With ‘terrific capability and expertise at all years of call’, Essex Court Chambers continues to lead in public international law, with members appearing in high-profile cases before the ICJ, ITLOS and a range of domestic courts. The ’unfailingly polite, respectful and cogent’ Sam Wordsworth KC recently defended the Government of Azerbaijan in ICJ cases against Armenia, in which both states accuse each other of violating the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. At the junior level the set includes the ‘phenomenally clever’ Sean Aughey who has acted on behalf of Iran concerning the legality of US sanctions under international law. ’Precise and compelling’, Tariq Baloch KC joined the Chambers in 2024 and is highly prominent in international treaty arbitration cases, with recent success representing Spain in the Court of Appeal concerning the registration of a €120m ICSID award against it. Hugh Mercer KC is now the British judge on the European Court of Human Rights.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Ben Perry in particular, the Deputy Senior Clerk is excellent.'
- 'The clerks’ room provides an excellent service – responsive, efficient, and easy to work with. In particular, we worked with Melissa Wood, Sydney Ekiyo and Fabiha Begum, and found them to be highly professional and efficient.'
- 'The set is exceptionally well run. The clerks are responsive, efficient, and always accommodating, which makes instructing counsel a smooth and reliable process. Counsel are consistently available, even at short notice, which reflects both the strength of the set’s organisation and its client-focused approach.'
- 'Essex Court Chambers are one of the, if not the, top set for international law.
- 'Without doubt, Essex Court Chambers has great depth of strength in international law and investment arbitration. There is terrific capability and expertise in these matters at all years of call.'
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.
Alison Macdonald KC
Sam Wordsworth KC
He is across his brief, understands his client’s objectives, offers expert advice and crafts compelling written submissions. More than anything, what sets Sam apart from other senior counsel with similar experience and expertise is his oral advocacy. Sam reads the bench or tribunal expertly and tailors his submissions, in the moment, for maximum impact.
Lucas Bastin KC
Malcolm Shaw KC
‘His expertise in is truly outstanding – he brings a deep, nuanced understanding of the law, paired with a strategic mindset that consistently adds exceptional value. His ability to navigate complex legal issues with clarity and precision sets him apart, and he is widely regarded as the leading expert in his field.'
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.
Tariq Baloch KC
‘Tariq brings a level of intellectual rigour and clarity to complex disputes that inspires confidence at every stage of the litigation process. His written submissions are precise and compelling, and he commands real authority when on his feet. He is a strong advocate with a talent for simplifying the most intricate legal issues.’
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.
Sean Aughey
'Sean is phenomenally clever - he gets right to the heart of the issues and his drafting is exceptionally strong. Sean is also a very intelligent and persuasive advocate. He has very good instincts and is extremely calm even with the most difficult witnesses.'
Amy Sander
'She is a brilliant advocate with a brilliant mind.'
Jackie McArthur
Thomas Sebastian
Luke Tattersall
Peter Webster
‘Peter is a barrister with skills far above his years of call. His advocacy is calm, persuasive and extremely substantively capable.’
Paul Wee
‘Paul is one of the star performers at the Bar. He drafts beautifully and his ability to digest and distill masses of information into clear concise legal submissions is second to none.’
Rising stars
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.
