5 St Andrews Hill

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

• 'Dean Cook is every bit the perfect clerk. He knows the system in which he is working like the back of his hand. He is unremittingly helpful, going over and above to make solicitors' lives easier. He is particularly skilled at placing a brief with the right counsel and quoting appropriately for the case, the client and counsel.'
• 'Dean Cook is running the show at 5 St Andrews Hill. Anything that needs doing, he will sort if for you.'
• 'The clerks are very good. Gary Norton is excellent.'
• 'The clerks are exceptionally efficient and informative. Senior criminal clerk Dean Cook does everything he can to assist and predicts difficult situations and takes control.'
• 'The crime team at 5SAH is a very strong set; they have a large well-rounded team of advocates who are always well-prepared and able to step in when required. The set is very collaborative with a wide knowledge base, so if there is ever an issue that arises, there is never a doubt that a member of the set will be ready and willing to assist, even if not formally instructed on the matter in question.'
• '5SAH is one of the best sets to work with. They have a strong group of barristers, offering a wide variety of expertise, and talent across the board.'
• '5SAH is a quality set with reputable barristers.'
• '5 St Andrews Hill is an excellent set. No job is too small for them and they always seem to cover cases no matter what time of day.'

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.

2

Mark Cotter KC

‘Mark is a master of detail. He is a brilliant cross-examiner and brilliant in mitigation. His strategic thinking is superb and he has an excellent manner with clients. Mark has a real ability to explain complex legal principles, such as joint enterprise, in a concise manner, relevant to a young person's world.'

3

John Cammegh KC

'John is an exceptional advocate. He is commanding and authoritative in court, without being overbearing. He is effortlessly persuasive and his advocacy style is precisely what you'd expect of a silk.'

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.

2

Jose Olivares-Chandler

'Jose is an amazing barrister. He is hard-working, intelligent and honest. His legal arguments are top-notch.'

3

John Warrington

‘John is meticulously thorough; he will know the prosecution's case better than they know it themselves.'

4

Dominic Connolly

‘Dominic is a formidable advocate and opponent. He presents complex cases to the jury in a straightforward and clear way, grabbing their attention from the outset. He is able to manage cases with extremely vulnerable complainants. His cross-examination style is logical, thorough and highly effective.'

4

Daniel Jones

'Clients love Dan. He adapts to his audience and isn't afraid to be forthright in court with legal arguments. His steadfast approach to evidence wins many a case.'

4

Francesca Levett

‘Francesca is supremely cerebral; intellectually she is on another dimension in terms of her legal prowess. She is also a supreme tactician and is much loved by clients.'

4

Christopher May

‘Chris is a very thoughtful and thorough prosecutor. He is fair and proper, but no pushover. He quickly masters a brief and is a robust and effective cross-examiner. He also has a lovely manner with the court and the jury.’

4

John McNamara

‘John is committed to excellence. He is a real star.’

4

Gemma Rose

‘Gemma’s ability to communicate with vulnerable individuals and professionals means that she earns the trust of lay clients from an early stage and obtains fantastic outcomes, often prior to a case reaching trial. She is a fantastic advocate who has earned respect from the judiciary and achieves fantastic results.’

4

Dharmendra (Dee) Toor

‘Dee is exceptionally thorough and dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome for his client. His cross-examination is exceptional; he has every aspect of the papers at his fingertips leaving the witness with nowhere to turn save for conceding that he is correct.’