Leading Silks
Sean Brannigan KC
1
Sean Brannigan KC
4 Pump Court
'He is a fantastic advocate, great with clients and a keen legal mind for international arbitration with a wealth of experience in the Middle East. Very user friendly and very reliable.'
Anneliese Day KC
1
Anneliese Day KC
Fountain Court Chambers
'A forceful and authoritative advocate. She knows how to handle a tribunal in order to be persuasive, and is able to take the tribunal on when it is necessary.'
Vernon Flynn KC
1
Vernon Flynn KC
Brick Court Chambers
'Vernon is an excellent advocate and knows his audience extremely well. He is able to convey complex legal arguments in a clear and concise manner. He is also very responsive and industrious, quickly digesting large amounts of information and focusing on the pertinent factual and legal issues to provide timely advice.'
Mark Howard KC
1
Mark Howard KC
Brick Court Chambers
‘As his reputation indicates, he is currently the doyen of the English Bar. He exudes confidence and authority in court and has a colossal presence.’
David Joseph KC
1
David Joseph KC
Essex Court Chambers
'It goes without saying that substance of work, both advocacy and drafting, are absolutely first class.'  
Paul Key KC
1
Paul Key KC
Essex Court Chambers
'He is extremely bright and knowledgeable about the law and arbitration practice. He is very friendly and easy to get on with and knows virtually everyone there is to know in the arbitration field. He treats everyone as an equal, despite his considerable success, and is a joy to work with. I would say he is the complete package.'
Charles Kimmins KC
1
Charles Kimmins KC
Twenty Essex
‘Charles is a legal genius. His analytical skills and encyclopedic knowledge of the law are unparalleled. His advocacy skills are first-rate, and he has courts and tribunals eating out of the palm of his hand. Clients cannot rate him highly enough.’
Manus McMullan KC
1
Manus McMullan KC
Atkin Chambers
‘No doubt Manus is top-notch and one of the very best in the field of oral advocacy, especially in complex high value disputes in the field of construction and engineering. His cross-examination is simply first-rate, excellent and truly outstanding.’
Richard Millett KC
1
Richard Millett KC
Essex Court Chambers
‘Richard is a master advocate. His vast experience allows him to always be able to spot the issues and not lose the wood  for the trees.’
Laurence Rabinowitz KC
1
Laurence Rabinowitz KC
One Essex Court
'An excellent strategist with real presence.'
Simon Rainey KC
1
Simon Rainey KC
Quadrant Chambers
'A 'go-to' Silk for the most complex international disputes. A superstar in all respects: intellect, team-oriented, client-friendly.'
Joe Smouha KC
1
Joe Smouha KC
Essex Court Chambers
'He is a valuable and distinguished asset in leading the legal team in complex disputes. His strengths include his strategic approach in complex cases, team leadership skills and deep expertise. He is impressive in arbitration hearings.'
David Thomas KC
1
David Thomas KC
Keating Chambers
‘David is able to decipher the most complex issues and articulately and persuasively present them to the tribunal.’
Daniel Toledano KC
1
Daniel Toledano KC
One Essex Court
'He is extremely bright, and a great advocate. But he is also hugely engaging, and a lot of fun to work with, even in the more stressful of environments.'
Nigel Tozzi KC
1
Nigel Tozzi KC
4 Pump Court
'Very experienced barrister who gives well delivered and incisive advice and can immediately gain the trust and confidence of clients.'
1
Toby Landau KC
Chambers of Toby Landau KC
‘Toby is a highly skilled and proficient KC in the field of investment treaty arbitration. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the jurisprudence of investor/state investment treaty arbitration. Toby’s advocacy cannot be faulted. He reads the tribunal extremely well and has a marked ability to put a difficult argument highly persuasively.’
Michael Ashcroft KC
2
Michael Ashcroft KC
Twenty Essex
‘Acute legal mind, good judgement, sensitivity to the court’s approach to a case, excellent cross-examination, and works well with solicitors and juniors.’
Richard Boulton KC
2
Richard Boulton KC
One Essex Court
'Richard is an absolute pleasure to work with. He is a go to barrister for cases involving complex quantum analysis. Having been a quantum expert for years he knows exactly where to attack quantum experts and his style is death by a thousand cuts. Richard is a clear and responsive leader, well-liked by the team.'
Veronique Buehrlen KC
2
Veronique Buehrlen KC
Keating Chambers
'Veronique is sharp, to the point and always on top of the case. She knows every detail of the case without losing focus on the bigger picture. She is an absolute pleasure to work with.'
Alain Choo Choy KC
2
Alain Choo Choy KC
One Essex Court
‘He is extremely meticulous and knowledgeable in his work, and responsive to queries. He expresses himself well before the courts and has rapid replies to sometimes complex queries from the bench.’
Stephen Dennison KC
2
Stephen Dennison KC
Atkin Chambers
'Fantastic advocate; great with clients; good at getting to the heart of a case.'
Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC
2
Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC
Atkin Chambers
'She is an absolute star as an advocate in international arbitrations. She knows how to handle international arbitral tribunals and has a deep appreciation of how to put a client's case to them.'
Andrew Goddard KC
2
Andrew Goddard KC
Atkin Chambers
'Andrew is one of the leading construction silks. He always rolls his sleeves up and gets into the detail.'
Richard Harding KC
2
Richard Harding KC
Keating Chambers
'The doyen of construction disputes in the Middle East, both as advocate and increasingly as an arbitrator. Clear, concise and firm in his views.'
Christopher Harris KC
2
Christopher Harris KC
3 Verulam Buildings
‘A formidable cross-examiner and an impressive advocate. Commands the respect of the tribunal. Diligent and hard-working, with a good eye for detail. Good judgement for the points that would resonate with the tribunal.’
James Howells KC
2
James Howells KC
Atkin Chambers
‘Always calm and easily creates a rapport with the tribunal. He is able to easily and fluently change tack or approach as matters develop in the course of a trial. He is able to master foreign legal concepts quickly and debate these concepts with senior tribunal members who are well versed in the foreign law in question.’
Adrian Hughes KC
2
Adrian Hughes KC
39 Essex Chambers
‘Adrian's strategic instincts are excellent, and his advocacy is masterful. He also has superb client care and inspires confidence.’
Simon Hughes KC
2
Simon Hughes KC
Keating Chambers
'Simon is very persuasive. He is charming which is disarming and very effective.'
Riaz Hussain KC
2
Riaz Hussain KC
Atkin Chambers
'Riaz is a leading silk.  He quickly gets on top of the issues and his oral advocacy is excellent.'
Simon Lofthouse KC
2
Simon Lofthouse KC
Atkin Chambers
‘There are no weaknesses. He is simply better prepared than all his opponents and he has been up against the very best. He outworks them, and then he’s like the four horsemen of the apocalypse, but more courteous.’
Tim Lord KC
2
Tim Lord KC
Brick Court Chambers
'Superb grasp of law and related strategy and an excellent advocate.'
Alison Macdonald KC
2
Alison Macdonald KC
Essex Court Chambers
'Alison has incredibly depth of knowledge when it comes to arbitration. She adds specialist knowledge where required both on arbitration and human rights issues. She's also a real pleasure to work with - her cooperative, helpful approach has been much appreciated by the whole team.'
Harry Matovu KC
2
Harry Matovu KC
Brick Court Chambers
‘Harry is simply put, the best. He is strong on all accounts, and a pleasure to work with.’
Ewan McQuater KC
2
Ewan McQuater KC
3 Verulam Buildings
'Hugely experienced, towering presence in international arbitration.'
Salim Moollan KC
2
Salim Moollan KC
Brick Court Chambers
‘Salim is an incredible team leader. He is a skilled, incisive advocate. His preparation is precise, thorough and meticulous. His cross-examination skills are excellent.’
Sean O’Sullivan KC
2
Sean O’Sullivan KC
4 Pump Court
'Accessible, responsive, knows the subject matter well.'
Andrew Rigney KC
2
Andrew Rigney KC
Crown Office Chambers
'Andrew is a phenomenally effective cross-examiner, able to get the most difficult witnesses under control and responsive. He is extremely good at opening and closing submissions, where he gets to the point in a way that engages the tribunal at all times.'
David Scorey KC
2
David Scorey KC
Essex Court Chambers
'Exceptional advocate, very good on his feet and under pressure. Extremely good in conferences with clients. Very knowledgeable and hard working.'
Sean Wilken KC
2
Sean Wilken KC
Keating Chambers
'Very bright, very quick and extremely good as an advocate.'
Timothy Young KC
2
Timothy Young KC
Twenty Essex
'Tim is a top commercial Silk with fantastic analytical skills, who is very friendly and easy to work with. One of Tim's main strengths is his willingness to work on legally difficult or complex cases which challenge legal orthodoxy or group think.'
David Bailey KC
3
David Bailey KC
7 King’s Bench Walk
‘International arbitration is David’s forte. He is a big beast in this field. Brilliant with tribunals and clients, including governments, alike.’
Rupert Choat KC
3
Rupert Choat KC
Atkin Chambers
'Rupert is a brilliant lawyer, who knows how to integrate another counsel team and bring a real input. He is a great strategist and is amazing in cross examination. He is a real expert in construction law.'
James Collins KC
3
James Collins KC
Essex Court Chambers
'James can master a vast amount of factual material in a relatively short period of time. His cross examination is excellent. He is particularly strong on financial law.'
Jonathan Crow KC
3
Jonathan Crow KC
4 Stone Buildings
'His advocacy skills are outstanding - he is one of a very small number of supersilks, and definitely the man to have on your side on multi-billion-dollar arbitration enforcement. He has the court's ear at every hearing and is grapples smoothly with the most complex point on geopolitically sensitive cases. Excellent to work with, and clients appreciate his wise, but charming counsel.'
Ricky Diwan KC
3
Ricky Diwan KC
Essex Court Chambers
'Ricky's mastery of the detail is hugely impressive, and he combines a first-rate intellect with a measured style and powerful advocacy performance.'
Karim Ghaly KC
3
Karim Ghaly KC
39 Essex Chambers
‘Karim simplifies the most complex issues with ease and his ability to master large amounts of details with ease is unparalleled. He brings a calm presence to the proceedings, never loses sight of what really matters and what will resonate with the tribunal. His advocacy skills are incredible.’
Andrew Green KC
3
Andrew Green KC
Blackstone Chambers
'Andrew is a formidable KC. He is very clever, a great tactician, user friendly and, above all, a superb advocate particularly skilled at cross-examination. If ever there was a Silk for a difficult case, then Andrew is that person.'
Timothy Hill KC
3
Timothy Hill KC
Twenty Essex
'First class silk. An excellent and uncompromising advocate who leaves no stone unturned. An invaluable presence on complex and high value international disputes.'
Stephen Hofmeyr KC
3
Stephen Hofmeyr KC
7 King’s Bench Walk
'Senior and seasoned barrister. Very approachable and easy to instruct. Understands and reads Judges and tribunal well. Stephen works well in a big team as well.'
Philippa Hopkins KC
3
Philippa Hopkins KC
Essex Court Chambers
'Philippa is a formidable leading counsel and a real asset to any case. She is an excellent advocate who is able to present even the most complex of legal and factual points clearly and succinctly. Philippa is exceedingly intelligent and makes light work of the most mind bendingly difficult points. She is a strong team player and has a good way with clients.'
Sa’ad Hossain KC
3
Sa’ad Hossain KC
One Essex Court
‘Sa’ad is absolutely fantastic. He is particularly strong on fraud and is excellent at explaining to clients the nuances of complex cases. He’s very user-friendly. It’s always is a great experience working with Sa’ad.’
Ben Juratowitch KC
3
Ben Juratowitch KC
Essex Court Chambers
'Excellent advocatory skills. Able to simplify an explain complex legal concepts. Very hard working and responsive. Always collegial and considerate.'
Philip Marshall KC
3
Philip Marshall KC
Serle Court
‘Philip’s reputation as a star is well-deserved. He is the complete package. Philip is a masterful advocate and a gifted strategist with an incredibly sharp wit. He is able to quickly grasp the issues and formulate a strategy to achieve the client’s legal and commercial objectives.’
Sara Masters KC
3
Sara Masters KC
Twenty Essex
'Sara combines excellent subject matter knowledge (specifically on EU law implications for a foreign law award) and a real talent for focusing the client on the essentials which will make the difference between a winning case and a losing one. She's prompt, responsive, will take the initiative, and a pleasure to work with.'
Tom Montagu-Smith KC
3
Tom Montagu-Smith KC
3 Verulam Buildings
'Tom is devastatingly good at dismantling the other side's expert witness. He has a brilliant way of bringing together disparate threads and ensuring that the key points land.'
Jonathan Nash KC
3
Jonathan Nash KC
3 Verulam Buildings
'A very smooth advocate, highly persuasive and has a good rapport with judges.'
Jern-Fei Ng KC
3
Jern-Fei Ng KC
7BR
'A tremendous advocate. He is able to distill the most complex facts and legal arguments into an incisive argument to win the case.'
Luke Parsons KC
3
Luke Parsons KC
Quadrant Chambers
‘Highly intelligent and effective advocate. One of the best cross examiners at the London Bar.’
Marc Rowlands KC
3
Marc Rowlands KC
Keating Chambers
'His advocacy is robust, direct and well-reasoned.'
Rebecca Sabben-Clare KC
3
Rebecca Sabben-Clare KC
7 King’s Bench Walk
‘She has a wealth of experience in the insurance field. She gives excellent, practical advice. She is very easy to work with and pleasant to deal with. A very good team member and leader.’
Richard Waller KC
3
Richard Waller KC
7 King’s Bench Walk
'Richard is confident and astute. He is clear in his advice and guides the clients through the issues despite the complexity of the cases.'
3
Guy Blackwood KC
Quadrant Chambers
'Guy is quick, clever and extremely client-friendly. He makes difficult to understand concepts straightforward and does so without any fuss. He is also exceptionally accommodating.'
3
Robert-Jan Temmink KC
Quadrant Chambers
‘Rob is an extremely effective advocate.  He is true class. An excellent leader who gets stuck into the detail and processes information quickly to present it in the most compelling way. His cross-examination technique leaves no prisoners, and he knows instinctively when to press for more information and when not to. Rob is excellent with clients who all like him enormously and hold him in very high regard.’
Robert Anderson KC
4
Robert Anderson KC
Blackstone Chambers
'He's a superb advocate. On legal points he is sharp and precise, and he is a masterful cross-examiner.'  
Lucas Bastin KC
4
Lucas Bastin KC
Essex Court Chambers
'Simply the best. Lucas is a class act. Lethal as an advocate. A forensic ability to interrogate and dissect exhibits, witnesses and experts but above all a thoroughly good bloke. Lucas is going places fast. Catch him while you can.'
Serena Cheng KC
4
Serena Cheng KC
Atkin Chambers
'Excellent attention to detail, very strong advocacy, presents clear advice, willing to deliver difficult messages.'
Nicholas Craig KC
4
Nicholas Craig KC
3 Verulam Buildings
'Nick is a tremendously effective advocate. His individual strengths are many and he impresses by his ability to hone in on the core issues that will drive the resolution of the dispute. His calm and commercial approach to dealing with clients is also greatly appreciated.'
Rupert D’Cruz KC
4
Rupert D’Cruz KC
Littleton Chambers
'Rupert is extremely knowledgeable and skilled in arbitration, including advocacy at trial. His cross-examination skills are excellent, and his knowledge of arbitration law and practice are also very good.'
Simon Davenport KC
4
Simon Davenport KC
4 Pump Court
'Simon is commercially astute and has a thorough understanding of how business-processes work. He also has a very pleasant and relaxed manner of speaking with the clients. On advocacy skills, he has a very pleasant and courteous manner of speaking before the judge.'
Richard Eschwege KC
4
Richard Eschwege KC
Brick Court Chambers
‘Richard is a lawyer’s lawyer. He is absolutely first rate.’
Lucy Garrett KC
4
Lucy Garrett KC
Keating Chambers
'Simply brilliant. Concise and focused, always on top of the facts and her brief and trying to get the best outcome for the client.'
Matthew Gearing KC
4
Matthew Gearing KC
Fountain Court Chambers
'He prepares thoroughly for his cases, bringing in his global experience and making it bespoke to the dispute in hand.'
Michael Holmes KC
4
Michael Holmes KC
7 King’s Bench Walk
‘Extremely bright, creative in his thinking, very hard working, extremely user-friendly – a joy to work with.’
Calum Lamont KC
4
Calum Lamont KC
Keating Chambers
 'A formidable cross-examiner and a persuasive oral advocate. An incisive written advocate, with an impressive legal mind.'
James Leabeater KC
4
James Leabeater KC
4 Pump Court
'James is extremely user friendly and very easy to get along with. He is a very able advocate and a very effective cross-examiner.'
Paul Lowenstein KC
4
Paul Lowenstein KC
Twenty Essex
‘Paul is a brilliant lawyer, an astute tactician, and an excellent manager. He has an unrivalled commercial eye, which means he delivers advice that is both insightful and useful.’
Peter MacDonald Eggers KC
4
Peter MacDonald Eggers KC
7 King’s Bench Walk
 ‘Peter has a sharp intellect and is able to give quality legal and strategic advice. He is also very user-friendly and a pleasure to work with.’
Stephen Midwinter KC
4
Stephen Midwinter KC
Brick Court Chambers
‘Stephen combines exceptionally forensic attention to detail with powerful advocacy.’
Justin Mort KC
4
Justin Mort KC
Keating Chambers
'Justin is an excellent addition to any team. He is extremely intelligent and incisive, able quickly to draw out the key factual and legal issues in any case, whilst also being very user-friendly, for both the solicitor and client teams. His advocacy is thoughtful, powerful and persuasive.'
Zoe O’Sullivan KC
4
Zoe O’Sullivan KC
Serle Court
'A very nice advocacy style and particularly gifted in putting very difficult arguments to best advantage.'
Claire Packman KC
4
Claire Packman KC
4 Pump Court
‘Claire has the ability to get up to speed on detailed technical matters quickly and is user friendly.’
Fionn Pilbrow KC
4
Fionn Pilbrow KC
Brick Court Chambers
'An incisive mind and always a step ahead of the opponent. A huge experience in the international dispute field.'
Benjamin Pilling KC
4
Benjamin Pilling KC
4 Pump Court
‘Ben is a simply superb advocate. He is clear and focused in his submissions and cross-examination, and highly effective. He reads the tribunal extremely well and has the right tone and approach with witnesses he cross examines. Ben is also a highly competent drafter, both of pleadings and submissions. He is also very easy to work with.’
Nathan Pillow KC
4
Nathan Pillow KC
Essex Court Chambers
‘Fantastic and persuasive advocate, pretty much the best there is in the market. Nathan is also a pleasure to deal with, charming and not afraid to get stuck into all the detail of a case, despite his seniority.’
Iain Quirk KC
4
Iain Quirk KC
Essex Court Chambers
'Great presentation; very collaborative and responsive; very client friendly; a pleasure to work with - he does not stand on ceremony and gets involved as required.'
Philip Riches KC
4
Philip Riches KC
Twenty Essex
 ‘A good advocate with a calm and relaxed manner with the tribunal. Very professional and courteous. Not easily flustered.’
Daniel Saoul KC
4
Daniel Saoul KC
4 New Square
'Dan is extremely responsive, hands on and a great strategist. He is a team player and is happy to be involved in all aspects of the case. He is also a good and robust advocate.'
Dan Sarooshi KC
4
Dan Sarooshi KC
Essex Court Chambers
‘Among the handful of the finest advocates at the Bar on matters of public and private international law.’
Vasanti Selvaratnam KC
4
Vasanti Selvaratnam KC
The 36 Group
‘Vasanti is a fluent and unflappable advocate who puts her case clearly and is never unsettled by points or questions which the court or tribunal throw her. She is determined in pursuit of her clients’ case, but with a pleasant personal style which appeals to judges and arbitrators.’
George Spalton KC
4
George Spalton KC
4 New Square
'George is as smooth as he is surgical. His advocacy is precise and packs a punch. George has a ferocious will to win and has the alchemist's gift of finding gold in even the most leaden of cases.'
Michael Sullivan KC
4
Michael Sullivan KC
One Essex Court
'Michael's greatest strength lies in his grasp of the procedural rules, experience in handling multifaceted suits and his advocacy skills that allow him to be an asset over the entire course of the arbitration. He further displays a keen eye for details that is critical when handling disputes that span decades and are inherently document heavy.'
Samuel Townend KC
4
Samuel Townend KC
Keating Chambers
'Sam is a very bright and technically astute barrister. His oral advocacy is very impressive.'
Lord Verdirame KC
4
Lord Verdirame KC
Twenty Essex
'Guglielmo has a profound knowledge of his complex field, and a way of expressing it that makes it sound simple. His written work is particularly compelling.'
Crispin Winser KC
4
Crispin Winser KC
Crown Office Chambers
'Crispin is one of the best in the game. He has a no-nonsense style which gets the job very effectively but without unnecessary drama.'
Emily Wood KC
4
Emily Wood KC
Essex Court Chambers
'A very smooth operator, very sharp and delightful to work with. Always provides good commercial advice.'
4
Mark Chennells KC
Atkin Chambers
'Mark is very diligent and prepares his cases thoroughly. He masters the detail in each matter. He is also excellent in writing and brilliant as an advocate.'
2023 Silks
Adam Baradon KC
Adam Baradon KC
Blackstone Chambers
 ‘Adam is very bright and a pleasure to work with. He is also very good on strategy.'
Paul Buckingham KC
Paul Buckingham KC
Keating Chambers
 'Paul is superb at putting clients at ease and explaining their own case to them.'
Siddharth Dhar KC
Siddharth Dhar KC
Essex Court Chambers
 ‘Sid is a first-rate advocate and trusted advisor who never fails to impress clients. Sid’s technical legal skills are impeccable, and his judgement is sound. Sid is a forceful and persuasive advocate.’
Marcos Dracos KC
Marcos Dracos KC
One Essex Court
 'Marcos is insightful, often thinking outside of the box for arguments and solutions. His expertise in both English and Cypriot law sets him apart from his peers.'
Henry Forbes Smith KC
Henry Forbes Smith KC
One Essex Court
 'Henry is extremely intelligent and sees the big picture. He is adept at distilling a large amount of information and regulation into a coherent core theory. He therefore excels at the legally complex.'
Angeline Welsh KC
Angeline Welsh KC
Essex Court Chambers
 ‘Very sharp, great strategic thinking, and very easy to work with. Works well as part of integrated teams with no ego.’
2024 Silks
Camille Slow KC
0
Camille Slow KC
Atkin Chambers
 ‘Camille is very approachable and easy to work with. A great team player. Excellent with clients – very reassuring and clear. Good on technical detail. Able to see all the arguments and present them in a clear and persuasive way. Excellent advocate.’
Anna Laney KC
1
Anna Laney KC
Crown Office Chambers
'One thing that makes Anna stand out is her ability to get most out of the team working through a case. She dives straight in and has a way of bringing out the best of experts and the team working behind a case.'
Sanjay Patel KC
1
Sanjay Patel KC
4 Pump Court
'Sanjay is extremely sharp and personable. He is very, very hardworking and is a supreme junior. His silk appointment this year was very well deserved and entirely expected - he is excellent with clients, his advocacy is brilliant, and he has an extremely analytical mind.'
David Peters KC
1
David Peters KC
Essex Court Chambers
'His in-depth knowledge of both fraud and arbitration makes him an invaluable team member when seeking to enforce awards. His advocacy skills are superb.'
James Sheehan KC
1
James Sheehan KC
Essex Court Chambers
‘James is a star.  Very bright, very hard working and very thorough.  He slices through the knottiest problems with panache and good sense.  Highly recommended.’
Nicholas Sloboda KC
1
Nicholas Sloboda KC
One Essex Court
'The complete barrister. Excellent on his feet, on the page, and in front of clients. One of the leading juniors of his generation who deservedly made silk this year. A fantastic strategic thinker who is (at least) one step ahead of his opponents.'
Camille Slow  KC
1
Camille Slow  KC
Atkin Chambers
‘Camille has a strong attention to detail, is extremely responsiveness and technically very sharp.’