25 Bedford Row

25 Bedford Row is noted as an ‘a versatile chambers offering exceptional counsel across all practice areas’ and is frequently retained by clients for its considerable defence expertise, often in cases involving organised crime and EncroChat evidence. The set fields notable individuals such as George Carter-Stephenson KC, whose ‘mastery of his brief and attention to detail are second to none’ , and the ’highly intelligent and articulate’ Paul Hynes KC , whose recent workloads including representing high-profile Islamist Anjem Choudary, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for controlling the proscribed group al-Muhajiroun. Arlette Piercy, represented one of four defendants in a Modern Slavery Act case, which involved twelve victims, some of whom are alleged to have been trafficked to work at a McDonald’s. Clare Wade KC joined the team in April 2025.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'Very strong defence set doing serious work.'
'25 Bedford Row is a highly regarded Chambers with quality counsel from top to bottom . '
'Excellent strength in depth. '
'25 Bedford Row remain one of the go to criminal sets, able to deal with the most complex and serious of matters. The culture at the chambers, from what we can see, is supportive and inclusive.'
'A versatile chambers offering exceptional counsel across all practice areas.'
'The set as a whole is outstanding. There is quality from top to bottom. The chambers is unusual in that it offers excellent general crime coverage whilst also being able to offer counsel with expertise in every area of criminal law.'

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.

George Carter-Stephenson KC

‘George remains at the top of his game. He is meticulous in his case preparation where no point or piece of evidence goes unconsidered.'

Jeremy Dein KC

‘Jeremy is clearly one of the best advocates of his generation. He cares deeply about his cases and clients.'

Paul Hynes KC

‘Paul is highly intelligent and articulate individual, without pretension .He is the perfect communicator, pitching his language and tone to his tribunal, whether judge or jury.'

John Cooper KC

Paul Keleher KC

‘Paul deploys a chess like approach to cases. His hard work and dedication is an inspiration to us all.'

Paul Mendelle KC

‘Paul is a veteran, utterly likeable and is able to remain and look smooth and calm, even in stormy waters.'

Stephen Moses KC

‘He always draws people together and makes brilliant closing speeches.’

Simon Pentol KC

‘Simon is a highly-persuasive and compelling Silk who commands a court room. He is tenacious in his preparation and lively on his feet. A class act.'

Melanie Simpson KC

‘A first-class advocate. Calm, bright, excellent in the law and incisive is her norm.’

Tyrone Smith KC

‘Tyrone is a master tactician.'

Clare Wade KC

‘Clare is an exceptional advocate. Her intellect is remarkable.’

Peter Doyle KC

Rudi Fortson KC

Laurie-Anne Power KC

'Laurie-Anne is impressive on her feet and with her witness handling. Sensitive when necessary without losing power.'

2024 Silks

Beth O’Reilly KC

‘Beth consistently achieves excellent results for her clients, combining sharp legal insight with a strategic and pragmatic approach to each case. Her client care is exemplary—whether she is representing a vulnerable defendant or a professional client, she brings empathy, clarity, and reassurance, making even the most challenging situations manageable.’

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.