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.
1
Fiona Ashworth
Kings Chambers
‘Fiona has a calm and professional approach to her work. She has excellent attention to detail and easily identifies the issues in a case, she is good at managing clients, especially those who may be particularly challenging, and she is a skilled negotiator exercising sound judgement when advising at key points in a case.'
1
Philip Grundy
St John’s Buildings
 ‘Even compared to silks, no one matches Philip’s ability to map out a case strategy, including his management of experts. His expert connections are outstanding, and it is so rare for a true superheavyweight such as Philip to be so approachable and easy-going; he never takes advantage of his popularity or standing.’
1
Chris Gutteridge
Exchange Chambers
‘Chris has skills which far exceed his call. He is an outstanding junior in all respects, as he is highly knowledgeable, a polished advocate, and he has an easy, down-to-earth approach with lay clients.’
1
Peter Harrison
St John’s Buildings
 'Peter has extensive and wide knowledge, he is clear with claimants, and he is professional. He is very good technically and exceptional with clients and experts alike, and he is exceptional when considering expert evidence and questioning experts in conference.'
1
Pankaj Madan
Exchange Chambers
‘Pankaj has a huge store of medical knowledge to draw upon. He is meticulous in his approach to expert evidence and is very good at assimilating a large amount of complicated medical material, he is particularly knowledgeable in relation to brain injury claims, in which he has great expertise, and his advocacy is strong, being both straightforward in style and effective.'
1
Stephen Maguire
Kings Chambers
 'Stephen has a keen eye for detail, he builds excellent rapport with clients and experts, and he is extremely knowledgable in his area.'
1
Richard Norton
St John’s Buildings
‘Richard provides very clear advice on complex liability and medical issues that is easy for the client to understand. Clients always take to him and comment on his caring, warm, and empathetic approach in conference, and he is strong in negotiation during ADR.'
1
Matthew Stockwell
Exchange Chambers
‘Matthew's technical expertise and knowledge of the law is unrivalled. This gives him an ability to identify solutions others would miss and a willingness to accept extremely tough challenges and come out on top.'
1
Andrew Ward
Exchange Chambers
‘Andrew is extremely knowledgable in respect of military claims with a keen interest and understanding in non-freezing cold injuries. He is an expert in fundamental dishonesty with great written advice, and he is quick on his feet, friendly, and approachable.’
1
Elahe Youshani
18 St John Street Chambers
‘Elahe delivers a high standard of client care, is very thorough, and her legal knowledge is impeccable. She is very easy to work with and has a very down-to-earth attitude, which is great for dealing with clients from all walks of life.'
1
David Boyle
Deans Court Chambers
‘David is personable and approachable, he has an authoritative knowledge of the law, and working for both claimants and defendants gives his clients great insight into what the other side may be thinking. He offers a holistic approach which puts clients front and centre, his papers are excellent, and he is a magnificent advocate.’
1
Zoe Earnshaw
Deans Court Chambers
 ‘Zoe has a fantastic attitude and demeanour with those instructing and clients. She is very approachable and friendly and always willing to help, she is excellent with clients and has a sensible and proactive view when dealing with cases, and she is knowledgeable and tough in negotiations and when dealing with difficult opposition.'
1
James Hogg
Deans Court Chambers
‘James is one of the best barristers around with clear advice. He is particularly strong in fraud identification and drafting, and he is extremely approachable, down-to-earth, and will help evolve a strategy.'
1
Mike Lemmy
9 St John Street
 'Mike is thorough in his drafting, approachable, and available at all times to support. He is very strong technically and detailed in his drafting of key documents throughout the case, and he is an absolutely safe pair of hands.'
1
Michael Smith
Deans Court Chambers
 'Michael is able to cut through complex matters and gives sound advice. He is an exceptional advocate.'
1
Alex Taylor
Deans Court Chambers
 ‘Alex is an exceptionally safe pair of hands with great attention to detail and he is highly knowledgeable. He is very personable and puts clients at ease, he identifies the crucial points of the case at an early stage, and his advocacy is excellent.'
2
Michael Armstrong
Atlantic Chambers
 'Michael is a superb jury advocate and a go-to barrister for any claims in the north of England involving a jury. He is clear and concise in his summing up and juries latch on to every word, he is very good in cross-examination, and it is a pleasure to see him in action in the court room.'
2
Darrel Crilley
Byrom Street Chambers
‘Darrel is very thorough in his preparation, clear and insightful in understanding the strengths and pitfalls in evidence, and pro-active in case preparation. This is true not only with clients but also with advocacy where his thoughtful and structured delivery achieves good results on timetabling hearings and contested applications alike.'
2
Alice Dobbie
Exchange Chambers
 ‘Alice is extremely knowledgeable, she has a confident presence but is approachable, and she gains an in-depth understanding of the matter she is instructed on and is willing to discuss matters and answer any questions.’
2
Catherine Knowles
Exchange Chambers
 ‘Catherine is extremely thorough and detailed. Her written advice is second-to-none and always clear and well thought out, she is a gritty and smart negotiator, she is excellent on her feet, and she has a broad knowledge on a wide range of topics.'
2
Fraser Lindsay
7 Harrington Street
 'Fraser is an exceptional barrister with a real grasp of what is required. He is fantastic on his feet, a strong negotiator, tactically excellent, and he is responsive, happy to discuss cases, and turns around papers quickly.'
2
Stuart McCracken
Exchange Chambers
 ‘Stuart is an experienced junior in military personal injury litigation. He has a relaxed manner with lay clients and does an excellent job of putting them at ease, and this skill is extremely important when dealing with vulnerable clients.'
2
Simon Plaut
Kings Chambers
 ‘Simon has a calming influence and clients love his down-to-earth and engaging manner. He is very personable, has an eye for detail, and is able to look at the bigger picture, thinking practically outside the box.'
2
Yaqub Rahman
Oriel Chambers
‘Yaqub is extraordinarily gifted and intelligent. As an advocate, Yaqub is always fully conversant with the relevant law, well prepared on every occasion, and astute, quick, calm, unflappable, pragmatic, respectful, and confident.'
2
David Sandiford
Exchange Chambers
‘David is very thorough. He explains the law and relevant factors in a way that the client can understand and appreciate.’
2
Sara Sutherland
Exchange Chambers
 ‘Sara is very approachable and a safe pair of hands. She has strength in all areas of work, is able to provide a good detailed analysis of medical issues, and has excellent client care skills.'
2
Christian Taylor
Exchange Chambers
 ‘Christian is an excellent and highly able advocate who is able to present thorough and cogent arguments on the most complex of matters. He is highly personable and relates well to clients too.'
2
Nicholas Grimshaw
Deans Court Chambers
 ‘Nicholas consistently has a steady, calm approach to litigation, whatever pressures are being brought to bear regarding complexity, value, or timescales. That calm, level approach makes Nicholas ideal to represent clients at JSMs or similar.'
2
James Hurd
9 St John Street
‘James is very experienced in the handling of personal injury multi-track matters, and he is really approachable and always acts as a professional. He is very efficient in dealing with all instructions, he is very good at drafting extensive and complex particulars of claim and schedules, and his attention to detail is excellent and is a huge strength of his.’
2
Michael Jones
Cobden House Chambers
 ‘Michael is technically astute and a superb tactician. He is able to cut through the issues and provide advice on complex matters in a straightforward manner which is easy to digest for clients, and he has a wealth of experience in dealing with complicated negligence cases and in advising on catastrophic injury claims.'
2
Julie-Anne Luck
9 St John Street
‘Julie-Anne is a great communicator, she is thorough in her preparation, and she goes the extra mile to research areas of liability and technical evidential issues. She has a great rapport with clients and an empathetic approach, which is important in claimant personal injury work and which they appreciate, and she has great negotiating skills which have resulted in some very good settlements.’
2
Anthony Mazzag
Cobden House Chambers
 'Anthony is excellent when dealing with very complex issues. He has an ability to quickly understand and find a way through difficult and conflicting medical issues and opinions, and he has a calm and reassuring nature when dealing directly with clients who have been through significant trauma, particularly when approaching settlement or trial when those clients are under the greatest pressure in the litigation process.'
2
Simon McCann
Deans Court Chambers
‘Simon is a first-class advocate with a sharp eye for detail. He is a safe pair of hands and he gets to the crux of the issues in dispute very quickly.’
2
Joseph Mulderig
9 St John Street
 ‘Joseph is a highly skilled advocate with a forensic knowledge of the fine detail of every case. He is extremely good with lay clients who appreciate his down-to-earth approach, he is exceptional in conference with multiple experts, and he is able to demonstrate a detailed grasp of the medical concepts.'
2
Michael O’Neill
9 St John Street
 ‘Michael is an exceptional barrister who is extremely user-friendly and sensible. He is analytical and able to engage lay and expert witnesses extremely well in conference.’
2
Daniel Paul
Deans Court Chambers
‘Daniel is an excellent barrister. He is thorough, calm, and is very precise in his analysis of evidence, he is a skilled advocate, and he is professional, approachable, and good with experts and clients.'
3
Christopher Allen
Exchange Chambers
 ‘Christopher's attention to detail, thoroughness in considering and advising on the evidence, and huge knowledge and experience is outstanding. His empathic yet honest approach to cases is very reassuring and he is a remarkable advocate with a sharp mind but his approach is always calm and measured.'
3
Mark Chester
Atlantic Chambers
  'Mark is an incredibly well-rounded advocate. In conference, he puts the clients at ease and speaks to them in a manner which extracts the correct information from them. Mark's advocacy is second to none. He is always well-prepared and diplomatic in his approach. '
3
Shannon Eastwood
Atlantic Chambers
 ‘Shannon is an excellent advocate who is always well prepared and has a very keen eye for detail. His arguments are well constructed, compelling in skeleton, and delivered with care orally, and he is very persuasive, realistic in his advice, and helps clients grapple with some very complex and testing issues.’
3
Emma Fisher
7 Harrington Street
 'Emma is very knowledgeable, she is very capable of putting a client at ease and being able to communicate freely with them, even in difficult circumstances, and she is prompt at responding to instructions.'
3
John Gray
Oriel Chambers
 ‘John has an excellent, reassuring manner with clients and solicitors alike, and his advocacy skills are also fantastic. He has a really pleasant and persuasive nature but he can also be direct and robust.'
3
Andrew Lawson
St John’s Buildings
 'Andrew is a very professional and decisive advocate. He has a strong rapport with clients and is able to get to the heart of a claim quickly, he is reliable and always happy to express an opinion outside of formal instructions if needed, and he is very knowledgeable in his fields of specialism and empathetic when dealing with clients.'
3
Gavin McBride
Kings Chambers
‘Gavin works closely with those instructing him and once he has been instructed is fully invested in the case and is happy to provide support throughout, whether this be at key stages, or with queries throughout the lifetime of the case. He is incredibly knowledgeable and clients like his personable manner and the favourable outcomes that he achieves.'
3
Andrew Pickering
Atlantic Chambers
 ‘Andrew is meticulous in his preparation and will leave no stone unturned in his pursuit for justice. His knowledge in the field of personal injury is second-to-none and in court he is a superb advocate who walks the fine line between being assertive and empathetic with aplomb and always achieves the right result.'
3
Gareth Thompson
St John's Buildings
 'Gareth  always grasps the issues of a case very quickly, no matter the complexities of the issues. He is excellent with clients and witnesses, in particular making them feel relaxed and at ease, his paperwork is excellent and he turns papers over very quickly, and his advocacy is succinct and to the point.'
3
Henry Vanderpump
St John’s Buildings
 ‘Henry is very good with clients with brain injuries. He is attentive and patient and gives lay clients advice which is easy to understand, and is also super intelligent and has an eye for detail.’
3
Philip De Berry
9 St John Street
‘Philip has a forensic approach to reviewing cases and has a very keen eye for detail. His legal and practical advice is extremely helpful to a litigating solicitor, and he is fearless in court, often outshining his opposite.'
3
Jamie Hill
9 St John Street
 ‘Jamie’s preparation is incredibly thorough. He is great at keeping in touch prior to and after hearings, and he values input from his instructing solicitor. His knowledge of the civil procedure rules is second-to-none.’
3
Leanne Jones
9 St John Street
‘Leanne is a brilliant advocate which is contributed to by her forensic approach to preparation, whether it is for a conference with clients or at trial. As an advocate, she is able to adapt her style to the type of case, which is why she is so effective.'
3
Benjamin Morris
9 St John Street
 ‘Ben has a very keen eye for detail and complexities in medical evidence. He is very pragmatic and sensible in his approach but has a keenness to drill down into the finer detail and complexities of a case.'
3
Chloe Murray
Cobden House Chambers
 'Chloe is a fearless barrister who will go the extra mile. She is able to get to the key issues in a case quickly and summarise the position succinctly, and she has a very personable nature combined with meticulous attention to detail.'
3
Elizabeth Murray
9 St John Street
 ‘Elizabeth is an excellent advocate who has a very measured and technical approach to all cases. Her ability to provide bespoke advice for technical points which often arise during a cross-examination is impressive and the attention to detail is evident when she is advocating during hearings and her communication skills create a great working environment.'
3
Christopher Taft
9 St John Street
 'Christopher is very efficient, thorough, and also very approachable and amenable. He takes a real global interest with cases he is involved with, rather than simply confining himself to narrow issue-specific matters, and in this sense he works side by side with his instructing solicitor, and is therefore a very useful asset to have involved in any case.'
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.
Daniel Boal
18 St John Street Chambers
 ‘Daniel is a delight to work with. He is a true professional and has a methodical and consistent approach to instructed matters, he informs and advises as honestly as he can and goes above and beyond to get results, and as an advocate, he is very personable and remains professional at all times.’
Oliver Carr
Deans Court Chambers
 'Oliver is exceptional at balancing the strengths and weaknesses of a case. He is particularly skillful at cross-examination and knowing the best arguments to run at trial, and he has a brilliant way of finding good economic outcomes for clients when necessary and knowing the best arguments to utilise from the defence.'