Profile
Position
Simon is a highly experienced junior barrister specialising in professional negligence, professional regulation, and commercial disputes – particularly in the insurance field. He has wide experience of interlocutory, trial and appellate advocacy, arbitration work, and all kinds of alternative dispute resolution including acting as an adjudicator under the PNBA adjudication scheme (which he was partly responsible for developing).
Simon was short-listed (one of three) by Chambers & Partners as professional negligence junior of the year in 2014, 2016 and 2021 (he is a relentless optimist).
Simon was head of the Professional Negligence Group at Hailsham Chambers from 2016-2021.
“Simon is incredibly good on his feet. He has an exceptional courtroom manner and an effortless ability to get the judge on side. Outstanding depth of knowledge in all aspects of professional negligence. He is more than ready to be in silk.” Legal 500, 2022
“Amazing ability to retain knowledge of the huge number of documents in professional negligence cases and apply them when needed. Excellent cross examiner, really drills down to the issues.” Legal 500, 2021
Career
Called 1993
Memberships
Education
Simon was educated at the University of Sussex and the Université de Montpellier, where he took a 1st class degree in English with French. He acquired a Diploma in Law from City University, followed by the Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law where he was graded very competent. He was a Karmel scholar at Gray’s Inn.
Content supplied by Hailsham Chambers
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The clerks room is very helpful and promptly responds to queries. James Defries in particular is a reliable contact.'
- 'Stephen Smith leads an excellent group of clerks. The culture of chambers to problem solve runs through and the clerks are always looking for ways to assist and make life easier.'
- 'Stephen Smith leads from the front and is one of the most experienced (if not the most experienced) clerks in this field.'
- 'The clerks provide an outstanding service. They are commercial, down to earth and always there to provide a solution when it is needed the most.'
- 'Hailsham Chambers are an excellent set with a wide range of reliable counsel.'
- 'One of the go-to sets. Competitively priced, good clerking team and a high-quality selection of advocates.'
- 'Excellent from the clerking, which is the best, to the strength in depth throughout. They are the first choice chambers for professional negligence work.'
- 'Top notch set for claims against lawyers and coverage. They are bringing through new talent all the time.'