Brian Altman KC
2 Bedford RowCrime
Leading Silks
Duncan Atkinson KC
6KBW College Hill ‘Duncan is a top class advocate, strategist and lawyer. He is formidable in argument on paper; he is greatly admired by judges in legal argument orally; and he is a dangerously fair cross-examiner of defendants in the witness box. He has grown to be one of the most senior and effective prosecution advocates in the land, trusted with the most sensitive and complex prosecutions.’
Crispin Aylett KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman 'Crispin turns his hand to anything with exceptional skill. He is probably the finest jury advocate of his generation.'
Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC
2 Hare Court ‘Sallie is phenomenal and one of the most gifted barristers at the Bar. She is unbelievably intelligent but also extremely practical. Clients know that they are getting the best service available when Sallie is working on their case.’
Henry Blaxland KC
Garden Court Chambers
Caroline Carberry KC
Furnival Chambers ‘Caroline is a charming and very effective advocate, both as a prosecutor and defence counsel. She is dogged and clear sighted in her assessment of the issues in cases with an ability to see the real issues and put them forward and present them in an attractive and persuasive way.’
George Carter-Stephenson KC
25 Bedford Row 'George's manner and communication with clients is a particular strength of his - he is able to talk, engage and advise clients, of all backgrounds, in a down-to-earth and caring manner. This is extremely important in highly complex and sensitive cases.'
Jeremy Dein KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Jeremy is a doyen of the criminal Bar. He rightly enjoys a reputation as one of the very best silks in the country. He is a formidable opponent and a fearsome cross-examiner. He is thorough, tenacious and fights tooth and nail for his clients. He is absolutely top drawer and the go-to barrister for those wish to defend the most serious and challenging cases.’
Patrick Gibbs KC
Three Raymond Buildings ‘Paddy is quite simply one of the finest advocates of his generation. His insight, judgement, and willingness to delve into the weeds of the evidence make him one of the most reliable and effective advocates around. His trial preparation is second only to his advocacy – his incredibly polite yet disarming style is unstoppable when coupled with his diligence, immense intelligence, and unparalleled ability to think on his feet no matter the pressure.’
Oliver Glasgow KC
2 Hare Court ‘Oliver is a class act. He has a phenomenal mind and cuts through cases with precision and skill. Despite being one of the best criminal silks, he is respectful and treats those he works with in a compassionate and considerate way. He is never flustered and has an unprecedented work ethic. Truly outstanding in all he does.’
Caroline Haughey KC
Furnival Chambers ‘Caroline is simply formidable. She is exceptionally bright, hardworking and very down to earth. She has a fantastic ability to digest vast quantities of information and to break it down into easy-to-understand concepts for a jury. She gets her points across in a structured and beautiful way allowing even difficult concepts to be easily understood. Moreover, Caroline is the foremost expert in human trafficking in the UK.'
Ian Henderson KC
Farringdon Chambers ‘Ian is an excellent lawyer and advocate. He is thorough in his preparation and precise in his cross-examination. Ian's affable personality and down-to-earth approach is particularly effective with juries. He is well respected by both the Bar and Bench.'
Paul Hynes KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Paul is undoubtedly one of the cleverest barristers at the criminal Bar, if not the cleverest. His intellect is extraordinary. He is able to comprehend even the most complex areas of the law in a way that few others can, and then condense it in a way that makes sense to the layman. His humour means that judges, juries and law clients, combined with his exceptional ability, warm to him.’
Gillian Jones KC
Red Lion Chambers ‘Gilly's abilities cannot be praised highly enough; she is simply the best barrister around. She is phenomenally hardworking, her attention to detail is exceptional, she is tactically very astute and is a formidable advocate. She has the ability to communicate at every level and her care towards clients is the best.'
Riel Karmy-Jones KC
Red Lion Chambers ‘Riel is a class act. She is approachable, impressive and very clever indeed. She commands the attention of the whole courtroom; watching her in court is like being chauffeur driven in a Rolls Royce. Her capacity for hard work and her attention to detail is awe-inspiring. Her judgement is impeccable, her tactics astute, and she is particularly good with vulnerable witnesses.’
Eleanor Laws KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman 'Ellie is persuasive in writing and on her feet. She is top of the game when it comes to sex cases - she thoroughly earns the title as the top sex brief in the country. Ellie is just very, very clever. She also listens to clients, makes a real effort to understand events from their perspective, and isn’t afraid of giving hard news but does so with compassion.'
Tom Little KC
Deka Chambers
Philippa McAtasney KC
Furnival Chambers 'Philippa has gravitas in buckets. She is an excellent lawyer and advocate. She takes no prisoners but she is approachable, friendly and has a super sense of humour. She has a big reputation which is thoroughly deserved.'
Paul Mendelle KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Paul is very intelligent and a canny operator. He is a superb lawyer and an effective communicator to the jury.'
Tim Moloney KC
Doughty Street Chambers 'Tim is a fantastically gifted advocate. He is grounded and effective. His style is understated, empathetic, compassionate and compelling. In any courtroom, Tim is the special one, exuding wisdom and effortlessness. Juries love him.'
Clare Montgomery KC
Matrix Chambers
James Scobie KC
Garden Court Chambers
Jim Sturman KC
2 Bedford Row ‘Jim is absolutely top class. He is passionate and driven to succeed and is the solicitors' best choice for taking on difficult issues head on. He is charming in court but is like a dog with a bone when he needs to get stuck into a witness and is relentless in pursuing his lay client's case. Jim is a man for all seasons - the crème de la crème.'
Sasha Wass KC
6KBW College Hill ‘Sasha has a really excellent manner with clients – she is reassuring and explains things very clearly. Clients feel that she is fighting their corner. Her tactical advice is superb and she commands real respect in the courtroom.’
Richard Whittam KC
Matrix Chambers
James Wood KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘James is a phenomenal advocate who is completely fearless of judges. He will fight for the client irrespective of the views of others. He is a first choice for any difficult and complex case. He is great to work with and gets back to you immediately. He is unstuffy and collaborative. He is highly respected and is intellectually superior to most of his peers.’
1
Sarah Forshaw KC
5KBW ‘Sarah is an absolute dream to work with. She is a tactical and strategic genius - every question relayed under cross-examination is skilfully crafted and deployed with pin-point precision and effectiveness. Every client that instructs Sarah trusts her with their life - they are 100% right to do so. She is by far the best silk in the business.'
1
Mark Heywood KC
5KBW ‘Mark is a devastatingly persuasive advocate who is charming and erudite in equal measure. He is so compelling it is often difficult to work out how he could possibly be wrong. Mark has effortless charm and intellectual gravity at the same time. He carries with him a weight of experience and knowledge which is almost impossible to challenge.’
1
Lewis Power KC
Church Court Chambers
Christine Agnew KC
2 Bedford Row ‘Christine has an unmatched eye for detail and is razor sharp and incisive in her presentation of arguments and cross-examination.'
Tracy Ayling KC
2 Bedford Row2
Narita Bahra KC
33 Chancery Lane ‘Narita is incredibly hard-working. She is meticulous in preparation, in particular in relation to disclosure, in which she is an industry thought leader and noted author of the practitioner texts. Narita is a masterful advocate who has seen it all and knows just what to say and how to say it to best effect.’
Ali Bajwa KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman 'Ali's preparation for a case is of the highest level; he explores and understands every single detail. His advocacy is an art; listening to him cross-examine is like listening to poetry - good poetry. Ali takes the court and the witness on a journey to an almost inescapable final destination.'
Jane Bickerstaff KC
9BR ‘Jane is a phenomenally experienced advocate working on the most serious cases. She fights passionately and tirelessly for her clients to achieve excellent results and she is somebody who sensitively deals with vulnerable clients and also acts on some cases that require the utmost sensitivity.’
Michael Bromley-Martin KC
Three Raymond Buildings 'Michael is one of the very best. He is a skilled and polished advocate and a master tactician. He has a hawk’s eye for detail and a nose for any weakness in the prosecution case. He is approachable, impressive and scared of no one. A true gladiator. This combined with exemplary charm make him of one of the most effective and charismatic silks around.'
Giles Cockings KC
Furnival Chambers ‘Giles is a brilliant advocate and a superb tactician. He is highly recommended.'
John Cooper KC
25 Bedford Row
Mark Cotter KC
5 St Andrews Hill ‘Mark is a master of detail. He is a brilliant cross-examiner and brilliant in mitigation. His strategic thinking is superb and he has an excellent manner with clients. Mark has a real ability to explain complex legal principles, such as joint enterprise, in a concise manner, relevant to a young person's world.'
Annabel Darlow KC
6KBW College Hill ‘Annabel stands up to judges with confidence and clarity. If her argument is dismissed she will clearly tell a judge that she disagrees and explain why. At the end of that process the judge often changes his or her mind. She is forensic in cross-examination and uses all of the material at hand to present a complex case in a wonderfully simple manner.’
Jennifer Dempster KC
Red Lion Chambers ‘Jenni has an ability to digest and then explain the very complicated in terms a lay person can understand. Then when she is in court she is an advocate with energy and determination like no other.’
Simon Denison KC
6KBW College Hill ‘Simon is an astute prosecutor and does not take bad points. His cross-examination is always well judged and to the point. One could not ask for a fairer prosecutor.'
Diana Ellis KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Diana is simply a class act. She is always calm, measured and exercises exceptional judgement. She is an outstanding silk who can seemingly navigate with ease through the most complicated cases.'
David Etherington KC
Red Lion Chambers ‘David is a smooth operator. He is an exceptional jury advocate.'
Edward Fitzgerald KC
Doughty Street Chambers 'Edward is, without a doubt, one of the finest barristers of our time. He is always completely focussed on the case before him and draws on his encyclopaedic knowledge of the law to get the very best outcome. But more than that he brings great humanity to the cases he works on, mastering the facts and using the law to achieve justice.'
Mark Harries KC
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Mark is, without doubt, one of the most gifted advocates around. His commitment to each case is unwavering. His approach is impressively tailored to the nature of the case and to the needs of the client. He is never judgemental. His case preparation is exceptionally thorough. He always makes himself available to deal with queries, whatever their nature.’
2
Alexandra Healy KC
Foundry Chambers ‘Alexandra is a first-rate advocate at the peak of her powers and one of the leading lights of the criminal Bar. She is best known presently for her leading role in prosecuting the most sensitive and complex of criminal jury trials, but she could just as easily be defending them. Alexandra has a perfect grasp of the law, a mastery of the facts, and superb judgement of what really matters in a case. She is resolute with judges and digestible with juries.’
Christopher Henley KC
Mountford Chambers ‘Chris is everything you could want in a criminal silk. He rolls his sleeves up. He gets stuck in. He is unfazed and calm. Clients adore him. Judges respect him. And he’s a pleasure to work with. His advocacy is unflappable even in the tightest of corners. He is a leader in his field.'
David Hislop KC
Doughty Street Chambers 'David's strengths are his advocacy, tenacious cross-examination, and tactical decision making in handling tricky witnesses. Juries love him. He has an ability to get a grasp on a case quickly and assimilate large quantities of paperwork. David is respected by all.'
David Jeremy KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘David is a superb lawyer and advocate, at the pinnacle of his powers.'
Zoe Johnson KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘Zoe is a devastating advocate, an impressive lawyer and a first-class human being. She effortlessly achieves the best results for her clients.'
2
Richard Jory KC
Foundry Chambers ‘Richard is a very pleasant, persuasive and charming advocate. He is intelligent, articulate and understands and can communicate with clients.'
Paul Keleher KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Paul’s strengths are his precision and integrity. No short cuts are taken on his watch and no prejudice against his client is permitted to go unchallenged. Paul is also well known to be the ablest user of technological and presentation aids at the Bar.’
Kate Lumsdon KC
23ES ‘Kate simply exudes quality. She inspires trust from clients, judges and opponents alike. Kate is a master of detail, highly effective on her feet, straight as a die, utterly professional and the epitome of charm.’
Eloise Marshall KC
23ES ‘Eloise is a top silk with the full skill set required of a barrister. She is a formidable cross-examiner, focusing questions on the relevant issues and relentlessly pursuing her point, though she can also deal with issues with a light touch when necessary. Her ability to adapt her style and approach to what is required in the case is brilliant. Her closing speeches are extremely engaging and persuasive.’
Rajiv Menon KC
Garden Court Chambers
Miranda Moore KC
5 Paper Buildings 'Miranda is unflappable and knows everything. She has such a depth of experience that literally nothing throws her. She can handle complex legal, factual, medical, and financial analysis with ease. She commands respect and is always cool under pressure. She is also great fun to work with, and not at all stuffy.'
2
Alison Morgan KC
6KBW College Hill
Stephen Moses KC
Furnival Chambers 'Stephen is magnificent on his feet and the manner in which he deals with legal argument is especially impressive. He is simply brilliant; confident and measured in every aspect. He stands his ground and will persist in his attempts to persuade, to great effect.'
Pavlos Panayi KC
7BR ‘Pavlos has an ability to absorb the detail of the most complex case in a short space of time. His cross-examination is always thought-through and his courtroom performance combines calm, empathy, robust challenge and flair at precisely the right moment. He has impeccable witness handling skills.’
Icah Peart KC
Garden Court Chambers
Duncan Penny KC
6KBW College Hill ‘Duncan is a man who knows criminal law inside out but can importantly assess the likely actions of the investigating and prosecuting authorities and anticipate them. He has crystalline clarity in his approach and analysis.’
Simon Pentol KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Simon is a unique barrister. He owns the courtroom when he stands up and you cannot help but listen to what he has to say. He is a true defender through and through and a street fighter for clients when the battle is uphill. He is always confident and will always provide clients with robust and direct advice, which is often needed.'
Jonathan Rees KC
2 Hare Court2
Martin Rutherford KC
15NBS ‘Martin inspires absolute confidence in those he works alongside. His relaxed and warm manner quickly wins over clients who love working with him. In court he exudes authority and his judgement of courtroom dynamics is impeccable, with all those he appears before holding him in the highest regard.’
John Ryder KC
6KBW College Hill
Mathew Sherratt KC
Thomas More Chambers ‘Mathew is a charming and persuasive advocate. He is able to assimilate large volumes of complex material very quickly, and to draw incisive and pertinent conclusions from it. His advocacy style is good humoured and down to earth and he is popular with juries. Mathew fights hard in court, but is a pleasure to deal with out of it.'
Tyrone Smith KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Tyrone's advocacy is top-notch. He has a wonderful way of appealing to the reasonableness of the jury without appearing to be partisan in advancing his own case. He is also tactically very astute and always plots a very good course through the case.'
Alisdair Williamson KC
Three Raymond Buildings ‘Alisdair is at the very upper echelons of the criminal Bar. He is a brilliant cross-examiner with exceptional judgement. His ability to read the mood of any tribunal is second to none. His preparation, written work and oral advocacy skills are excellent.’
2
Tana Adkin KC
15NBS ‘Tana is a brilliant advocate with a powerful presence in court. She presents submissions articulately and persuasively, demonstrating thorough preparation and good insight. She is exceptionally skilled and maintains high standards of integrity and ethics.'
2
Mozammel Hossain KC
187 Chambers ‘Mozammel is one of the great jury advocates operating at the moment. He delivers his account in the most eloquent manner and members of the jury are always engaged in his speeches and cross-examination of witnesses. He has built a formidable reputation defending murder cases and clients love him as he always fights their corner.’
2
Anthony Metzer KC
Goldsmith Chambers ‘Anthony's preparation of a case is meticulous and no stone is left unturned. His attention to detail and analysis of the facts means that he is able to identify case strategies which achieve the best possible outcome for clients. He is a fearless defender, charismatic and a genuine gentleman.'
2
Steven Perian KC
2 King's Bench Walk Chambers 'Steven is very meticulous, experienced and articulate. A well-respected advocate.'
2
Brian St Louis KC
15NBS ‘Brian is a first-rate advocate who is flawless on his feet and a joy to watch. A master tactician, Brian is able to master his brief very quickly and his cross-examination of experts is technical and meticulous. Clients absolutely love him. His smile wins over half the jury and his intellect does the rest.'
2
Bernard Tetlow KC
Garden Court Chambers 'Bernard is a huge presence in court and a true jury advocate. He is excellent with clients and a constant source of support to his instructing solicitors. Bernard is at the top of his game.'
2
Kieran Vaughan KC
2 Bedford Row ‘One of Kieran's greatest strengths is his ability to identify and get to the heart of issues very quickly. He communicates well with clients and has the ability to explain things clearly with precision and focus. This translates into his court advocacy where he commands respect and attention from juries, fellow counsel and judges.'
2
John Femi-Ola KC
3TG Barristers ‘John is a superb orator who captivates a jury. Eloquence and charm are his trademark. He is now a regular at the Old Bailey due to his reputation as a murder specialist. John is a top ranking silk with an easy manner about him such that it is a pleasure to be in his company.’
Colin Aylott KC
Mountford Chambers ‘Colin's stellar trial preparation is reflected in his advocacy which is always on point and delivered to devastating effect. He is a disarming opponent, an excellent lawyer and juries love him.'
Tony Badenoch KC
6KBW College Hill ‘Tony is a very impressive advocate with sound judgement and a great work ethic. He is polite in the extreme, a commodity that isn’t always found in advocates these days, and his advocacy on legal matters is extremely impressive.’
Alex Bailin KC
Matrix Chambers ‘Alex is a highly accomplished and sophisticated advocate - he has an eye for detail but never loses touch of the bigger picture and he is tactically very astute and comfortable with dealing with tricky or novel points of law.'
Richard Barraclough KC
Six Pump Court 'Richard has an enormous capacity for detail, his analytical skills are unique and he is empathetic - he cannot be faulted.'
Jason Bartfeld KC
187 Chambers ‘Jason is a true gladiator in court. He is confident, fearless and ready to fight all the way for his clients.’
Kate Bex KC
Red Lion Chambers ‘Kate is an advocate at the top of her game. She is a commanding and charming presence in court - a difficult feat to pull off - and her closing speeches are a masterclass in advocacy. She has great tactical acumen and remains a very firm but fair prosecutor.'
3
Oliver Blunt KC
Furnival Chambers ‘Oliver is a person that deals in the detail of the evidence and forms a strategy based on it. He has great forensic skill when handling witness statements and in cross-examination of witnesses. He also builds great rapport with clients and they trust his judgement. He is a go-to counsel for serious matters.’
Paul Bogan KC
23ES3
Kirsty Brimelow KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Kirsty has excellent, detailed knowledge of the criminal law as well as years of experience running complex cases. She is warm and approachable and never too busy to assist her colleagues. She is also plainly an excellent negotiator.'
John Cammegh KC
5 St Andrews Hill 'John is an exceptional advocate. He is commanding and authoritative in court, without being overbearing. He is effortlessly persuasive and his advocacy style is precisely what you'd expect of a silk.'
Brenda Campbell KC
Garden Court Chambers
Richard Christie KC
187 Chambers ‘Richard is skilful, his attention to detail is second to none and above all he has a unique ability to bring out the best in clients in the most difficult of situations. He is very energetic and has a very good understanding of complex areas common in murder cases such as identification, cell site analysis and forensics. He is simply one of the best silks in the profession.’
Adam Davis KC
3TG Barristers
Benjamin Douglas-Jones KC
5 Paper Buildings ‘Ben is an absolutely first-class criminal barrister. When he speaks, people listen, because what he says is always worth listening to. He has a total eye to detail and never misses a page of the papers. He has a great tactical approach and moves straight to the key points. He has no weaknesses.'
Peter Doyle KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Peter is a tactical genius with decades of experience. He is at the top of his game.'
Sarah Elliott KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Sarah is the best trial advocate around. She is totally on top of evidence and the issues in the case as well as fearless in the face of tough judges and aggressive prosecutors. Juries enjoy her grilling of those who come to the witness box with an agenda and with something to protect.'
David Emanuel KC
Garden Court Chambers
William Emlyn Jones KC
Three Raymond Buildings 'William is one of the most respected and able prosecutors at the Old Bailey in the most serious and complex cases. His personable manner and charm should not hide his inner steely determination. He is a tough and astute cross-examiner and a master tactician.'
Philip Evans KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘Philip is a wonderful advocate with a nice, dry turn of phrase. He is also a very capable lawyer. Out of court he is great - a fantastic team player, lovely to work with and always looking out for others. A dream leader.'
Mark Fenhalls KC
23ES
Peter Glenser KC
9BR Chambers
Emma Goodall KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Emma is highly intelligent with a forensic eye for detail. Her diligent case preparation is the amongst the best around. Her knowledge of the law and ability to apply that knowledge to her client's advantage in the service of their case is genuinely impressive. She is a persuasive advocate who always has the respect of the court due to her obvious grasp of the issues in the case and her conspicuous competence.'
3
Siobhan Grey KC
Foundry Chambers 'Siobhan is a dedicated KC at the zenith of the profession. She has excellent analytical skills. She is methodical and meticulous. Siobhan is an adept communicator especially with vulnerable clients. She is a persuasive, skilled advocate. Siobhan is real fighter and first choice counsel in murder cases.'
Jacob Hallam KC
6KBW College Hill ‘Jacob is always across the detail of his cases. Judges trust him and his style is very jury friendly in that it is understated and always reasonable in a way which only serves to emphasise any good points he has to make.'
Edward Henry KC
Mountford Chambers ‘Edward is obviously highly intelligent and pleasingly bold. But the difference between him and others is that alongside this legal intelligence comes deep emotional intelligence, along with humility and dedication. He is highly recommended for his keen intelligence, his relentless hard work and his deep compassion for the people he represents.'
3
William Hughes KC
Foundry Chambers ‘William has been there and done it. He appears unflappable in the most complex trials. His advocacy puts the whole court at ease and is based on huge experience. Gravitas and ability emanates from him each time he rises to his feet.'
Aftab Jafferjee KC
6KBW College Hill ‘Aftab cross-examines with flair and authority. He makes excellent legal submissions, takes good points and is a very attractive advocate.'
Tom Kark KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman
Alan Kent KC
Mountford Chambers ‘Alan is a masterful advocate. He is brilliant on tactics and a superb all-rounder.'
Jennifer Knight KC
23ES ‘Jennifer demonstrates mastery of the law and facts in all cases. She is calm and measured in cases of the utmost sensitivity. In particular she has an in-depth knowledge of the complicated and difficult medical evidence that arises in the homicide of children. Jennifer is a powerful advocate on top of her game in all senses.’
Abbas Lakha KC
9BR Chambers 'Abbas is an exceptional advocate. He has real presence in court and inspires confidence in clients. He is able to instantly respond and adapt to the often dynamic nature of proceedings and has the ability to readily grasp and master complicated technical evidence, often involving expert evidence. Abbas is a brilliant negotiator and is able to achieve incredible outcomes for his clients.'
Sean Larkin KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman 'Sean's manner in court is calm and his advocacy is unrivalled, with many who know him commenting on his sheer skill at holding a jury's attention and making them truly think about the evidence. His ability to immediately understand the issues in a case, even in the most complex, is a sight to behold. Yet with all of this he still has empathy, even with the youngest and most vulnerable of lay clients.'
Louis Mably KC
6KBW College Hill ‘Louis is very a experienced and professional prosecutor who is always on top of the detail in his cases. He is able to present the case in a very jury friendly manner and is also a pleasure to deal with when discussing jury directions to form part of the summing up.'
3
John McGuinness KC
Foundry Chambers
Keir Monteith KC
Garden Court Chambers 'Keir is probably the best barrister around. He is incredibly clever, hard-working and fearless. His total dedication to his cases somehow remains undiminished after his many years in practice. He is loved by clients and a pleasure to instruct.'
3
Michelle Nelson KC
Red Lion Chambers
Sally O’Neill KC
Furnival Chambers 'Sally is the queen of the bar. Her legal arguments are flawless and when she speaks both judge and jury listen. She is so well respected and a pure class act. Sally always always treats clients with dignity and respect even in the most shocking and sensitive of cases.'
Jane Osborne KC
2 Harcourt Buildings ‘Jane is tactically astute and skilled at handling young clients. She holds the respect of the court and her judgement is spot on every time.'
Gareth Patterson KC
6KBW College Hill ‘The way Gareth marshals and presents vast amounts of sensitive material is truly impressive. There is probably no harder working silk at the criminal bar. He is a first-choice silk for large, fact-heavy or evidence-dense cases as he can wade through oceans of material, and not miss a word.'
Christopher Paxton KC
Red Lion Chambers ‘Chris is a terrific advocate. He has amazing courtroom presence. Judges and juries listen to him. He is brilliant in cross-examination and very good with clients. He is absolutely at the top of the tree.'
Stan Reiz KC
2 Bedford Row ‘Stan oozes calm confidence and has a painstaking attention to detail. Opponents who are unprepared find themselves quickly on a back foot which they rarely recover from. Clients are assured by his measured demeanour and his guidance and explanations which make the most complex legal issues understandable by all.'
Justin Rouse KC
9BR Chambers ‘Justin is an excellent lawyer. He is meticulous in his preparation and is able to assimilate complex facts and detail quickly. He has a commanding presence in court and is well respected by the judiciary and his legal peers.'
Rossano Scamardella KC
23ES ‘Rossano rolls up his sleeves and gets stuck in straight away – even if he comes to a case only a very short time before trial he is totally on top of it. He is persuasive, his cross-examination is laser-like in its focus, and his closing speeches are robust.’
Charlie Sherrard KC
Furnival Chambers 'Charlie is brilliant and clever. He has the command of the courtroom and is a quick thinker on his feet, able to digest a lot of heavy evidence very quickly. His advocacy style is easy for the jury to follow and direct.'
Melanie Simpson KC
Doughty Street Chambers 'Melanie has a first-class legal brain and is a hugely persuasive advocate. She is adored by judges, clients, and juries. She has it all.'
Julia Smart KC
Furnival Chambers ‘Julia is a very methodical and detail-specific barrister. She is quite quick to get to the heart of what is needed and is collaborative in her approach to cases where she is open to discussion about tactics. Julia is very good in written submissions and has a very strong handle of legal precedents and nuances in the law.'
Mark Summers KC
Matrix Chambers ‘Mark's oral advocacy is simply superb. His ability to explain complex legal and factual issues in simple and straightforward terms is second to none. Mark has a forensic mind and an unrivalled work ethic: no matter how large the papers in a particular case, he is on top of the detail of every single page. He is a stellar KC.'
Louise Sweet KC
2 Bedford Row 'Louise is brilliant at jury advocacy; she paints a picture with words that makes a case clear and simple. She has a collaborative approach and her written advocacy is excellent.'
Katy Thorne KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Katy is everything you would want in a modern silk. She is bright, engaging and has a real human touch. She is brilliant at bringing people together and juries love her.’
Clare Wade KC
Garden Court Chambers 'Clare has extensive experience of the most serious and high-profile criminal cases. She is an incredibly impressive trial advocate, an astute tactician, forensically thorough and supremely articulate. Her speeches to the jury are exceptional.'
Jeremy Wainwright KC
3TG Barristers ‘Jeremy is meticulous in his preparation and analysis of cases. He leaves no stone unturned and is able to engage with defendants from all walks of life on their level. He explains complex legal issues in a succinct and clear manner for the lay client and his advocacy is outstanding.’
David Whittaker KC
2 Hare Court ‘David is an excellent barrister. He effortlessly comprehends complex cases and is creative and tactful in his approach. He is fiercely intelligent, hardworking, respected by peers and clients, and commanding inside the courtroom, delivering his advocacy eloquently and persuasively.'
Peter Wilcock KC
Garden Court Chambers
Lisa Wilding KC
23ES ‘Lisa is a measured and forceful advocate. She is organised, reasonable, and can charm any jury with her charismatic flair.'
Hossein Zahir KC
Garden Court Chambers3
Jeremy Benson KC
Red Lion Chambers3
Kerim Fuad KC
Church Court Chambers3
Dean George KC
2 Bedford Row ‘Dean is quite simply one of the best barristers around. His work rate, dedication and attention to detail is matched only by his unequalled advocacy skills that frequently unravel and dissect apparently strong cases for the prosecution with enviable ability.'
3
Felicity Gerry KC
Libertas Chambers ‘Felicity is a powerful advocate. She has a keen eye for detail and an impressive legal brain. This, combined with her fearless style of advocacy and her assured manner in front of juries, makes her a formidable opponent and an excellent leader.'
3
Jonathan Higgs KC
5KBW ‘Jonathan’s advocacy and preparation is excellent. He is a very good barrister all round.’
3
Adam Kane KC
Libertas Chambers ‘Adam has a beautiful and poetic use of language that paints vivid images. He has an extraordinary knowledge of case law precedent and is extremely hard-working, using every hour of the day to refine and draft arguments to fight his client's corner.’
3
Lee Karu KC
Millennium Chambers ‘Lee is not to be underestimated. He is thoughtful and methodical. He does not waste any time in getting to the heart of the issues or the heart of the case. Lee is not bombastic in robing rooms; he listens, thinks, reflects and then uses the information he receives to his advantage. A very good operator.'
3
Simon Csoka KC
Libertas Chambers ‘Simon's intelligence levels are on another level from everyone else. His ability to retain huge amounts of information and repeat every word back without having to look at it for recall is superhuman. He is a once-in-a-lifetime barrister.'
3
Michael Magarian KC
Drystone Chambers ‘Michael is extremely experienced and skilled. He is hardworking and engaging and his tactical instinct is second to none. He is an excellent jury advocate and phenomenal cross-examiner.'
3
Michael Mather-Lees KC
Church Court Chambers 'Michael is a pleasure to watch in action - he is very calm and persuasive in his submissions to the court and jury. He is incredibly well prepared and just gets to the issues in a case with complete ease and understanding. He is personable both in and outside of court.'
3
Anthony Orchard KC
5KBW ‘Anthony is one of the most respected prosecuting silks at the Old Bailey. His manner is incomparable – the essence of fairness, good judgement and reasonableness. That said, he is a formidable opponent as juries love his manner in court. He is a top practitioner at the highest level.’
3
Stuart Trimmer KC
4BB ‘Stuart's ability to marshal evidence is second to none. He is able to take a jury through complex and challenging pieces of material with ease in a way that they can easily follow. His advocacy is firm and effective. He is not one for melodramatics, but is a highly communicative advocate who is able to address a jury in a way they can follow. His cross-examination is also powerful - he is particularly good with experts.'
Zubair Ahmad KC
2 Hare Court ‘Zubair has a wonderful way of reassuring clients; he is extremely empathetic with fantastic client care skills. His written advocacy is exceptional and his verbal advocacy is excellent - a very jury friendly silk.'
Nneka Akudolu KC
2 Hare Court ‘Nneka’s ability to communicate with people is a gift. She is able to put defendants at ease and explain legal issues in a user-friendly way. Her advocacy skills are also impressive; her ability to persuade judges is second to none.’
Anand Beharrylal KC
2 Bedford Row ‘Anand is a fierce advocate with a keen eye for detail. He is meticulous and thorough in his preparation for each and every case. His advocacy approach is effective and persuasive. He will tailor his tone and approach specific to the witness and the stage of the case’
Matthew Butt KC
Three Raymond Buildings ‘Matthew is phenomenal and an absolute pleasure to work with. He is very helpful in his advice whilst his advocacy is a masterclass. He is a tenacious advocate who never loses sight of the bigger strategic picture.’
Jacqueline Carey KC
2 Bedford Row
Rhiannon Crimmins KC
Furnival Chambers ‘Rhiannon’s cross-examination of eye witnesses is meticulously prepared and skilfully deployed.’
Claire Davies KC
Farringdon Chambers ‘Claire is a clear, focused and tactically astute advocate who has a direct style which cuts to the key issues. She has the ability to strip away irrelevant arguments and facts and set out clear submissions which are persuasive and compelling. She combines a razor-sharp focus with compassionate client-care. She is able to get the best out of those around her and put the best case for the client.’
Hugh Davies KC
Three Raymond Buildings ‘Hugh is an industrious and talented prosecutor of murder cases.’
James Dawes KC
2 Harcourt Buildings 'James is never underprepared. He is direct and determined. His cross-examination is forceful and effective and his legal submissions are uncompromising. Despite his strong approach to prosecution he is delightful company and has a great sense of humour.'
Christopher Donnellan KC
The 36 Group ‘Christopher is a measured barrister held in high regard by those he appears before. He is a jury-friendly advocate who leaves no stone unturned.’
Julian Evans KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman
Alexandra Felix KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘Alexandra is outstanding - she commands the ear of the court when on her feet, so her points hit home. She takes a collaborative approach to case progression making it easy to work with her, and clients respond to her direct but warm manner.'
4
Peter Finnigan KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman 'Peter is charming, effective, and understated. He does not waste a word and is excellent on his feet.'
Tom Forster KC
Red Lion Chambers ‘Tom is a master strategist as well as courteous, charming, and very persuasive. Tactics and presentation win cases, and he excels in both. He is legally very astute and demonstrates impeccable judgement. His capacity for hard work is exceptional and his eye for detail is second to none. Tom is very classy and modest and has the most amazing brain. He is frighteningly intelligent.’
Rudi Fortson KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Purely and simply, Rudi is top class, in fact second to none. He has many fine qualities and is able to marry an academic mind with the practical skills of a barrister. He is also very hardworking.’
Danny Friedman KC
Matrix Chambers
Alan Gardner KC
23ES ‘Alan is supremely intelligent. He is able to dissect the issues in a complex case and articulate them into submissions which are readily understandable to a jury. He has an excellent manner with clients and colleagues alike.’
Mark Gatley KC
Garden Court Chambers
Michael Goodwin KC
Red Lion Chambers ‘Michael is very thorough and incredibly analytical. He is a powerful advocate and highly respected by his peers.’
4
Martin Goudie KC
Crucible Chambers ‘Martin is one of the best strategists at the bar. From the start of a case, his clear-eyed approach gives confidence to solicitors and clients alike, and achieves results that would otherwise have seemed impossible.'
Andrew Hall KC
Doughty Street Chambers
Deanna Heer KC
5 Paper Buildings ‘Deanna is a class act. She is charming and persuasive. Her legal knowledge is outstanding. She is fair, hugely talented and has scrupulous integrity. It is always a pleasure to work with her. Her cross-examination is well prepared and to the point. Her legal submissions are focused, clear and on point.’
Martin Hicks KC
2 Hare Court
Jonathan Laidlaw KC
2 Hare Court 'His advocacy and case presentation readily commands the attention of clients, jurors, fellow advocates and the judiciary.'
4
Anu Mohindru KC
Foundry Chambers
James Mulholland KC
23ES ‘James is one of the most impressive silks around; he is known and respected in every robing room he enters. His preparation is meticulous and he masters every detail of a case. He is an expert cross-examiner. The most impressive part of his advocacy though are his speeches: his turn of phrase and personable nature make him a jury favourite.’
Brian O’Neill KC
2 Hare Court ‘Brian is a top-notch opponent in court. He is a fierce fighter with a deadly sense of humour and comic timing. Brian is a particularly able cross-examiner, getting under the skin of difficult witnesses.'
Laurie-Anne Power KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Laurie-Anne is the model of a modern silk. She is simply the complete package with a unique ability to build rapport with clients whilst giving down-to-earth advice. In court, she is a superstar. She is equally persuasive addressing a judge as a jury.’
Steven Powles KC
Doughty Street Chambers 'Steven is very very clever and a delight to work with. He is kind and compassionate.'
John Price KC
23ES ‘John has a complete command of the law. He is a superb advocate with an ability to manage multi-handed cases with ease. John is also a fierce and forensic cross-examiner. He is at the very top end of criminal silks: a go-to KC for top-end work.’
Mary Prior KC
The 36 Group ‘Mary is an enormously experienced advocate with formidable advocacy skills – she is adept at building a relationship with the jury and dealing with difficult and often vulnerable clients. She has a powerhouse reputation at the Bar.’
Nathan Rasiah KC
23ES ‘Nathan is an understated but effective advocate who has the respect of the court.’
4
Sultana Tafadar KC
No5 Barristers’ Chambers ‘Sultana is a leader in the field of terrorism cases. Her experience is unmatched, and her insight into every aspect of terrorism cases – expert, factual, and legal – is a rare find for any client lucky enough to be represented by her in a terrorism trial. She leaves most other silks in the dust.’
Richard Thomas KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Richard is peerless. He is a glorious advocate who masters complex law in appellate crime effortlessly.’
Edmund Vickers KC
Red Lion Chambers ‘Edmund has great attention to detail and is forceful and very effective in legal argument. He is a winner.'
Sarah Vine KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Sarah is the most emotionally literate criminal advocate around with an ability to persuade juries that is unsurpassed.’
Liam Walker KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Liam is one of a kind. He is utterly tenacious and with the ability to think six steps ahead of the game. Any client lucky enough to be represented by him will have an incredibly committed advocate, with unparalleled attention to detail, razor-sharp cross-examination, and fabulously well-crafted submissions.’
Adrian Waterman KC
Matrix Chambers ‘Adrian is a brilliant jury advocate. He is a master of detail, but he is also brilliant at preparing and delivering legal arguments. Adrian is a creative and collaborative lawyer.'
Gudrun Young KC
2 Hare Court ‘Gudrun is great in court. She conducts meticulous preparation. She is brilliant with strategy and with detail. She quickly gains the clients confidence and respect. Gudrun is a pleasure to work with.’
4
Benjamin Aina KC
Church Court Chambers4
Charles Bott KC
Mountford Chambers ‘Charles is fantastically quick thinking. He is able to digest a lot of material before offering robust and well-thought-out advice. He really cares about each case at hand as well as his instructing solicitors and clients.'
4
Paul Cavin KC
2 Harcourt Buildings ‘Paul is calm under pressure, able to assimilate vast amounts of information quickly, a smooth communicator, and clever.’
4
Michael Ivers KC
Garden Court Chambers4
Anya Lewis KC
Garden Court Chambers 'Anya is extremely conscientious and hard-working. She considers all of the material and has a great understanding of the issues in the case at a very early stage and is then very responsive throughout the life of case. She is extremely affable and is good with clients.'
4
Samuel Magee KC
2 Bedford Row ‘Sam is an exceptional advocate and always presents the case at its height in the most effective manner. He is also adept at identifying weaknesses in the case and taking action early to address anticipated challenges arising from same. This case building is invaluable. He is a skilled lead counsel and obtains good results in very difficult cases.'
4
Mark Mulholland KC
Cloth Fair Chambers ‘When Mark is instructed in a case he is wholly committed to it. He has excellent strategic skills and an ability to plan out the approach to be taken in each case with due cognisance of potential contingencies that might arise. He has a microscopic attention to detail and nothing is left to chance. Mark is an excellent advocate. His approach is perfectly balanced and nuanced and always effective.’
4
Charlotte Newell KC
5KBW ‘Charlotte is tactically astute, her drafting skills are great and her level of preparation for every hearing is unusually impressive. She cuts to the chase when giving tough advice to vulnerable defendants, but demonstrates compassion at the same time. She fights passionately and gets astonishingly good results.'
4
Bernard Richmond KC
Lamb Building4
4
Paul Taylor KC
5KBW ‘Paul is a pleasure to discuss a case with – he is always calm and precise and his encyclopaedic knowledge combines powerfully with his smart thinking. His advice and advocacy always meshes important principles with technicalities and details.’
4
Natasha Wong KC
5KBW ‘Natasha is best described as cool, calm, collected, thoughtful and measured. She is a delightful opponent, with a light touch. Natasha is a first class silk and a safe pair of hands.'
2023 Silks
Nina Ellin KC
Six Pump Court 'Nina is one of the most disciplined and hard-working barristers around. She leaves no stone unturned, no page unread, and nothing to chance. She is dedicated to the case she is fighting for.'
Ben Fitzgerald KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman 'Ben is a persuasive and concise advocate. Whatever tribunal he is before, he hits the right tone. His knowledge of the papers is first class.'
Garry Green KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Garry is an amazing all rounder. He is a brilliant tactician and clever lawyer. His written submissions and advocacy are spot on. His ability to connect to his lay client and to take their instructions under pressure is brilliant.'
Benjamin Newton KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Ben is a go-to silk. He cares so much about his clients and is the cleverest barrister around. His client care skills are impeccable, his oral and written advocacy are the best in the game and he has a rare ability to translate complex issues into real language. Ben is a first-class barrister, a tactical genius and a true gentleman.'
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC
Matrix Chambers ‘Blinne is just a brilliant all-rounder. She is a hard-working and charismatic silk.'
Henrietta Paget KC
Foundry Chambers ‘Henrietta is extremely clever. No detail escapes her and she is utterly on top of the brief. She is totally reliable and thorough. Her advocacy is impressive - well prepared and comprehensive and nicely balanced.'
Philip Rule KC
No5 Barristers’ Chambers
Nicola Shannon KC
Furnival Chambers 'Nicola has a great ability to assimilate a lot of information and present it to the jury in a way that is easily understood and digested. This is true even of complex and technical information that is usually very dry and difficult to present with any enthusiasm or in a way that generates interest. She is able to overcome those problems and keep the jury concentrating and engaged. She responds very well to legal queries from - sometimes difficult - judges demonstrating an impressive grasp of legal concepts - not all of them easy.'
Maria Karaiskos KC
Church Court Chambers ‘Maria is excellent and has hit the ground running as a new silk. Her judgement is excellent and the tone she sets in court is really just exceptional. Her cross-examination is also excellent. She is measured and reasonable, with a clear and strategic approach to cases.’
2024 Silks
Farrhat Arshad KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Farrhat has excellent tactical judgement, fights tenaciously for her clients and shows complete commitment to her cases. Her knowledge of procedure and law is exceptional. She is a hugely accomplished all-round advocate and richly deserved to take silk this year.'
Jocelyn Ledward KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘Jocelyn has an intellect that is frighteningly powerful. She is meticulously well prepared and possesses advocacy skills of the very highest order. Her elevation to silk was inevitable. It is a matter of time until she is at the very top table in the criminal law.'
Martin McCarthy KC
Farringdon Chambers 'Martin is a superb barrister. He is a wise and considered practitioner who shows great judgement in which battles to pick. He has a delightful court manner which charms judges and juries alike as well as a steely resolve. Martin is a stellar performer who was made for silk robes.'
Beth O’Reilly KC
25 Bedford Row ‘Beth’s pomposity-puncturing advocacy style is highly effective with judges and juries, and opponents will find to their cost it does not pay to underestimate her command of the facts of the case, her razor-sharp intelligence or the depth of her legal knowledge.’
Tom Payne KC
Red Lion Chambers ‘Tom is sensible and decent. His attention to detail is second to none, he has good judgement and is a likeable and impressive advocate.’
Joel Smith KC
Furnival Chambers ‘Joel is a mine of energy and commitment. He is on top of his material and a devastating cross-examiner. He deserved to take silk and will be one to watch in the Tom Little tradition. Joel is likely to find himself appearing in very major cases before senior courts.'
Clea Topolski KC
Crucible ChambersKate Blumgart KC
2 Harcourt Buildings ‘Kate is charming to have as an opponent but is always thoroughly prepared and completely on top of the case. She is a really persuasive advocate who juries warm to. Her cross-examination of defendants is usually devastating because she is well prepared and extremely sharp.’
Catherine Farrelly KC
5KBW ‘Catherine is excellent in every respect. She is very hard-working and puts a lot of time and effort into preparing her cases thoroughly and making sure, as far as is possible, that any gaps in the evidence are closed off. She is very good at putting witnesses at ease before they give their evidence. Her closing speeches are some of the best to be seen. She is very persuasive both when addressing juries and during legal argument.’
Jonathan Polnay KC
5KBW ‘Jonathan is very well prepared with strong tactical sense and an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law. These qualities made him a formidable junior and will make him a great silk.'