Jonathan Barker
‘Jonathan is commercial in approach, outcome-focused, and excellent with clients and in court.’
The regulatory team at St Philips Chambers offers significant expertise in handling the full spectrum of consumer offences and business crime matters, including both prosecution and defence work. Jonathan Barker is ‘a hard-working junior with an excellent manner with clients’, and a highly sought-after counsel for health and safety issues, currently acting for a defendant in a multi-million-pound business fraud case. Ben Mills notably represented the HSE in HSE v Balfour Beatty, a case involving an accident on a construction site at the University of Birmingham, resulting in one worker’s death and life-changing permanent injuries to another.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The clerking team, in particular Andrew Rourke, is exceptionally responsive, engaging, and accommodating, even amidst the current extreme challenges of diary management. They consistently go above and beyond to ensure smooth coordination and are always ready to assist with a positive attitude.'
- 'James Withers is easy to work with, quick to respond to emails and helpful with any queries. He is everything one wants in a clerk.'
- 'Clerks and helpful and professional.'
- 'The fantastic regulatory clerking team.'
- 'St Philips demonstrates exceptional commercial awareness through their active engagement. Their commitment to fostering strong professional relationships and staying attuned to the evolving legal landscape is evident in their proactive involvement in these activities.'
- 'St Philips is an excellent regulatory and criminal defence set.'
Lawyers
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.
Ben Close
‘Ben is a highly experienced and serious advocate, renowned for his ability to master complex legal and factual cases with ease. His depth of knowledge and analytical skills consistently inspire confidence in clients and solicitors alike.’
Joseph Millington
‘Joseph is the complete lawyer. He is intellectually well ahead of the field but also empathetic and calmly persuasive. In court, he excels at the most complex and challenging cases.’
Ben Mills
‘Ben is extremely bright and thorough. An ideal advocate to advance a legal argument, well-informed on the law, and logical and easy to follow when making submissions.’
James Puzey
'James is approachable, knowledgeable, capable and a reliable pair of hands. His advocacy is effective in a composed and measured way.'
Ben Williams
‘Ben is excellent in front of a jury. His health and safety law knowledge is exceptional, and his trial advocacy is thorough and understandable.’