Michael Ashcroft KC
‘Excellent black letter knowledge of the law, very good strategically and client friendly. ’
Twenty Essex is described as “very user-friendly,” particularly in commercial shipping matters, where its barristers frequently act in high-profile international disputes. A standout case is Angeliki Frangou v John Frangos, where Timothy Hill KC and Andrew Feld are acting against Oliver Caplin KC, who leads Patrick Dunn-Walsh in a dispute between two members of a Greek shipping dynasty concerning loss-pooling arrangements among a group of vessels. In Briety Shipping Inc v Trafigura Maritime Logistics Pte Ltd, a dispute concerning a hire adjustment mechanism after the spike of LNG prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Michael Ashcroft KC and Daniel Bovensiepen act for the claimant, opposing Philip Edey KC and Michal Hain. Julian Kenny KC and Hain also appeared in the Supreme Court in the litigation concerning the MSC Flaminia, a container ship which exploded in the mid-Atlantic, killing three crew members and causing extensive damage to the vessel and its cargo.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The clerks are consistently practical, approachable, and highly responsive. I work most often with Chris Theobald and Arron Zitver, both of whom are a genuine pleasure to deal with.'
- 'Historically, this set has produced very good pupils and juniors.'
- 'Twenty Essex are strong chambers when it comes to dry shipping litigation, and one of our preferred sets for this type of work.'
- 'The clerks at Twenty Essex have been a pleasure to deal with over the years. They’re straightforward, reliable, and always quick to respond – no fuss, just very capable.'
- 'The clerks turn around requests very quickly.'
- 'Twenty Essex is an excellent set.'
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.
Christopher Hancock KC
Luke Pearce KC
Timothy Young KC
‘Top-class legal knowledge and advocacy – all delivered with panache and a sense of humour.’
Timothy Hill KC
‘First rate knowledge of the area and excellent at marshalling a team on high value and complex disputes. Incredible attention to detail in his hearing preparation and a highly effective advocate.’
Duncan Matthews KC
‘Duncan possesses a rare combination of intellectual rigour, strategic thinking, and eloquence. He has a talent for distilling complicated legal and factual issues into what ultimately matters to the outcome of the case.’
Philip Edey KC
‘He is a fantastic advocate, persuasive, he has presence and courtroom craft. When he speaks, the judge listens.’
Charles Kimmins KC
‘Strongly commercial and very user-friendly. '
David Lewis KC
‘David is excellent at identifying the arguments that will appeal to the judges and arbitrators. ’
Henry Byam-Cook KC
‘Henry is also an elegant and persuasive advocate who is always well-prepared. He can be firm, but never pugnacious and engages courts and tribunals well.’
Michael Coburn KC
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Michael Collett KC
‘Excellent grasp of the law.’
Julian Kenny KC
Simon Milnes KC
‘Simon is an exceptional advocate who combines legal expertise with a practical, results-driven approach. His depth of knowledge, particularly in complex commercial and shipping disputes, is impressive, but it is his ability to simplify and clearly communicate intricate legal issues that really stands out.’
Sara Masters KC
Very efficient, effortlessly manages proceedings, and consistently demonstrates sharp astuteness throughout.'
Thomas Raphael KC
‘He thought process is amazing and his ability to problem-solve and provide positive and forceful challenges is exceptional and is highly noted by clients. ’
Philip Riches KC
'Very driven and competent.'
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.
Oliver Caplin KC
‘Oliver is very thorough and provides well reasoned advice. His advocacy is clear and to the point – very effective. ‘
Josephine Davies KC
‘Authentic and a pleasure to work with, always ready to speak up and offer thoughtful opinions. A smart, strategic thinker.’
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.
Angharad Parry KC
‘A delight to work with. Super bright. ’
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.
Daniel Bovensiepen
‘Excellent turn-around times, thorough analysis.’
Tom Corby
'Brilliant legal mind and excellent on the detail.'
Alex Carless
Colleen Hanley
‘Highly structured with excellent attention to detail.’
Sean Snook
Sean is personable and easy to work with. He is able to analyse quickly and to provide prompt, clear and focused advice.’
Alexander Thompson
Alex is very user-friendly and down to earth with no ego or pomposity. He rolls up his sleeves and gets stuck in and is a real team player.'
Malcolm Jarvis
‘Malcolm is willing to put up a good fight even though the odds are not in his favour. He is also skilled at presenting a difficult case in as best a position he can.’
Andrew Dinsmore
Tough, tenacious, and thorough.'
Andrew Feld
‘A fabulous advocate and a numbers man too. He gets to grips with a complex quantum issues with ease and shows impressive command of detail. ’
Susannah Jones
‘Extremely bright, with a superb written style and a smooth charm on her feet which makes her an effective advocate. A superstar junior who will go very, very far.’
Patrick Dunn-Walsh
‘Patrick is very sensible and acute.’
Richard Greenberg
‘Richard is a very able and diligent junior. His drafting is exemplary and attention to detail is second to none. Very resilient and a great support in challenging cases. ’
Michal Hain
Karen Maxwell
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.
Matthew Chan
‘He has a compelling and articulate style of advocacy, with a strong ability to distil complex legal arguments into clear, persuasive points.’