Construction

Keating Chambers

As the ‘strongest specialist construction set in the country’ according to some, Keating Chambers tackles an array of significant domestic and international disputes, with particular expertise in fire safety and cladding related cases. Jonathan Selby KC and Tom Coulson continue to represent the housebuilder in Martlet Homes vs Mulalley & Co, a major post-Grenfell TCC fire safety and cladding case, while Simon Hughes KC and James Frampton are acting for the contractor. Sarah Williams is instructed by Shepherd Construction Limited in another major cladding claim. Other key cases include Piers Stansfield KC, who is representing Cambridge City Council in a High Court action regarding design defects in a major infrastructure project, and Paul Bury acted as counsel for Outotec, defending several liquidated damages, defects, and termination costs claims on a waste-to-energy power plant. Significant team changes include Tom Owen KC taking silk in March 2024.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'The clerking team at Keating is excellent - Rob Garvan at Keating is very responsive to urgent enquiries and always very accommodating.'
'The clerks deliver a first class service. The Joint Directors of Clerking James Luxmoore and Will Shrubsall are doing an excellent job and complement each other very well.'
'Outstanding across the board. Will Shrubsall and James Luxmoore lead the team with distinction. The room is full of stars. Jade Clark, Sam Kennett, Rob Garvan, Jacob Watson and Amy Barrie are professional, dedicated and experienced. The assistant practice managers Rosina Thomas, Charlotte Hindmarsh and Liyah Liburd all provide invaluable support.'
'Keating has a reputation as a leading construction set, and deservedly so - the barristers are, from the most senior silk to the most junior tenant, excellent and really know all areas of construction law. They are a go-to set for all construction disputes.'
'Top chambers in construction work. Extreme strength in depth.'
'It is one of the leading sets in international construction and energy arbitration and a go-to for quality barristers from junior to silk.'
'Keating is the strongest specialist construction set in the country.'
'Keating Chambers is the preeminent construction set. It has strength in depth across the seniority and practice fields, and in the clerking, marketing, administrative and support teams.

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.

David Thomas KC

‘David is a statesman of construction disputes: he knows the law and the issues inside out and has a mastery of crafting a winning case from difficult facts. His oral advocacy is precise and elegant.'

Simon Hughes KC

‘Simon is undoubtedly a star of the construction Bar. Thorough, industrious and a skilled advocate, he is the first choice for many of the big players in the construction field.’

Alexander Nissen KC

‘Alexander is a compelling advocate, who is extremely approachable and responsive. A leader in the field and a regular first choice.'

Lucy Garrett KC

‘Lucy is one of the best construction silks in the field. She is very much a go-to silk. Lucy has shown a first class ability at determining a strategy in respect of a very complex contractual dispute.’

Vincent Moran KC

Adrian Williamson KC

Piers Stansfield KC

‘Piers is incredibly bright. He discards the noise and gets to what matters. Written work of the highest standard. A fantastic crosser and a measured but extremely powerful interrogator. Top advocacy.'

Sean Wilken KC

‘Phenomenal intelligence and encyclopedic knowledge of the law. An excellent strategist and a first-class drafter. Sean is a formidable advocate, able to think on his feet and argue extremely complicated points in a manner that is not only compelling but very easy to digest.’

Veronique Buehrlen KC

Simon Hargreaves KC

'Simon has a very agile brain and is a very friendly and approachable. Simon has a punchy style of drafting which is effective.'

Jonathan Selby KC

‘Jonathan is an excellent all-rounder. He is thoughtful, analytical, questioning, inquisitive and an excellent advocate.’

Krista Lee KC

‘Krista is an excellent barrister. She provides robust and detailed advice on the legal elements of any case often identifying novel arguments following a thorough review of documents, identifying the relevant facts and applicable case law quickly, and explaining the position in a clear and straight forward manner. Krista has the in-depth technical knowledge and understanding of the construction.’

Sarah Hannaford KC

‘Sarah is very good at grasping the key issues of the case and understanding the strength and weaknesses. Her advocacy is superb.'

Justin Mort KC

‘Justin has incredible attention to detail, and is phenomenally hard working.'

Marc Rowlands KC

‘Marc is very effective, very direct and to the point. He doesn't mess around. He is very clear in his views and explanations.'

Samuel Townend KC

‘Sam is a very bright and technically astute barrister. His oral advocacy is very impressive.'

Calum Lamont KC

‘Calum has exceptional cross-examination skills.'

Fionnuala McCredie KC

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.

Abdul Jinadu

‘Abdul is extremely bright and very engaging. If Abdul says that he will meet a deadline, he will meet a deadline and the quality of his work is of the highest order.'

Rachael O’Hagan

‘Rachael’s open but no-nonsense manner means that she builds good rapport with the tribunal and even opposing counsel. She is particularly effective at sorting the wheat from the chaff, and only cross-examining on the points that really mattered.’

Sarah Williams

‘Sarah’s key strength is her attention to detail, forensic analysis of the key facts and also thinking outside the box with difficult legal arguments. She is an all round excellent barrister and is attentive, efficient and hands-on.’

Alexandra Bodnar

'Alexandra has an incredible eye for detail, she runs her cases like they were on rails. To say she is client and solicitor friendly is an understatement. She meshes perfectly with the solicitor team. If you are a solicitor, and you have a big construction case, she is the junior you want to keep your silk at peak performance. If you are a silk, she is the junior you want to keep you looking good.'

Emma Healiss

‘Emma is excellent to work with. She is responsive and easy to work with, as well as being technically excellent.’

Thomas Lazur

‘Tom is quick on his feet, and always thoroughly prepared for advocacy. Tom is fantastic across the detail, enthusiastic and rigorous advocate. Tom is down to earth, prepared to roll up his sleeves and is a great team player.’

Jennie Wild

'Jennie is very intelligent, incredibly hard working and very perceptive as to the needs of a given case. Her appetite for the technical detail is considerable. She researches issues thoroughly and provides comprehensive notes on the position. Very professional.'

Tom Coulson

‘Tom is highly intelligent and very good in writing and oral advocacy. He is a great construction lawyer who is mature beyond his years. One of top juniors at the construction Bar already.’

Ben Sareen

‘Ben is excellent on the detail and as a result, his written work is very good. Ben is popular for a reason.’

James Thompson

‘James is very practical, rolls up his sleeves and gets totally gets stuck into the detail of the claim. He is clear and very user friendly.'

Paul Bury

‘Paul is an absolute star. He has an impressive grip of all legal issues but it is his manner that sets him above the others. He works extremely hard and brings so many new angles to cases. A joy to work with and he will go very far.’

Gaynor Chambers

‘Gaynor's key strength is her technical acumen and attention to detail. She is excellent at getting to the bottom of an issue and as a result she is able to provide high quality advice tailored to the specific matter.'

Brenna Conroy

'Brenna is technically brilliant and a grafter. She never backs down from a good fight. Brenna is also a pleasure to work with, leading or being part of a wider team.'

Gideon Scott Holland

‘Gideon is an extremely reliable and responsive barrister, with unrivaled expertise and ability in handling PFI related disputes. He is easy to work with, and a great team player.'

John McMillan

‘John's drafting is typically excellent but his advocacy is particularly impressive.'

David Sheard

‘David is widely acknowledged as one of the most cerebral barristers in what is a world-beating set. His advice and drafting is exceptionally good and he has an ability to get to the crux of an issue in a short space of time.'

Harry Smith

‘Very bright, lateral thinker, able to condense complexities into something clients can understand, user-friendly. He writes well and is excellent value for money in what is an expensive chambers.'

Peter Brogden

‘Peter is clear and considered when it comes to providing legal advice and obviously has a great understanding of the construction industry.'

Matthew Finn

‘Matthew is one of the best all-round juniors on the market for big-ticket construction cases.'

James Frampton

‘James' ability to digest and distil the detail is impressive. He is exceptionally hard-working, quick to grasp the key issues, easy to work with and highly valued by our team and clients alike. James' is incredibly bright, quick thinking and his advocacy is sharp and precise.

Alice Sims

‘Alice has a very good depth of experience, thanks to her work as a judge sitting on various tribunals in various specialist fields, and always brings a good and fresh insight to the case.’

Charlie Thompson

‘Charlie is clever and thoughtful. In technically-heavy trials, he deals with the experts and the expert evidence with ease. His advocacy is excellent and he brings the judge with him to the conclusion of every point – which is a difficult skill.’

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.