Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC
'One of the most accomplished, hardest working, super strategic but also bold and brave advocates of her generation - utterly brilliant written work and advocacy. There are not enough superlatives to describe her work.'
With an established tradition of human rights expertise, Matrix Chambers ‘combines intellectual heft and sector-based knowledge with approachable and communicative barristers’ to represent vulnerable clients in prominent international criminal and human rights proceedings. Praised for her ’utterly brilliant written work and advocacy’, Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC represents South Africa in its International Court of Justice case against Israel, which it accuses of genocide regarding the war in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7th attack in 2023; Michelle Butler continues to represent the families of Israeli victims of physical and sexual violence as part of October 7th. Edward Craven KC took silk in 2025 and has ongoing involvement for the claimant in Abu Zubaydah v Home Office and Foreign & Commonwealth Office, which concerns allegations of international human rights abuses against UK and US authorities. Joanna Buckley was recently instructed to act before the UN’s Committee against Torture on behalf of Yazidi victims of slavery and torture, a case which raised complex cross-border conflict questions regarding non-state actors.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Clerks are good, especially Paul Venables.'
- 'Paul Venables must be highlighted for particular praise and credit. He knows the market in public international law better than any other clerk, and is highly effective at protecting the interests of the barristers with whom he works.'
- 'Good depth in senior and junior areas in this area of law.'
- 'Matrix is an incredibly experienced set for constitutional, public and international law. They manage to combine intellectual heft and sector-based knowledge with approachable and communicative barristers.'
- 'Matrix is outstanding.'
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.
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.
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.
Joanna Buckley
'Joanna is a thoughtful and meticulous barrister. She has the ability to be flexible in her approach and be practical in her advice. She is a joy to work with. Her subject knowledge expertise is well recognised and impressive.'
Michelle Butler
‘Michelle shines above her colleagues. She is a league of her own. Full of professionalism and passionate about her work she combines skill with a unique personal care and attention to the cases she’s handling.’
