author of Blackstone’s Guide to the UK Internal Market Act and was a member of the expert panel appointed by the UK Government to carry out a review of the Human Rights Act.

Carl Baudenbacher

Specialised experience and knowledge European courts and procedures EU fundamental freedoms law EEA fundamental freedoms law Economic human rights law Contract law Corporate law Unfair competition law Antitrust law IP law Public procurement law Banking law Brexit Switzerland – EU relations

Daniel Beard KC

Daniel Beard is widely regarded as one of the Bar’s leading specialists in competition, EU, regulatory and public law. He is noted as a first rate advocate and has won various awards for his work. He has appeared in courts from Haverfordwest to the Falkland Islands. He regularly appears in High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in the UK as well as in the Competition Appeal Tribunal. In EU law matters, Daniel has appeared in a large number of cases in the Court of Justice and General Court in Luxembourg. He acts in arbitrations and his work has developed in various international jurisdictions including in Hong Kong where he has acted in a number of the leading cases under the new competition regime. Prior to taking silk, Daniel was a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel and standing Counsel to the Office of Fair Trading.

Christopher Bellamy KC

Lord (Christopher) Bellamy was a member of Monckton Chambers from 1970 to 1992, specialising in European, competition and regulatory law, and became a QC in 1986. In 1992 he was appointed as a judge to (what is now) the General Court of the European Union where he served for seven years. At the end of 1999 he returned to the UK to set up (what is now) the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), of which he was President until 2007. The CAT determines appeals in competition and certain regulatory matters, and hears actions for damages for competition law infringements. In 2007 Lord Bellamy QC retired from the CAT and became a senior consultant with Linklaters LLP, and Chairman of the Linklaters Global Competition Practice in 2011. He stepped down from Linklaters at the end of October 2020, and rejoined Monckton Chambers. Lord Bellamy QC focussed on appointments as a mediator or arbitrator in disputes including but not limited to competition and regulatory matters, arising anywhere in the world. On 7 June 2022 he was appointed as an Under Secretary of State for the Ministry of Justice in the House of Lords. While a Minister, Lord Bellamy QC will not be accepting any work through Monckton Chambers.

Alison Berridge

Alison is a competition and public law specialist. She is a highly experienced practitioner, having qualified as a solicitor in 1999 and been called to the bar in 2011. She represents clients across all areas of competition law, including in appeals and private disputes, follow-on damages claims and collective actions. Alison also practises in public law, consumer law, information law and human rights law. She has a busy advocacy practice across a variety of courts and tribunals. She is co-author (with Alistair Lindsay) of The EU Merger Regulation: Substantive Issues (Sweet & Maxwell, 5th edition, 2017), a leading textbook on merger control issues, described as “an indispensable authority”.

Anneliese Blackwood

Anneliese is a leading junior in competition and public procurement. She advises and represents clients in chambers’ key practice areas, in particular Competition and Procurement law. She has been instructed as a junior in a number of high profile cases and has appeared in a wide range of courts, including the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. She has personal advocacy experience in a wide range of courts and tribunals.

James is a competition law specialist with strong experience in EU law. James is an experienced practitioner, originally qualifying as a New York attorney in 2000. A former référendaire at the General Court of the EU, he was a member of the European Commission’s Legal Service for 5 years. He has also worked as a solicitor at a leading London law firm.

Michael Bowsher KC

Michael Bowsher KC has a busy practice in public procurement, competition and commercial law, particularly in disputes concerning major public and public-private projects. He is particularly known for his unique practice in government and utility procurement in the United Kingdom, Ireland, elsewhere in Europe and beyond. Michael Bowsher KC has appeared as counsel in many of the major procurement cases over more than a decade. His contentious practice is complemented by a substantial practice in providing legal and strategic advice for bidders and purchasers throughout the procurement process. Michael has also has a busy competition law practice. He has acted in a number of recent matters involving essential facilities, competition in payment systems and now acting as leading counsel in a number of collective proceedings brought in the CAT. In recent years Michael has become increasingly involved in matters involving application and interpretation of investment treaties and trade agreements as well as a range of matters involving the law of Outer Space and its application to the challenges of the commercial exploitation of Space. Michael continues his active practice in construction and commercial matters which he has continued since his long period as a member of one of the leading construction sets of chambers. He is active in arbitration and is a Chartered Arbitrator. He is also active as mediator and expert in institutional and ad hoc procedures. Most of his appointments as arbitrator involve disputes concerning investments or long term contracts involving the public sector or utilities. He has recently been involved in a number procedures involving disputes in the operation of the NHS. Michael is a Visiting Professor at King’s College London teaching EU Public Procurement and setting up a Distance Learning Diploma and Masters in Public Procurement law. Michael is a member of the Bar Library in Belfast and the Law Library in Dublin, and practises actively in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as well as in England and Wales.

Mark Brealey KC

Mark Brealey KC is a specialist in litigation in all aspects of Competition law. He was the Times lawyer of the week for his success in the Supreme Court in the interchange fee litigation. Cases in 2024 – 2025 include: a judgment of the Privy Council (cross-subsidy in the Mauritian telecoms sector): two judgments of the Court of Appeal (pay for delay and excessive pricing); three trials (pay for delay, market sharing and excessive pricing): a collective action carriage dispute, a contested collective action settlement application, and a judicial review of the CAT’s judgment that approved the settlement.

William practice covers a wide spectrum of high value commercial disputes, civil fraud, insolvency and offshore matters. He has been consistently recommended in Chambers and Partners (both in the UK and Global editions) as a leading commercial practitioner in his fields. He is ranked in four practice areas. As well as undertaking high value work in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and the High Court of England and Wales, he has developed a substantial international and cross-border practice, undertaking work in many other jurisdictions, such as the Isle of Man, Jersey, Italy, Gibraltar, Spain, Germany and the USA, with expertise in contentious jurisdictional disputes. He has also successfully acted in a range of arbitrations and adjudications. William is a member of the Attorney General’s Regional A Panel.

Michael Collins SC

Michael is a leading silk in commercial, competition and EU law at the Irish Bar and is a member of Lincoln’s Inn and Middle Temple. He practices from 4 Arran Square, Arran Quay, Dublin 7. Holding Masters degrees in economics and law respectively from University College Dublin and an LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania, Michael started his career as an associate with Shearman & Sterling in New York in the early 1980s before commencing practice at the Irish Bar. In 1996 Michael was appointed by the Irish Government as Chairman of the Competition and Mergers Review Group the majority of whose recommendations were subsequently implemented into Irish law in the Competition Act 2002. Michael appears regularly before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Ireland and frequently appears before the Court of Justice of the EU. He also has an extensive practice in commercial arbitration (domestic and international) both as counsel and as arbitrator. He has had appointments as arbitrator from the ICC Court of Arbitration, the London Court of International Arbitration and is one of Ireland’s representatives on the ICC Commission on Arbitration. He is also a member of the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) Panel of Arbitrators and is a former President of Arbitration Ireland. Michael is Chairman of the Irish Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (Irish Sports Council), former President of Irish Rule of Law International and a former Chairman of the Bar Council of Ireland for two years. He was elected an ordinary Bencher of Middle Temple in 2022 and a Bencher of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns in 2007 of which he is also a Council member. The following year he was elected as a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers in the United States of which he is now also a director. Michael has been a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Economics at Maynooth University on Legal Aspects of Competition and Regulation in Maynooth’s Master of Economic Science Programme. He is currently Adjunct Professor of Law at UCD Sutherland Law School. In the much more interesting parts of his life he is a board member of the Irish Film Institute, a former Council member of the Dublin Theatre Festival and a member of the Wexford Opera Development Council.

Charlie Coverman

Charlie joined Chambers as a tenant in October 2025, having successfully completed pupillage. He is developing a broad practice across all of Chambers’ specialist areas, including competition and regulatory law, public law and human rights, sports law, commercial law, data protection, VAT, and procurement. Charlie has a first-class History and Politics degree from the University of Oxford, where he won the Gibbs Prize (proxime accessit), ranking second in his year of over 250 students in Politics. He finished first in his cohort for both Civil and Criminal Litigation on the Bar Practice Course. Before joining Chambers, Charlie volunteered as a welfare benefits advocate, successfully appealing several cases in the First-Tier Tribunal. He also represented multiple claimants in the Employment Tribunal through the Free Representation Unit, including in a four-day disability discrimination case.

Varied practice, at the intersection of commercial and public law. Experience across the spectrum of employment disputes, with an emphasis on whistleblowing and discrimination (including equal pay: the high-value Tesco litigation). Advises and acts for both public bodies (from local authorities to regulators such as the FCA and NHSI) and challengers in regulatory and procurement matters. Expertise in data protection including defending complex multi-party data breach claims (the Transform Hospital litigation).

Gerry Facenna KC

Gerry has a broad commercial and public law practice, advising and litigating across a range of regulatory, administrative and EU law matters. In demand for his cross-sector expertise and strengths in written and oral advocacy, Gerry has led cases at every level of the UK courts, including the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, specialist tribunals including the Competition Appeal Tribunal, Investigatory Powers Tribunal and Information Rights Tribunal, and has acted in more than fifty cases before the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Antonia Fitzpatrick

Antonia has a busy practice spanning all of Chambers’ principal areas of expertise. Antonia is co-author of the Competition Law chapter of Tech London Advocates/the Law Society’s ‘Blockchain Legal & Regulatory Guidance’ (Second Edition).

Piers transferred to the Bar in 2000, after over 20 years’ experience as a solicitor, in the City, at the European Commission Human Rights and as Director of the British Institute of International & Comparative Law. He has a detailed knowledge of all aspects of the European Convention on Human Rights, together with other European treaty based law, and their operation in domestic, EU and international law. He has dealt in particular with cases concerning the application of the ECHR to commercial, investigatory and tax matters and the interaction of international and domestic proceedings, often in several jurisdictions at once and particularly involving urgency and interim relief. This unusual transnational practice has involved cases concerning 36 European countries apart from the UK (Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine) plus Australia, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, the Turcs and Caicos and extensively in the USA. Key features of these cases have been: protection of property and confidentiality, particularly in commercial and tax matters, data protection, especially with INTERPOL, jurisdictional disputes, both as to forum and enforcement, and the prevention of unwarranted evidence gathering and extradition. Piers is the UK delegate to the Permanent Delegation of the CCBE to the European Court of Human Rights and chairs the Delegation.

Commercial Litigator and Arbitration Specialist including in Commercial Fraud, Disputes cross borders, Chancery, Conflicts of Law, Insolvency and Partnerships and Joint Ventures Admitted to Practice in New York and the US District Courts for the Southern District of New York, and Eastern District of New York. Admitted in BVI, Eastern Caribbean and Antigua. Admitted to the Irish Bar. Appeared in appellate courts in Eastern Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Bahamas, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland as well as England and in the European Court of Justice post Brexit. Recorder (part time Judge) from 1999 with Civil, Criminal, Chancery, Appeal (Criminal), Serious Sex Offences, Family including complex financial Authorisations. Recorder (part time Judge) with Civil, Criminal, Chancery Family including complex financial Authorisations. Formerly Standing Junior Counsel to the Department of Trade and Industry (ECGD). Chartered Arbitrator, the highest tier in the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and holds internationally recognised status. Author of Gee on “Commercial Injunctions”, now in its 7th Edition 2021, published by Sweet and Maxwell, Supplement 2022, a leading textbook on Injunctions with a US Appendix. Steven Gee KC has lectured in 2024 at the University of Cyprus on Legal Ethics in a New Age, 2021/2022 to the Commercial Bar Association, the Chancery Bar Association and Hong Kong Arbitration Association and in Cyprus in 2022 and in 2024 at the invitation of the General Council of the Bar and the Cyprus Bar Association, to Postgraduate Doctoral students at Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for Procedural Law and as an assessor for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Tenant Monckton Chamber since 2019, Gray's Inn. Formerly: Litigation Partner in JHA LLP , Head of Chambers of Stone Chambers for 15 years (1999-2014), Tenant at 1 Essex Court (1990-1999), Tenant at 4, Essex Court (Essex Court Chambers) (1976-1990), Tutor at University College London (1975-1976).

Harry has a busy and diverse practice spanning all areas of Chambers’ work, with a particular focus on commercial and public law. His commercial practice often involves elements of civil fraud and insolvency disputes. He is often instructed in data protection, freedom of information proceedings and discrimination claims under the Equality Act 2010.

David practices across Chambers’ core specialties with an emphasis on competition and regulatory law. He also works in the areas of commercial, public, procurement and sports law. He acts at all levels of the judicial system in the domestic and European Courts. His recent cases involve succeeding in an appeal to the Supreme Court on litigation funding, acting for ‘big tech’ in relation to some of the largest ever antitrust fines and acting for a mobile operator in major High Court litigation.

Julian Gregory is a competition and regulatory law specialist who is consistently ranked by the directories as a leading senior junior in his field. He is praised by clients for being “extremely good at grasping highly technical and complex legal issues”, communicating them with “great clarity of thought and expression” and identifying “hidden strategic opportunities”. He is a “robust advocate and clear drafter” who appears before regulators, the CAT, the High Court and appellate courts. Julian is instructed by a wide range of bodies, from global multinationals to small local businesses and government bodies. He works with clients to understand their objectives and how their organizations operate, and is credited with having “great commercial awareness”. The directories say “he is very approachable and combines a down-to-earth attitude with strong intellectual ability”. Julian frequently operates as part of a large team and can help solicitors to manage major, long-running cases. He enjoys working closely with economists: clients say he has a “superb understanding of economics” and he has post-graduate training in econometrics, often used in merger analysis and damages models. He looks to express technical arguments as simply as possible so that they can be understood easily by non-expert judges. He has particular experience of opt-out collective proceedings (he is currently involved in the Roberts (sewerage spills) and Pollack (ad tech) claims), damages actions, applications for injunctions and challenges to regulatory decisions on judicial review grounds, including in merger inquiries and market investigations. He has an intimate understanding of the major UK regulators, having been seconded to the OFT, CC and ORR in the early years of his practice and has worked extensively in the field of telecoms and regulated utilities, and in the retail, finance, healthcare, sports and media sectors.

Nikolaus Grubeck

Nikolaus is a leading junior practising in the fields of competition, public and regulatory, human rights, data protection, and international law. He acts regularly in high-profile litigation, and has particular expertise in mergers, complex public law cases, group litigation, and in claims involving issues of national security, armed conflict and international relations.

Khatija Hafesji

Khatija has a busy and broad practice spanning public, competition, procurement, and information law. As well as working as part of a team, Khatija is regularly instructed and appears as an advocate in a range of courts and tribunals in her own right. Since 2020, Khatija has been a member of the Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA) Committee and is regularly asked to speak at conferences or deliver training. She is also a Trustee at the Public Law Project. She is ranked across three practice areas.

Melanie Hall KC

Melanie Hall has been an acknowledged leader in the field of VAT for decades, having appeared in many of the iconic cases which have built the foundations of the tax such as Abbey National, Kretztechnik, EC v Ireland, The Wellcome Foundation, Midland Bank, Weald Leasing, EDS, Church Schools Foundation, Redrow, Dr Beynon, ICAEW, Mobilx and Sub-One to name a few. Melanie is instructed by both HMRC and the private sector in high profile and complex cases. This not only deepens her understanding and experience of the tax but ensures that any legal opinion she expresses will be respected by the other side. There are very few areas of VAT upon which she has not advised. In addition to VAT, Melanie continues to take a lead role in shaping the response to sector-wide challenges concerning landfill tax and the aggregates levy which have been litigated in the domestic and Europeans courts during the past decade.

Paul is a highly experienced commercial litigator, known for his court room and strategic skills and his ability to relate to clients. He also sits as an arbitrator in commercial and sports matters and gives evidence as an expert witness. His reputation extends, in particular, to the fields of administrative/public, broadcasting, general commercial, competition including collective actions and subsidy control, energy, entertainment, European, pharmaceuticals and sports law.

Raymond specialises in VAT and Direct Tax, as well as the pensions aspects of Employment Law. He appears regularly before the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber) and the Employment Tribunal, both in London and in Tribunals sitting everywhere between Truro and Edinburgh. He has also appeared in cases in the Employment Appeal Tribunal, the Upper Tribunal, High Court and Court of Appeal, as well as being instructed in 60 cases before the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg, of which 43 related to VAT, 16 related to direct tax and one customs duty case. Raymond has also done a further direct tax case before the EFTA Court in Luxembourg. Raymond is a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel of Junior Counsel for the Crown, which means that he is regularly instructed by HMRC, the Treasury Solicitor and other Government Departments. However, he also acts for Appellants, whether they be private individuals, small firms or multinational companies. Raymond’s particular skills lie in the detailed preparation of cases with complicated facts and the clear presentation of technical legal arguments in pleadings and written submissions, as well as orally in Court. He enjoys meeting new clients in conference and is happy for solicitors and accountants to call him and discuss any questions or points which they have.

George Hilton

Alastair Holder Ross

Alastair joined Chambers as a tenant in October 2024, following successful completion of pupillage. He is developing a broad practice across all of Chambers’ specialist areas and has appeared as sole counsel in the County Court on commercial matters. Alastair graduated from the University of Oxford with a First Class degree in History and was the D.K. Broster Scholar at St Hilda’s College. During his legal studies, he spent a year as a Kennedy Scholar at Harvard University. Prior to coming to the Bar, Alastair worked for several years as the Political Adviser to the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee in the House of Commons. He focused particularly on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union and various legislative, policy and legal issues arising within the Home Office. After beginning his legal studies, Alastair worked for a housing charity, assisting clients facing illegal eviction and homelessness. Alastair also holds a MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History from the University of Cambridge.

Drew specialises in commercial dispute resolution and is admitted to practise in Russia, the UK (England and the Territory of the Virgin Islands), the United States (California) Ireland and the DIFC. His practice is focused on three key areas: International Commercial Arbitration and Litigation. Drew is regularly instructed to act as counsel or arbitrator in commercial disputes, and in particular those involving application of the laws of Russia and other associate or member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (‘CIS States’) or which otherwise have a close connection to those countries. He has experience in arbitrations conducted under HKIAC, ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL and ICAC (Russia) rules. Russian and CIS law expert. Drew has over 20 years of specialist experience acting or advising in matters applying the laws of Russia and other CIS States. He regularly acts as an expert advisor or witness in legal proceedings on matters of Russia law and the laws of other CIS States, including most recently in respect of the laws of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Ukraine. Drew is fully fluent in both English and Russian and is equally comfortable working in either language. Human Rights / Public International Law. Drew has specialist experience in international human rights protection mechanisms, with a focus on matters originating from Russia and other CIS States. He has been instructed in or advised on dozens of cases before the European Court on Human Rights, and has experience in the successful application of its procedural rules, including obtaining confidentiality and priority orders, as well as interim relief. Drew is a CEDR accredited mediator.

Josh’s practice covers all aspects of competition law and regulation, including communications, energy, financial services and data. He is experienced in dealing with the most complex disputes, typically involving heavy economic and technical evidence and/or raising novel legal issues. He appears regularly before UK and EU Courts and regulators; and has also advised on competition and regulatory matters arising in many other jurisdictions. His clients range from major multinationals to small firms, as well as national governments and regulatory authorities from around the world.

Francis Hornyold-Strickland

Barrister, International Arbitration and Commercial Litigation. Francis has a broad commercial and international arbitration practice, with a particular emphasis on international arbitration, shipping, and commodities disputes. He is regularly sought after for advice on particularly complex cases and has a thriving advocacy practice both in the English High Court and overseas. He is also increasingly asked to act as an expert witness. Francis is co-author, with Professor Charles Debattista, of the practitioner text Debattista on Bills of Lading in Commodities Trade and the lead author of the website Strickland’s Shipping Guide. Francis acts in a wide range of commercial disputes, both as sole and led counsel, in High Court litigation, ad hoc and institutional arbitrations. He is familiar with all major international arbitration rules including the: LCIA, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, ICC, UNCITRAL, SIAC, HKIAC, the Swiss Arbitration Rules, and LMAA rules. Francis is also a registered practitioner in the DIFC Courts in Dubai and the ADGM Courts in Abu Dhabi, where he appears regularly including, most recently, in a US$160,000,000 anti-suit injunction in the ADGM Court of First Instance. Prior to joining Monckton Chambers Francis practised for three years as an associate in the world-leading international arbitration practice at WilmerHale, where he worked on a range of high value, complex commercial arbitrations alongside some of the world’s top international arbitration practitioners, including Franz Schwarz and Gary Born. Notable cases in the last few years include: In June 2022 Francis acted as sole counsel, successfully representing his client in a US$15million commodities arbitration, subject to the DIFC-LCIA Rules in Dubai. The win resulted in Francis’ client being repaid an advance of AED6,150,000 and defending an US$11,000,000 counterclaim. The case concerned a sale contract for the sale and purchase of 20,000 MT of gasoil and 20,000 MT of gasoline. Legal issues included: (a) whether a “guarantee cheque” is a see-to-it guarantee or a demand bond (or akin to either); (b) complicated factual questions concerning formation of contract and the “battle of the forms”/ “last shot” doctrine; (c) breach of agency agreement; (d) fraudulent misstatements on bills of lading; (e) anticipatory breach and renunciation of contract. Jan 2021 – June 2022. Instructing Solicitors: HFW Dubai and Armour Consultants. Francis advised a Dubai-based “confirming bank” whether it was obliged to pay out under three standby letters of credit, totalling US$9.3million. The underlying contracts were between Irish companies and sanctioned Russian entities (in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine) relating to lease agreements for three Airbus aircraft. The case concerned whether US export controls made the performance of those lease agreements illegal and, if so, whether the English Courts should apply the provisions of US law to standby letters of credit governed by English law. In other words, did US export provisions constitute mandatory foreign law, for the purposes of Article 9 (Rome I), and/or was it illegal in the place of performance to perform the SBLCs (Ralli Bros/Foster v Driscoll). Value. US$9.3million. Instructing Solicitors: Clyde & Co. June 2022. Advising on whether it was lawful for a buyer to terminate a US$10million GAFTA sale contract for the sale and purchase of grain that had been loaded onto a vessel in Odessa, in circumstances where the vessel could not be fumigated and nor bills of lading issued, due to the ongoing conflict with Russia. Instructing Solicitors: True North. May 2022. In March 2022, Francis was led by Elizabeth Blackburn QC in the defence of a US$160,000,000 anti-suit injunction in the ADGM Courts in Abu Dhabi. The case involved complex conflict of laws issues, including the inter-relationship between ADGM law, Abu Dhabi law, and UAE judicial law. Instructing Solicitors. HFW Dubai. Sole counsel in a charter-party hire dispute relating to whether laytime continued to run during a period when the Archangelsk harbour master had ordered all vessels from their berths to avoid impending ice flows on the river Dvina. May 2021 – present. Instructing Solicitors: Armour Consultants. Kelleher v Woodbrook Group Holdings Limited CFI-038-2021. In September 2021, Francis successfully represented the claimant in the DIFC Court of First Instance in Dubai. The claimant recovered his 95% shareholding in the wealth management company he had sold to Woodbrook Group Holdings Limited the latter of whom had failed to pay due consideration under the contract. The case involved questions concerning rescission for fraudulent, alternatively negligent misrepresentation, termination, and damages. Value: US$4.5million. Instructing Solicitors: James Berry & Associates. Black Sea Commodities v Lemarc [2021] EWHC 287 (Comm). In March 2021, Francis represented the respondent in a challenge to two arbitration awards in a commodities dispute under the GAFTA arbitration rules. The claimant sought to challenge the awards under s.67 of the Arbitration Act 1996 on the basis that the tribunal had no jurisdiction. The case raised complex question of: (a) contract formation; (b) variation of terms; (c) incorporation of arbitration clauses. Instructing Solicitors: Clyde & Co LLP. In 2021, Francis was instructed as sole counsel for the respondent in a multi-million-dollar oil & gas LCIA international arbitration, concerning the sale and purchase of an oil block in Pakistan. The case involved the inter-relationship between provisions in historic pre-existing arbitration legislation in Pakistan (the Arbitration Act 1940) and a new statute in Pakistan bringing the New York Convention into force ((The Arbitration Agreements and Foreign Arbitral Awards) Act, 2011). This analysis had a direct impact on whether the claimant had already submitted to the jurisdiction of the Pakistani Courts before bringing its LCIA references. The case also involved complex jurisdictional questions in England regarding the seat of the arbitration and the governing law of the arbitration agreements, in light of the recent Supreme Court authority Enka v Chubb. Jan – June 2021. Instructing Solicitors: Reynolds Porter Chamberlain. In spring-summer 2021, Francis acted as sole counsel for the claimant in a multi-million dollar joint venture wind farm ad hoc international arbitration, between Danish and Irish companies. The case concerned whether an employee of the respondent could be bound to work solely for the JV during his employment or whether any contractual provision to that effect constituted a restraint of trade. It also concerned complex questions relating to whether in fact the contract purported to bind the respondent to ensure that the employee did work for the JV. The case was notable for having an incredibly tight timeframe in which the arbitration had be completed (3 months). March-July 2021. Instructing Solicitors: Norton Rose Fulbright. Francis acted on a charterparty dispute concerning a vessel in the northern Russian port of Archangelsk. While loading, the vessel was ordered from her berth as a safety precaution to avoid being damaged by annual ice flows passing through the river Dvina. The case concerned whether that suspended laytime on the grounds that the days in question did not constitute “weather working days”. November 2021. Armour Consultants. In November 2021 Francis acted as sole counsel in a charterparty dispute concerning Additional War Risks Premium for ordering the vessel into the Persian Gulf. The dispute concerned whether owners were under a duty to obtain market rates before passing the cost to charterers and, if so, whether there was an available market rate. The dispute relied on expert evidence from experienced AWRP brokers in the London insurance market. In September 2021, Francis was led by Vasanti Selvaratnam QC in a salvage dispute concerning an oil tanker which lost power and drifted onto a UNESCO world heritage site coral reef, before grounding and leaking oil. The dispute concerned the correct sums owed to salvors. Instructing Solicitors: HFW Singapore. In 2020, Francis acted on behalf of a joint venture partner (and their wholly-owned company) against other joint venturers and related companies for: (1) fraudulent breach of common intention constructive trusts; (2) fraudulent breach of a Quistclose trust; and (3) proprietary estoppel. The case involves questions of limitation, including the statutory exemptions for fraudulent breach of trust under s.21 of the Limitation Act 1980. Value: c.£2.5million. (2020). Treefrog v (1) John Gillespie (2) Giorgio Vallesi. Francis acted as sole counsel in DIFC Court litigation concerning a failed joint venture, governed by English law. The case involved questions of the validity of loan deeds, constructive, resulting and Quistclose trusts, and unjust enrichment. Value: AED1,010,000. Instructing Solicitors: James Berry & Associates

Anneli Howard KC

Anneli Howard is top-ranked by the directories in six different disciplines: Competition, EU law, Consumer law/Product Liability, Public Administrative law, Aviation and Telecommunications. In 2018 Anneli won The Legal 500 award for EU/Competition Junior of the Year and was one of the Lawyer’s “Hot 100” in 2016. From 2005 to 2021, Anneli was a member of the AG Panels for Public Administrative law and WTO/International Trade. A former Référendaire at the European Court of Justice, she has expert insight of the interaction between EU, ECHR, international trade and domestic law across a range of sectors, including telecoms, pharmaceuticals, health and social care, aviation, rail transport, energy, utilities and other regulated industries. She has a busy practice specialising in competition and consumer enforcement and damages litigation, including group, representative and class actions. She is also a recognised Thought Leader on Brexit and International Trade issues. Since 2012 she has been appointed as Standing Counsel for the Civil Aviation Authority, advising on competition law and economic regulation. She performs a similar “policy-proofing” role for other Government Departments as a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel for Public/Administrative Law and its Public International Law Panel. She acts in high profile judicial review proceedings in commercial regulatory sectors. Anneli is “a client’s dream counsel – a real class act.” She is recognised for her legal acumen: clients note her “strong intellect, “very good technical knowledge” and “methodical and alert competition assistance”. They have credited her as a “brilliantly strategic thinker” and an “accomplished courtroom performer” who is “amazingly clear“. More than just a lawyer, Anneli is a hands-on team player who pulls more than her weight in achieving her clients’ objectives. She is “responsive, hardworking and practical” and “listens to what you want to achieve and goes about it in an incredibly time-responsive manner”. Significant clients include BT Openreach, Inmarsat, HTC, CAA, CMA, FCA, Bank of England, Treasury, Ofgem, ORR, DFT, BEIS, DEXEU, Cabinet Office, DCMS, DHSC, MHRA, Hausfeld, Mishcon, Macfarlanes, Jones Day, Hogan Lovells, Linklaters and Freshfields.

Laura Elizabeth John

Laura is a highly experienced specialist in Competition law and Information law. She is consistently ranked as a leading junior in the legal directories, where she is commended for “excellent instincts”, “a fierce intellect and a compelling advocacy style”, and “an encyclopaedic level of knowledge”. Laura is the co-Editor of the leading EU Competition law text, Bellamy & Child European Union Law of Competition (8th Ed.) Laura is direct access qualified, and can accept instructions directly from clients.

Clíodhna Kelleher

Clíodhna has a busy practice in Chambers’ core areas, including administrative and public law, competition law, and procurement and State aid.

Luke Kelly has been practising at the Bar in South Africa since 2011. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in July 2022. Luke has experience and expertise in the fields of competition law, administrative and public law, and general commercial law. In South Africa, Luke has appeared in the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court of Appeal, Competition Appeal Court, Competition Tribunal, and various High Courts. In Namibia, he has appeared in the Supreme Court and the High Court. Luke has served as a member of the Cape Bar Council. He has delivered ad-hoc lectures on competition law at the University of Cape Town. He is the lead author and editor of Principles of Competition Law in South Africa (Oxford University Press) and is a co-author and editor of Class Action Litigation in South Africa (Juta).

Julianne Kerr Morrison

Julianne is a popular junior barrister whose busy practice covers many of Chambers’ core areas of work. She is particularly active in Public Law and Human Rights, Competition and Regulatory, Data Protection and Freedom of Information, as well as a number of areas of European law. Julianne’s practice involves a mixture of led work, in which she has significant experience of complex and high profile litigation, as well as a substantial amount of work in her own right as sole barrister and advocate. Julianne acts before a range of Courts and Tribunals for clients including multinational corporations, governmental and public bodies and private individuals.

Panos Koutrakos

Professor Panos Koutrakos is a leading authority on EU law, who has written and advised in a wide range of issues, including trade and internal market law and, in particular, in those areas where EU law meets international law. He is a dual-qualified barrister (England & Wales, and Athens, Greece) and Professor of EU Law and Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law at City, University of London (since 2013; previous posts include Chair in EU law at the University of Bristol (2006-2013) and Durham University (2004-2006), as well as visiting posts at the Universities of Melbourne, Sydney, New South Wales, Iowa, Antwerp, and Michigan). His authority in EU Law is illustrated by numerous publications (including, amongst others, EU International Relations Law 2nd edition (2015) which is a leading text in the field) and his position as the joint editor of European Law Review, a pre-eminent journal in the field. He has given evidence to the European Parliament and the House of Commons. He speaks regularly at international conferences on EU and international law.

Ronit Kreisberger KC

Ronit is a leading silk at the Competition Law Bar. She is at the forefront of heavy weight competition litigation, acting for Claimants and Defendants alike. In the field of collective claims, Ronit is leading for: MUFG in the FX collective claims and the first ever carriage dispute in the CAT; Mr Le Patourel in a £600 million claim against BT relating to landlines the first ever stand alone claim to be certified in the CAT; Dr Kent & Ms Coll in multi- billion pound claims against Apple and Google for their App Store charges; Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen in a billion pound claim against Meta for its data practices; and Mr Pollack in the £13 billion pound Google Ad Tech claim. She also has particular expertise in cases at the intersection of competition and IP law and in the pharmaceutical sector, in cases such as Sportradar v BetGenius, Cabo v MGA and acting for Merck in the Pay for Delay litigation (Paroxetine and Lundbeck) and the pharmaceutical company Flynn in Flynn / Pfizer v CMA. In 2022, Ronit was awarded Competition Law / EU Silk of the Year by Chambers and Partners; she featured for the 2nd time in the Lawyer’s Hot 100; and has been shortlisted for the W@Competition 5* Survey.

Stefan is a competition and regulatory specialist. He has extensive experience in damages actions (including collective proceedings) and in all areas of economic regulation, including in the telecoms, energy and financial services sectors. He also regularly advices on data protection, information law and the interception of communications.

Ben is a highly experienced barrister specialising in Competition, Public and EU Law. Ben is Standing Counsel to the Competition and Markets Authority and was a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel before taking silk. Ben is recommended in both Chambers UK and the Legal 500 as a leader in the fields of Competition Law, EU Law and Telecommunications, and in Legal 500 in the field of Administrative & Public and Data Protection. He is a contributor to the leading EU Competition Law text, Bellamy & Child European Union Law of Competition, and is direct access qualified. Ben appears regularly in the Competition Appeal Tribunal, High Court and Court of Appeal, and has appeared in numerous cases before the EU Court of Justice. He has acted in many of the leading cases in his areas of expertise. Ben is a clear and persuasive advocate, and an effective leader with significant experience working in large multi-disciplinary teams. Ben is highly valued by clients and instructing solicitors for his attention to detail, judgement, accessibility, and ability to identify the key issues at the heart of any dispute.

Jenn has a busy practice which spans many of Chambers’ core areas of work. She is particularly active in the fields of competition law, public law and human rights, data protection and information law as well as a number of areas of public international law. She is appointed to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s panel of preferred counsel. She is also direct access qualified. Current and recent highlights include: Competition law: Acting in a number of collective proceedings before the CAT, including for Google in both ‘play store’ class actions brought by consumers (press here) and app developers (press here) and for Vodafone in the £3.2 billion ‘loyalty penalties’ class action (press here). Public law and human rights: Acting for numerous Afghan former interpreters / guards / special forces soldiers / consultants who worked alongside the British armed forces in relation to the Ministry of Defence’s decisions not to relocate them to the UK following the fall of Kabul (press here) and advising an NGO on potential routes to challenging anticipated secondary regulations made by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Data protection and information law: Acting for the ICO in relation to a £12.7 million fine imposed on TikTok for breaches of data protection law, including failing to use children’s personal data lawfully (press here) and for over 19,000 police officers in a claim against the Police Federation for loss of control of their personal data, including their home address data (press here). Public international law: Advising an intergovernmental organisation on the immunity of international organisations as well as the compatibility of certain of its endeavours with various multilateral treaties. Jenn was the recipient of Lincoln’s Inn’s top scholarships for both the GDL and the Bar Course. Before that, Jenn graduated from Yale University with a BA in Classics (with Distinction) and from the University of Oxford with an MPhil in Ancient Greek and Roman History (with Distinction). She wrote her MPhil thesis on inter-state surrender during the Roman Republic, which bears similarity to extradition in current international law. Prior to coming to the Bar, Jenn was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley for two years, where she worked on a variety of international mergers and acquisitions. She was born in New York and raised in Hong Kong and Canada.

Jonathan has a diverse practice with particular focus upon public procurement, public and administrative law, consumer law and commercial law. He has appeared in a variety of courts and tribunals, including the Court of Appeal. He is equally comfortable as sole counsel or working in a team. Jonathan has a busy procurement practice, representing both claimants and contracting authorities in substantial procurement challenges in a wide variety of sectors. He has substantial experience across a broad spectrum of public law work. He is on the Attorney General’s “A” Panel of counsel. He is instructed in a number of judicial review claims, many of which have an underlying regulatory thread. He has advised various government departments on a variety of issues in respect of number of administrative schemes and legislative proposals. He acts in a variety of statutory appeals and deals with claims under the Human Rights Act 1998. Jonathan has substantial consumer law experience, having acted for the Competition and Markets Authority in a number of enforcement actions as well has having advised consumers on a variety of issues. Jonathan’s commercial practice primarily covers contractual disputes in a variety of different industry sectors.

Kristina Lukacova

Kristina has a broad commercial and competition law practice. Given her commercial expertise, which includes civil fraud, insolvency, and company law, she has a particular interest in competition litigation with broader commercial elements. Recent highlights include acting for Amazon in a class action, for Microsoft defending an abuse of dominance claim, a major arbitration in a competition / FRAND claim, and large-scale commercial litigation against a life assurance company involving hundreds of claimants based in over 40 jurisdictions. Kristina is a contributor to practitioners’ textbooks across her practice areas: she assisted Steven Gee KC with the 7th edition of Gee on Commercial Injunctions and is a contributor to the upcoming edition of Bellamy & Child, the leading EU competition law text.

Daisy Mackersie

Daisy is an experienced junior practising in competition, procurement and regulatory law. She also has significant experience of wider public law matters, including information law and data protection. As a highly-regarded junior, Daisy acts with leading silks in complex and high-profile litigation. She also advises and appears in her own right, including for parties subject to regulatory investigations and, in procurement, for interested parties on matters of process and confidentiality. Daisy acts for commercial clients, government and public bodies.

Andrew practises principally in the areas of VAT, duties and indirect taxation, and in related private and public law. He also has wide experience in general civil/ chancery litigation, EU law, competition law, utilities regulation, professional negligence and public law. He has been Junior Counsel to the Crown (A Panel) since March 2010. Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 currently rate him as a leading junior in VAT/indirect taxation. During his years in practice, he has also been recommended as a leading junior by Legal 500 in professional negligence and competition law.

Peter has a breadth and depth of experience and expertise in the field of VAT unsurpassed at the junior bar. He is regularly instructed by accountants and solicitors to advise clients, in many sectors, on VAT issues which they need to resolve. Peter has helped private clients successfully address a wide range of VAT issues, from Assessments to Zero-rating. He has recently acted for clients in the charities, education, e-commerce, insurance and financial services sectors, amongst others. Peter has extensive experience acting for, as well as against, HMRC and is regularly entrusted by HMRC with advice and litigation in complex high value cases. Peter has appeared in over 100 reported VAT cases (major cases reported in Simon’s Tax Cases, which were decided by the Upper Tribunal or by the higher courts), including successful appearances in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. This is in addition to frequently representing clients in appeals to the First-tier tax Tribunal, where most tax litigation is resolved. Before EU Exit he regularly represented the UK in the European Court of Justice in VAT cases. His strong reputation on points of EU law helps equip him well to handle disputes over assimilated EU law, as it continues to affect UK taxpayers, and over post-EU Exit amendments to the UK’s VAT legislation. Peter was part of the HMRC counsel team which won the Littlewoods multi-billion pound compound interest litigation in the Supreme Court (in 2017), the only counsel to represent HMRC in every court throughout that litigation. He acted in the first VAT Group Litigation to be tried in the High Court. With a growing charity sector practice, his Advice to the Charity Tax Group, which CTG put to HMRC, helped CTG to trigger a favourable shift in HMRC policy on charity advertising. Peter brings skills originally acquired across a broad range of civil litigation and honed in the tax field, including valuable insights gained from representing both private clients and HMRC. His tax practice includes many tax judicial reviews and human rights based claims. Alongside VAT, his practice includes excise duty and other indirect taxes.

Ciar is a sought-after junior tenant whose practice spans all areas of Chambers’ work, including competition, information, EU, sports, tax, and administrative and public law. Ciar is regularly instructed both as junior and sole counsel and has appeared in a range of tribunals, including the Competition Appeal Tribunal, High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Ciar sits on the executive committees of the Human Rights Lawyers Association and the Bar European Group. Prior to coming to the Bar, Ciar worked at the Court of Appeal as Judicial Assistant to Lord Justice Briggs (as he then was). She was also a Legal Fellow at JUSTICE, an intern at the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, and spent time working as a quantitative market researcher.

Jeremy has had considerable experience in litigating and advising on European and international human rights law since coming to the Bar under the exceptional route for academics of experience and distinction. He had previously taught human rights, public international law and public law at the Universities of Birmingham, Cambridge, Mauritius and Stockholm. Jeremy has appeared before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in both individual and inter-State proceedings. Most recently, he has acted in the admissibility proceedings in Slovenia v. Croatia (concerning the novel point of whether a State can use the European Convention system to protect the rights of a bank that has been already held not to be entitled to bring proceedings on its own behalf) and the Proceedings under Article 46 § 4 of the Convention in the Case of ilgar Mammadov v. Azerbaijan. In addition to litigation, Jeremy advises on the compatibility with European and international human rights standards of legislative proposals being considered in a wide range of countries. In particular, he has advised on the adoption of criminal and criminal procedure codes and legislation concerned with discrimination, freedom of assembly and of association, hate speech, property restitution and prosecution services. Jeremy is a visiting professor at Central European University and chairs the Expert Council on NGO Law of the Council of Europe’s Conference on International Non-Governmental Organisations.

Conor’s practice encompasses public law, civil claims and international law. He is regularly instructed in complex disputes, both public and commercial, across chambers’ core areas of work. He has particular expertise in the areas of competition law, data protection and in claims involving issues of public or private international law or civil liberties. He has substantial experience of multi-jurisdictional commercial and competition disputes, often being instructed in matters raising issues of jurisdiction, applicable law or international enforcement. He also has expertise in international trade law and sanctions. He has been instructed in cases before both domestic and international courts and tribunals, including the International Court of Justice. He was appointed independent expert to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Hearing on Sanctions.

Brendan McGurk KC

Brendan is a leading silk with a wealth of experience in Commercial, Public law and Regulatory disputes. He offers expertise across Chambers’ core areas and he is in equal demand amongst public and private clients in Judicial Review, EU, Competition, Procurement, and Tax litigation. In addition, he regularly acts in Financial Services, Insurance, Sport and Professional Negligence disputes. His intellectual rigour, hard work and commercial common sense has resulted in a thriving advisory practice. Brendan is personable and persuasive and is regularly instructed in his own right as both a trial advocate and an appellate advocate. In addition, he has been an integral team member in several high-value commercial disputes. Brendan was appointed to the Attorney-General’s A Panel in July 2017. In March 2019 Hart published Brendan’s new book ‘Data Profiling and Insurance Law’ which considers the legal implications of Insurers’ use of personal data in underwriting and claims decisions and which won the prestigious British Insurance Law Association book prize for 2020. He is co-author of Professional Indemnity Insurance, the second edition of which was published in February 2016 by Oxford University Press and the chapter on UK Merger Control (with Ben Rayment) in Weinberg and Blank on Takeovers and Mergers. In addition, Brendan has published several articles on Insurance and Competition law. Brendan is an affiliate lecturer in Competition Law at Cambridge University and teaches Article 102 on the LLM course.

Charlotte McLean

Charlotte joined Chambers as a tenant in October 2025 following successful completion of her pupillage. She accepts instructions across Chambers’ core areas of practice, including competition law, consumer and regulatory law, data protection and information law, and public law. Prior to coming to the Bar, Charlotte trained as a Solicitor at Slaughter and May. She then worked at Duncan Lewis, focusing on strategic public law litigation. Before commencing pupillage, she worked at the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) as a Référendaire for 22 months, where she assisted Tribunal panels with the conduct and resolution of competition cases. She holds a First-Class degree in Classics from the University of Oxford, where she achieved the third highest grade in her year overall for Classics, and the highest grade in Ancient History modules across three Honours Schools. She also holds a diploma in EU Competition Law from Kings College London, achieving the highest grade in her cohort.

Eric is a specialist in human rights, information law, public law and EU law. He is direct access qualified. He has advised and acted for a wide range of human rights organisations including the ACLU, the AIRE Centre, ARTICLE 19, the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Human Rights Watch, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Index on Censorship, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, JUSTICE (the UK section of the International Commission of Jurists), the Kurdish Human Rights Project, the Legal Resources Centre, Liberty, the Media Legal Defence Initiative, and Privacy International. He has carried out human rights work in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Russia, Rwanda, Taiwan and Turkey.

Frank Mitchell SC

Frank has spent almost twenty years representing taxpayers’ interests in tax disputes. Having spent nearly ten years in PricewaterhouseCoopers working in tax consultancy and litigation Frank has a broad experience of all areas of VAT, Customs Duty and direct tax issues. He joined Chambers in 2010 as a result of his specific interest in the European law aspects of indirect taxes. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2010 and the Irish Bar in 2000. Frank brings his practical experience and client-focused approach to multifarious indirect tax issues. The majority of his time is now spent advising multi-national clients across all areas including banking, telecoms, entertainment, sport, not-for-profit, transport, financial services and property. He is involved in litigation on both sides of the Irish Sea and is regularly un-led in cases where the sums in dispute are in excess of £10million. He has written and lectured extensively on VAT and is a member of both the Confederation Fiscale Europeenne and the European Commission’s VAT Expert Group.

Philip Moser KC

Philip Moser KC, joint Head of Chambers, is ranked as a Leading Silk in EU Law, Competition Law, Procurement Law and Indirect Tax by Legal 500 and Chambers UK. He has appeared in every division of the High Court and at every level of the UK and EU Courts. His practice deals with all aspects of domestic and international trade law, including the intersection of domestic and EU law, now encompassing the implications of Brexit. Philip regularly handles cases in the UK appellate courts and at the CJEU. He also acts as a Mediator and is listed as an LCIA Arbitrator. A former supervisor in EC Law at Robinson College, Cambridge, Philip was editor of the European Advocate 2000-2019 and publishes on issues of EU law.

Natalie joined Monckton as a tenant in October 2023, following successful completion of her pupillage. She is developing a busy practice across chambers’ core areas of expertise, including competition law, public law and human rights, and sports law. She acts both led and unled, and has appeared as sole counsel in the County Court on various commercial matters. Natalie graduated from the University of Oxford with a First in Ancient and Modern History, and achieved a Distinction in the MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, before completing the Graduate Diploma in Law and Bar Course at City, University of London (both with Distinction). She was the recipient of Gray’s Inn’s top scholarship for the GDL and the Arden Scholarship, one of the Inn’s most prestigious merit-based scholarships. Prior to qualifying as a barrister, Natalie worked part-time as a public law caseworker at Duncan Lewis Solicitors and as a casework intern at the AIRE Centre, assisting with asylum and trafficking claims, EUSS applications and ECHR-related issues. She also acted as a research assistant to Professor Cathryn Costello (Hertie School; University of Oxford) and Paul Dillane (LSE). Before joining Monckton, Natalie worked as a legal assistant in Arnold & Porter’s antitrust department.

Ligia specialises in European law, with a particular focus on competition law, public procurement, telecommunications law and utilities regulation. She has been involved in a number of high profile, high value cases in these areas. She regularly advises private and public sector clients on complex legal and strategic issues across these fields.

Robert Palmer KC

Robert Palmer KC is widely recognised as a leader in the fields of public law, regulatory law, EU law and competition law. Robert has particular expertise in commercial and regulatory judicial review proceedings in the Administrative Court and Competition Appeal Tribunal. He has appeared on multiple occasions in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, and on more than 20 occasions in the Court of Justice of the European Union. Robert’s wide experience includes work in the telecommunications, energy, financial services, pharmaceutical and aviation sectors. He has considerable experience in public law fields as diverse as areas of environmental law, immigration and asylum law, and human rights law. Prior to taking silk, Robert was a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel. In 2021, Robert was appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge, sitting in the Queen’s Bench Division. Robert was also previously appointed as a Recorder in 2018.

George Peretz KC

George’s practice covers a wide range of public law, regulatory and tax issues, with particular strengths in competition and State aid, pharmaceuticals, VAT and customs/trade remedies, and agriculture. George has recently won a number of major cases in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, European Court of Justice and General Court and regularly leads in the senior English courts as well as in specialist tribunals such as the Competition Appeal Tribunal, Upper Tribunal, and the Tax and General Regulatory Chambers of the First-tier Tribunal. Until he took silk in 2015, George had for many years been a member of the Attorney General’s Panels, including the A panel from 2009, in which capacity he advised and represented the UK Government on a wide range of major EU and public law cases, including many cases in the European Court of Justice and higher English courts. Recent and current cases in which George has been acting include: successfully defending HMRC against a State aid claim related to the bankers’ bonus tax (Credit Suisse); acting for the European Commission in the Lundbeck and Servier “pay for delay” pharmaceutical cases in the European Court of Justice and General Court; acting for the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products and Regulatory Agency in a number of High Court and Court of Appeal cases on marketing authorisations, including the Avastin litigation now in the Court of Appeal as well as an important ECJ case on the interpretation of the Medicines Directive (here); acting for an importer challenging the imposition of anti-dumping duty and countervailing measures on the ground that the EU regulation fixing the origin of the product is invalid; acting for HMRC in the Supreme Court on what will be a leading case on gaming duty; acting for a number of companies and trade associations in the course of CMA investigations; acting for the campaigning organisation Avaaz on the Fox/Sky merger and in particular representing it in a judicial review of OFCOM’s decision on fitness of Fox News as a potential owner of Sky; defending DEFRA in a substantial Francovich claim arising out of the common agricultural policy; acting for a former bankrupt in a claim that EU free movement rules require his Irish pension fund to be afforded the same protection as that accorded to funds registered in the UK; acting for the legal campaigner Jolyon Maugham in a challenge to the legality of the UK/EU Withdrawal Agreement on the basis that it contravenes a statutory provision prohibiting the Government from entering into arrangements under which Northern Ireland becomes a separate customs territory from Great Britain; and successfully acting in the Court of Appeal for those suffering narcolepsy caused by flu vaccine in a test case concerning their ability of to claim payments under the Vaccine Damages Act (here). George is Joint Chair of the Joint Working Party of UK Bars and Law Societies on Competition Law and Joint Convenor of the UK State Aid Law Association. He was also from 2017-2019 General Rapporteur of the Ligue Internationale du Droit de la Concurrence. George has written widely on Brexit-related legal issues, ranging from articles in the European State Aid Law Quarterly to pieces in the Guardian and Prospect magazine and contributing to BBC Radio 4 documentaries. He is a founder member of the UK Trade Forum. George has given oral and written evidence to the House of Lords EU Committee on State aid post-Brexit, to the House of Commons International Trade Select Committee on trade remedies after Brexit, to the House of Commons Northern Ireland Select Committee on State aid issues in relation to the NI heating incentive scheme, and to the House of Commons Brexit Select Committee on level playing field commitments. He advised a number of MPs on issues relating to the “Common Market 2.0” proposal for a “soft” Brexit. He also comments on Brexit developments and other legal matters on Twitter (@GeorgePeretzQC). George was called to the Irish Bar in 2018 and is a member of the Law Library of Ireland. In that capacity, he is not only able to represent clients in the Irish Courts but also will be able to continue representing clients in the EU Courts, and to give advice covered by EU legal professional privilege, whatever the outcome of the Brexit process.

Will has a busy practice in competition, consumer, data protection and privacy, environmental, EU relations, human rights, information, procurement, public and regulatory law. He acts for both claimants and defendants, including major businesses, NGOs, regulators, central government departments and legally aided individuals. Recent highlights include: novel human rights challenges (Richards v Environment Agency; Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People v DWP), complex commercial and regulatory public law proceedings (Fourth National Lottery Licence litigation; RIIO-2 price control appeals; VIP v Home Secretary), unled freedom of information appeals (Sheppard v Information Commissioner & Cabinet Office; Airwars v MoD), data protection claims and enforcement action (ICO’s investigation into the Department for Education; X v Transcription Agency and Master James), advising on areas of digital regulation (including the Online Safety Bill, the Digital Markets Unit legislation and the security of the UK’s telecoms networks), and high-profile competition law disputes (Epic Games v Google; Gutmann v Apple; Sportradar v Football DataCo and BetGenius).

Meredith Pickford KC

Meredith is a leading silk for competition and economic regulatory matters. As an advocate, Meredith appears in damages actions, claims for injunctions and challenges to regulatory decisions. He has considerable experience of cases which raise further issues such as conflict of laws and interaction with intellectual property law. In addition to involvement in cases across all main industry sectors he has particular experience in the technology, media and telecommunications (“TMT”) sphere. He also sits as an arbitrator in international commercial disputes. Meredith has acted for: (in TMT) Google, Apple, Samsung, Sky, BT, EE, Vodafone, Three, TalkTalk, Philips, Verizon, Alcatel-Lucent, Premier League, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and (IP specialists) Sisvel and IPCom; (in power and water) National Grid, EdF, ScottishPower, Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water), Scottish Water; (in transport) Virgin Atlantic, easyJet, Korean Air Lines, P&O, Stena, DFDS and Tubelines; (in manufacturing, including pharmaceuticals) DAF Trucks, Dow Chemical, TEVA and Vertex Pharmaceuticals; (in financial services) a leading international investment bank and comparethemarket; (in retail) Dixons Carphone Warehouse, Asda, Argos, Morrisons; (in hotels) Intercontinental Hotels.

Greg is a heavy-weight commercial practitioner who litigates and advises on complex and high value disputes both in England & Wales and internationally. Above all, he is highly competitive and takes satisfaction from the results he obtains for his clients. His practice covers a wide range of commercial disputes often involving company and property issues. Greg has a particularly wide experience in business sale and shareholder disputes. In addition, he has a particular interest in and ability to deal with lengthy and complex technology, hardware, telecoms and engineering disputes including those with a heavy scientific focus. He is an accomplished trial advocate, with a first-rate mind, who provides practical, direct and robust advice and representation. In addition to his work in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, Greg is also instructed on high value arbitrations. Greg undertakes work both as leader and senior junior, usually appearing against established QCs. Greg’s instructions come from international, national and regional firms of solicitors and from in house counsel. His clients range from the European Union through multi-nationals, PLCs, SMEs and large family businesses. He has a very good understanding of the imperatives of business, the commerciality of settlement and the tactics needed to achieve settlement. He is widely regarded as being an astute tactician, taking the long view of how a case should proceed so that the client is positioned throughout in the strongest settlement and, ultimately, trial position available.

Ben is an experienced litigator of heavy and complex disputes in the Competition Appeal Tribunal, High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in England and also in the EU Court of Justice and arbitrations. He is also experienced in guiding clients through competition and other regulatory investigations. He also has an extensive advisory practice. He has a broad client base, acting for both private clients and public authorities. Particular areas of expertise include competition, consumer, procurement, subsidies/state aid and international trade. According to clients Ben is “a go-to junior for competition matters’’ and “brings clarity to very complex issues”. He is “noted for his strong advocacy skills”, “intricate knowledge of competition law institutions” and the fact that he is “user friendly” and “will work extremely hard to get the right result”. Work has included the following sectors: pharmaceuticals, water, energy, postal services, communications, satellite licensing, gaming and lotteries, organisation of sporting events, rules of professional associations, e-commerce. Ben is a former Legal Secretary at the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal. Ben has acted on numerous occasions as a consultant on competition law to the UN Conference on Trade and Development and worked on competition law in a number of different jurisdictions. Ben was called to the Bar of Ireland in 2018.

Ian Rogers KC is a leading silk who has built up an impressive body of work spanning a broad range of practice areas. He has represented private and public parties on 14 occasions in the Supreme Court and Privy Council. He has appeared numerous times in the EU Court of Justice (“CJEU”) and EFTA Court and was the final advocate to appear for the UK in the CJEU before the Brexit implementation period ended in December 2020. Much of his work is of a commercial character, ranging from his particular specialism in “commercial human rights” cases to the full range of general commercial litigation. There are few areas of law to which he has not turned his hand during the course of a career spanning over 25 years, earning his “reputation as a seasoned advocate in both European and domestic courts”. As a result, one of Ian’s strengths is his capacity to bring a new perspective in cutting edge cases operating at the intersections of areas of law, and also in developing areas of law. He is therefore particularly well-equipped to assist companies, public bodies and individuals with the challenges they face in the post-Brexit legal landscape of “EU Relations Law” and UK international trade law generally. Given the breadth of his body of domestic and international work at every level of court and tribunal, Ian has wide-ranging experience across a huge number of industry sectors, including: pharmaceuticals, health and social care, tobacco and alcohol, rail, road and passenger ferry transport, road user charging, telecommunications and broadcasting, food safety, agriculture and animal welfare, climate change and environmental protection, banking and financial services, labelling and packaging, intellectual property, media, sports, public health, education, insurance, professional discipline and regulation, advertising, retail and e-commerce, cross-border controls, international trade, corporate service providers, employment agencies/businesses and outsourcing. He has extensive offshore experience through multiple cases in the Isle of Man (where he has appeared as an advocate in doleance proceedings and in the Staff of Government Division), the Channel Islands and Caribbean jurisdictions. His client list is as broad as his experience. In public law, this includes the UK Prime Minister, the First Minister for Wales, the Italian Prime Minister, the Isle of Man Government, the UK (in overseas proceedings), the Advocate General for Scotland, tribunals, the staff of the European Investment Bank and some 800 judges. In commercial and private client work, some of the world’s largest oil and pharmaceutical companies, law firms, Premiership football and rugby clubs and the private owners of some of Europe’s largest steel and supermarket groups rank among Ian’s clients. At the other end of the spectrum, Ian acted pro bono in the Privy Council for a person on death row, whose conviction was quashed when vital new evidence proved he had been wrongly identified. Prior to taking silk, Ian served on the Attorney-General’s A Panel of Treasury Counsel. He is one of eight silks appointed to the Welsh Government’s Panel of KCs, having served on its Public Law A Panel until taking silk. Ian was honoured by Gray’s Inn in 2020 by his election as a Bencher.

Valentina Sloane KC

Valentina is a leading barrister in EU relations, procurement and tax law, including VAT, excise and customs duties. The directories have consistently recommended Valentina as an outstanding practitioner. Valentina has extensive experience of leading heavyweight, complex and high-profile litigation. Her recent cases include appearing before the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of the EU in a challenge to the validity of EU tax legislation and representing the claimant in a challenge to the Government’s procurement of a £1 billion contract for a supercomputer, one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of 2022. Valentina was previously a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel and has wide-ranging public law and judicial review expertise.

Kassie Smith KC

Kassie Smith KC is one of the Bar’s leading specialists in competition, EU and regulatory litigation. Kassie regularly appears in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, in the UK, as well as in the Competition Appeal Tribunal. She has also developed an international practice, working in jurisdictions from the Channel Islands to the BVI to Hong Kong, as well as in various high-value, international arbitrations. She has appeared in over 30 cases before the European Court of Justice. Before taking silk in 2013, she was a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel.

Azeem Suterwalla KC

Azeem is a leading silk with a well-established practice across Chambers’ core areas, offering expertise in Judicial Review, Public Procurement, Competition, Information Law, and general commercial work. He was previously Counsel to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (“IICSA” – between January 2016 and 2020). Azeem appears regularly in the High Court and Upper Tribunal. He has undertaken cases in the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights. In addition to acting as a trial and appellate lawyer, a significant part of Azeem’s practice is advisory.

Jon is the top-ranked UK King’s Counsel in The Legal 500’s European and Competition category and has for a number of years been the Chambers directory “Star Performer” (sole or jointly). He is also ranked as a leading counsel in the fields of Telecommunications and Administrative and Public law. He sits part-time as a deputy high court judge. His range and skillset are formidable. He is at home in stringent cross-examination in a trial setting, in advancing legal arguments before appellate courts including the UK Supreme Court, and in appearing in the European Courts. He is qualified at the Bar of Ireland as well as the Bar of England and Wales, and is a member of the New York Bar.

Christopher Vajda KC

Christopher Vajda KC had a wide-ranging practice. He acted on numerous occasions for the UK Government, Government Departments and public bodies such as the Bank of England, the BBC and various sectorial regulators. He also acted for a large number of companies in fields such as aviation and transport, competition and state aid, energy, IT and telecommunications and tax. He appeared frequently before the CJEU, and all English courts, including the UK Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. He was appointed to chair an arbitration panel in the Middle East involving a telecommunications dispute. Since his return to Chambers he has been asked to chair a conciliation panel set up to resolve a dispute involving one of the EU Institutions.

Tim Ward KC, joint Head of Chambers, is widely recognised as a leading litigator and advocate in the fields of competition, telecommunications, public law and EU law. Tim has particular expertise in commercial and regulatory matters, acting in disputes across the full range of regulated industries, including energy, water, telecoms, broadcasting and aviation. He has expertise in cases with a technical or economic dimension. His competition practice covers all aspects of competition law, including damages claims, class actions, mergers and penalties. His practice is international. He has appeared in more than 50 cases before the European Courts (including the EFTA Court) and in a wide range of domestic courts and tribunals including the Supreme Court. He recently won the first Trucks cartel damages claim brought to trial. Prior to taking silk, Tim was a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel. Tim sits as an adjudicator on the judicial panels of both the Rugby Football Union and the Football Association. He is a member of the Sports Resolutions Panel of arbitrators and mediators. He is a Bencher of Gray’s Inn and has served as Master of Finance. Tim was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Falcon by the President of Iceland as a result of his successful defence of Iceland in the “Icesave” case in the EFTA Court. Tim has been called to the Bar of Ireland.

Ewan has a wide-ranging and well-established practice spanning all of Chambers’ main areas of activity, including public procurement, competition, VAT and excise law, EU law and EU relations law, regulatory law (especially telecommunications and utilities), information rights, claims management regulation and public law generally. He also practises in general commercial law and sports law. He has one of the most extensive procurement law practices at the junior Bar for which he has received widespread recognition as a highly effective and user-friendly advocate, acting for both claimants and defendants (and appearing both led and unled). Ewan has appeared in many of the leading cases of the past few years including the first claim seeking a declaration of ineffectiveness, the first claim under the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, and numerous claims involving automatic suspensions and other injunctive relief. He has particular experience of dealing with the protection of confidential information and disclosure (including applications for specific disclosure) in the context of procurement disputes. He is currently instructed on a large number of claims involving urgent procurements undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic, brought both as commercial claims and by way of judicial review, in relation to the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and well as other services. As a competition law practitioner, he has appeared in several high profile cases, including in relation to anticompetitive conduct, abuse of a dominant position and in challenges to competition regulatory decisions. He was instructed on the first fast track claim to be brought before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. He has a particularly extensive knowledge of the law of state aid and subsidy and its practical application. Ewan has recently acted for the Competition and Markets Authority in relation to the SSE code modifications appeal. In relation VAT, he has appeared in the leading case on hot takeaway food (and several consequential appeals) and has recently dealt with cases involving abuse of rights and various exemptions, including those relating to sport and health. He also has an active excise law practice. Ewan’s focus on public procurement, competition and VAT are combined with a wider experience of EU law generally, including in particular the free movement Treaty provisions. More recently, he has been involved in dealing in various contexts with the implications of the UK’s departure from the EU and with EU relations law, including in relation to the workings of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol. Ewan’s commercial law activities bring together many other elements of his practice, including competition and procurement law. He has a particular focus on contractual disputes (in particular arising out of long-term arrangements), contractual variations, injunctive relief and protection of confidentiality. As a public law practitioner, Ewan’s cases include challenges to a determination of ordinary residence under the National Assistance Act 1948, an assessment of liability to care home fees under the National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992 and an appeal of a decision of the Pensions Ombudsman as well as acting for the interested party in a judicial review of the Government’s disposal of the Green Investment Bank. He also represented HMRC in a successful defence to a judicial review against the operation of the UK-Swiss tax co-operation treaty. Most recently, he has been involved in defending a number of claims arising out of the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including in relation to the vaccination programme, restrictions on public behaviour and provision of information concerning shielding. Ewan also has a very active freedom of information practice, including cases which have a commercial aspect, in which he has acted for the Information Commissioner, public authorities and other parties. He has represented the Claims Management Regulator (and more recently the Financial Conduct Authority) in appeals under the Compensation Act 2006. Ewan has a growing education law practice. He has a particular interest in admissions appeals, examination appeals, provision for special educational needs (including SEND appeals) and contractual disputes relating to educational provision. Ewan has appeared in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, Competition Appeal Tribunal, the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber), the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber), First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights), First-tier Tribunal (Claims Management Regulation) ), First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) and before a large number of regulatory bodies including the Football Association Appeal Board, the Football Disciplinary Commission of the Football League, the Disciplinary Committee of the Six Nations Internationals and the Disciplinary Committee of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Ewan undertakes a wide range of advisory work in all areas of practice. He particularly relishes the challenge of finding solutions which do not involve recourse to litigation or mitigate its consequences. He has worked for a number of regulatory authorities and has a sound technical and practical understanding of economic and financial analysis (he holds an MBA from Cranfield University). Ewan was called to the Irish Bar in 2019. Ewan is a CEDR accredited mediator.

Hugh joined Chambers as a tenant in October 2023, following the successful completion of pupillage. He is developing a busy practice spanning Chambers’ core areas. Current case highlights include: Acting for First MTR in the ‘UK Trains – Boundary Fares’ class action before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. Acting for a former Afghan interpreter for the British armed forces in relation to his application to relocate to the UK following the fall of Kabul. Acting for the CMA on an ongoing Competition Act 1998 investigation. Acting for the ICO in various matters pertaining to alleged breaches under FOIA. Hugh studied law at Cambridge, obtaining a first-class Senior Status BA in Law and a first-class LLM in International Law, for which he was awarded the Clive Parry Prize for top ranked student in the International Law designation of the LLM. He completed the Bar Course as a Major Scholar of Inner Temple, receiving a mark of Distinction. Hugh also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Diploma in Languages from the University of Melbourne, both with first-class honours. Prior to coming to the Bar, Hugh was a Research Assistant at the University of Cambridge. He also spent seven years working with various legal NGOs in the UK and abroad, alongside his studies.

Jack has particular expertise in respect of the regulation of digital markets. For instance, his clients include Google, Meta, Intel, and Samsung, whilst he has acted against Apple and BT. Recent career highlights include securing two of the largest fine annulments in competition law history, namely (i) the €1 billion fine imposed on Intel in its long-running abuse of dominance case, and (ii) the €1.5 billion fine imposed on Google in respect of its AdSense advertising services in another landmark abuse of dominance case. He is also amongst the most active counsel in UK competition law collective proceedings (both for class representatives and defendants), including acting in landmark cases such as Le Patourel v BT and Merricks v Mastercard. In addition to England and Wales, Jack is called to the Bars of Ireland and Northern Ireland (thus retaining his rights of audience before EU courts and legal professional privilege to advise on EU law). He is a graduate from the University of Oxford (Hertford College) with a Distinction in the BCL Masters in Law (ranked 2nd in the year) and from the University of Cambridge (St Catharine’s College) with a First Class Undergraduate Degree in Law. Jack was the recipient of Gray’s Inn’s top scholarships for Bar School and Pupillage.

Rob Williams KC

Rob is a highly experienced barrister and advocate practicing in competition law, procurement law, public law and other regulatory litigation. He acts for the range of commercial and public sector clients. Since 2015, Rob has been Standing Counsel to the Competition and Markets Authority. Rob’s work is principally divided between the High Court and the Competition Appeal Tribunal, and he appears frequently in the appellate courts. Rob has appeared in many of the leading cases in competition and public procurement law. Before joining Monckton Chambers, Rob worked as an in-house advocate at a large City law firm. His experience has given him a particular insight into the needs of both solicitor and lay clients at all stages of the litigation process, and as a result, Rob places particular importance on being user friendly and accessible.

Ian Wise KC is ranked as a leading silk in Administrative and Public Law, Local Government Law, Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Local Government, Community Care and Education Law. He regularly appears in the appellate courts including the Supreme Court where he has appeared in a range of important cases involving complex legal and public policy issues. Among Ian’s recent cases in the Supreme Court are Mathieson v Secretary of State [2015] UKSC 47, a leading case on discrimination and disability, and R(JS) v Secretary of State [2015] UKSC 16, the ‘benefit cap’ case. He also appeared in the Supreme Court in the leading case on consultation, R(Moseley) v Haringey LBC [2014] UKSC and in Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v James [2014] AC 591 in which the Supreme Court set out the correct approach to the making of decisions about whether to give life-sustaining treatment in the case of persons lacking the capacity to make such decisions for themselves. Ian was counsel to the Healthwatch England ‘Special Inquiry into safe discharge from hospitals, care homes and secure settings’ which reported in 2015. Ian has over a hundred reported cases to his name and has particular expertise in public finance, health and regulatory matters. He has also taken over 30 cases to the European Court of Human Rights and has lectured widely on many aspects of public law. He has frequently been instructed to act for leading national charities including the Children’s Society, the National Autistic Society and Age UK and has advised numerous public bodies. He is authorised to take instructions by direct access.

Philip Woolfe KC

Philip is an EU law specialist with a particular focus on Competition Law and Telecommunications. He also has experience in Public Procurement, Commercial Litigation and Indirect Tax. He is a recommended for Competition/European Law and Telecommunications Law in Chambers and Partners, which has described him as “an absolutely fantastic junior who is extremely bright and knowledgeable about telecoms” “a considered advocate and people really listen to him,” and as having “a great work ethic and is very hands-on.” He was shortlisted by Chambers and Partners for Competition Junior of the Year in 2023. In January 2023, it was announced that Philip would be appointed King’s Counsel in March 2023. Philip appears regularly in the Competition Appeal Tribunal, High Court and Court of Appeal. He has also appeared in the First Tier and Upper Tier Tribunals and the Supreme Court. He also advises on regulatory proceedings before the CMA, Ofcom, and Ofgem as well as other domestic regulators and the European Commission. He is a Quondam Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford University and a contributing author to recent and current editions of Bellamy and Child’s European Law of Competition (7th edition, OUP 2013 and 8th edition, OUP 2018).