18 St John Street Chambers > Manchester, England > Set Profile

Chambers of Richard Chapman KC
18 St John Street Chambers
18-20 ST JOHN STREET
MANCHESTER
M3 4EA
England

Email firm Visit website 0161 278 1800 0161 278 8220

Northern Circuit > Chancery, probate, and tax Tier 2

18 St John Street Chambers is home to head of chambers Richard Chapman KC, who boasts expertise in cases regarding trusts and wills. Elisabeth Tythcott is another key member of the group, and she acted for the defendant in Grantham v Ashton, a contested probate action in which the claimant was seeking to propound the deceased’s will, and the defendant challenged the will’s validity on lack of capacity grounds. Jennifer Newstead-Taylor is frequently instructed by HMRC, and she has particular expertise in VAT fraud cases, while Rupert Davies focuses on customs and excise and VAT work.

Leading Silks

Richard Chapman KC – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Richard is the complete counsel who is always one step ahead of everyone else and gets the right result. An outstanding advocate who commands the courtroom, he doesn’t waste judges’ time taking silly points or grandstanding, and he brings a no-nonsense, unflappable attitude.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Jennifer Newstead-Taylor – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Jennifer is incredibly approachable. She has a brilliant mind and can take in huge amounts of information and distil it down.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Rupert Davies – 18 St John Street Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Christopher McNall – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Christopher is a great creative thinker. His ideas are always outside the box and he comes up with commercial solutions, and he is proactive and happy to discuss ideas in a collaborative way, rather than dictate the next steps.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Nathan Goldstein – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Nathan has a good knowledge of the law and is very practical. He is excellent with clients and gets good results.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Elisabeth Tythcott – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Elisabeth demonstrates an interest in the case and wants to find a solution, she is excellent with clients in giving realistic and sensible commercial advice, and she is very responsive and goes the extra mile. She is also articulate and confident in court, her advocacy skills are strong and clear, and her cross-examination is well thought out.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘The clerks at 18 St John Street Chambers are incredibly helpful. They provide an easy point of contact between firms and counsel and deal with enquiries in a quick and effective manner, especially Matthew Smith and Eden Cobb.’

‘James Parks and Katie Brown are very commercial and always very keen to provide the best service they can. They are also very responsive to urgent needs when required.’

‘James Parks runs an excellent clerking team. Responsive, commercial, and good fun too!’

‘Good, reliable clerking on the civil side, and Ryan Pugh is excellent.’

‘The clerks are one of the reasons for the success of 18 St John Street Chambers. James Parks is at the top of his game. He always goes above and beyond to make the instruction of counsel a smooth process. If there is not something James does not know then it is not worth knowing.’

‘Ryan Pugh is an excellent and helpful member of the clerking team.’

‘Eden Cobb, Katie Brown, and Ryan Pugh get back to you quickly, provide everything you need, and are super helpful.’

Work highlights

Northern Circuit > Company and insolvency Tier 2

Head of chambers Richard Chapman KC is a key member of the business and property team at 18 St John Street Chambers, and he successfully acted for the defendants in Arieli v Shalom and others, which concerned a claim for breach of trust in relation to share dividends. The set is also home to Jennifer Newstead-Taylor, who handles a broad range of insolvency law mandates, and Oliver Caplan, who is often called upon to handle director and partnership disputes, as well as banking and insolvency matters. Elisabeth Tythcott was instructed by the claimant in Clements v Frisby, a £100m claim for breach of confidence, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract arising from allegations that the defendant used the claimant’s business plan, corporate identity, and seed capital in order to launch their own fashion label.

Leading Silks

Richard Chapman KC – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Very thorough and measured, and very sensible, which feeds through into his advocacy. He engages well with opponents and the tribunal.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Jennifer Newstead-Taylor – 18 St John Street Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

Elisabeth Tythcott – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Elisabeth is highly experienced and well regarded by the judges. Her style is firm and persuasive, without fanfare, and she is a client favourite and always finds the time to be available.'

Ranked: Tier 1

John Vickery – 18 St John Street Chambers 'John is well suited for company and insolvency work. He is very astute, experienced, and intelligent.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Oliver Caplan – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Oliver is a fantastic barrister. He analyses matters meticulously, does not leave any stones unturned, and he is very user friendly with clients too, reassuring and empathising with them.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘The clerks are at 18 St John Street Chambers are incredibly helpful. Matthew Smith and Eden Cobb provide an easy point of contact between firms and counsel, and deal with enquiries in a quick and effective manner.’

‘The clerks are always attentive and helpful. Katie Brown is the stand-out individual.’

‘The clerks are one of the reasons for the success of 18 St John Street Chambers. James Parks is at the top of his game. He is always goes above and beyond to make the instruction of counsel a smooth process. If there is not something James does not know then it is not worth knowing.’

‘Ryan Pugh is an excellent and helpful member of the clerking team.’

‘Clerks are responsive and polite.’

Work highlights

Northern Circuit > Costs Tier 2

The costs team at 18 St John Street Chambers houses James Miller, who practices exclusively in costs law; he represented the solicitors in Higgins v Esure, a case concerning recoverability of an expert’s fee in a fixed costs case, in which the expert described himself as a spinal surgeon, and Miller successfully argued he was an orthopaedic surgeon, thus reducing the costs.

Leading Juniors

James Miller – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘James provides top-level advocacy as well as document drafting. What sets James apart from others is his particularly approachable and down-to-earth demeanour, which makes him a pleasure to work with, in addition to the high standard of the work undertaken.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

’18 St John Street is a strong set.’

‘The clerks are excellent; they are pleasant to deal with and they have a cheery and friendly manner, but are exceptionally efficient and will go the extra mile to resolve issues.’

‘The clerks at 18 St John Street can only be described as on it. Phones are consistently answered quickly, as are emails, and there’s the genuine feeling that the clerks can’t do enough to help.’

‘The costs team in chambers is becoming a serious threat to other costs teams, both locally and nationwide.’

‘Great set with strength in depth. The clerks are helpful, knowledgeable, and supportive.’

Work highlights

Northern Circuit > Family: children and domestic abuse Tier 2

The members of 18 St John Street Chambers frequently represent children, parents, and local authorities in high-profile cases and those concerning novel points of law, especially cases arising from allegations of sexual abuse, physical abuse and fatal injuries, deprivation of liberty, factitious illness, and parental alienation. Yvonne Healing has particular expertise in complex care proceedings and often conducts hearings at the High Court, as does Leonie Caplan, who is head of the family team. Fiona Holloran practices exclusively in family law and her work encompasses the entirety of both public and private law applications. She is especially skilled in cases surrounding historic sexual abuse and those with an international element. Kate Bramall predominately handles public law proceedings, and has significant expertise in cases regarding unexplained injuries to children. Similarly, Alex Walker is skilled in representing clients involved in physical abuse cases. Anna Warters has an interest in mental health law and has significant experience in acting for vulnerable clients, especially in cases regarding capacity issues.

Leading Juniors

Fiona Holloran – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Fiona is an excellent family lawyer and an outstanding advocate. She is robust and will always fight the client's case as appropriate.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Yvonne Healing – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Yvonne has extensive experience in representing a wide range of clients, lay and professional, in public law cases, and she is a calm and collected advocate and ably presents the client's case.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Kate Donohue –18 St John Street Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Anna Warters – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Anna is an amazing advocate who is honest and amazing with clients who respect her. She also presents cases in a way that gets brilliant results for everyone, working well with the solicitor who instructs her so it is a real team effort to get what is best for the client.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Leonie Caplan – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Leonie is approachable, empathetic with clients, and gives careful advice about the prospects of the case, pursuing contested cases where instructed.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Rehana Begum – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Rehana is superb and always on top of her brief. She is a robust and a fair advocate.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Kate Bramall – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Kate has excellent advocacy skills and is very able to put a client at ease. Feedback for her during and following hearings is excellent.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Samantha Birtles – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Samantha is a go-to in difficult care proceedings. She is always very impressive, thoroughly prepared, and a very persuasive advocate who goes the extra mile for the client and builds an excellent rapport with them.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Danish Ameen – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Danish is passionate about his cases, looks after his clients, and is empathetic in his approach while delivering robust advice. He is confident in handling complex children cases, and he has strong technical knowledge in bundling application and electronic working.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Alex Walker – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Alex is strong technically and does not give up when pursuing his client's case. He is fearless in his approach.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Farah Ahmed – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Farah has an excellent manner with lay clients, particularly those who are vulnerable or have difficulty in understanding. Farah is calm, patient, and approachable.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Fergal Allen – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Fergal has an excellent manner with clients and displays an ability to explain complex legal concepts in an accessible way. He is a popular and respected advocate who knows his tribunals, leading to impressive outcomes.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Jonathan Mark Jackson – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Jonathan is thorough and meticulous in his preparation and is instructed to represent a wide range of clients, including local authorities, parents, and children. He is reliable and skilled in his cross-examination.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Rebecca Costello - 18 St John Street Chambers

Ranked: Tier 4

Hannah Phoenix – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Hannah’s client care is exceptional, and her delivery both during conference and in advocacy is thorough and considered, but direct and robust. Hannah has repeatedly received great feedback from clients who have greatly appreciated her no-nonsense and pragmatic approach.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Testimonials

‘Camille Scott, Garrick Brown, and Vaughn John are impressive with their speed of response to enquiries and client care.’

‘Fantastic service from the clerks, in particular Camille Scott, Garrick Brown, and Vaughn John.’

‘The clerking team are extremely efficient and helpful and go above and beyond to ensure availability of counsel, including in emergency cases listed at very short notice or out of hours; this particularly applies to Camille Scott, Vaughn John, and Garrick Brown.’

‘All of the family clerks are extremely helpful, particularly Camille Scott, Vaughn John, and Garrick Brown. They stand out form the crowd in terms of the levels of service.’

‘The clerks are excellent, particularly Camille Scott, Garrick Brown, and Vaughn John.’

‘The clerks are approachable, especially Vaughn John and Camille Scott. They work very hard.’

Work highlights

Northern Circuit > Family: divorce and financial remedy Tier 2

18 St John Street Chambers is praised as an ‘all-round chambers offering an excellent range of talent’. The set is home to Stephen Murray, who specialises in matrimonial finance and frequently represents high-net-worth clients in cases surrounding issues of trusts, company valuations, and international assets.

Leading Juniors

Stephen Murray – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Stephen is a go-to financial remedy barrister in the north. Robust, strategic and someone that fights your corner, he is well known for his tenacious grip on a case and one who gets to the very root of the issues expeditiously.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

‘Camille Scott and her team are efficient and go that extra mile to try and secure your chosen counsel wherever that is possible. Corresponding with the clerks is always efficient.’

‘Excellent service. Camille Scott, Garrick Brown, and Vaughn John are all fantastic.’

‘Garrick Brown and Vaughn John are very strong gatekeepers and run a very tight ship.’

‘The clerks are always friendly and efficient.’

’18 St John Street Chambers are a good all-round chambers offering an excellent range of talent.’

Work highlights

Northern Circuit > Commercial litigation Tier 3

18 St John Street Chambers boasts ‘a wide range of barristers who cover all issues that arise in commercial litigation’, and one such barrister is head of chambers Richard Chapman KC, who has particular expertise in commercial contract disputes. The set is also home to Elisabeth Tythcott, who frequently appears before the High Court and the Business and Property courts. She acted for the claimant in CW & CG Claims Ltd v Clarkewood Ltd and Mohammed, a case concerning a claim for breach of contract where allegations of fraud were also made. David Hoffman is another key name in this space.

Leading Silks

Richard Chapman KC – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Richard is extremely calm and gives great confidence to clients with his measured and considered approach. Not only is he excellent on papers and as a skilled advocate, but his commercial and pragmatic approach to cases gives you the confidence in his knowledge and expertise in trying to achieve a favourable outcome.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Christopher McNall – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Christopher is a great creative thinker as his ideas are always outside the box and he comes up with commercial solutions. He is proactive and happy to discuss ideas in a collaborative way, rather than dictating the next steps.'

Ranked: Tier 3

David Hoffman – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘David has excellent knowledge of the law and he is very practical. He is good with clients, reliable, and delivers good results.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Elisabeth Tythcott – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Elisabeth is very tenacious, hands on, and committed. She is very keen to help her instructing solicitor, she is approachable, and her advocacy is top notch.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Mike Wilkinson – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Michael is a fantastic barrister with the unusual characteristic of experience studying in Europe and also with a PhD in banking.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘Katie Brown is a great clerk.’

‘The clerks are always happy to help and go the extra mile. Katie Brown is a particularly helpful individual and is super responsive.’

‘Katie Brown is brilliant. So helpful.’

‘Katie Brown is very good and easy to approach. Ryan Pugh is commercially minded.’

‘Both Ryan Pugh and Katie Brown are very responsive when dealing with enquiries and assisting in selecting suitable counsel for a particular client or matter.’

‘Ryan Pugh is always cheerful and helpful.’

‘The clerks are one of the reasons for the success of 18 St John Street. James Parks is at the top of his game. He always goes above and beyond to make the instruction of counsel a smooth process. If there is not something James does not know, then it is not worth knowing.’

‘Ryan Pugh is an excellent and helpful member of the clerking team.’

Work highlights

Northern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud) Tier 3

The members of 18 St John Street Chambers have expertise in defending and prosecuting across a wide range of cases, including murder, serious sexual offences, fraud, and terrorism. Siobhan Grey KC and Richard Vardon both have substantial experience in cases regarding organised crime, murder, and sexual offences, and both exclusively act for the defence. Rachel Shenton is sought after for her knowledge of sexual offences work, and has been involved in several grooming trials. Cases surrounding drug offences and dishonesty are a strength of Rachel Faux, in addition to cases regarding serious injuries to, and death of, children. Of recent note, Faux prosecuted a woman who was found guilty of murdering a 13-month-old baby, who she was also planning on adopting. Andrew Evans is another key name at the set, and he specialises in proceeds of crime matters.

Leading Silks

Siobhan Grey KC – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Siobhan is one of the best barristers to instruct for all serious and complex criminal allegations. She always finds time to have professional conferences with you to ensure that the litigation she requires is prepared correctly, and she provides clear guidance as to what work is needed to defend a case.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Leading Juniors

Richard Vardon – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Richard deals with heavyweight cases of serious violence, drugs conspiracies, and fraud. He is an excellent barrister with fantastic oratory skills that are extremely persuasive.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Andrew Evans – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Andy is extremely thorough and meticulous, both in his preparation prior to court and in court. He is available for conferences and clients warm to him given his extensive knowledge.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Rachel Shenton – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Rachel is an outstanding counsel, and her trial advocacy is consistently powerful and engaging. She maintains excellent communication throughout the contact that she has with both clients and instructing solicitors, explaining her reasoning for the actions being taken at every step of the way, and her preparation is detailed and she consistently reviews unused material to ensure that all avenues possible are considered when planning the defence case.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Rachel Faux – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Rachel's advocacy is truly second-to-none. She is incredibly personable, both with the client and the jury in the court room, and she is extremely thorough and leaves no stone unturned.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Daniel Calder – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Daniel has an excellent knowledge of the law and he exercises sound judgement. His advocacy is compelling and engaging too.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Claire Brocklebank – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Claire marries outstanding intellect with an incredible work ethic. She goes above and beyond in every case, providing first-class client care and ensuring that every angle of the case is covered.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘James Hotchin is the senior criminal clerk in chambers and has an excellent reputation among instructing solicitors and indeed other chambers. He is organised and amenable to assisting whenever he can.’

‘The clerks are amazing, very polite, very helpful and they keep you informed of any changes to the case. James Hotchin and Oliva Aldred are an asset to their team.’

‘James Hotchin, the senior criminal clerk, is quite simply exceptional in all aspects of his job, in particular the way he deals and communicates with solicitors.’

‘James Hotchin really stands out. He is extremely helpful and attentive. One of the best clerks around.’

‘James Parks is unlike any other clerk! His commercial approach to cases and ability to provide proactive advice is extremely valuable. He is always willing to assist!’

‘James Hotchin provides an exemplary service.’

‘James Hotchin is widely renowned as the best criminal clerk in the city. His wizard-like ability to navigate listings and get counsel to hearings makes him a favourite among solicitors. If you need particular counsel for a given hearing, James will ensure they are there. No ifs, no buts.’

‘The clerks room is exceptional, headed by senior criminal clerk James Hotchin. He ensures the availability of chosen counsel, is very accommodating and approachable, and under his leadership, the junior clerks will continue to offer an exceptional service.’

Work highlights

Northern Circuit > Personal injury Tier 4

The members of 18 St John Street Chambers act for both claimants and defendants regarding a range of personal injury claims, including catastrophic and serious injury cases. Elahe Youshani specialises in road traffic accidents and multi-track cases involving serious injury. Of recent note, she acted for the claimant in a personal injury claim arising from a road traffic accident that had caused a permanent head injury. Kane Simons heads the practice group in chambers.

Rising stars

Daniel Boal – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Daniel is a delight to work with. He is a true professional and has a methodical and consistent approach to instructed matters, he informs and advises as honestly as he can and goes above and beyond to get results, and as an advocate, he is very personable and remains professional at all times.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Elahe Youshani – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Elahe delivers a high standard of client care, is very thorough, and her legal knowledge is impeccable. She is very easy to work with and has a very down-to-earth attitude, which is great for dealing with clients from all walks of life.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Kane Simons – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Kane is a knowledgeable, skilled, and highly competent barrister with an increasing expertise in cases of the highest value and complexity.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

‘James Parks and Chris Heath go out of their way to provide a good service.’

‘The clerks have all been fantastic over the years. Chris Heath is always polite and goes the extra mile to get all queries sorted out quickly.’

‘Excellent clerking, and Katie Brown in particular stands out .’

‘Eden Cobb, Chris Heath, and Ryan Pugh are prompt with responses on receipt of instructions and ensuring that cases are progressed through with counsel in a timely fashion.’

‘Chris Heath responds quickly, providing dates and times to book claimants in for conference and acknowledging papers sent. Good service provided.’

‘James Parks, the senior clerk, is a highly experienced clerk with national connections who views the PI work in a national, not regional, manner. That marks him out amongst the Manchester senior clerks.’

‘Katie Brown is a class-act clerk.’

‘The clerks, in particular Katie Brown, all work very hard to help with any queries or instructions.’

Work highlights

Northern Circuit > Property and construction

Leading Silks

Richard Chapman KC – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Richard is cool and calm under pressure in court. He is always well prepared, be it for court or in conference.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Mike Wilkinson – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Michael is forensic in his approach and has a very good eye for detail. He is prepared to take a difficult point and run with it, which he does to great effect.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Oliver Caplan - 18 St John Street Chambers 'Oliver is a fantastic barrister who analyses matters meticulously and does not leave any stones unturned. Oliver is very user friendly with clients too, reassuring and empathising with them, and his advocacy is excellent.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Northern Circuit > Professional negligence

Leading Silks

Richard Chapman KC – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Richard has a delightful client manner, keeps people onside even when delivering bad news, and is quick to the point.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Northern Circuit > Agriculture

Leading Juniors

Christopher McNall – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Christopher is a great creative thinker, his ideas are always outside the box, and he comes up with commercial solutions. He is proactive and happy to discuss ideas in a collaborative way, and he is very knowledgeable about all matters agricultural.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Northern Circuit > Social housing

Leading Juniors

Oliver Caplan – 18 St John Street Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

The set: 18 St John Street Chambers is one of the longest established and most well regarded sets of chambers on the Northern Circuit. Its barristers have been delivering the highest standards of advice and advocacy to clients for over 50 years, combining the highest standards and traditions of the independent Bar with a modern and forward looking approach.

Chambers offers skilled practitioners of all ranges of seniority in each of their core departments – personal injury, clinical negligence and costs, business and property and tax, criminal, family law (including family finance). The strength and depth of each department is recognised by both professional and lay clients – as well as by our opponents. Chambers has a well-deserved reputation as a leading set – both in Manchester, on Northern Circuit, and nationally. Members appear in courts and tribunals across the whole of the United Kingdom as well as working internationally.

Our ethos: The interests of our clients are at the heart of everything we do. We approach each case with firm and focused professionalism which ensures that our clients receive the best advice and service available. Our clerking teams have exceptional knowledge of their respective practice areas. Clients receive an efficient and effective service from the first moment they contact chambers. Every barrister provides an expert approach to cases by offering realistic advice, innovative solutions and incisive and effective advocacy.

Our services: In addition to all traditional services, 18 St John Street Chambers offers a fully accredited arbitration and mediation team, a direct access team and a full programme of training, seminars and advice sessions, including the acclaimed ‘Ask 18’ initiative. Members are frequently asked to provide specialist talks to professional bodies illustrating the level of recognised expertise.

Chambers was at the forefront of the introduction of remote working on the Northern Circuit and nationally. Chambers has state of the art conference, mediation and remote conferencing facilities.

Our members: Barristers from 18 St John St Chambers are highly sought after and frequently appear in the most complex and high profile cases in Manchester and nationally. Members are instructed at all levels of work by regional, national and international solicitors, business and public sector organisations, prosecuting authorities and agencies as well as local and regional councils. They appear in all court arenas including the Court of Appeal, the Upper Tribunal, the Supreme Court and the European Court of Justice.

In recent years chambers has expanded in every department, always ensuring that we recruit the highest quality applicants with a recognised expertise in their field of practice. The profile of chambers continues to grow with members who have recently been appointed KC and who have been appointed as District and Circuit Judges. We continue to have a large number of members who hold part-time appointments sitting in the Civil, Business and Property courts, the First-tier Tribunal (Tax and Property Chambers), the Employment Tribunal, the Agricultural Land Tribunal for Wales, and the Residential Property Tribunal for Wales.

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Head of Chambers	CHAPMAN KC, Richard (1998)	[email protected]	0161 278 1800
Chambers Manager	Emma Bowie	[email protected]	0161 278 1800
Chambers Director	James Parks	[email protected]	0161 278 1800
Senior Criminal Clerk	James Hotchin	[email protected]	0161 278 8262
Senior PI/Clin Neg, Costs & Business and Property Clerk	Katie Brown	[email protected]	0161 278 8261
Senior Family Clerk	Camille Scott	[email protected]	0161 278 8263

Name	Position	Profile
Ms Farah Ahmed	Farah completed the BVC in 2005 and commenced her pupillage in 2006…	View Profile
Fergal Allen	Fergal regularly accepts instructions to act in both public law and private…	View Profile
Danish Ameen	Danish’s biggest strength is building an excellent rapport with clients. He promotes…	View Profile
Rehana Begum	Public Law (Children) – Representation of Local Authorities, Parents, and Children in…	View Profile
Ms Angela Bennett	Following completion of the BVC in 2005, Angela commenced her pupillage in…	View Profile
Samantha Birtles	Notable cases: Re: M (contact: supervision) 1998 1FLR 727; Re: P (Section…	View Profile
Mr Daniel Boal	Daniel takes instructions in a wide range of personal injury and civil…	View Profile
Mr Joshua Bowker	Joshua specialises in all areas of criminal law, and accepts instructions for…	View Profile
Kate Bramall	Re F (children) (DNA evidence) (2007); [2007] EWHC 3235 (fam): [2008] 1FLR…	View Profile
Lewis Bretts	Lewis commenced pupillage in Manchester in September 2013 and is developing a…	View Profile
Ms Claire Brocklebank	Claire appears regularly at the Crown Court prosecuting and defending trials involving…	View Profile
Ms Laura Broome	Laura completed her pupillage in October 2021 under the supervision of Rachel…	View Profile
Mr Colin Buckle	Colin Buckle is a specialist criminal barrister who both prosecutes and defends…	View Profile
Leonie Caplan	Child concern: prior to transferring to the Bar in 2001 Leonie practiced…	View Profile
Ms Nicola Carroll	Nicola is an established criminal practitioner with over 16 years’ experience. She…	View Profile
Miss Evonnie Chan	Evonnie specialises in all areas of family law: public (care proceedings), private…	View Profile
Mr Richard Chapman KC	Commercial and chancery Law, including: real property, landlord and tenant, contract, company,…	View Profile
Mr John Chukwuemeka	John is a specialist family practitioner with an emphasis in child care…	View Profile
Nicholas Clarke	Nicholas Clarke has worked in the law since 1985, qualifying as a…	View Profile
Mr Jonathan Dale	Notable cases: advising litigant in person and drafting skeleton argument in Keith…	View Profile
Mr Rupert Davies	Rupert obtained a first class degree from the University of Cambridge. He…	View Profile
Mr Ben Donaldson	Ben joined chambers as a pupil in September 2021 supervised by Rehana Begum.…	View Profile
Ms Kate Donohue	Kate initially qualified as a solicitor in 2009 specialising in Family Law. …	View Profile
Ms Victoria Empson	Victoria joined Chambers in September 2017 after successfully completing pupillage under the…	View Profile
Mr Andrew Evans	Andy has practiced exclusively in crime for fifteen years, prosecuting and defending…	View Profile
Lisa Evans	Private Law Lisa is regularly instructed to act on behalf of parents…	View Profile
Mr Nathan Goldstein	General chancery and commercial law including; land law and neighbour disputes, TOLATA,…	View Profile
Miss Siobhan Grey KC	Siobhan Grey KC joined 18 St John Street Chambers, Manchester, in January…	View Profile
Mr Jonathan Grierson	Family law, ancillary relief, children, divorce, public law, cohabitees – relationship/property disputes.…	View Profile
Ms Georgia Griffiths	Georgia is a family law specialist, called to the Bar in October…	View Profile
Susan Harrison	Private law Children Act (residence, contact adoption etc.); public law care proceedings;…	View Profile
Mr Nicholas Harrison	Nick conducts a mixed practice of Civil and Chancery law with particular…	View Profile
Miss Yvonne Healing	Children [public law], child abduction, ancillary relief, cohabitee disputes. Notable cases: Manchester…	View Profile
Ms Betsy Hindle	Betsy joined chambers in September 2022 after completing her pupillage in October…	View Profile
David Hoffman	Commercial and chancery practitioner covering: arbitration, banking and insurance, chancery (general), construction,…	View Profile
Alisan Hogg		View Profile
Fiona Holloran	Children and divorce, specialising in care proceedings.	View Profile
Ian Huffer		View Profile
Ms Jocelyn Hughes	Jocelyn was called to the Bar in 2015. Prior to practising as…	View Profile
Mr Jonathan Jackson	Jonathan joined the Family Team of 18 St John Street Chambers in…	View Profile
Soria Kajue		View Profile
Ms Yasmin Kauser	Yasmin is a Family Law specialist, and practices exclusively in all areas of family…	View Profile
Vanessa Lau		View Profile
Ms Pauline Le Tixerant	Pauline joined Chambers as a tenant following a successful Business & Property…	View Profile
Ms Niamh McGinty	Niamh specialises in all areas of criminal law, welcoming instructions for both…	View Profile
Gemma McGungle	Gemma has had experience of a wide civil practice with an emphasis…	View Profile
Christopher McNall	After undergraduate and graduate legal studies in Oxford and Poland, Christopher taught…	View Profile
Stephen Murray	Family law (matrimonial finance, cohabitee disputes, private law children, applications under the…	View Profile
Ms Zara Nawaz	Zara joined chambers as a pupil in September 2021, with Fergal Allen as her…	View Profile
Miss Jennifer Newstead-Taylor	Jennifer Newstead Taylor specialises in Business and Property with a specific emphasis…	View Profile
Ms Hannah Phoenix	Hannah joined Chambers in September 2017 having successfully completed a family law…	View Profile
Mr James Preece	Before being called to the Bar, James spent time developing his experience…	View Profile
Ms Verity Quaite	Verity accepts instructions in all areas of crime, both prosecuting and defending.…	View Profile
Ms Victoria Roberts	Victoria joined Chambers in February 2020 as a member of the Business…	View Profile
Toby Sasse	Notable cases: R v Secretary of State for Transport and Others ex…	View Profile
Rachel Shenton		View Profile
Kane Simons		View Profile
Ms Martine Swinscoe	Martine started her career far from the field of Law as a…	View Profile
Laura Thomas		View Profile
Mr Paul Treble	A science graduate, Paul came to the bar via the private sector…	View Profile
Miss Elisabeth Tythcott	Elisabeth has developed a wide ranging general chancery and commercial practice during…	View Profile
Ms Ebuwa Uwubamwen	Ebuwa comes to pupillage with over a decade of experience in both…	View Profile
Richard Vardon		View Profile
Mr John Vickery	John was originally called to the Bar in 1994 and qualified as…	View Profile
Ms Sarah Wait	Sarah was called to the Bar in 2017 and joined Chambers as…	View Profile
Mr Alex Walker	Alex joined Chambers having practised in London since 2013. During this time…	View Profile
Miss Anna Warters	Anna brings to her practice a wide range of experiences gleaned from…	View Profile
Ms Olivia West	Olivia completed a specialist family law pupillage in October 2021 under the…	View Profile
Ms Emma Whelan	Emma has represented local authorities, parents and children during her time at…	View Profile
Ms Anna White	Anna joined Chambers in October 2018. Prior to being called to the…	View Profile
Dr Mike Wilkinson	Mike is a specialist in business and property law and has built…	View Profile
Ms Janice Wills	Janice has practised exclusively at the Family Bar in all aspects of…	View Profile
Ms Bethany Wilson	Private Law Beth has represented parents and children at all stages of…	View Profile
Elahe Youshani	Elahe practises exclusively in the fields of personal injury and clinical negligence,…	View Profile

CLIENT: Leigh Wright
COMPANY/FIRM: Tuckers (Crime)
TESTIMONIAL: The level of service at 18 St John Street is second to none. The barristers and clerks in the criminal department are proactive and help solve case issues. This enables instructing solicitors to concentrate on client care. Such assistance from clerks in criminal legal aid chambers is now almost unknown. We highly recommend this set for all complex criminal work due to the exceptional quality of counsel (notable mentions Nicholas Clarke and Richard Vardon) supported by the best clerking team on the North West circuit (headed by James Hotchin)

CLIENT: Peter Kaye
COMPANY/FIRM: Kuits (Chancery)
TESTIMONIAL: The main reason I have continued to use 18 St John Street is down to the level of service that I have received over a period of many years.

It starts with the assistance and support from a tremendous clerking team namely Katie Brown. We have developed a strong professional relationship of trust and I know that if I call them at any time they will provide the support that is needed not only in finding the right counsel but also on the question of fees. Over the years there has been difficult issues particularly relating to fees and we have always been able to sort out these issues sensibly and commercially, mainly because there is this long-standing relationship of trust and confidence. At the end of the day one uses a barrister’s chambers for the quality of the barristers within it. Over the years I have used many of the Counsel in the commercial section. Most notably Malcolm McEwan, Elizabeth Tythcott, Richard Chapman QC, Christopher McNall, Mike Wilkinson, Oliver Caplan, Mark Laprell, Kane Simons, Gemma McGungle to name but a few. The service I have received over the years is always excellent and what I value the most is the ability to be able to pick up the phone and speak to each counsel in a relaxed and supportive manner demonstrating the ability to work with counsel and our client as a team. Often cases involve difficult and thorny issues where the answers are not simple and straightforward and the ability to be able to talk through these issues,( often without a fee note following), emphasises the “added value” and the strength of the relationship

I therefore hope that my professional relationship with 18 SJS will continue in this vein for several years to come.

CLIENT: Catherine Woolley
COMPANY/FIRM: AFG Law (Family)
TESTIMONIAL: Our practice has been instructing counsel from 18sjs for many years. We have always been Very Impressed by the quality of service received, both from the team of barristers through to the clerks. The barristers are always very well prepared , professional and provide prompt feedback. The clerks, particularly Camille Scott and Garrick Brown, do their upmost to ensure that they are able to assist and accommodate us wherever possible.

CLIENT: M D Belfield – Director
COMPANY/FIRM: Thorneycroft Solicitors (Civil)
TESTIMONIAL: My team regularly instruct 18 St Johns Street Chambers in multi-track personal injury matters. The service provided by Chambers is prompt/friendly and that provided by Counsel, detailed and supportive of both us as instructing solicitors and lay clients, particularly where seriously injured claimants are involved where, in turn, an extra element of client care and empathy is often required. Typically, clients will have suffered extensive losses and require lengthy rehabilitation so having a supportive legal team, as I report from my experiences of Chambers, is imperative to a successful outcome.