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.

2
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.’

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.

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.

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.