Penny Howe KC
‘Penny is a powerful advocate who takes command of the room in a measured and calm way. Her preparation is meticulous and she is able to read the judge and parties, and adapt her approach as to what is likely to be received well.'
With 'a wide base of excellent public law counsel', common law set Pump Court Chambers is a go-to for a variety of children law matters. It is home to numerous notable silks, including Leslie Samuels KC, who is lauded for his 'extensive experience spanning over three decades'; he is often instructed on complex cases surrounding injuries to young children and babies, especially those regarding head injuries, fractures, and poisonings, while 'powerful advocate' Penny Howe KC leads the family law team with a focus on public law cases regarding death or serious harm, in addition to fictitious illnesses. Turning to the juniors, David Josty is of note for his expertise in acting for local authorities, lay parties, and children in cases arising from substance abuse and neglect. Corinne Iten is praised for her 'extensive legal knowledge' and is especially skilled in public children law cases, including cases concerning deprivation of liberty and issues of capacity.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The clerks at Pump Court are excellent and even more organised and communicative as the years pass. Tony Atkins, their senior clerk, is approachable and flexible wherever he can be and they are a pleasure to work with.'
- 'Excellent. Lloyd Parker is extremely efficient at responding to enquiries and always gets back to you!'
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.
Leslie Samuels KC
‘Leslie is absolutely first rate and a class act. He has a calm measured approach to his advocacy which reaps rewards from the most obdurate of judges, he presents his case skilfully without ever overstating his position, and speaks with absolute conviction when that is warranted.’
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.
Jennifer Swan
David Josty
‘David is an exceptionally strong advocate seeking to put his client’s case positively, both in pre-hearing discussions and in the hearing itself. He is always well prepared and spends time speaking with his instructing solicitor and the client to ensure that he has all of the details and to provide clear advice about the likely outcome, issues to argue, relevant law etc, and within the hearing, David is sensitive to the approach of the particular tribunal making his submissions more powerful.'
Andrew Grime
‘Andrew's knowledge of the law is superb; there really is nothing he doesn't know! He is always quick to inform what has happened in court and any points that need to be addressed, he communicates very well making sure there is nothing he hasn't missed nor misunderstood, and he is able to deal with tricky lay clients and professional clients with the same professional attitude and skill.'
Corinne Iten
‘Corinne is an excellent advocate, putting her client’s case strongly and clearly while remaining conscious of the law, the current practice and policies and the needs of all parties. She is vulnerable witness trained and ensures that the proper practices are put into action while being pragmatic about an individual witness’s needs and wishes, and she is very analytical and clear in her case plan and interrogation and she prepares hugely helpful position statements and skeleton arguments setting out the law and her client’s position clearly and with proper force.’
Victoria Ellis
‘Victoria is a measured and robust advocate who is able to adapt her style to the needs of the case. She specifically does not need to exert herself, but rather makes submissions and examines in a considered manner which makes her compelling to the court but also leads the party being examined to react as required.’
Caroline Hartley
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.
Rebekah Batt
‘Rebekah is a fantastic advocate who strives to ensure the best possible outcome for her clients and her preparation is detailed and thorough. Her advice to clients at court is precise, and clients comment on her ability to relay their instructions to the judge.’