Twenty Essex
‘Timothy has been at forefront of commodities disputes for decades and he is a good cross-examiner who thinks outside the box.’
Twenty Essex is ‘a first-rate chambers for commodities and shipping disputes, with excellent depth of quality at all levels of seniority’. The set ’certainly has the greatest depth of coverage of the commodities field of any other chambers’, with members well versed in major arbitrations under the rules of GAFTA, FOSFA and the other well-known commodity associations.Michael Ashcroft KC is currently involved in LCIA arbitrations concerning multiple sale contracts between mine operators, sellers of metals and Swiss traders concerning the compliance of metal products with contractual specifications. The ‘highly responsive, commercially savvy and incisive’ Oliver Caplin KC, who specialises in dry shipping and commodities disputes, is among the market’s most prominent juniors.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Practice Manager Anthony Carroll does a fantastic job in keeping clients happy and in arranging for counsel schedule. He serves as a constant point of contact which is appreciated, especially when members of the clerking team may change from time to time.'
- 'The clerks are excellent and very helpful and always try to assist and accommodate instructions. Arron Zitver is always very helpful.'
- 'I have always found the clerks of Twenty Essex to be very fair in fixing brief fees and in pricing work generally. They have been able to advise me well on availability of barristers and in making alternative arrangements when there are issues of maternity or paternity leave.'
- 'Aaron Zitver and Christopher Theobald are incredibly helpful and a pleasure to deal with. They really go the extra mile in terms of support and assistance.'
- 'A first-rate chambers for commodities and shipping disputes. Excellent depth of quality at all levels of seniority.'
'20 Essex has the depth of skill given the sheer number of members in Chambers. Clerks and members are all extremely user-friendly and responsive. I have not experienced any difficulty when it comes to availability of counsel, so the clerks are doing a great job in managing the schedule.'
- 'The set as a whole is excellent, and almost all the barristers are very efficient and intelligent and provide a good service.'
- 'Twenty Essex for me has some of the best and broadest expertise in international trade, shipping and insurance, whether amongst skills and juniors as advocates or amongst members of their chambers who appear as arbitrators or mediators.'
- '20 Essex is very strong for commodities. More than any other set in this area they will ensure availability of counsel for urgent matters - they are very reliable in that sense.'
Silks
Leading Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Twenty Essex
‘Encyclopaedically brilliant, Michael is very quick to pick up the issues and identify the key point, and exhibits strong and persuasive advocacy.’
Twenty Essex
‘Michael is a calm, measured and effective advocate who has seen everything and has an unparalleled ability to get to grips with the facts of a case.’
Twenty Essex
‘Charles is a strong leader and an excellent advocate and in planning and strategy, and there are very few counsel with his depth of knowledge.’
Twenty Essex
‘Very highly regarded by solicitors, David is encyclopaedically brilliant, authoritative and yet polite, and meticulously prepared.’
Twenty Essex
‘Tim is tactically very astute and a very strong advocate who is exceptionally intelligent with a razor-sharp legal mind, and he cuts to the heart of the most complex dispute.’
Twenty Essex
‘A very powerful advocate who has the ear of the court and shows mastery of the details.’
Twenty Essex
‘Michael is very experienced, clear thinking, user-friendly, calm and composed.’
Twenty Essex
‘Julian is very clever and very skilled at reducing complex information into very concise statements, whether within advice or pleadings.’
Twenty Essex
‘Lawrence is a calm and persuasive advocate with a highly intelligent and forensic legal mind.’
Twenty Essex
‘Philip is very pragmatic and solution-focused, very clear in his advice, and he understands his audience well.’
Twenty Essex
‘Henry is very clever and a really nice guy who is an unflappable and persuasive advocate with a real eye for detail.’
2022 Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Twenty Essex
‘Simon is a very good advocate, very calm and persuasive, and his advice is very clear, practical and obviously the product of very careful consideration.’
2023 Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Twenty Essex
‘Luke is incredibly bright and impressive on his feet, and he sees the good arguments and articulates them very clearly and persuasively.’
2024 Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Twenty Essex
‘Oliver is an excellent barrister whose advocacy is clear, concise and perfectly delivered.’
Twenty Essex
‘Josephine is not afraid to give a direct view on the merits of a point, without hedging her opinion with unnecessary caveats.’
Juniors
Leading Juniors
Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.
Twenty Essex
‘Daniel has a great eye for detail, is very strong on the law and comes up with some very clever and innovative solutions to legal problems.’
Twenty Essex
‘He knows his subject really well, is very approachable and easy to communicate with, and his points are well put and address the issues in question.’
Twenty Essex
‘Quick thinking, responsive, intelligent and clear-thinking, Colleen's work is always clearly expressed and logical.’
Twenty Essex
‘Andrew is extremely user-friendly and approachable and commercial. He understands the clients' concerns and is equally formidable when it comes to his grasp of the law.’
Twenty Essex
‘Angharad is very efficient, very approachable, extremely knowledgeable in her subject area, able to provide succinct explanations of complex matters, brilliant and a pleasure to work with.’
Twenty Essex
‘Susannah is approachable and easy to work with, and her written advice is very clear, detailed and well-judged.’
Twenty Essex
‘Andrew is absolutely excellent, a KC in the making. He is incredibly bright, on top of detail, responsive and user-friendly, with superb command of the law in international trade.’
Twenty Essex
‘Richard is an excellent advocate who delivers clear-headed and crisp advocacy.’
Twenty Essex
‘A strong intellect and also easy to work with, Joshua provides decisive and concise advice.’
Twenty Essex
‘Sean has a very collaborative and co-operative approach, and he has sound judgement.’
Twenty Essex
‘Alistair is particularly good at identifying the key issues in any dispute, and his submissions are always well drafted and thought out.’
Twenty Essex
‘Thomas is incredibly bright, calm and measured, with sharp attention to detail and an ability to cut through complex issues.’
Twenty Essex
‘An outstanding junior, among the best for his age group. He is very user-friendly with a sharp analytical mind that cuts to the heart of the most complex matters.’
Leading Juniors
Rising stars at the Bar are defined as barristers between four and eight years’ call who are seen as up-and-coming members of the Bar in their respective practice areas by clients and peers alike. They will already be instructed in high-profile, complex, and high-value contentious and non-contentious matters, working with and opposite more experienced leading counsel.
Twenty Essex
‘Daniel has a great eye for detail, is very strong on the law and comes up with some very clever and innovative solutions to legal problems.’
Twenty Essex
‘He knows his subject really well, is very approachable and easy to communicate with, and his points are well put and address the issues in question.’
Twenty Essex
‘Quick thinking, responsive, intelligent and clear-thinking, Colleen's work is always clearly expressed and logical.’
Twenty Essex
‘Andrew is extremely user-friendly and approachable and commercial. He understands the clients' concerns and is equally formidable when it comes to his grasp of the law.’
Twenty Essex
‘Angharad is very efficient, very approachable, extremely knowledgeable in her subject area, able to provide succinct explanations of complex matters, brilliant and a pleasure to work with.’
Twenty Essex
‘Susannah is approachable and easy to work with, and her written advice is very clear, detailed and well-judged.’
Twenty Essex
‘Andrew is absolutely excellent, a KC in the making. He is incredibly bright, on top of detail, responsive and user-friendly, with superb command of the law in international trade.’
Twenty Essex
‘Richard is an excellent advocate who delivers clear-headed and crisp advocacy.’
Twenty Essex
‘A strong intellect and also easy to work with, Joshua provides decisive and concise advice.’
Twenty Essex
‘Sean has a very collaborative and co-operative approach, and he has sound judgement.’
Twenty Essex
‘Alistair is particularly good at identifying the key issues in any dispute, and his submissions are always well drafted and thought out.’
Twenty Essex
‘Thomas is incredibly bright, calm and measured, with sharp attention to detail and an ability to cut through complex issues.’
Twenty Essex
‘An outstanding junior, among the best for his age group. He is very user-friendly with a sharp analytical mind that cuts to the heart of the most complex matters.’