Stuart Catchpole KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Stuart is a very powerful gifted advocate and a devastating cross-examiner.'
Atkin Chambers boasts a well-respected ‘strong bench at various levels of counsel’, adept at resolving international arbitrations arising out of complex construction, energy, technology and infrastructure disputes across multiple jurisdictions. Instructions are frequently received in high-profile arbitrations in the Middle East, recent examples include Riaz Hussain KC, leading Marc Lixenberg, acting in a dispute regarding high rise commercial and residential towers in the UAE and experienced Camille Slow KCacting for a key Dubai developer. Slow also acted for the claimant in an interim application concerning the construction of a major road project in eastern Europe. Nicholas Collings is instructed on an ICC arbitration on behalf of the claimant design and build contractor for various claims relating to works to a highway in South America. The Panama Canal multi-billion-dollar dispute continues with Manus McMullan KC, Christopher Lewis KC and Peter Land.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The clerks – in particular David Barnes and Justin Wilson – are friendly and helpful. They are flexible and attentive to the needs of Hong Kong clients, especially when it comes to practical considerations such as time difference.'
- 'Very effective clerks room - efficient and good to work with.'
- 'The whole clerking room is fantastic.'
- 'Atkin has great strength in depth in the field of international arbitration.'
- 'Atkin Chambers is the stand out construction set.'
- 'Atkin Chambers is our number one goes to chambers for construction barrister. Their barristers are experienced with in-depth arbitration legal knowledge.'
- 'Atkin are a strong set of Chambers in construction law and international construction arbitration. It has a number of very strong KCs in this field including Nick Dennys, Andrew White, Stephen Dennison and Stuart Catchpole. They also have a strong set of junior barristers in this field including Camille Slow.'
Silks
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 Streatfeild-James KC
Atkin Chambers ‘David has a profound ability to pick up a substantial, complex construction case and present it forcefully and convincingly at a hearing. He is innovative in is thinking, always bringing a new angle to the issues and the manner in which a case should be put – a formidable cross-examiner, knows exactly how to read a tribunal and drafts with clarity and persuasively.’
Manus McMullan KC
Atkin Chambers ‘No doubt Manus is top-notch and one of the very best in the field of oral advocacy and cross-examination, especially in complex high value disputes in the field of construction and engineering. His cross-examination is simply first-rate, excellent and truly outstanding – he has the special ability to explain complex technical aspects in a straightforward and understandable way.’
Andrew White KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Andrew is a silk at the top of his game. Very details driven and really rolls his sleeves up and gets stuck into the detail. Excellent strategist.’
Stephen Dennison KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Stephen is very effective, decisive and responsive. He is a delight to work with.'
Andrew Goddard KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Andrew is a leading construction silk. He is a skilled advocate with extensive construction experience. His advice is practical and thorough.’
Riaz Hussain KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Riaz stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the best senior silks of the construction Bar: He is a marvellous trial advocate and has a firm grasp of construction law and indeed a good knowledge of the technical aspects. He is a fantastic advocate and his strength is cross-examination of both lay and expert witnesses. He rolls his sleeves up, works with the team, and gets the job done.’
Simon Lofthouse KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Simon is a devastating cross-examiner and has a formidable work ethic. He outperforms the other side in hearings and has the ear of the tribunal.’
James Howells KC
Atkin Chambers ‘A go-to silk – a brain the size of a planet, always knows the detail and the documents better than anyone else in the room, incisive cross-examination of expert witnesses, whether factual or technical, and a pleasure to work with to boot. James is extremely user-friendly, attentive, responsive and accessible.’
Christopher Lewis KC
Atkin ChambersSerena Cheng KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Serena has an excellent understanding of the application and nuances of UAE procedure and practice. Her calm and clear communication with clients provides them with assurance at all stages of the matter. Serena assimilates complex, technical issues with ease and then presents the same with clarity.’
Fiona Parkin KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Fiona’s advocacy and attention to detail are second-to-none. She is an exceptional member of any team, and brings a high level of intelligence and attention to detail to the case. Her skill in communicating complex legal concepts and arguments is truly impressive.’
Mark Chennells KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Mark has an uncanny ability to make something which seemed hideously complex, straightforward and compelling. His drafting and clarity of thought is refreshingly clear. He is always on top of the detail, which clients appreciate and does it all while retaining his sense of humour and purpose.’
2022 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.
Rupert Choat KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Rupert is a refined strategist in construction law and a brilliant cross examiner.’
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.
Camille Slow KC
Atkin Chambers ‘Camille gets into and understands the details of the case, in particular when it comes to complex matters. She is thus able to advocate from a position of understanding the details well and that shows and is impressive in her advocacy.’
Juniors
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.
Samar Abbas Kazmi
Atkin Chambers ‘Very responsive and clear in his advice. He produces strong written submissions, capable of finding a way even for the most difficult of cases.’
Zulfikar Khayum
Atkin Chambers ‘Zulf is very focussed and gets to grips with the details quickly. He presents well and wins the confidence of the tribunal effectively. He has an impressive range – he can be robust when needed but can also be subtle and draw a witness out in cross-examination when that is the best approach.’
Shourav Lahiri
Atkin Chambers ‘Very quick to get up to speed with the matter, good strategist, an excellent advocate - clear, concise, confident and to the point. An effective cross-examiner with very good tribunal etiquette.’
Simon Crawshaw
Atkin Chambers ‘Simon has shown a remarkable intelligence and capability to grasp a very complex technical multidisciplinary project, understand the project organization and multifaceted contractual relationships, and drafts comprehensively. His communication is clear and concise, to the point, which is easy for the client to understand and make decisions accordingly. His cross-examination style is calm and factual, his attention to details and ability to find cross references within evidence made him one of a kind and an irreplaceable team member.’
Leading Juniors
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.
Samar Abbas Kazmi
Atkin Chambers ‘Very responsive and clear in his advice. He produces strong written submissions, capable of finding a way even for the most difficult of cases.’
Zulfikar Khayum
Atkin Chambers ‘Zulf is very focussed and gets to grips with the details quickly. He presents well and wins the confidence of the tribunal effectively. He has an impressive range – he can be robust when needed but can also be subtle and draw a witness out in cross-examination when that is the best approach.’
Shourav Lahiri
Atkin Chambers ‘Very quick to get up to speed with the matter, good strategist, an excellent advocate - clear, concise, confident and to the point. An effective cross-examiner with very good tribunal etiquette.’
Simon Crawshaw
Atkin Chambers ‘Simon has shown a remarkable intelligence and capability to grasp a very complex technical multidisciplinary project, understand the project organization and multifaceted contractual relationships, and drafts comprehensively. His communication is clear and concise, to the point, which is easy for the client to understand and make decisions accordingly. His cross-examination style is calm and factual, his attention to details and ability to find cross references within evidence made him one of a kind and an irreplaceable team member.’