The team at 42BR Barristers has in depth expertise in the social housing arena, the barristers represent and advise individuals and housing bodies on antisocial behaviour, disrepair, possession claims, rent, tenancy fraud and many more. Iris Ferber KC leads the housing team and has acted for the defendant in Vyas v LB Newham, a homelessness case involving an applicant who refuses to live in a council flat due to difficulties with an ex-partner. Mathew McDermott represented the defendant in Richmond Housing Partnership v Yakub-Hughe, this case involved the defendant seeking to avoid mandatory possession proceedings from social housing due to criminal activity. Peter Jolley has extensive experience representing clients in disrepair claims, equality, succession and tenancy fraud. The team was further strengthened with the arrival of barristers Amritpal Bachu in May 2024 and Alex Bailey in November 2024.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'The set as a whole is fantastic. The range of advocates that they have available from varying levels of experience is a rare find.' 
  • 'The chambers has  very good barristers for social housing matters.'
  • 'The clerks are always approachable and friendly.'
  • 'The clerks are always ready to assist, especially when hearing dates come up at short notice.'
  • 'The Clerks are fantastic and are always willing to go above and beyond as much as they can.'

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
Iris Ferber KC
‘Iris has vast knowledge on housing law and is able to advise the client to obtain suitable outcomes for their benefit and to avoid unnecessary litigation.’

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.

3
Desmond Kilcoyne
‘Desmond is exceptionally good at structuring and presenting very complex arguments so that they can be easily understood, and he never loses sight of the best interests of the client. Desmond is also very approachable and personable.'
3
Stefan Liberadzki
'Stefan is a very approachable barrister and quickly understands the issues in dispute and proactively attempts to solve them.'
3
Mathew McDermott
'Mathew is a phenomenal barrister, an excellent advocate, and very knowledgeable in his area of practice.'
4
Amritpal Bachu
‘Amritpal is a strong and skilled advocate.’
4
Michael Grant
  ‘Michael has an eye for detail and is always thoroughly prepared for court.’
4
Peter Jolley
‘Peter is extremely thorough in his approach and provides comprehensive advice. He is very approachable with a friendly yet professional attitude and will discuss the practical steps necessary to achieve the desired result.’
4
Naomi Hawkes
4
Niamh O’Brien
‘Niamh is a great advocate. She is knowledgeable in her area of expertise, she is intelligent, very professional ad she has excellent written and communication skills.'
4
Angela Piears
‘Angela is a very good barrister and always very calm and well-prepared for her hearings.'

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.

1
Max Gordon
'His attention to detail and being able to advise on aspects that instructing solicitors may have missed on a particular case. He is a very confident, intelligent and experienced barrister.'