1 MCB Chambers > London, England > Set Profile

1MCB
1 MCB Chambers
5 Chancery Lane
London
WC2A 1LG
England

London Bar > Immigration (including business immigration)

Leading Juniors

Bernadette Smith1MCBShe has extensive and up-to-date knowledge of the relevant laws and procedures, and thinks carefully and creatively around the challenges that each case presents.'
Ranked: Tier 1

London Bar > International crime and extradition

Leading Juniors

Iain Edwards1MCB ‘Iain has a formidable presence in the courtroom and demonstrates a complete mastery of international criminal procedure and the facts of the case.'
Ranked: Tier 1

London Bar > Crime

Leading Juniors

Salma Lalani – 1MCBSalma is a shrewd and highly-accomplished trial advocate who brings a tactical focus to any case.'
Ranked: Tier 2
Soraya Bauwens – 1MCB ‘Soraya is very meticulous and thoughtful with a depth and breadth of experience.’ 
Ranked: Tier 4

London Bar > Social housing

Leading Juniors

Michael Sprack 1 MCB Chambers 'Michael's advocacy skills are excellent and his style understated but extremely effective. He handles vulnerable and unpredictable defendants with skill and intelligence.'
Ranked: Tier 4
Ranked: Tier 4

We work with and for a diverse range of professional and lay clients.  Chambers’ expertise across a wide range of areas, our commitment to excellence, to finding solutions for our clients, and our collegiate working environment means that we are able to share our knowledge between and within areas, be approachable and offer the highest standards of representation.  ​

Chambers is guided by its commitment to the communities it serves.  We strive to support our members’ innovative, and often quiet, efforts to use law both to obtain justice for our individual clients and more broadly as a tool for social change.  We owe much of our ethos to the leadership of Len Woodley KC, the first Afro-Caribbean to become a KC, who was head of chambers for the twelve years from 1988 to 2000.  He was involved in some of the most important race trials in the in the 70s and 80s. His dedication to civil liberties and equality of opportunity was not showy but it was radical and it is this approach that remains evident in chambers today.

We are a very diverse set of chambers with a breadth and depth of expertise across a broad range of areas including crime, immigration and asylum, housing and community care, family, actions against the police, public law, international law and civil litigation.  It is important to us that we continue to not only continue to do legally aided work but try to find ways to share our knowledge and offer support; the pressures on legal aid providers, following deep cuts and ongoing funding issues, continues to challenge the sector as well as access to justice.

Chambers supports its members’ strong links with community organisations and charities committed to bringing about structural change and addressing inequality both locally and internationally.  Members regularly provide expert advice and representation for these organisations as well as to representatives and on a direct access basis.

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Criminal Clerks Adam Brosnancrimeclerks@1mcb.com020 7452 8900
Civil Clerks Tim Markhamcivilclerks@1mcb.com020 7452 8900
Criminal Clerks Lauren Hibbardcrimeclerks@1mcb.com020 7452 8900
Civil Clerks Joe Critchellcivilclerks@1mcb.com020 7452 8900
Head of Chambers John Benson KC (1978)
Member of Chambers Caroline Gassman (1974)
Member of Chambers Janette Haywood (1977)
Member of Chambers Pamela Rose (1980)
Member of Chambers Ignatius Fessal (1981)
Member of Chambers Philip Romans (1982)
Member of Chambers Jacqueline McIntosh (1987)
Member of Chambers James Murray-Smith (1990)
Member of Chambers Michael Murphy (1992)
Member of Chambers Rajesh Rai (1993)
Member of Chambers Neelim Sultan (1993)
Member of Chambers David Langwallner (1993)
Member of Chambers Jackie Bond (1994)
Member of Chambers Shashi Jaisri (1995)
Member of Chambers Barnabas Lams (1995)
Member of Chambers Salma Lalani (1998)
Member of Chambers Shuyeb Muquit (1998)
Member of Chambers Shiraz Rustom (1998)
Member of Chambers Ranjeet Dulay (1999)
Member of Chambers Iain Edwards (2000)
Member of Chambers Parveen Judge (2001)
Member of Chambers Jemma Levinson (2001)
Member of Chambers Tamsin Silver (2002)
Member of Chambers Michael Chambers (2003)
Member of Chambers Cynthia McFarlane (2003)
Member of Chambers Michael Tanney (2004)
Member of Chambers Ghazala Hussain (2006)
Member of Chambers Anna Watterson (2007)
Member of Chambers Gwawr Thomas (2008)
Member of Chambers Alex Chakmakjian (2009)
Member of Chambers David Parvin (2009)
Member of Chambers Bernadette Smith (2010)
Member of Chambers Amritpal Bachu (2010)
Member of Chambers Michael Sprack (2014)
Member of Chambers Michael Peters (2014)
Member of Chambers Mike Hollis (2015)
Member of Chambers Alex Bennie (2017)
Member of Chambers Geeta Koska (2018)
Door Tenant John Dunning (1973)
Door Tenant Geoffrey Yearwood (1975)
Door Tenant Peter Mullen (1977)
Door Tenant Allan Williams (1978)
Door Tenant Dr Christa Fielden (1982)
Door Tenant Sylvia Allen (1983)
Door Tenant Nicola Williams (1985)
Door Tenant Lord Paul Boateng (1989)
Door Tenant Rafaquat Hussain (1996)
Door Tenant Jacqueline Lule (1999)
Door Tenant Tanya Murshed (2006)
Door Tenant Ariane Adam (2011)
PhotoNamePositionProfile
Amritpal Bachu photo Amritpal BachuAn approachable barrister, a formidable opponent; Amritpal practises housing and employment law. …
Soraya Bauwens photo Soraya BauwensSoraya combines a busy Crown Court practice with an established career in…
Alex Bennie photo Alex BennieAlex originally joined 1MCB as a pupil. His interests range across crime, social…
John Benson photo John BensonJohn Benson QC is a multi-disciplinary silk with expertise and extensive experience…
Jackie Bond photo Jackie BondJackie specialises in all aspects of immigration and asylum law, including immigration…
Alex Chakmakjian photo Alex ChakmakjianAlex is regularly instructed on complex and challenging immigration and asylum cases.…
Michael Chambers photo Michael ChambersMichael has a mixed general criminal and civil practice. His criminal practice…
Ranjeet Dulay photo Ranjeet DulayRanjeet is a highly regarded barrister who specialises in crime, immigration, asylum…
Iain Edwards photo Iain EdwardsIain is a seasoned and compassionate barrister specialising in serious crime. He…
Ignatius Fessal photo Ignatius FessalIgnatius’s practice is exclusively criminal defence. He specialises in all areas of…
Caroline Gassman photo Caroline GassmanCaroline provides pertinent advice and ruthless advocacy in serious criminal offences. She…
Janette Haywood photo Janette HaywoodJanette is a highly experienced practitioner who has always been passionate about…
Mike Hollis photo Mike HollisMike prosecutes and defends in the Crown Court on a range of…
Ghazala Hussain photo Ghazala HussainGhazala is a strategic and tenacious barrister dedicated to the needs of…
Shashi Jaisri photo Shashi JaisriShashi was called to the Bar in 1995 by Lincoln’s Inn and has…
Parveen Judge photo Parveen JudgeParveen is an experienced barrister who believes in representing her clients fearlessly…
Geeta Koska photo Geeta KoskaGeeta practises in all areas of housing, actions against the police and…
Salma Lalani photo Salma LalaniSalma specialises mainly in criminal defence work and has developed a highly…
Barnabas Lams photo Barnabas LamsBarnabas is a barrister specialising in immigration and asylum law and related…
David Langwallner photo David LangwallnerDavid is an experienced advocate in a broad range of legal practice…
Jemma Levinson photo Jemma LevinsonJemma is an experienced criminal defence barrister who regularly represents defendants charged…
Jacqueline McIntosh photo Jacqueline McIntoshJacqueline provides advice in family, crime and immigration work. She now specialises…
Shuyeb Muquit photo Shuyeb MuquitShuyeb is a highly regarded practitioner specialising in the fields of immigration,…
Michael Murphy photo Michael MurphyMichael’s career at the Bar has involved a number of high profile…
James Murray-Smith photo James Murray-SmithJames has wide experience of practice at the Bar. For many years…
David Parvin photo David ParvinDavid specialises in all areas of criminal law, both prosecution and defence,…
Michael Peters photo Michael PetersMichael is a dual qualified solicitor and barrister. He was admitted to…
Rajesh Rai photo Rajesh RaiRajesh specialises in Public Law with emphasis on Human Rights, Immigration, Nationality…
Philip Romans photo Philip RomansPhilip has prosecuted and defended, but now exclusively defends, in all areas…
Pamela Rose photo Pamela RosePamela Rose is known for representing her clients fearlessly and with unwavering…
Shiraz Rustom photo Shiraz RustomAs a barrister of considerable experience in criminal and civil as well…
Bernadette Smith photo Bernadette SmithBernadette has a busy practice with a focus on immigration, asylum and judicial…
Michael Sprack photo Michael SprackMichael has a busy junior practice, combining housing, employment law and criminal…
Neelim Sultan photo Neelim SultanNeelim is an established practitioner in criminal and public law children cases.…
Gwawr Thomas photo Gwawr ThomasThroughout all areas of her practice, Gwawr is dedicated to promoting human rights…
Anna Watterson photo Anna WattersonAnna has a busy and varied practice. This allows her to maintain…
Jeffrey Yearwood photo Jeffrey YearwoodJeffrey practises exclusively as a defence advocate in the Crown Court, principally…
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Criminal Bar Association (CBA)
South Eastern Circuit
Family Law Bar Association (FLBA)
International Bar Association (IBA)
Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA)
Human Rights Lawyers Association (HRLA)
Housing Law Practitioners Association (HLPA)
Employment Law Bar Association (ELBA)
Personal Injuries Bar Association (PIBA)

1) 1 MCB Chambers is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all barristers, employees, applicants and clients.

2) 1 MCB Chambers does not discriminate against its barristers, staff, applicants or clients on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (‘protected characteristics’).

3) 1 MCB Chambers confirms that members have adopted a written Equality and Diversity Policy. Further, barristers are under a professional duty to ensure that they comply with the Equality Rules contained within the Bar Handbook.