Joseph O’Brien KC
St John’s BuildingsThe members of St John’s Buildings frequently act in cases concerning deprivation of liberty, serious medical treatment, and the human rights of vulnerable adults. Joseph O’Brien KC and Lorraine Cavanagh KC are the key silks in this arena, and Cavanagh KC has a particular interest in cases conquering young adults in family proceedings. Turning to the juniors, Lucinda France-Hayhurst is skilled at handling cases regarding the capacity to consent to sexual relations, experimental treatment, and inherent jurisdiction. Serious medical treatment cases and best interest disputes form a core part of Laura Twist‘s practice. Eleanor Keehan frequently acts on behalf of the Official Solicitor, local authorities, and health bodies, as well as family members, and she is also on the National Executive Committee of CoPPA.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The clerks always do what they can to assist.'
- 'The clerks I have liaised with have all been helpful and friendly, always ready to offer solutions to problems, and very quick to respond to requests.'
- 'St John’s Buildings has a remarkable set of barristers practicing in Court of Protection health and welfare disputes. Their annual training day is well attended and provides an insightful overview of recent developments in the law. '
- 'This chambers has a really good offering of practitioners in the Court of Protection and family proceedings, both from the perspective of direct instruction and interactions within cases where barristers have acted for other parties.'
- 'St Johns Buildings are a very strong public law and human rights set, with many barristers who have a wealth of knowledge and who are highly sought after.'
Silks
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.
Lorraine Cavanagh KC
St John’s Buildings 'Lorraine is an extremely knowledgeable and persuasive advocate, and she quickly gets to grips with complex matters, both from a factual and legal perspective. Lorraine is dedicated, reliable, and consistent - everything that you need in a barrister.'
Juniors
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.
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Eleanor Keehan
St John’s Buildings 'Eleanor is a strong advocate, has a great presence in court, she is very confident in her work, and she works extremely hard. She is great to work with and has a lovely, kind manner, while still getting the job done in a very professional and respectful way to her opponents.'
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Laura Twist
St John’s Buildings ‘Laura is an extremely experienced barrister who is entrusted with the most serious of cases in the Court of Protection. She is the epitome of calmness and professionalism, providing detailed and complex advice in a way which is accessible to lay clients, and her knowledge and experience in the Court of Protection, and her background in property and affairs, means that she is the complete package.’
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Rebecca Carr
St John’s Buildings2
Lucinda France-Hayhurst
St John’s Buildings 'Lucinda takes a practical approach to Court of Protection cases, which is crucial. She is able to cut through to the key issues and provide consistently strong advice, and her drafting is strong, as is her advocacy, both in court and at RTMs.'
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.
Rebecca Titus-Cobb
St John’s Buildings 'Rebecca is efficient and understands the complexities of her cases well. She strongly advocates on behalf of the client and responds well under pressure to developments in the case and difficult questions about the law and procedure.'