Keating Chambers

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

• Keating Chambers is our "go to" Chambers for complex construction disputes. The barristers at Keating Chambers have significant experience in construction matters and are also able to deal with the interplay between different parties in multi-party disputes and the commercial aspects of a claim, including tricky insurance issues.
• The service provided by the clerks' room is excellent. The clerks are responsive, approachable, and highly professional, providing prompt assistance and pragmatic solutions, often at short notice. They have a strong understanding of clients' requirements and are proactive in ensuring that the right counsel is available for each matter. Communication is clear and efficient throughout, and they manage diaries, fees, and logistical arrangements seamlessly. We found William Shrubsall, in particular, to be commercially astute and solutions-focused, balancing the needs of both clients and counsel with professionalism and good judgment.
• The set has excellent strength in depth in construction disputes, with a broad range of highly capable counsel able to advise across complex construction and commercial-related matters. Counsel are consistently responsive and available, even on matters with demanding timetables, and the clerking team is efficient, pragmatic, and proactive in identifying appropriate expertise and managing availability.
• Keating has some of the best construction and engineering barristers.
• Keating is consistently excellent. The clerks are knowledgeable, responsive, take the time to get to know our team, and are fun to work with.
• Keating is a leading set in this practice area, with a strong, well-balanced, and reliable team across all areas of seniority. We regularly instruct silks at Keating to advise on our most complex and high-value mandates. The silks are supported by a robust and talented team of senior and junior barristers, whom we also regularly instruct in their own right. All the barristers we work with are approachable, willing to roll up their sleeves, and great team players. The barristers are supported by a very efficient and responsive clerking team, led by James Luxmoore and Will Shrubshall.
• James Luxmoore is friendly, professional, and super responsive.
• Keating is the leading set for complex construction disputes.
• Excellent, one of the clear leaders in the field. Always very responsive, viable alternative options are given if the first choice is unavailable.
• Keating has great strength in depth for Counsel in complex technology and construction disputes. We have found Counsel from Keating to be of very high quality, and they work hard to ensure availability and responsiveness despite being in high demand across a number of cases simultaneously.

Lawyers

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.

1

Simon Hughes KC

Simon has a huge depth of knowledge on construction matters. He also brings to the table a broader commercial practice, which helps him deliver strategic insight that goes well beyond the courtroom and which clients greatly appreciate.

1

Alexander Nissen KC

Alexander Nissen KC is a formidable advocate whose command of complex construction disputes is matched by his strategic clarity and commercial judgement. He is exceptionally effective on his feet, combining intellectual rigor with a persuasive, measured style that inspires real confidence in high-stakes matters.

1

David Thomas KC

David is an incredibly thoughtful, hard-working silk. He is not afraid to get stuck into the details, review the documents, and quickly get a handle on both the overarching issues and the minutiae of a case. Behind the calm and polite exterior is also a real fighter. He is excellent on strategy and will really battle for a client's cause.

1

Jonathan Selby KC

Jonathan has a razor-sharp intellect combined with hard work and responsiveness. He is calm and reassuring under pressure, a great team player, and decisive on strategy. He is also an excellent advocate.

2

Vincent Moran KC

Very concise and decisive. Doesn't sit on the fence and tells it how it is. Not afraid to nail his colors to the mast. Very clear written advice that is easy to digest - including for lay clients.

2

Simon Hargreaves KC

Simon is incredibly knowledgeable, engaging, and good with clients.

2

Lucy Garrett KC

2

Paul Buckingham KC

Excellent for tricky technical disputes. Very good at explaining complex expert issues in pleadings and for tribunals.

3

Adrian Williamson KC

3

Veronique Buehrlen KC

She is good at building a rapport with the tribunal and robust at dealing with the other side.

3

Piers Stansfield KC

Piers is very clever, considerate, strategic, and a good draftsman. Piers is very clear-thinking and helpful.

3

Sean Wilken KC

3

Justin Mort KC

Having been in trial with Justin, I have seen firsthand just how effective an advocate he is. His courtroom judgment is outstanding, and he has a real instinct for identifying the points that will matter most to the judge. Justin remains calm, authoritative, and completely focused throughout the trial process. His cross-examination is meticulous and highly effective, and he is adept at adapting his approach as evidence unfolds. Clients draw enormous confidence from his presence, and he has a reassuring ability to take control of even the most challenging situations. In my experience, Justin is one of the strongest advocates at the construction Bar. He is exactly the person you want leading a high-stakes case in front of a tribunal or judge.

3

Samuel Townend KC

He has a calm and measured approach, advises with authority and in a user-friendly manner.

3

William Webb KC

Will is a polished, smooth advocate, with great control of a courtroom and witnesses. His drafting is excellent, and he is everything you want in a new silk, with the work ethic and eye for detail combined with the presence of a great leader.

3

Calum Lamont KC

4

Sarah Hannaford KC

Sarah has excellent analytical skills and attention to detail, quickly grasps the issues, and provides thorough and pragmatic legal advice.

4

Krista Lee KC

Krista is a great advocate who is able to present a case, including the more technical and legally complex arguments, in a clear, straightforward, and very persuasive manner. She thinks quickly on her feet and is always able to respond to/rebut any points made by her opponent. Krista has a great manner with clients and instructing solicitors - she is friendly, polite, approachable, positive but robust, and always available to assist on a matter, including in circumstances where the timeframes are tight.

4

Marc Rowlands KC

Marc Rowlands KC is a brilliant strategic thinker who distills complex issues quickly and prepares submissions with the clarity and incisiveness of one who is a leader in the field.

4

Tom Owen KC

Tom Owen KC is a highly regarded silk with a sharp analytical mind and a deep understanding of complex construction disputes. He is measured, authoritative, and tactically astute, delivering clear, persuasive advocacy in high-value, technically demanding, and high-stakes cases.

5

Fionnuala McCredie KC

2025 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.

1

Richard Coplin KC

Excellent problem solver. Very good to work with, responsive, encourages thoughts from the whole team. And will be there when urgently needed.

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.

1

James Thompson

2

Abdul Jinadu

Abdul is exceptionally knowledgeable and technically strong, with the ability to analyze complex legal and commercial issues quickly and provide clear, practical advice. He is able to communicate difficult concepts in a concise and accessible manner and is responsive, reliable, and a pleasure to work with. He presents arguments with clarity and confidence, responds effectively to questions and challenges, and is adept at distilling complex issues into compelling submissions.

2

Matthew Finn

Fiercely bright, extremely hard-working, and a real team player.

2

Sarah Williams

Sarah is excellent analytically, clear in her presentation and advice, and an articulate and effective advocate. She also has excellent client skills.

2

Paul Bury

Paul is brilliant with clients - his calm approach instills confidence in his advice and strategy. He is equally adept on paper as he is on his feet.

2

David Sheard

David Sheard is, in my view, the outstanding construction junior at the Bar. He combines exceptional technical ability with first-rate judgment, a deep understanding of the construction industry, and a remarkable ability to get to the heart of even the most complex disputes. His advocacy and written work are consistently of the highest quality, and he inspires confidence in clients and legal teams alike. David is a pleasure to work with, relentlessly hardworking, and always focused on achieving the best outcome. He is undoubtedly destined for greatness and has all the attributes of a future leader of the construction Bar.

2

Rachael O’Hagan

She is extremely skilled and can deal with all the particularities of a case (legal, technical, costs) in a great way. She is one of the best barristers I have ever seen.

3

Alexandra Bodnar

Alex is a phenomenal advocate, gives clear and concise advice, and provides commercial advice that is tailored to and understands the client's business objectives. Her delivery of advice is always pitched perfectly to the audience, and she leaves no stone unturned in seeking acceptable solutions.

3

Thomas Lazur

3

Ben Sareen

Ben is a committed, intelligent, and hardworking barrister. His cross-examination skills are excellent, and his ability to connect with the witness and tease out the relevant evidence in an unassuming style is particularly noteworthy.

3

Peter Brogden

Strengths are: Attention to detail, getting straight to the point, well-crafted and succinct drafting, clarity, and excellence in client conferences.

3

Tom Coulson

Tom's ability to analyze an issue and provide a clear strategic way through is second to none.

3

Emma Healiss

The claim was complex, both legally and technically. Emma was brilliant at helping to marshal the required evidence. Emma quickly and easily became an integral member of the team.

3

James Frampton

I was impressed by James's ability to quickly absorb information, understand the situation, and focus on the issues that mattered most. He was extremely knowledgeable, with a strong grasp of both the facts and the wider strategy. His advocacy was clear, persuasive, and well-judged throughout. What particularly stood out was his ability to think on his feet. He was receptive to last-minute instructions and new ideas and was able to adapt his approach seamlessly without losing focus on the key objectives. No viewpoint was dismissed; all contributions were considered thoughtfully. James communicated clearly throughout, explaining complex matters in an accessible way and ensuring we were fully prepared for the hearing. He was also a genuine pleasure to work with: approachable, collaborative, and responsive at every stage. His professionalism, flexibility, and expertise gave us confidence that the case was being presented as strongly as possible.

4

Alice Sims

Alice is an excellent advocate. She is articulate and likable, and highly persuasive in her approach to cross-examination. She immediately wins favor with the tribunal. She has a deep knowledge of construction law. Her technical skills are excellent and her commercial acumen is second to none.

4

Harry Smith

Harry Smith is what you want from a junior counsel. He is responsive, has a great work ethic, and is quick to command the issues driving the dispute to deliver client-focused outcomes.

4

Charlie Thompson

Charlie is a go-to counsel on construction and engineering disputes. Charlie is flexible in his style of advocacy, which I have witnessed firsthand in the Technology and Construction Court as well as in arbitration. Charlie is particularly adept at cross-examination and is not unnecessarily confrontational. This approach generally makes factual witnesses and experts less guarded, resulting in more useful evidence.

4

Jennie Wild

4

Brenna Conroy

All-round excellent barrister. A pleasure to work with.

4

Gideon Scott Holland

Gideon has a solid understanding of PFI projects, issues, and the interface with construction-related matters. Gideon is always well prepared and provides sound advice on complex issues. Gideon works collaboratively as part of a team, including with instructing solicitors and professional consultants. He comes across well in face-to-face client conferences and builds trust with his considered approach and clear, concise advice. Gideon's written submissions are well-reasoned and draw on all available evidence and supporting authorities. I have found Gideon flexible in prioritizing tasks and meeting client deadlines.

4

John McMillan

Rising stars

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.

1

Wen Jin Teh

He is a great barrister who can master very complex cases and streamline any difficult situation to implement the best strategy. His attention to the details of the case and knowledge of construction arbitration is unparalleled. He cooperates greatly with solicitors to provide the best service to clients.

1

Ben Graff

He is an astute and clever barrister with a great grasp of the details of the case.

1

Callum Monro Morrison

1

Harriet Di Francesco

Harriet Di Francesco is exceptionally responsive and a pleasure to work with. She has an impressive ability to grasp complex technical issues quickly and provide clear, confident, and commercially focused advice. She combines strong legal analysis with practical judgement, making her a trusted part of the team, putting clients at ease, which is required on challenging and complex cases. Harriet is undoubtedly one to watch!

1

Isobel Kamber

Isobel is particularly good at distilling complex defect pathologies into easy-to-understand pleadings. Isobel is both confident and compassionate in client conferences, which instills significant confidence in her ability and makes client management significantly easier at the solicitor's end.