Alan Gardner KC
‘Alan is the very safest pair of hands. He knows his brief inside out, is entirely unflappable, an excellent tactician, authoritative yet warm and approachable. He quickly gains the confidence of those around him and never loses it.’
23ES is widely regarded as ‘an excellent set, with a range of advocates who communicate well in the preparation and trial stages of a case’. Eloise Marshall KC possesses ’great clarity and tenacity’ and acted for the defendant in a murder trial involving allegations of a planned killing of a restaurant employee. ‘An exceptional trial advocate who is top of her game’, Kate Lumsdon KC represented a defendant in a violent revenge attack between drug dealers stemming from an unpaid debt. Alan Gardner KC, ’a well prepared and calm advocate with a quiet approach’, successfully prosecuted in a murder trial involving the fatal stabbing of the victim at a party, resulting in a conviction.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Wayne King is extremely experienced but also friendly and down to earth. He runs a tight ship.'
- 'Adam Chapman is the first port of call. He is very responsive, reasonable, and helpful.'
- 'The clerks are excellent. Adam Chapman and Wayne King are two of the best clerks in the game.'
- 'Wayne King and his team can assist, especially at the very last minute and go the extra mile to find someone.'
- '23ES has great strength and depth with high-quality advocates across the board.'
- '23ES has an excellent spread of talented barristers across the full range of criminal work.'
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.
Jennifer Knight KC
'Jennifer is an excellent and engaging advocate. Her thorough preparation and attention to detail allow her to distil complex information into a format that a jury will understand.'
Kate Lumsdon KC
‘Kate has excellent client care skills and a very effective manner with juries.’
Eloise Marshall KC
‘Eloise is a tenacious, competent and experienced barrister.’
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.
Lesley Bates KC
‘Lesley knows every square inch of every brief that crosses her desk and misses nothing. She has every detail of the criminal law at her fingertips and deploys her knowledge to her advantage.’
James Bloomer KC
‘James is a passionate, compassionate, empathetic, meticulous and forceful barrister.’
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.
David Dainty
‘David is approachable to clients, including those who are vulnerable. He can explain the evidence in a case to them in a way that ensures they can understand. He presents well-thought-out legal arguments in court.’
Patrick Duffy
‘Patrick quickly grasps complicated issues, and his advice is clear and straight to the point.’
Rhodri James
‘Rhodri is extremely thorough in his preparation and particularly strong in handling paper-heavy cases. He alleviates the pressure on his instructing solicitors by taking control of case preparation.’
James McCrindell
'James is a hard-working and committed barrister. His attention to detail and impressive client care means he is a firm favourite with solicitors.'
Stephen Shay
Elizabeth Acker
'Elizabeth is an excellent barrister. She is diligent and a highly effective advocate.'
Carina Clare
'Carina has a unique talent, and her ability to see a case is second to none. She is a tactical genius and five steps ahead of everyone in the courtroom.'
William Eaglestone
'William is a very talented advocate. His written skills are exemplary.'
Sarah Morris
Emilie Morrison
'Emilie is an excellent junior. She is hard-working and knowledgeable. She is on top of the papers and drafts structure and sound legal arguments.'