St John's Chambers > Bristol, England > Set Profile

Chambers of Matthew White
St John's Chambers
101 VICTORIA STREET
BRISTOL
BS1 6PU
England

Email firm Visit website 0117 923 4700 0117 929 4821

Western Circuit > Agriculture Tier 1

St John’s Chambers is a ‘leading set’, which continues to ‘go from strength to strength’ and houses excellent barristers with a proven track record of handling inheritance disputes involving farmland estates, proprietary estoppel cases and farming partnership disputes. ‘Confident advocate and authoritative speaker’ Alex Troup KC successfully defended multiple partnership and estoppel claims against a high-value estate of a deceased farmer in Winter v Winter before the High Court. James Pearce-Smith, who garners praises for being ‘unflappable, always on top of the detail and turning the work round quickly’, recently represented a farm manager seeking a claim of £250,000 in unclaimed invoices in the case Jordan v Thorner. Oliver Wooding has ‘a strong advocacy’ and is defending proprietary estoppel claim Thomas v Atkins, defending a claim brought by the defendant's brother, who seeks to set aside a form confirming he had no interest in the farm on the grounds of undue influence. Christopher Jones is described as ‘excellent on his feet in court’.

2023 Silks

Alex Troup KC – St John’s Chambers 'Alex offers a deep well of experience and expertise. He is innovative, thoughtful and calm under pressure. He is excellent at finding solutions and an outstanding advocate.'

Leading Juniors

Oliver Wooding – St John’s Chambers 'Oliver is strong and confident on his feet. He is detail-orientated and quickly builds a rapport with clients.'

Ranked: Tier 1

James Pearce-Smith – St John’s Chambers 'James is considered in his approach and gives pragmatic advice. He explains complex legal issues clearly and in a way that clients can understand. He is also a good advocate, calm under pressure with a pragmatic and sensible approach.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Christopher Jones –St John’s Chambers 'Christopher is an excellent advocate and good at cross-examination.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Adam Boyle - St John’s Chambers 'Adam is very thorough, knowledgeable and excellent in client conferences. He is readily available for further advice and is an excellent advocate.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

‘Simon Lyons is the best clerk. He is responsive and attentive and drops everything to assist.’

‘Paul Bennett is very responsive and easy to deal with.’

‘The clerks are excellent. In particular, Paul Bennett is always prompt to respond and extremely helpful.’

‘The clerks at St John’s chambers are the best around. They are personable, always willing to help, and quick to turn around any queries. Simon Lyons, Paul Nuttall, and Rob Bocock are particularly excellent.’

‘Paul Bennett and Simon Lyons are exceptional clerks and understand the specialisms of their barristers.’

‘St John’s Chambers is an excellent set.’

‘St John’s Chambers is a good chamber with a real depth of talent.’

‘St John’s Chambers is a strong and well-organised set providing an excellent offering of barristers.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Chancery, probate, and tax Tier 1

St John’s Chambers is the ‘go-to set for Chancery matters’ with ‘excellent strength in depth in this field, and a very approachable team’. The team regularly assist clients with a wide range of contentious and non-contentious business and property, chancery, and tax mandates. Alex Troup KC is ‘a first-rate chancery barrister with an impressive breadth of knowledge’ and represented the defendant before the High Court in Winter v. Winter, a case concerning a claim against a deceased farmer’s assets and estate. ‘Reasonable and measured barrister’ John Dickinson appeared in Bernier v Davenport and Davenport, a claim brought under the 1975 Inheritance Act to determine the domicile of a man who died with estate in two jurisdictions. Natasha Dzameh is highly regarded for her excellent track record in advising on estate administration and commercial Chancery disputes, and garners praise for having a ‘great eye for detail and going over and beyond to give realistic and practical advice’. Oliver Wooding recently acted for the defendant’s father in a proprietary estoppel claim against his son before the High Court in Gatehouse v Gatehouse and is ‘strong and confident on his feet’. Adam Boyle is also recommended.

2023 Silks

Alex Troup KC – St John’s Chambers ‘Alex is simply extraordinary. He has a tremendous intellect and quickly grasps the details of complex matters and the nuances behind the evidence. He is an authoritative advocate who is quick on his feet in court.’

Leading Juniors

John Dickinson – St John’s Chambers ‘John is a superb advocate, meticulous with detail and extremely skilled at cross-examining witnesses. He is excellent with clients and can advise on complex legal issues in a very client-friendly manner.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Natasha Dzameh – St John’s Chambers ‘Natasha is very astute and quickly grasps the issues at hand. She is a strong advocate and a quick thinker. She provides considered and thorough advice.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Oliver Wooding – St John’s Chambers ‘Oliver is a skilled advocate with excellent technical knowledge. He is excellent with clients and always provides sensible, pragmatic advice.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Michael Clarke – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Joss Knight – St John’s Chambers 'Joss provides a clear strategy for each case. He is confident and a highly effective communicator.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Christopher Jones – St John’s Chambers ‘Christopher is very able in conference and excellent in court.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Adam Boyle – St John’s Chambers ‘Adam is an incredibly technically astute barrister who can quickly digest complex disputes and detailed trust arrangements, providing commercial, pragmatic and sensible advice.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Charlie Newington-Bridges – St John’s Chambers ‘Charlie has strong written advocacy and provides robust, pragmatic advice.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘St John’s Chambers has an excellent and efficient clerks’ room. Clerks go out of their way to assist. Of particular note are Paul Bennett, Paul Nuttall, Simon Lyons and Rob Bocock.’

‘Simon Lyons is the best clerk – he is attentive and responsive and will drop everything to assist.’

‘The clerks are excellent. In particular, Paul Bennett is always prompt to respond and extremely helpful.The clerks are always available and willing to help.’

‘Paul Bennett and Simon Lyons are prompt at returning emails and easy to deal with.’

‘Paul Bennett and Rob Bocock are helpful, accommodating and responsive to emails.’

‘St John’s Chambers is an excellent set.St John’s Chambers is a very successful set with a depth of experience and a good track record for stability and bringing juniors on.’

‘St John’s Chambers is an incredibly well-organised set with strength in depth in chancery matters in particular.’

‘St John’s Chambers have a particularly strong set of barristers in the area of chancery.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Commercial litigation Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Charlie Newington-Bridges – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

James Pearce-Smith – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

John Dickinson – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Natasha Dzameh – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Christopher Jones – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Matthew O’Regan – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Western Circuit > Court of Protection and community care Tier 1

St John’s Chambers is ‘an excellent set at all levels’ and handles a lot of advisory and litigation work, including medical treatment and deprivation of liberty. Alex Troup KC has extensive experience of representing clients with limited capacity and is praised for being ‘highly skilled and effective’. Oliver Wooding stands out for his expertise in handling health and welfare issues and contentious property and financial affairs. ‘Strategic negotiator’ Joss Knight is another key name of note.

2023 Silks

Alex Troup KC – St John’s Chambers ‘Alex is always extremely well-prepared and understands the issues well, looking outside the issue at home to find practical solutions. He communicates well with clients on their level and also with experts as appropriate. He is a very safe pair of hands.’

Leading Juniors

Joss Knight - St John’s Chambers 'Joss is very pragmatic in his approach and upfront about all risks.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Oliver Wooding – St John’s Chambers ‘Oliver is incredibly bright and fair, with strong advocacy.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

‘Paul Bennett looks after instructing solicitors well.’

‘Paul Bennett is always available and good at finding solutions to any problem.’

‘The clerks are always available and respond to queries quickly. They have been very helpful in organising urgent meetings.’

‘The clerks are friendly and well-organised.’

‘St John’s Chambers has a very strong commercial offering.’

‘St John’s Chambers offers a wide range of private client advice, which is accessed frequently.’

‘St John’s Chambers is flexible, innovative and clever.’

‘St John’s Chambers is an excellent set. It is very good with lay clients, provides clear explanations, and is practical and approachable.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Family: children and domestic abuse Tier 1

St John’s Chambers is a ‘first-class set of chambers that offers suitable counsel for a variety of cases’ related to family law. Lucy Reed KC is a ‘tenacious and extremely thorough advocate’ whose practice contains a mix of public and private children law cases, including adoption matters, while Judi Evans specialises in representing local authorities, parents and guardians in public law proceedings and garners praise for ‘excellent attention to detail’. Abigail Bond ‘inspires confidence in clients with her approachable and reassuring manner’ and has longstanding experience of handling care cases involving vulnerable witnesses and parents with learning disabilities. Caroline Elford is an ‘excellent and principled practitioner’ who regularly represents clients before all tiers of the family justice system in cases of serious physical and sexual abuse of children.

Rising stars

Georgina Swinglehurst -St John's Chambers 'Georgina is wise beyond her years. She is excellent with clients in the most difficult situations and deals with matters sensitively, resulting in great confidence and trust in her representation.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Christopher Sharp KC – St John’s Chambers ‘Christopher is very professional and helpful.’

Ranked: Tier 1

2023 Silks

Lucy Reed KC – St John’s Chambers ‘Lucy is a supremely excellent advocate who prepares thoroughly and takes control of the court room. She is a confident, authoritative and highly skilled advocate who ensures she covers every aspect of the case in detail.’

Leading Juniors

Abigail Bond – St John’s Chambers ‘Abigail is a fantastic advocate. Her down-to-earth and approachable nature with clients perfectly matches her intelligent and eloquent advocacy. She is calm under pressure and unflappable on her feet. Her written work is concise and persuasive.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Susan Hunter – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

Judi Evans – St John’s Chambers ‘Judi is an exceptional and competent lawyer, especially in complex care matters. Her attention to detail is a strength.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Caroline Elford – St John’s Chambers ‘Caroline is an excellent barrister who is also always well-prepared and able to identify the key issues in the case. She is a real fighter and knows her stuff.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Olivia Pike – St John’s Chambers ‘Olivia is well-prepared, pragmatic and genuine.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Ryan Morgan – St John’s Chambers ‘Ryan is a very hands-on and experienced barrister. His drafting skills are impeccable, and his advocacy is one of his many strengths.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Sophie Smith-Holland -St John's Chambers 'Sophie is always thoroughly prepared. She has an eye for detail and robustly represents clients in court. Her advice is always clear and concise.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Testimonials

‘Marcus Harding and Luke Hodgson are very helpful.’

‘Elaine Jewell-Moore and Marcus Harding are fantastic and always available to help.’

‘Elaine Jewell-Moore and Marcus Harding are a credit to chambers.’

‘St John’s Chambers has good strength in depth both about the spectrum of expertise and different levels of seniority.’

‘St John’s Chambers has a wide range of barristers, able to cover cases with consistency.’

‘St John’s Chambers is a great set of experienced family barristers.’

‘St John’s Chambers has a great depth and breadth of counsel who are experts in their field.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Family: divorce and financial remedy Tier 1

St John’s Chambers is a ‘strong set with an extensive range of specialist and experienced matrimonial and financial remedy barristers’, experienced at handling cross-jurisdictional matters for high-net-worth individuals. Zoe Saunders has ‘exceptional attention to detail, thinks strategically at every turn’, and represents both claimants and defendants in financial remedy and TOLATA disputes. Richard Norman practices exclusively in the field of matrimonial finance and is praised for ‘his good client manner and sound judgement’. Christopher Sharp KC is another key contact.

Rising stars

Georgina Swinglehurst -St John’s Chambers 'Georgina is always thoroughly prepared, and her in-depth knowledge of the law is apparent in her presentation. Her advocacy skills help in securing the best outcome for the client.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Christopher Sharp KC – St John’s Chambers 'Christopher has a forensic ability, an incredible work ethic and a perfectionist.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Richard Norman – St John’s Chambers ‘Richard is a go-to barrister in Bristol. His client care skills are excellent, as is his eye for detail.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Zoë Saunders – St John’s Chambers ‘Zoe is fiercely intelligent and her ability to grasp the issues of a case quickly is second-to-none. Her preparation of case is extremely thorough,k as is her breadth of knowledge.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Jacqueline Humphreys -St John’s Chambers 'Jacqueline balances perfectly the art of fierce advocacy before the court and quietly managing expectations behind closed doors. She has an incredible eye for detail and lateral thinking while keeping in mind the bigger picture.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Jody Atkinson – St John’s Chambers ‘Jody is very sharp and gives honest, direct and clear advice. His cross-examination is effective and to the point.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Jack Harris –St John’s Chambers ‘Jack is a highly experienced advocate who exudes understanding and compassion for his clients.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Bethany Scarsbrook – St John’s Chambers ‘Bethany has excellent attention to detail. She has good analytical skills and the ability to process a large amount of complex information.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘Marcus Harding and Luke Hodgson are very helpful.’

‘Luke Hodgson is very can-do and bends over backwards to accommodate and help where he can. Elaine Jewell-Moore is a credit to the chambers as well.’

‘Elaine Jewell-Moore and Marcus Harding are user-friendly, approachable and helpful.’

‘Luke Hodgson is excellent, helpful, knowledgeable and will always go the extra mile to assist.’

‘St John’s Chambers has a good strength in depth, particularly for financial remedy proceedings.’

‘St John’s Chambers has an excellent team of barristers at all levels.’

‘St John’s Chambers has good strength in-depth both about the spectrum of expertise and different levels of seniority.’

‘St John’s Chambers has a strong family set at all levels.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Inquests and inquiries Tier 1

St John’s Chambers covers a range of inquests and inquiries, concerning deaths involving medical treatment, police custody, and residential and nursing care homes. Louise Asprey is instructed by the Ministry of Justice in an inquiry investigating a death of a prisoner who hanged himself in his cell. Rachel Segal ‘s recent workload includes acting for a family of a man who died while he was under the care of the cardiology care department of a hospital. Rhodri Jones, who has almost two decades of experience of medical practice, regularly acts for health care organisations in complex inquests.

Rising stars

Lauren Karmel -St John’s Chambers 'Lauren has an eye for detail and can be relied upon as an advocate to ensure the family’s questions and concerns are central in the process.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Louise Asprey - St John’s Chambers 'Louise has a calm and collected manner with focused cross-examination skills.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Rachel Segal - St John’s Chambers 'Rachel explains the issues clearly and sympathetically and is very supportive of the family at an emotional time.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Rhodri Jones – St John’s Chambers ‘Rhodri has an excellent knowledge of inquests and the coronial process.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

‘The clerks’ room is always helpful. Hugh Maguire and Adam Marston move things around to ensure their barristers can assist with the cases.’

‘The clerks are helpful, efficient, and prepared to think out of the box to find a suitable solution for your enquiry. Adam Marston, in particular, is a class act.’

‘St John’s Chambers is the best in the region.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Personal injury Tier 1

St John’s Chambers is ‘a strong regional set with a wide-ranging depth of experience’ in cases involving fatal accidents, industrial disease, brain injuries, and catastrophic spinal injuries. Andrew McLaughlin acted for the defendant in Yesss (A) Electrical Ltd v Warren, an appeal concerning if a late application for permission to rely on expert evidence in a new specialism not addressed by the existing directions is an application for relief from sanctions under the Civil Procedure Rules. Richard Stead has expertise across a broad range of high-value and complex personal injury claims with a particular focus on Animals Act claims. ‘An excellent and persuasive advocate’, Matthew White is active in handling contentious and non-contentious matters, including occupational illness litigation, accidents at work and highway claims. Ben Handy is regularly involved in serious injury cases and garners praises for his ‘reassuring presence in complex claims’.

Rising stars

Jonathan Lindfield –St John’s Chambers ‘Jonathan has excellent attention to detail. He reviews instructions thoroughly and can highlight details in a case.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Christopher Sharp KC – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Richard Stead – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

Andrew McLaughlin – St John’s Chambers ‘Andrew is an exceptional barrister, hard-working, diligent and with a superb eye for detail. He is an outstanding trial advocate, always thoroughly prepared and able to think on his feet.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Matthew White – St John’s Chambers ‘Matthew is superb in technical detail and forensics in his approach to case planning and quantum calculation.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Ben Handy – St John’s Chambers ‘Ben is an excellent barrister with a sharp intellect. He is astute and adept at quickly grasping the complex issues in a case and offers practical and commercial solutions. His advocacy skills are exceptional.’

Ranked: Tier 2

James Marwick – St John’s Chambers ‘James is very knowledgeable and experienced. He is a safe pair of hands and persuasive in advocacy.’

Ranked: Tier 2

James Hughes – St John’s Chambers ‘James has a keen eye for detail and provides thorough advice. His pleading of court documents is thorough and concise. He is good on his feet in trials, especially in getting the point across clearly and concisely.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Darren Lewis – St John’s Chambers ‘Darren is good on paper and equally good on his feet. He has a calming, professional air.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Rachel Segal – St John’s Chambers ‘Rachel is a decisive advocate and demonstrates an impressive knowledge of her practice area. She is thorough and compassionate.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Jimmy Barber – St John’s Chambers ‘Jimmy is a first-rate clinical negligence barrister and a go-to expert in the field. He is wise beyond his years of call and can quickly identify the key issues in a case.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

‘Adam Marston has an excellent sense of humour and genuinely cares about finding the right person for the job.’

‘Hugh Maguire is dependable and always available.’

‘Adam Marston, Jordan Yandell and Lara Hanney offer excellent service, especially in arranging conferences, dealing with papers and general administration.’

‘The clerks are very professional and respond quickly to queries, especially Hugh Maguire.’

‘Hugh Maguire and Adam Marston are excellent.’

‘The clerks, with Adam Marston and Hugh Maguire in particular, are always helpful.’

‘Adam Marston and Hugh Maguire are fantastic clerks, always very efficient and go over and above to help.’

‘St John’s Chambers is a pre-eminent Bristol set with several experienced counsels.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Property and construction Tier 1

St John’s Chambers has ‘a strong team of barristers specialising in property work with a wide range of experience’. The team provides a strong offering across the full range of property matters, including landlord and tenant work, development disputes, easement and boundary disputes. Charles Auld, who is considered as ‘a safe pair of hands’, recently acted for the defendant in Bristol City Council v Knapp, in which the city council sent an application to ban a landlord under section 16 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016. Christopher Jones is heavily involved in proprietary estoppel claims involving substantial farms, easement and land ownership disputes. ‘An effective advocate’, John Sharples is ‘second-to-none when it comes to land disputes’ and was involved in Kitt v Jones, an easement matter concerning a vehicular right of way over one mixed livestock farming land of the servient owner.

Leading Juniors

Brittany Pearce – St John’s Chambers ‘Brittany is an exceptional advocate. She is knowledgeable, approachable and extremely good with clients.’

Ranked: Tier 1

John Sharples – St John’s Chambers ‘John is the absolute best in the business, top of his game and the safest pair of hands for a complex property dispute.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Charles Auld – St John’s Chambers ‘Charles is a fiercely intelligent and effective advocate. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of land law and is a first-choice for real estate disputes.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Christopher Jones – St John’s Chambers ‘Christopher is a good advocate.’

Ranked: Tier 1

John Dickinson –St John’s Chambers ‘John is brilliant in every respect, and his attention to detail is second-to-none. He is intelligent, hard-working and approachable.’

Ranked: Tier 2

James Pearce-Smith – St John’s Chambers ‘James’ attention to detail on complex cases is second-to-none. His advocacy skills are excellent, particularly his ability to read the court and tailor his submissions accordingly.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Daniel Soar – St John’s Chambers ‘Dan is thorough in his work and adept at thinking outside of the box to find practical solutions to complex issues.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Adam Boyle – St John’s Chambers ‘Adam is an excellent barrister, very knowledgeable and provides detailed, pragmatic advice.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Natasha Dzameh – St John’s Chambers ‘Natasha is incredibly well-prepared and knows her cases back to front. She is relatable and provides thorough advice to her clients. Her advocacy is strong, and she presents her arguments clearly and succinctly.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Oliver Wooding – St John’s Chambers ‘Oliver is very experienced, cuts through matters to get to the heart of the issues and is very good at building a rapport with clients.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘St John’s Chambers has an excellent, efficient clerks’ room. Clerks go out of their way to assist. Of particular note are Paul Bennett, Paul Nuttall, Simon Lyons, Elizabeth Champion and Rob Bocock.’

‘Rob Bocock is helpful, attentive and very responsive.’

‘The clerks are fantastic. Simon Lyons is the best clerk in the area. He is a master of clerking and provides an attentive, responsive service, striking up instant rapport with everyone he speaks to.’

‘Paul Bennett is very organised, approachable and reactive.’

‘St John’s Chambers is an excellent set with good commercial coverage.’

‘St John’s Chambers is a top-class set with enormous depth in land matters.’

‘St John’s Chambers is the strongest set for real estate disputes. It has a range of high-quality barristers.’

‘St John’s Chambers is an excellent set for all types of property disputes.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Clinical negligence Tier 2

‘A great set’, St John’s Chambers acts for a range of claimants and defendants on all aspects of clinical negligence, including obstetrics, gynaecology, general surgery and neurology. Practice head Justin Valentine is highly skilled in mandates concerning neonatal, cauda equina and diabetes and stands out as ‘a safe pair of hands to place complex and high-value work’. Rachel Segal is well-known for ‘her excellent advocacy and a tremendous wealth of knowledge and expertise’ and regularly deals with matters related to delayed diagnoses of cancer and negligent gynaecological and ophthalmological care. The ‘very approachable and helpful’ James Marwick specialises in complex causation cases, including major spinal and birth injuries and other conditions. Lauren Karmel is another key member of the set with considerable experience in cases involving dentistry, ophthalmology and maternal injuries during childbirth and is ‘conscientious and very skilled’.

Leading Juniors

Justin Valentine – St John’s Chambers ‘Justin is a strong and astute advocate who has good levels of awareness and can judge the mood of the courtroom. He is empathetic with clients and appropriate with witnesses in examination and cross-examination.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Rachel Segal – St John’s Chambers ‘Rachel is very pragmatic, has an eye for detail, is confident in her approach and is always approachable.’

Ranked: Tier 2

James Marwick – St John’s Chambers ‘James is very approachable and willing to fight a challenging case. He is an excellent advocate who pays great attention to detail and can get to the heart of the matter.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Lauren Karmel – St John’s Chambers ‘Lauren provides clear and well-considered advice. She is approachable and quick to respond.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘Clerks are brilliant and go above and beyond to help. Adam Marston and Hugh Maguire, in particular, are two clerks who stand out as exceptional and will always be available to help.’

‘The clerks are great. Adam Marston is very swift to respond and is very approachable and helpful.’

‘The clerks are good, efficient and receptive. Hugh Maguire is always helpful, responsive and reasonable.’

‘The clerk’s room is very efficient and personable. Particularly Hugh Maguire and Adam Marston.’

‘Hugh Maguire is a problem solver and always available.’

‘St John’s Chambers is an excellent set of chambers which can offer solutions and counsel when any issues arise.’

‘St John’s Chambers is an excellent set for defendant clinical negligence.’

‘St John’s Chambers continues to offer an excellent service in claims of medical negligence and has a wide range of barristers.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Professional negligence Tier 2

St John’s Chambers specialises in advising on professional negligence claims brought against a wide range of individuals, including architects, builders, solicitors, surveyors, auditors and accountants. John Dickinson has extensive expertise in handling claims emerging from commercial practices. James Pearce-Smith continues to act for both claimants and defendants in professional negligence matters, with a particular focus on lender-side claims. Joss Knight is instructed on behalf of insurers, claimants and defendants in disputes, mainly against solicitors, architects, and construction professionals.

Leading Juniors

John Dickinson – St John’s Chambers ‘John is thorough and careful, delivering robust and practical advice. He is a very able and determined advocate.’

Ranked: Tier 1

James Pearce-Smith – St John’s Chambers ‘James' technical expertise is beyond measure, as is his ability to deal with complex issues. He leaves no stone unturned and is prepared for anything thrown at him.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Joss Knight – St John’s Chambers ‘Joss is skilled, clear-headed, and technically strong. His advice is always well-structured and thorough.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

‘Clerks go out of their way to assist. Of particular note are Paul Bennett, Paul Nuttall, Simon Lyons, Elizabeth Champion and Rob Bocock.’

‘The clerks are exceptional and second to none. Simon Lyons, Paul Nuttall, and Rob Bocock are excellent, helpful, and incredible at what they do.’

‘Simon Lyons and Paul Bennett stand out.’

‘St John’s Chambers is an excellent set with good commercial coverage.’

‘St John’s Chambers has the strength and depth of their experience.’

‘St John’s Chambers is a go-to set in Bristol.’

Work highlights

Western Circuit > Company and insolvency

Leading Juniors

Charlie Newington-Bridges – St John’s Chambers ‘Charlie is always calm under pressure, and his advocacy skills are second-to-none.’

Ranked: Tier 1

James Pearce-Smith – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

Western Circuit > Costs

Leading Juniors

Darren Lewis – St John’s Chambers ‘Darren is attentive, astute and assertive. He is a forensic advocate and can cut through complex issues and present evidence simply and persuasively.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Western Circuit > Licensing

Leading Juniors

Roy Light – St John’s Chambers ‘Roy is an excellent advocate and knowledgeable on the subject area, with an outstanding ability to convey complex matters understandably to a variety of audiences.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Western Circuit > Planning

Leading Juniors

Harry Spurr – St John’s Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

Timothy Leader – St John’s Chambers ‘Timothy demonstrates unwavering composure, fearlessly testing each issue when required. In meetings, he exhibits exceptional personability and can easily navigate through the complexities of each matter.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Regional Set

St John’s Chambers is a leading regional barristers’ chambers with national reach. In 2022 we were awarded the prestigious Legal 500’s ‘Set outside London of the Year’. We were shortlisted for this award again in 2023. We have now been shortlisted for it again in 2024.

We have also been shortlisted for the ‘Regional Set of the Year’ by Chambers UK Guide to the Bar in 2024. In 2023, we were awarded the ‘Regional Family Law Set of the Year’ by the national Family Law Awards. We have been nominated for this award again in 2024.

Based in Bristol, we receive complex and valuable instructions from law firms across England and Wales, as well as from major insurance companies and local authorities.

Specialist Thought Leaders

Our barristers are praised for their legal expertise and thought leadership, offering market leading analysis and assessment through regular podcasts, seminars, webinars and articles. As a set, we are relentlessly striving for excellence in the legal services we provide, as part of our three-pillar commitment to being inclusive, commercial and excellent.

Our barristers have been involved in a number of landmark decisions in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. The set’s stand-out legal expertise is also evidenced by the number of our barristers who go on to distinguished service in the judiciary. Within the team are five Recorders, one fee-paid Judge of the First-tier Tribunal, two High Court Judges, three Deputy District Judges, an Assistant Deputy Coroner and two members on the Attorney General’s list.

Our Approach

Our specialist clerking teams will help you from your first contact. They will help to get you the specialist barrister you need for your case. Once instructed, our barristers will provide the advice, support and court representation that you, your clients and customers need for your case. We will support you throughout.

Areas of Work

We have top tier expertise in Agriculture and rural affairs, Chancery, Clinical Negligence, Commercial, Construction and Engineering, Court of Protection, Employment, Family public and private Children, Family Finance and Divorce, Health and Safety, Inquests and Public Inquiries, International Arbitration, Landlord and Tenant, Licensing, Personal Injury, Planning, Professional Negligence, Public and Administrative law, Real Estate, Tax and Wills and Trusts.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

We also provide clients with all the following services: mediation, arbitration, private FDRs, and early neutral evaluation which can help to avoid litigation.

Mediation

For cases where mediation is appropriate, we have a team of 20 qualified mediators available to assist in the capacity of adviser, advocate or mediator.

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Chief Executive	Simon Rhodes
Head of Marketing & Events	Sarah Sands
Office Manager	Isabelle Mills
Key clerking contacts	Rob Bocock (Commercial and Chancery)
Key clerking contacts	Luke Hodgson (Family)
Key clerking contacts	Adam Marston and Hugh Maguire (Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence)
Members of Chambers	SHARP KC, Christopher (1975)
Members of Chambers	TROUP, Alex (1998)
Members of Chambers	REED KC, Lucy (2002)
Members of Chambers	ORNSBY KC, Suzanne (1986)*
Members of Chambers	PHILLIPS KC, Matthew (1993)
Members of Chambers	GODWIN KC, William (1986)*
Members of Chambers	O'SULLIVAN KC, Derek (1990)*
Members of Chambers	STEAD, Richard (1979)
Members of Chambers	AULD, Charles (1980)
Members of Chambers	WADSLEY, Peter (1984)
Members of Chambers	HUNTER, Susan (1985)
Members of Chambers	SHARPLES, John (1992)
Members of Chambers	LIGHT, Prof Roy (1992)
Members of Chambers	McLAUGHLIN, Andrew (1993)
Members of Chambers	PHILLIMORE, Sarah (1994)
Members of Chambers	PEARCE-SMITH, James (2002)
Members of Chambers	DICKINSON, John (1995)
Members of Chambers	EVANS, Judi (1996)
Head of Chambers	WHITE, Matthew (1997)
Members of Chambers	HORNE, Julian (1998)
Members of Chambers	BOND, Abigail (1999)
Members of Chambers	VALENTINE, Justin (1999)
Members of Chambers	THORNTON, Delia (1999}
Members of Chambers	HUSSAIN, Zahid (2001)
Members of Chambers	RUSSELL, Rachel (2001)
Members of Chambers	ELFORD, Caroline (2002)
Members of Chambers	BELYAVIN, Julia (2003)
Members of Chambers	SAUNDERS, Zoe (2003)
Members of Chambers	TAYLOR, Rebecca (2003)
Members of Chambers	JONES, Christopher (2004)
Members of Chambers	LEWIS, Darren (2004)
Members of Chambers	ATKINSON, Jody (2005)
Members of Chambers	Asprey, Louise (2007)
Members of Chambers	WEST, Patrick (2007)
Members of Chambers	HANDY, Ben (2008)
Members of Chambers	PIKE, Olivia (2008)
Members of Chambers	BARBER, Jimmy (2008)
Members of Chambers	MARWICK, James (2008)
Members of Chambers	CLARKE, Michael (2009)
Members of Chambers	WOODING, Oliver (2009)
Members of Chambers	NORMAN, Richard (2009)
Members of Chambers	DZAMEH, Natasha (2010)
Members of Chambers	NEWINGTON-BRIDGES, Charlie (2011)
Members of Chambers	HUGHES, James (2011)
Members of Chambers	BOYLE, Adam (2012)
Members of Chambers	HARRIS, Jack (2012)
Members of Chambers	GROVES, Asha (2013)
Members of Chambers	SEGAL, Rachel (2013)
Members of Chambers	RILEY, Oliver (2013)
Members of Chambers	KNIGHT, Joss (2014)
Members of Chambers	SCARSBROOK, Bethany (2014)
Members of Chambers	SMITH-HOLLAND, SOPHIE (2015)
Members of Chambers	DUDBRIDGE, Harriet (2015)
Members of Chambers	SOAR, Daniel (2016)
Members of Chambers	SAMPSON, Annie (2017)
Members of Chambers	SHWENN, CHARLES (2017)
Members of Chambers	LINDFIELD, Jonathan (2017)
Members of Chambers	THOMPSON, Georgina (2017)
Members of Chambers	JONES, Rhodri (2017)
Members of Chambers	FINCHAM, Sarah (2018)
Members of Chambers	MORTON, Dominik (2018)
Members of Chambers	FORSTER, David (2018)
Members of Chambers	WHITE, Zoey (2018)
Members of Chambers	CROLY, VIVIEN (2019)
Members of Chambers	POOLE, TARA-LYNN (2019)
Members of Chambers	SWINGLEHURST, GEORGINA (2019)
Members of Chambers	PEARSON, Kate (2019)
Members of Chambers	PANKHURST, Jack (2021)
Members of Chambers	M. PANIZZON-PINEDA, Diana (2021)
Members of Chambers	BLOOMFIELD, KAYLEIGH (2021)
Members of Chambers	BASKETT, BEATRICE (2021)
Members of Chambers	PRITCHARD, Glen (2022)
Members of Chambers	HARWOOD, BEN (2022)

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Miss Georgina Swinglehurst		View Profile
	Mr James Adams		View Profile
	Louise Asprey		View Profile
	Jody Atkinson		View Profile
	Charles Auld		View Profile
	Jimmy Barber		View Profile
	Ms Beatrice Baskett		View Profile
	Julia Belyavin		View Profile
	Kayleigh Bloomfield		View Profile
	Abigail Bond		View Profile
	Adam Boyle		View Profile
	Michael Clarke		View Profile
	Vivien Croly		View Profile
	John Dickinson		View Profile
	Harriet Dudbridge		View Profile
	Natasha Dzameh		View Profile
	Caroline Elford		View Profile
	Judi Evans		View Profile
	Miss Sarah Fincham		View Profile
	David Forster		View Profile
	Asha Groves		View Profile
	Ben Handy		View Profile
	Jack Harris		View Profile
	Mr Ben Harwood		View Profile
	Julian Horne		View Profile
	Sophie Howard		View Profile
	James Hughes		View Profile
	Jacqueline Humphreys		View Profile
	Susan Hunter		View Profile
	Zahid Hussain		View Profile
	Christopher Jones		View Profile
	Rhodri Jones		View Profile
	Lauren Karmel		View Profile
	Joss Knight		View Profile
	Tim Leader		View Profile
	Darren Lewis		View Profile
	Prof Roy Light		View Profile
	Jonathan Lindfield		View Profile
	James Marwick		View Profile
	Andrew Mclaughlin		View Profile
	Ryan Morgan		View Profile
	Dominik Morton		View Profile
	Charlie Newington-bridges		View Profile
	Richard Norman		View Profile
	Diana Panizzon-Pineda		View Profile
	Jack Pankhurst		View Profile
	Brittany Pearce		View Profile
	James Pearce-smith		View Profile
	Kate Pearson		View Profile
	Sarah Phillimore		View Profile
	Olivia Pike		View Profile
	Tara-Lynn Poole		View Profile
	Glen Pritchard		View Profile
	Lucy Reed KC		View Profile
	Oliver Riley		View Profile
	Rachel Russell		View Profile
	Annie Sampson		View Profile
	Zoe Saunders		View Profile
	Rachel Segal		View Profile
	Christopher Sharp KC		View Profile
	John Sharples		View Profile
	Mr Charlie Shwenn		View Profile
	Sophie Smith-Holland		View Profile
	Daniel Soar		View Profile
	Harry Spurr		View Profile
	Richard Stead		View Profile
	Rebecca Taylor		View Profile
	Georgina Thompson		View Profile
	Delia Thornton		View Profile
	Alex Troup KC		View Profile
	Justin Valentine		View Profile
	Peter Wadsley		View Profile
	Patrick West		View Profile
	Matthew White		View Profile
	Zoey White		View Profile
	Oliver Wooding		View Profile

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Mr Rob Bocock		View Profile
	Mr Luke Hodgson		View Profile
	Mr Hugh Maguire		View Profile
	Mr Adam Marston		View Profile

St John’s Chambers is committed to celebrating and advancing Equality, Diversity and Wellbeing at the Bar

Inclusivity and fairness are of paramount importance to us. We truly believe that the Bar should be populated by those with the requisite gifts, regardless of their background or the challenges which life may have placed in their path.

We provide a working culture in which all our barristers and staff are treated with dignity and respect. We benefit from an environment where our colleagues feel comfortable to be themselves and do their best work. As a result we have been nominated in the Legal Cheek Awards: in 2022 for ‘Best Chambers for Colleague Supportiveness’, and ‘Best Chambers for Work-Life Balance’.

St John’s Chambers understands diversity at the Bar is an issue which requires the work and attention of far more than just one Chambers, however we are determined to do everything in our power to lead from the front on this very important matter. It is an issue which should be close to the heart of everyone interested in justice and fairness.

As part of our continued commitment to promoting diversity we have instigated the following:

Mini-Pupillage: As part of the Western Circuit’s ‘BarNone’ initiative we have pledged to offer 50% of mini-pupillages to applicants from underrepresented backgrounds.
Mentoring: We are also signatories to the ‘BarNone’ mentoring scheme, providing guidance and support to aspiring barristers from underrepresented backgrounds.
Internships: We are proud to be part of the Bar’s inaugural programme with 10,000 Black Interns which starts in Summer 2022, along with organisations such as Matrix Chambers, Keating, Littleton, and Bridging the Bar. Through this scheme we will be offering paid work experience in Chambers.
Secondary School outreach: We are part of the Bar Council’s outreach program, as well as offering work experience placements to Year 10 students in the Bristol / South Gloucestershire / BANES catchment area.
Pupillage applications: Before written applications for pupillage are assessed we redact data indicative of sex and ethnic background in order to limit the scope for unconscious bias. We are also proud to be one of the few chambers to redact the identity of the university and school our applicants attended. All applicants are marked according to measurable and transparent criteria based on key competencies. For more information take a look at our pupillage policy here.
Bar E-Mentoring Scheme: Visit this page.
Webinars: We have put in place a program of webinars promoting equal opportunities for underrepresented groups.
New Pupils: We have a ‘buddy’ system for our pupils so that they have someone other than their supervisor to speak to about welfare issues.
Barrister and staff recruitment: All of those involved in the recruitment at St John’s Chambers are offered regular Fair Recruitment and Selection training.
Work allocation: All of our clerks are offered fair distribution of work training.
Flexible working and parental Leave: We have a generous parental leave policy in place to support our members who become parents whether through pregnancy, surrogacy, or adoption. In addition, we also have a policy in place to support our members to work flexibly where they need or choose to do so.
Wellbeing: St John’s Chambers was one of the first Sets to be awarded the Bar Council Wellbeing at the Bar Certification. St John’s is also a member of Bristol City Council Wellbeing Charter.

Data Diversity Information

Under the terms of the Bar Standards Board’s Equality and Diversity Provisions of the Code of Conduct, each set of barristers’ Chambers is required to collect diversity data from barristers and Chambers’ staff. This data is updated annually and will be published in July 2022.

If you have any comments or suggestions relating to how we could improve our offering on this front, please do not hesitate to contact the Data Diversity Officer Isabelle Mills with your suggestions.

CLIENT: Sarah Walls
COMPANY/FIRM: Stephens Scown
TESTIMONIAL: “As a firm we use St Johns Chambers on a very regular basis – they are one of the “go-to” sets with a wide range of excellent barristers across different levels of experience. Generally, the barristers all have a superb manner with our clients, a detailed understanding and knowledge of the law, and a practical approach to the resolution of family law cases. We have great confidence in using St Johns Chambers. Their clerking team are superb – they are approachable, friendly, and easy to use. They regularly go out of their way to make our lives easier, and to accommodate requests.

CLIENT: Nick Cooper
COMPANY/FIRM: TLT Solicitors
TESTIMONIAL: “An impressive regional set, going toe-to-toe in terms quality with sets from London, the barristers at St John’s offer high-calibre, insightful and practical advice delivered in a client-focused manner. The clerks, Luke Hodgson and Elaine Jewell-Moore in particular, regularly go the extra mile to deliver service beyond reproach. Whether instructions are complex or straightforward, high or low value, the set is well-placed to fit the right person to the task. Both senior and junior counsel are reliably excellent and leaders or leaders-to-be in their fields.”

CLIENT: Natalie Drew
COMPANY/FIRM: TLT Solicitors
TESTIMONIAL: “St John’s are always our first choice and have an excellent reputation. A strong chambers with robust individuals who take a practical approach, both in relation to finance and children work. They are not only effective advocates, but they also work alongside you from day one. Clients truly appreciate they have a team around them, helping build tactical solutions and fighting their corner when needed. Their clerks are second to none, friendly and approachable and always armed with solutions, no matter what you throw at them. As a chambers they never fail to impress.”

CLIENT: Stephanie Bradley
COMPANY/FIRM: Alletsons Solicitors
TESTIMONIAL: “I have used St Johns for many years as they have a wide range of experience within their family team to match with the variety of hearings needing to be covered. I have used experienced junior counsel as lead with their own junior which has been a great combination and would use again. I have also been very happy to instruct new counsel recommended by clerks who have never let me down. Would highly recommend.”

CLIENT: Spencer Collier
COMPANY/FIRM: Geldards LLP
TESTIMONIAL: “I have recently started to use them and find them an excellent set. They are very well clerked and efficient, and nothing is too much trouble.”