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.
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Mentions
Profile
Position
Barrister
Career
2017: Appointed to the Attorney General's C PIL Panel
2015-17: Adjunct Professor in Public International Law, Pepperdine University, London
2011: Stagiaire, European Court of Human Rights
2011: Intern, Volterra Fietta
2011: Intern, International Arbitration Department, Wilmer Hale
2010-11: Bye-Fellow in Law and supervisor in European Union Law, Downing College, University of Cambridge
2010: Intern, International Law Programme, Chatham House
2010: Volunteer, Advice and Information Department, Liberty
2010: Call: Lincoln's Inn
2009: Intern, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
Education
2012: Harvard Law School, Visiting Scholar (EALS)
2010: Bar Vocational Course, BPP: Very Competent
2009: The Hague Academy of International Law, Public International Law Session
2009: University of Cambridge, Downing College, LL.M: Class I (ranked second overall)
2008: University of Cambridge, Downing College, BA (Hons), Law Tripos
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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.'