Mark Heywood KC
‘He has an intellect second to none. He can assimilate huge amounts of material and gets to the crux of the matter quicker than anyone human should be able to.'
5KBW fields ‘barristers of the highest quality who deal with high profile cases on a regular basis’. James Brown KC took silk in 2025 - he prosecuted a case involving the importation of 70kg of cocaine and 632kg of ketamine. Mark Heywood KC prosecuted Daniel Khalife, a then-serving British soldier who spied for Iran, while on remand, escaped from HMP Wandsworth. Jonathan Higgs KC prosecuted a man for murdering his wife then storing her remains in the attic. Catherine Farrelly KC prosecuted Zhenhao Zou, a PhD student who was sentenced to life imprisonment for drugging and raping ten women (only two of whom were traced), filming his attacks in both the UK and mainland China; Zou is thought by police to have had as many as fifty further victims.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Strength and depth trhoughout. Noted for its calibre of tenant. Always striving to retain excellence.'
- '5 King's Bench Walk is a distinguished set with a strong reputation in criminal law. The chambers offer a depth of expertise across various areas, including homicide, serious sexual offenses, and organized crime. The set is known for its collaborative environment and commitment to excellence, making it a reliable choice for complex criminal matters.'
- 'Barristers of the highest quality who deal with high profile cases on a regular basis.'
- 'They have a reputation for top prosecution work.'
- 'Barristers of the highest quality who deal with high profile cases on a regular basis.'
- 'Strong from top to bottom. Excellent selection of counsel. You know whether you are instructing a Silk or a junior tenant they will be first rate.'
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.
Sarah Forshaw KC
‘A highly responsive and hands-on silk who will fight every battle to ensure her client gets the best possible result.'
Jonathan Higgs KC
Charlotte Newell KC
‘Excellent advocate. All round strong, reliable and impressive silk.’
Anthony Orchard KC
‘Anthony is one of the most effective and persuasive prosecutors in the country. His advocacy is very much top table.'
Paul Taylor KC
‘Paul is the standout barrister for appeals. He is a specialist and knows the Court of Appeal better than anyone at the Bar.’
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.
James Brown KC
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.
Catherine Farrelly KC
‘A very organised prosecutor with a hard edged approach to the job in hand. She is particularly good in the area of sexual offending where she made her reputation as a junior. She is sensitive to the particulars needs of such cases and easy to work with.’
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.
Louise Oakley
‘Louise has a wonderful ability to see clearly to the real issues in a case. She is a direct and fearless advocate.'
Ben Holt
‘Ben is first class. He has progressed thought the ranks and is thought of as one of the best junior treasury counsel.’
David Osborne
‘David was born to be a criminal barrister. His judgement is impeccable and so his advice is always right on point.’
William Davis
‘William will no doubt be in silk himself very soon. He is an outstanding member of the Bar. A first class advocate and lawyer.'
Frederick Hookway
‘Clear advocacy with a strong courtroom presence and a very fair but rigorous approach. Excellent in dealing with serious and complex allegations.'
Catherine Pattison
Brilliant multi-talented junior. Make sure she is on your side.’