1 Crown Office Row

Adam Smith has been a family law specialist for over 30 years. He is head of the family team in Brighton, and Co -Chair of the Sussex Family Justice Board, responsible for seeking to improve family Justice both locally and nationally. Adam has a very high profile in local and national policy making. Adam specialises in cases that involve complex medical evidence (including child death) allegations of sexual abuse, factitious illness and cases involving conflicting medical evidence. He also has experience in private law cases involving parental alienation, and intractable contact disputes.

Alasdair Henderson

Alasdair Henderson has a broad practice with a particular interest in public law and human rights, employment and equality, clinical negligence and environmental law. He appears regularly before a wide variety of courts and tribunals, and also has considerable experience of inquests and public inquiries.

Alice Kuzmenko

Call: 2018; Gray's Inn Alice Kuzmenko is building her practice in all areas of chambers work. In this time, she has drafted pleadings, submissions, and advices in varying areas of law, and has undertaken advocacy at the county courts as well as the employment and immigration tribunals. She has experience assisting with disclosure in complex and high value litigation. Alice is on the Junior Junior panel for the Brook House Inquiry and is junior counsel in the Guildford Pub Bombings inquests.

Amelia Williams

Amelia’s practice encompasses the full range of chambers’ work. She has a broad practice, particularly in public law and human rights, immigration, personal injury, clinical negligence, inquests and professional discipline. She appears regularly in court for both Claimants and Defendants in trials, application hearings, CCMCs and disposal hearings. Her practice combines advisory work, drafting and advocacy. Amelia started her career at the Government Legal Department where she worked in immigration litigation, the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Department for Transport. In addition to maintaining her broad civil law practice, she regularly accepts public law instructions and has represented the Home Office as sole counsel by way of off-panel nomination in the High Court, before the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), in the First Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) and in family proceedings. Amelia is currently instructed by the London Fire Commissioner as junior counsel in civil claims arising from the Grenfell Tower fire and is off-panel nominated to represent the Department for Health and Social Care in the Covid-19 Inquiry.

Amelia Walker

Amelia Walker has a broad Public law practice including public inquiries, education, local government, Court of Protection and human rights law.

Amy Mannion

Amy Mannion practices in all areas of public law. She has particular specialisms in human rights, policing and crime, immigration, indirect tax and duties, professional discipline and regulatory law. She acts in public inquiries.

Andrew Kennedy KC

Andrew Kennedy KC has practiced at 1 Crown Office Row since 2004. Before he joined 1COR he was in practice at 6 Pump Court. Andrew practices in clinical negligence, regulatory & disciplinary law, personal injury and sports law, inquests and public enquiries. Andrew Kennedy KC has been recommended for a number of years by the principal legal directories.

Angus McCullough KC

Angus McCullough KC has extensive experience in matters of public and private law on behalf of individuals, private bodies, Government departments, and other public bodies. He has been appointed to act as amicus curiae (advocate to the court) on many occasions, including in the phone hacking trial of R v Rebekah Brooks et al and committal proceedings against Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson). He has appeared in the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court, as well as representing the UK Government at the UN in Geneva and in European Court of Human Rights in proceedings in Strasbourg. He has acted in 9 cases before the House of Lords / Privy Council / Supreme Court. He conducts medical claims of the highest value and complexity for both claimants and defendants. He won the Chambers and Partners award for personal injury and clinical negligence barrister of the year 2009, took silk in 2010, and medical law remains a major specialism. Angus is available to act as a mediator in personal injury and clinical negligence disputes, bringing his extensive experience acting for both sides in the field to facilitate resolution. He also advises and appears in regulatory and disciplinary matters. Angus has been appointed as the special advocate in some of the most high profile cases of recent years in the field of national security, and has been active in promoting understanding and debate in relation to closed material procedures.

Anogika Souresh

Call: 2018 Anogika accepts instructions across a range of Family Law and Court of Protection matters. Children (Public Law) Anogika regularly appears in care proceedings, acting for Local Authorities, Guardians, parents and grandparents. She has also been instructed on behalf of the police on disclosure matters in care proceedings. Anogika is regularly instructed in complex multi-day final hearings. She has appeared in proceedings involving domestic abuse, mental health concerns, substance misuse, neglect, and non-accidental injury. Anogika is also instructed to appear in FDAC proceedings. She is frequently instructed in emergency hearings, including ICOs and EPOs. Anogika has appeared in proceedings involving children and the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court. Anogika regularly appears in the High Court. She has acted in cases involving the Official Solicitor when there have been issues of capacity to litigate. She is often requested on cases involving issues of capacity. Children (Private Law) Anogika represents both Applicants and Respondents in private law cases at all stages of proceedings, including applications for Child Arrangements Orders, Specific Issue Orders and Prohibited Steps Orders. She has been instructed in cases involving allegations of domestic and sexual abuse. She has represented vulnerable clients and clients requiring an interpreter and is skilled at representing clients for whom English is not their first language. Anogika speaks Tamil fluently. She has represented parents in internal relocation cases. She has also acted in adoption proceedings. Anogika has appeared in multi-day fact-findings and final hearings. She has also undertaken appeals. Anogika has been instructed on complex private law disputes, including those being heard in the High Court. In addition, Anogika accepts instructions to represent clients in children arbitration. She has undertaken training in Children Arbitration from Julie Stather, MCI Arb, who co-authored the paper to IFLA proposing the extension of the arbitration scheme to children matters. Court of Protection Anogika welcomes instructions across the full range of Court of Protection proceedings. She has acted in cases in which both mental capacity and best interests are in dispute. She has been instructed in hearings involving issues of residence and care. Anogika has a broad property and affairs practice, and regularly acts in applications for the appointment and removal of deputies. She regularly advises on applications for the appointment or displacement of Nearest Relatives. Anogika also acts in deprivation of liberty challenges.

Aviva Le Prevost

Aviva Le Prevost is an experienced Family Law Practioner. She specialises in all aspects of public and private law concerning children. In public law children work, Aviva is experienced primarily in the representation of parents and children and has also represented local authorities. Aviva is often involved in complex proceedings involving disputed medical evidence and serious allegations of sexual abuse. In private law children Aviva covers all aspects, from contact and residence disputes to declarations of parentage, leave to remove from the jurisdiction and wardship.

Benjamin Seifert

Benjamin is a specialist public law practitioner. He is also consistently ranked as a leading barrister in extradition and has extensive experience in representing individuals, UK and foreign governments and requesting judicial authorities in the European Union. He regularly appears in the Supreme Court, Divisional and Administrative Courts. In public law, he is frequently instructed by the Government in difficult judicial reviews concerning immigration and prison law. Clients value Benjamin’s excellent communication skills, expert knowledge, meticulous grasp of the details of the case and pragmatic approach. Benjamin is an accomplished linguist and speaks French and Italian to court standard. Benjamin is frequently instructed by the Government in complex judicial reviews concerning immigration and prison law. He also has a significant coronial and inquiry practice, with particular expertise in deaths in custody, and advice on unlawful detention, and national security. His background in criminal law assists him with inquest juries. Benjamin recently acted in VA, one of the first UK extradition cases to be determined by the Court of Justice of the European Union. Since his appointment to the Attorney General’s panel in 2017 Benjamin has regularly appeared in the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) and has also appeared in the County Court in relation to civil claims made by prisoners.

Bruce Tregoning

Bruce Tregoning is an experienced Family Lawyer. Since joining Chambers in 2009 Bruce has developed a wide ranging practice in the Family Courts including the High Court, throughout Sussex, Kent, Surrey and London.

Cara Guthrie

Cara specialises in clinical negligence, and has done so since she started in practice 20 years ago. She also acts in personal injury cases, inquests, lawyers’ negligence cases and in the Court of Protection. Her clinical negligence practice straddles a wide range of medical issues, including complex and serious cerebral palsy, brain injury and spinal injury cases. She is instructed both on behalf of claimants and the full range of healthcare defendants. Cara has undoubted expertise in quantum and is a formidable negotiator.

Christopher Mellor

Christopher Mellor has a civil and public law practice, specialising in medically related matters, including: healthcare regulatory law, clinical negligence, inquests and public inquiries.

Christopher Rice

Christopher Rice has practised in London and Sussex since his call in 1991 and specialised in family law for most of his career. His practice now incorporates all aspects of family law both in both private and public law matters.

Claire Fox

Claire Fox is a family practitioner, with particular interest and specialism in Public Law Children matters. Claire is often instructed on multi day final hearings and fact-finding hearings across the range of court levels on behalf of local authorities, parents, grandparents and guardians in care and adoption proceedings including contested leave to oppose adoption cases. Claire has appeared in the Court of Appeal acting on behalf of the children and has conducted appeals from decisions at final hearings in the High Court.

Claire McGregor

Claire practices in a wide range of public and civil law, with a particular emphasis on environmental law, construction and engineering, and private international law. Cross-border litigation forms a significant part of Claire’s practice. As such, she has developed expertise in the conflicts of laws, and advises on private international issues which typically arise in this type of litigation. Claire has also been instructed as an independent expert in domestic proceedings to advise on discrete private international law issues. Claire has extensive experience representing claimants in complex tort cases, typically where environmental damage leads to claims for personal injury and financial loss. She represented local communities and fishermen in proceedings against Shell subsidiaries in Nigeria for extensive oil spillage affecting their livelihoods and causing long-term damage to the environment.

Clare Ciborowska

Clare Ciborowska is a specialist family practitioner. Clare accepts instructions in private law children applications, care proceedings, Female Genital Mutilation proceedings, Injunctions and Wardship proceedings. Clare has completed the specialist advocacy training at Keble College, Oxford and is a skilled advocate.

Clodagh Bradley KC

Clodagh Bradley KC specialises in healthcare regulatory law, clinical negligence and inquests with a medical or psychiatric element to them, including in custodial settings. Her clinical negligence practice, on behalf of Claimants and Defendants, has included a variety of obstetric claims, surgical cases and missed diagnoses, resulting in catastrophic life-changing or fatal injuries, spanning brain or spinal injuries, limb loss and sight loss. She has dealt with a broad range of disciplinary cases predominantly on behalf of doctors before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (previously GMC), and also cases brought by the General Dental Council (GDC), the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC), the General Optical Council (GOC) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Clodagh has successfully challenged regulatory decisions in the Administrative Court. In inquests Clodagh has appeared on behalf of families, doctors, NHS Trusts, the police and the prison service as interested persons. Clodagh also undertakes work in the Court of Protection, dealing with matters relating to capacity, treatment decisions and the best interests of protected persons.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller is the current Deputy Head of One Crown Office Row’s Brighton annex. He has been a barrister practising family law since 2005 and practises in all areas of family law, with a focus on financial remedy cases. Daniel is well known for his tenacious approach in court and during negotiations, and his calm and reassuring ‘client care’ skills. He is regularly praised for his readiness to provide assistance throughout the litigation process, often at short notice.

Darragh Coffey

Darragh Coffey accepts instructions in all areas of Chambers’ work and is developing a broad practice with a particular focus on public law. He appears in courts and tribunals on behalf of both Claimants and Defendants in a range of civil hearings.

Darren Howe KC

Darren is a child law specialist who represents parents, children and local authorities across the whole range of children-related disputes. Darren specialises in complex cases at High Court level and above involving: Disputes as to the cause of catastrophic injuries and/or death of children, particularly cases that may involve complex and ‘cutting-edge’ medical and scientific evidence; Allegations of recent or historic sexual abuse; Allegations of Fabricated or induced illness; Darren has extensive experience in contentious private law cases involving allegations of parental alienation, intractable contact disputes, child abduction, domestic and international relocation. Darren advises public and private bodies concerning child protection duties.

David Reader

David accepts instructions across a range of areas of chambers’ work with a particular focus upon public inquiries, police law, inquests and immigration. David is a member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel (‘C’ Panel).

David Evans KC

David Evans KC specialises in clinical negligence litigation, almost exclusively in cases involving brain and spinal injury. He acts for both claimants and defendants. David has developed a specific expertise in quantum, in particular the analysis and quantification of catastrophic high value brain and spinal injury claims, including birth injury, wrongful birth, acquired brain injury, meningitis and spinal cord injury. He has a sub-specialty in government work following his 8 years on the Attorney-General’s ‘A’ panel of Counsel to the Crown and since taking silk, he continues to act for government departments in public inquiries and serious injury claims. He is security-cleared to developed vetted (DV) level.

David Manknell KC

David Manknell practises principally in medical law and administrative and human rights law. He was appointed to the Attorney General’s A Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown in September 2015, having previously been a member of the B and C Panels since 2006. He was appointed as Assistant Coroner for Inner South London in 2022.

David Hart KC

David Hart KC practises in environmental law, medical law, professional negligence and construction. He has also appeared at a number of major public inquiries. David has particular experience of group actions, in the environmental field (eight group actions alleging odour nuisance, four alleging dust & noise and a petrol contamination claim) and in medical cases. His construction law work has concerned landfill sites, nuclear and other power stations, and Mechanical and Electrical disputes.

Delia Minoprio

Delia Minoprio is a specialist family practitioner. She joined Chambers in January 2019 following a successful London practice at 42 Bedford Row. Delia accepts instructions in all aspects of family law children work. Both public law care proceedings and private family law matters. She acts for parents, children, local authorities and interveners and has appeared in court all over the country including the High Court, and the Court of Appeal. Delia has been instructed on cases relating to Non Accidental Injuries: fractures and bilateral subconjunctival haemorrhages and ‘pool of perpetrator’ fact findings in relation to serious sexual abuse. Delia has appeared as a junior in the High Court for long running cases involving issues relating to Factitious Induced Illness and Non Accidental Injuries.

Dinah Loeb

Dinah Loeb specialises in complex family litigation. With more than 20 years’ legal experience having qualified as a solicitor in 1990, as a mediator in 2002 and a barrister in 2004, Dinah is experienced across both sides of the profession so is able to support lay and professional clients through the litigation process. Dinah is experienced in all courts including the Court of Appeal, undertaking work on the South Eastern Circuit, Western Circuit and London. Dinah is qualified to take on direct access work.

Dominic Ruck Keene

Dominic Ruck Keene has a varied practice in all the core areas of Chambers’ work, in particular inquests, public law and human rights, personal injury and clinical negligence. He also has specialist practices in employment and equality law, child abuse compensation, cyber and data protection. As a member of the Attorney General’s B Panel, he is regularly instructed by a number of different Government departments in cases involving a wide spectrum of different areas of law.

Edward Waldegrave

Edward has a busy litigation practice which is focused mainly on disputes before the tax tribunals, public law, and professional negligence claims. Having been appointed to the Attorney-General’s “B” Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown in 2021, Edward regularly acts in factually and legally complex disputes with significant sums at stake, often as sole counsel. He is familiar with litigation in a range of different courts, including the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. He also has considerable experience of cross-examination and of cases involving expert witnesses. Edward enjoys working collaboratively with clients and other professional advisers and adopts a calm and strategic approach to litigation, with first-rate written and oral advocacy underpinned by thorough preparation.

Eleanor Battie

Eleanor has been specialising in family law since 2004. She has a wide ranging practice and is instructed in both private and public law matters in all tiers of the family court. Eleanor has a predominantly private law practice and, in particular, represents parties in high conflict cases. Eleanor has represented many parents in complex proceedings, which may also involve fact-finding hearings concerning allegations of domestic abuse or harm of the child and those where parental alienation has been alleged. Eleanor also represents children both in public and private law proceedings. Eleanor accepts instructions on a public access basis.

Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel KC

Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel KC is a leading practitioner in Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury claims. Lizanne has a distinguished reputation for representing Claimants with highly complex claims for catastrophic injury. In clinical negligence she has particular expertise and experience in birth damage and neo-natal claims but acts in claims arising in a wide range of circumstances. In personal injury she acts for Claimants with head injuries, spinal injuries and other complex multiple injuries. Lizanne’s work also involves multi-party actions and she recently acted for over 700 Claimants in the litigation against Mr Ian Paterson, Spire Healthcare and HEFT. Lizanne has also been instructed in a number of multi-party actions arising out of sexual abuse and physical abuse of children and adults in institutions including the Jimmy Savile litigation and the Winterbourne View claims. Claims against private hospitals, the catholic church and local authorities have involved a number of cases which have resulted in the development of the law in respect of vicarious liability.

Emma-Louise Fenelon

Emma-Louise Fenelon has a broad practice and is sought after for her experience in sensitive and challenging cases. She has particular expertise in Inquests, Public Inquiries, Clinical Negligence, Child Abuse Compensation, Personal Injury and Human Rights. She is recommended as a Leading Junior by Chambers and Partners and as a Rising Star by the Legal 500. Emma acts for a wide range of clients including claimants, bereaved families, NHS Trusts, individual doctors, companies, charities and NGOs. She is a member of the Attorney General’s C Panel. She was previously nominated as Advocate’s Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year. Emma is also co-presenter of Law Pod UK.

Francesca Wiley KC

Francesca practices at the very highest level in both Private and Public Law Children Act cases, particularly where there are profoundly serious allegations against the parties. Prior to joining the Family Bar, she specialised in Criminal and Human Rights Law and as a result, much of her work covers the crossover between the family and criminal jurisdictions. This includes very many cases where there is a need for fact-finding and consequential or concurrent applications and investigations in criminal proceedings. Francesca specialises in cases where clients or other parties have been accused of murder, attempted murder of their children or partners, sexual abuse, paedophile rings, trafficking, radicalisation, and other very serious offences. Such cases often require medical and factual cross-examination of the highest calibre.

Gareth Rhys

Gareth accepts instructions across all of 1 Crown Office Row’s practice areas and has a broad practice. He has experience acting for Claimants and Defendants working on matters relating to taxation, customs, environmental law, medical law, personal injury, immigration, human rights and public law, as well as public inquiries and inquests (including Article 2 inquests). Gareth is currently instructed by Baroness Hallett to act as junior counsel to the UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry. He was counsel for Module 2 of the Inquiry, investigating central political decision-making, and is currently counsel for Module 9 considering the government’s economic responses. Gareth is a member of the Attorney General’s London C Panel of counsel. He undertakes a wide range of government work, including revenue law, customs, human rights and immigration. Gareth’s background is in public and revenue law. For two years, he was a government barrister at HMRC. He also spent a period as Crown Counsel in St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, advising the Attorney General and acting for the St Helena Government in civil and constitutional proceedings.

Gavin Howe

Gavin predominantly practises in the field of Family Law: child protection work and financial remedy proceedings. He is regularly instructed by local authorities, by parents, and by Children’s Guardians. In 2013 Gavin qualified as a registered lawyer with the FA (Football Association) and represents professional footballers in all areas of contract negotiation and drafting.

Gideon Barth

Gideon has a busy practice spanning all areas of Chambers’ work. He was extensive experience in clinical negligence and personal injury, public and human rights law, inquests and public inquiries, and tax.

Giles Colin

Giles Colin has a wide ranging practice, but is best known for his work in the fields of clinical negligence, discipline and regulation, personal injury and inquests (principally in healthcare matters appearing regularly on behalf of the Ambulance Service, PCT and Hospital Trusts, as well as representing the interests of doctors). He has been instructed directly by the General Medical Council to cross examine vulnerable witnesses where the doctor does not have legal representation. Giles has also given presentations in respect of Inquests where Coroners, healthcare professionals and lawyers were all present.

Hannah Noyce

Hannah Noyce has a broad practice across the areas of Chambers’ work, with particular experience in clinical negligence, public law and human rights, inquests, indirect tax, and environmental law.

Hannah Fish

Hannah Fish accepts instructions across a range of areas of chambers’ work within the civil team, with a strong focus on police law. Prior to coming to chambers Hannah worked as counsel dealing with multimillion European contracts within the energy sector in both English and French. Furthermore, Hannah has an LLM and is finishing two further LLMs in Arbitration and International Commercial and Corporate Law. Formerly, she has also practiced in chambers in London in all areas of crime.

Henry Witcomb KC

Henry Witcomb KC has a practice specialising in clinical negligence, personal injury, public authority liability and inquest representation. He has been involved in several of the leading cases in these fields. A significant amount of the work in both the clinical negligence and personal injury fields has involved participation in several multi-party actions, a number of which have involved claimants residing abroad. Principally these actions have involved the abuse and care of children but also involving other classes of personal injury and clinical negligence claimants.

Hope Spalding

Hope accepts instructions in both Public and Private Family Law matters. Hope is regularly instructed to represent vulnerable clients and is instructed in complex matters.

Iain O'Donnell

Iain O’Donnell has a common law and specialist criminal practice that encompasses child abuse compensation law, clinical negligence, general high-value personal injury, animal welfare, animal and medical related crime, sports law and public inquiries.

Isabel McArdle

Isabel McArdle practises in indirect tax, healthcare law (including clinical negligence, cross-over public law matters, personal injury and inquests) and public law (including human rights and public inquiries).

Jacqueline Roach

Jacqueline Roach’s practice covers the full range of public law children cases. Before coming to the Bar, Jacqueline worked in publishing and then in public relations running the Citizens Advice Bureau’s press office.

Jane Peckham

Jane Peckham is the Head of the Financial Remedies Team in Chambers and specialises in this practice area. She has a reputation for being hard working and approachable. She has been a Resolution trained family mediator since 2013; Jane has acted as a mediator in numerous family mediations including financial remedy disputes

Jasper Gold

Jasper is developing a broad practice and accepts instructions in all chambers’ practice areas. As well as clinical negligence, public law, discrimination, data law, inquests and tax, Jasper gained experience as a pupil in commercial disputes and is comfortable with cases containing contractual or other commercial elements. Since joining 1COR, Jasper has undertaken advocacy in the high court, county court and coronial court. He has appeared in several inquests, including ‘Article 2’ and jury inquests. He is currently instructed as junior counsel to the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in the Undercover Policing Inquiry, and is the Co-Commissioning Editor of the UK Human Rights Blog.

Jeremy Hyam KC

Jeremy Hyam KC is a specialist in Clinical Negligence, Human Rights, Administrative and Public Law, Inquests and Public Inquiries, Professional Negligence, Professional Discipline and Environmental law. He has particular experience in all aspects of health law, including Mental Health, the regulation and discipline of doctors; contractual disputes, CQC regulation, NHS Procurement, the Health and Social Care Act, the Care Standards Tribunal, and cases concerning eligibility for and access to treatment including cases concerning community care. He was named one of The Lawyer’s Hot 100 in 2019.

Jeremy Cave

Jeremy Cave’s practice covers Financial Remedies (and financial provision for children), Trusts of Land (in the family context), Crime (with a particular specialty in Animal Welfare and Trading Standards) and Police Law.

Jessica Elliott

Jessica Elliott has developed a broad practice in the main areas of Chambers’ work, particularly in clinical negligence and health law, environmental law, data and privacy law, inquests and coroners, and tax.

Jim Duffy

Jim Duffy has extensive experience across clinical negligence, inquests and inquiries, personal injury, human rights, tax and employment and discrimination. He is a member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel (‘B’ Panel) and has particular experience of prison law and employment claims, acting on both sides.

Jo Moore

Jo accepts instructions in all areas of Chambers’ work and has a broad practice, in particular in public law and human rights, clinical negligence, personal injury, inquests, employment and sports law. She regularly acts for both claimants and defendants in complex clinical negligence matters. She developed significant experience in high value claims, including birth injuries and catastrophic injuries, during a lengthy specialist medical negligence secondment.

John Whitting KC

John Whitting KC is a specialist in all aspects of healthcare law, including clinical negligence, product liability and inquests. John is a noted trial advocate and has appeared in a number of the leading cases in those fields both at first instance and in the appellate courts. John is also a door tenant at GUILDHALL CHAMBERS (CHAMBERS OF PETER BLAIR KC) Bristol 0117 930 9000.

John Gimlette

John Gimlette has a strong civil practice focused on personal injury and clinical negligence.

Jonathan Metzer

Jonathan Metzer has a broad practice across all areas of chambers’ work, with particular expertise in public and human rights law, asylum and immigration, clinical negligence and inquests. He appears regularly in the County Court, the Coroner’s Court and the Immigration Tribunals, and has also undertaken hearings in the High Court.

Judith Rogerson

Judith Rogerson has a civil practice with a particular focus on cases involving healthcare professionals. She is recognised as a leading junior in clinical negligence.

Julie Stather

Julie has been practising in family law for over 20 years and was previously based in London. She is a qualified Family Law Arbitrator (for both children and financial matters) and Mediator. She trains expert witnesses and is a pupil supervisor. Julie is heavily involved in the Family Arbitration Scheme: she was a co-author of the paper proposing the extension of the scheme to children’s matters and has more recently presented an information evening to the Sussex Judiciary. She has hosted seminars for solicitors and Cafcass representatives throughout Sussex and writes regularly for legal periodicals about developments in the scheme. Julie accepts work from lay clients via Direct Access.

Justin Levinson

Justin Levinson has a specialist personal injury practice focusing on compensation claims arising out of childhood sexual abuse. He is recognised to have particular expertise in claims against the Catholic Church and other religious institutions, having been in most of the leading cases in this area. He also has considerable experience of claims against care homes, schools, social services departments and youth groups. Recently, he represented claimants in what is thought to be the first case of alleged sexual assault by an Uber driver in the UK.

Kate Richmond

Kate is an experienced practitioner with a busy civil practice specialising in commercial and property work. She accepts instructions in Commercial, Property, Landlord & Tenant and Consumer Credit. Kate acts for a full range of clients including banks, insurers, utilities, finance companies, directors, shareholders, local authorities, and charities. She is commended for her considered approach to client care and commercial awareness. Kate is an accomplished trial advocate who also provides advice on a range of matters relating to property and contract. She is a trained mediator (ADR Group) and accepts instructions in civil and commercial disputes.

Katelyn Gottschling

Katelyn was called in 2016, and accepts instructions in all areas of children law. She has appeared before the courts at all levels up to and including the High Court, and has a particular interest in cases with an international element. Prior to coming to the Bar, Katelyn worked in the family department at a Band 1 firm (Public Law and Cross-Border Disputes), before joining another London-based Band 1 firm (Family/Matrimonial: Ultra High Net Worth). Katelyn assisted on a wide range of children cases before the High Court, spanning public, private and international law. These include Re L (A Child) [2017] EWHC 3707 (Fam) and RJ v Tigipko [2019] EWHC 448 (Fam). Katelyn has completed the FLBA Vulnerable Witness training programme.

Kirsten Japp

Kirsten joined Chambers in July 2017 and specialises in family law. She welcomes instructions in all Children Act and Family Law Act proceedings, acting for parents, Guardians, intervenors and Local Authorities. Before coming to the Bar, she worked as a paralegal for a national firm of solicitors in their family department and then in Project Management at Ernst & Young (EY).

Kriston Berlevy

Kris has 20 years of specialist experience practising in both regulatory crime and non-crime. Kris has very significant expertise in local authority prosecutions in all regulatory areas which include false accounting, benefit fraud, environmental protection act and building regulations cases. Kris has a recognised expertise in taxi licensing appeals and alcohol licensing. He appears for both appellants and respondents in planning enforcement appeals and public inquiries, statutory appeals in education law, traffic commissioner work and inquests. He represents the Chief Constable in any number of civil applications and is Direct Access approved. Kris also takes instruction prosecuting and defending animal welfare cases and has done so over many years. Affable, knowledgeable and easy to get on with, Kris is an excellent advocate of choice.

Lance Baynham

Lance joined chambers as a tenant in October 2023 after completing pupillage and is building his experience in all of chambers’ practice areas. During pupillage, he was supervised by Matthew Barnes, Alasdair Henderson, Amy Mannion and Shahram Sharghy and gained experience in public law, inquests, inquiries, clinical negligence, environmental law, employment law and tax. In his first year of practice, Lance has appeared in the High Court, County Court and Coroner’s Court, as well as in the Immigration and Asylum and Employment Tribunals. He acts for families and institutional Interested Persons in inquests and has appeared for claimants in the First-tier Tribunal in asylum claims and immigration bail applications. He is also instructed in Court of Protection and data protection matters and is instructed in the Covid-19 Inquiry.

Laura Bayley

Laura is a specialist in family law and represents children, parents and local authorities in both private and public law cases. She trained and practised in London for more than 10 years before moving to Sussex. Laura also represents applicant and respondents in injunctive proceedings. In addition, Laura delivers lectures and training seminars on public and private law topics to social workers, solicitors and other professionals.

Laura Kathryn Inglis

Laura has a broad advisory and litigation practice spanning all areas of UK tax and commercial law.

Leanne Woods

Leanne Woods specialises in clinical negligence, professional discipline and regulation, inquests and public inquiries, police law, and public law. She also has significant experience in sporting disputes. She is appointed to the Attorney-General’s A Panel of counsel and is called to the bar in Northern Ireland.

Leo Cogin

Leo Cogin’s practice is in family law. He accepts instructions in all areas of law concerning children including private and public law. He has represented clients at all levels of tribunal from the family proceedings court to the Court of Appeal.

Lloyd Thomas

Lloyd joined Chambers as a tenant in October 2022 after successfully completing pupillage here in Chambers. He is building a civil practice and accepts instructions in general civil law matters. Lloyd regularly appears in the County Court in procedural hearings and trials on both the small claims and fast tracks. He also accepts paperwork instructions to advise and draft documents in a range of civil matters including personal injury and breach of contract actions. Prior to joining chambers Lloyd worked at the Serious Fraud Office as a paralegal on fraud and bribery / corruption investigations. He also spent time as a volunteer at Wealden Citizens Advice, providing assistance to the public on a range of issues.

Lois Williams

Lois Williams has a broad practice across the main areas of Chambers’ work, including public law, human rights, inquiries, inquests, immigration, personal injury and clinical negligence.

Lucy McCann

Barrister.

Marcus Coates-Walker

Marcus has a specialised practice focussed on clinical negligence, inquest, and personal injury work in addition to being a trained mediator.

Margaret Bowron KC

Margaret Bowron KC’s practice has for a number of years been substantially concentrated on clinical negligence work, involving claims of all types but particularly cases of very high value, frequently arising from brain injury sustained at birth. She has very extensive expertise in both complex liability and quantum issues and acts for both claimants and defendants.

Marina Wheeler KC

Marina Wheeler KC has a broad practice in public and human rights law with a special focus on detention, armed conflict and national security. The reconfiguration of hospital services has also featured heavily in Marina’s public law caseload, allowing her to develop expertise in the requirements of a fair consultation and application of the Public Sector Equality Duty. Marina is an accredited Mediator and handles investigations, especially those involving the workplace and the healthcare sector, building on her years of experience litigating employment disputes. In addition to employment and public law work, Marina has expertise in complex family law cases, often involving a human rights or cross-border element.

Mark Sheppard

Mark joined chambers as a tenant in October 2023 after completing pupillage, and accepts instructions across a range of chambers’ civil practice areas. He is regularly instructed to represent clients across a wide range of Courts, including appearing as junior counsel in the Court of Appeal. Prior to commencing pupillage, Mark worked for the Bar’s pro bono charity, Advocate, as a caseworker. He has also worked as a Court Clerk at the Royal Courts of Justice, clerking small claim & fast track trials. Mark ranked first in his year on the Bar Course at the Inns of Court College of Advocacy, being awarded the Derek Wood QC prize for best overall performance. He also achieved the highest mark in the Examination-in-Chief & Cross-Examination final assessments. Whilst completing his degree, Mark undertook a year of professional training which included a semester studying abroad in New Zealand.

Martin Forde KC

Martin Forde KC has a practice which covers all aspects of Health Law. He appears regularly in all the Regulatory and Disciplinary tribunals predominantly for practitioners including doctors, dentists, osteopaths, chiropractors and optometrists. He has acted for the General Medical Council and the General Dental Council. He has appeared in a number of major cases in the Privy Council and has been involved in medical related judicial review hearings in the Administrative Court as well as judicial review hearings involving mental health and immigration issues. His clinical negligence and personal injury practice is exclusively undertaken in the High Court involving injuries of maximum severity. His experience of Inquests is extensive particularly in cases involving a mental health element. He has appeared on many occasions in the Employment Tribunal acting for NHS Trusts and medical practitioners. He has appeared in HC (90) 9 proceedings, internal Trust and PCT hearings and has an extensive FHSAA practice.

Martin Downs

Martin Downs has a practice which covers Public Law involving Human Rights and Equality (including Children’s and Mental Capacity) law, Local Government (including Police and Education), Inquests and Professional Regulation. He has particular expertise as an appeal advocate (frequently when not having appeared at first instance).

Matthew Heywood

Matthew Heywood is a well regarded leading junior. He is known for his high ranking ability in court as an advocate in the most complex and testing of cases where he routinely leads junior counsel. He has a wide ranging practice and is instructed in both private and public law matters in all tiers of the family court. Matthew provides seminars in chambers and online. He is also instructed by Local Authorities in the most complex public law cases. Matthew is also instructed in cases that involve extradition, human rights and international law. He prosecutes and defends at all levels including the High Court & Court of Appeal. He has been instructed in the most serious and heavy weight of cases including murder, arson, large scale conspiracy and serious complex white collar crime (including bribery and corruption).

Matthew Withers

Matthew Withers has a busy civil practice and regularly accepts instructions in general civil law matters but he has particular experience in employment and property, with clients citing his diligence and technical knowledge, along with his personable and calm manner coupled with his analytical approach.

Matthew Donmall

Matt has expertise in all matters of indirect taxation, including VAT, import and customs duties, excise duties, gaming duties, as well as the interface between tax law and public law. He has appeared in tribunals and courts all the way to the Supreme Court. He is regularly instructed in complex multi-million pound, high profile cases. He has particular experience with disputes involving financial services and pensions, public law arguments, partial exemption methods, attribution and apportionment arguments, single / multiple supply issues, and classification disputes in respect of technological products.

Matthew Hill

Matthew practises in public law, medical law and inquiries and inquests. He has acted as First Junior Counsel to the Hillsborough Inquests, and is currently instructed as Lead Junior Counsel to the Infected Blood Inquiry and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. In medical law, Matthew acts for both claimants and defendants in clinical negligence litigation, including in catastrophic birth and spinal injury cases. He also undertakes disciplinary cases before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service and the General Dental Council. He acts for families, doctors and medical bodies in inquests. He advises on a wide range of medico-legal issues including those relating to consent, capacity, confidentiality and data protection. Matthew’s public law practise includes work on national security, information rights, immigration, human rights, public inquiries and major inquests. He acted for the Home Secretary in Court of Protection proceedings concerning the novichok poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal. He is a member of the Attorney General’s B Panel and he has acted in numerous public inquiries and major inquests including the Al-Sweady Public Inquiry, the Detainee Inquiry, and the Westminster Bridge Inquests.

Matthew Barnes

Matthew Barnes has a civil and public law practice focused on all aspects of medical law, including clinical negligence, inquests, regulatory, and public law. In clinical negligence, his practice includes work for both claimants and defendants, covering a range from low value claims up to the highest value catastrophic brain injuries. In inquests, he acts for both families and medical staff, and has experience of difficult and high profile cases. By way of example, in the last year, he has been instructed in approximately 15 inquests including acting for the family in a recent inquest into the death of Mr Andrew Pimlott, who died in circumstances where a police officer fired a taser at him whilst he was covered in petrol. He is regularly instructed to act for Defendants in regulatory proceedings, including the GDC, the GMC, the NMC, the British Acupuncture Council, internal NHS Trust disciplinary hearings, and the Performers Lists for GPs and dentists. Generally, he acts for defendants, although he has prosecuted in cases involving removal from the Performers List. He has experience of cases involving criminal charges, and has been instructed to defend doctors in the magistrates’ court and crown court. He has extensive experience of public law, as is demonstrated by the reported cases set out below, and in particular has been involved in challenges to treatment decisions and appeals from the GDC and GMC.

Michael Deacon

Michael Deacon has a busy practice encompassing the main areas of Chambers’ work, including clinical negligence and personal injury, inquests, costs, public law, data protection law, professional discipline and employment law. Further, building on his experience as a commercial litigation solicitor with a prominent city firm, Michael has also developed a busy independent practice in general contractual disputes.

Michael Paulin

Michael's primary practice is in tax litigation and tax dispute resolution, including judicial review claims involving HMRC. More broadly, Michael’s practice involves the intersection between tax law, administrative law, and employment law.

Michael Walker

Michael Walker has a busy civil practice and regularly accepts instructions in general civil law matters but he has particular experience in property, commercial, professional negligence and personal injury.

Natasha Isaac

Natasha accepts instructions in all areas of family law including financial remedies, divorces and domestic abuse as well as care proceedings and private law applications involving children. In addition, Natasha has a particular interest in cases involving children with specialist healthcare needs and cases with religious elements.

Natasha Barnes

Natasha Barnes is a highly-regarded junior who acts in a variety of sensitive and complex cases focusing on judicial review, indirect tax and other areas of public and human rights law. She appears before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, the Administrative Court and the Tribunals (Tax and Immigration Chambers). Natasha advises a wide spectrum of clients including individuals, companies, public authorities and government departments. She is a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel.

Neil Sheldon KC

Neil Sheldon KC is recommended by the directories as a leading silk in a broad range of practice areas, including public & administrative law, public inquiries & inquests, professional discipline, and clinical negligence. He has acted in many of the most important public inquiries and inquests of recent years including the Inquests into the terrorist attacks on Fishmongers’ Hall, Westminster Bridge, London Bridge and Manchester Arena, the Victoria Climbie Inquiry, the Zahid Mubarak Inquiry, the Al Swaedy Inquiry, the Iraq Inquiry and the Alexander Litvinenko Inquiry. He is currently acting for the NCA and a number of government departments in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). He is instructed by the Cabinet Office in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, by a leading medical defence union in the Infected Blood Inquiry and as leading counsel for the Home Office in the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Neil was first appointed by the Attorney General as junior counsel to the crown in 2002, and has been on the A Panel since 2010. He undertakes a range of high profile work for a variety of government departments. He has particular experience of national security work, and holds developed vetted (DV) security clearance. He has extensive experience of advocacy in the higher courts. He has appeared in over 50 cases in the Court of Appeal, and in a number of the most important recent human rights appeals in the Supreme Court. Neil is currently instructed in a number of forthcoming Supreme Court appeals, and several cases before the European Court of Human Rights.

Nicholas Jones

Nicholas joined chambers as a tenant in October 2023 following the successful completion of his pupillage, during which he was supervised by Shahram Sharghy, Jessica Elliott & Hannah Noyce, Matthew Hill, and Richard Mumford. Before coming to the Bar, Nicholas volunteered as an advocate with the School Exclusion Project representing pupils appealing their exclusion from school, and as a researcher looking at the implications of voter ID at the privacy-focussed think tank Big Brother Watch. He also worked as a paralegal in a large City law firm. He is currently building a diverse practice and is happy to consider instructions across all of Chambers’ core areas.

Nicola Logan

Nicola Logan joined Chambers as a tenant in October 2022, following the successful completion of her pupillage. Nicola accepts instructions in both Private and Public Family Law as well as Financial Remedy matters. Prior to joining the Bar, Nicola worked as a paralegal at a specialist Family Law firm assisting mostly in Private Children and Financial Remedy matters. Nicola has also volunteered as a mentor for Sussex pathways meeting with offenders both inside Lewes prison and in the community, as well as with the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group meeting with individuals detained in Brook House. Nicola is currently chair for East Sussex YRes.

Nigel Taylor

Nigel Taylor is an experienced family law advocate. His practice includes public law care proceedings, private law matters and financial disputes. He is an accomplished advocate and an experienced negotiator, passionate about getting the best outcome for his clients. He has an expert understanding of local procedures in the family courts in Sussex, Surrey and Kent as well as being thoroughly familiar with the Central Family Court, High Court and Court of Appeal.

Oliver Sanders KC

Oliver Sanders KC has a wide experience and expertise in public law and human rights, including judicial reviews, damages claims and statutory appeals; information rights, including data protection, freedom of information, breach of confidence and misuse of private information; national security and extremism; inquests and inquiries; contempt of court; and the Equality Act 2010. He is a member of the Bar Pro Bono Scheme and the Inner Temple Advocacy Training Programme and has given lectures to various government and non-government clients, the Justice / Sweet and Maxwell FOI Conference and the ALBA Summer Conference.

Owain Thomas KC

Owain Thomas KC has a broad practice with an emphasis on the areas of medical law, professional discipline, public law (in particular relating to healthcare) and taxation. He has wide experience acting for both Claimants and Defendants (NHS and MoD) in clinical negligence, particularly high value claims resulting from birth injury or other catastrophic injuries. He has experience of a wide variety public law challenges against Mental Health Trusts in the Administrative Court and emergency injunctions and best interests cases in the Family Division. He regularly appears for public authorities (hospitals, mental health Trusts and prisons) in complex inquests. Owain has considerable experience in all areas of professional regulation and regularly appears on behalf of doctors, dentists and other professionals before the GMC, GDC etc. He has appeared in hundreds of indirect tax cases in the domestic courts (in the Tribunal, the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court) and the European Court of Justice. His experience includes advisory work as well as advocacy in all areas of indirect taxation. He appears for HMRC and taxpayers. He also has particular experience in the field of customs duties, goods classification, anti-dumping duty and landfill tax. He undertakes a wide range of public law challenges particularly in the field of healthcare, criminal injuries and tax litigation.

Paul Reynolds

Paul has a wide range of experience across indirect tax, rating law, clinical negligence and inquests and inquiries. His experience includes acting as Junior Counsel to the Hillsborough Inquiries, and acting for a wide range of companies, public authorities, and individuals across his areas of specialism. He is on the Attorney General’s ‘C’ Panel of Counsel.

Paul Ashwell

Paul Ashwell offers expertise across the full range of commercial and property law, including probate and planning. He is recommended as a Band 1 practitioner by both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. He lectures frequently on the development of law in his practice areas.

Paul Rees KC

Paul Rees KC is most widely known and recognised for his clinical negligence practice where he has been involved in some of the most significant cases, in particular the series of “indexation” cases, which were considered in the Court of Appeal in 2007. He also practices in a range of related fields including personal injury, professional disciplinary tribunals, inquests and certain aspects of administrative law. He has experience in other non-medical types of professional negligence involving construction professionals and associated litigation.

Pauline Troy

In 1989, Pauline qualified as a solicitor and has practised exclusively in the field of family law since. Then in 1996 Pauline was accredited by the Law Society as a member of the Children Panel authorised to represent parents and children in public law proceedings. Over the years, Pauline undertook increasing amounts of advocacy as a solicitor, and in 2007 was awarded Higher Rights of Audience by the Law Society and has now fully embraced this skill by transferring to the Bar in October 2011. Pauline is therefore a dual qualified practitioner in that she remains on the roll of solicitors but now practises as a barrister. Pauline’s experience covers the full range of child protection cases including the most serious matters involving homicide within the family, sexual abuse, non-accidental injury, neglect, domestic violence, substance misuse and mental health difficulties. She has developed a particular expertise in the law relating to children, especially children and their families in the context of public law care and adoption proceedings. In addition to her children’s work in the public law field, Pauline has considerable experience of the law arising from alternative family structures, especially in the gay community, and families created by surrogacy or donor insemination arrangements.

Pegah Sharghy

Pegah Sharghy is a specialist financial remedy practitioner. Pegah’s core practice is firmly bedded in all aspects of financial dispute on relationship breakdown with a particular interest in unraveling complex financial arrangements and hi-lighting undisclosed assets. Solid experience in conducting challenging and high value cases. Valued by clients as approachable, pragmatic and robust when required.

Peter Skelton KC

Peter Skelton KC’s practice encompasses public inquiries, inquests, human rights litigation, clinical negligence, judicial review, national security and personal injury litigation, with a particular emphasis on multi-party actions and claims arising in foreign jurisdictions. He acts for both claimants and defendants. Peter has been instructed in several major public inquiries over the last 20 years, most recently the Undercover Policing Inquiry (for the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police), the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (as counsel to the inquiry), the Leveson Inquiry (for the Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime), the Al-Sweady Inquiry (for Iraqi judges), and the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry (for two national healthcare charities). He has previously represented bereaved families in the Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry and the Royal Liverpool Children’s Inquiry. From 2005 to 2009, he was counsel to the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry, which investigated allegations of state collusion in the solicitor’s murder. In recent years, Peter has also acted for groups of victims and survivors of sexual abuse by David Fuller, Jimmy Savile and Max Clifford. He has also represented claimants in several other high-profile group actions, including Ian Paterson (breast surgery) and Rob Jones (gynaecological surgery). Previously, he acted for the claimants in the Winterbourne View Litigation the Cornwall Partnership Trust Litigation (institutional neglect and abuse), and the Nationwide Organ Group Litigation. On the defendant side, Peter has acted for the Metropolitan Police in a group actions arising allegations of inappropriate sexual liaisons by undercover police officers, and in the claims brought by the families of the four victims of serial killer Stephen Port. He has also represented the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the Kenyan Emergency Group Litigation, which involved allegations of mistreatment by the Colonial Government of Kenya in the 1950s; and was instructed by an international mining corporation in a multi-party human rights claim arising from allegations of police brutality in Sierra Leone.

Philip Havers KC

Philip Havers KC has a wide ranging practice with particular emphasis on medical law, public law and human rights law. He appears regularly in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Selected Cases: Dolan v Secretary of State for Health (Court of Appeal) (2020): Lead counsel in legal challenge to the lawfulness of the Government’s Covid-19 lockdown. R (W) v Caephilly County Borough Council (2020): Court of Appeal challenge to the lawfulness of the council’s decision to close/reconfigure local leisure facilities. Dulgheriu v London Borough of Ealing Council (2019): Local Authority's power to prevent protests outside an abortion clinic. Awaiting Supreme Court's permission to appeal.

Pritesh Rathod

Barrister

Rachael Claridge

Over the last 20 years, Rachael Claridge has developed a practice in all aspects of family law, with particular regard to those involving child protection issues. Rachael is a Resolution trained family mediator and is regularly involved in training and seminars for a number of Local Authorities and in the Chambers seminar programme. She is happy to consider training for other individuals / organisations.

Rachel Baker

Rachel accepts instructions across a range of civil and Court of Protection matters. With her extensive experience in a range of courts and tribunals and having previously had a busy criminal practice, Rachel has strong advocacy skills as well as the attention to detail and analytical skills required in her paperwork practice. Rachel has a deserved reputation for her friendly but professional and thorough approach as well as her excellent client care and the ability to put even the most nervous and vulnerable of litigants and witnesses at ease. She acts for a full range of clients including companies, educational institutions, insurers, local authorities, the police and charities.

Rachel Gimson

Rachel is an experienced Family Law practitioner, representing parents, children and Local Authorities in Public and Private Family Law proceedings.

Rachel Marcus

Rachel Marcus has developed a specialised healthcare practice. She acts in high-value clinical negligence matters, including birth injury and spinal injury claims. She is a highly experienced inquest advocate, appearing on behalf of both families and healthcare providers in inquests involving hospital and mental health settings, prisons and the community. Rachel is experienced in front of juries and in Article 2 inquests. She also acts in the Court of Protection on behalf of the Official Solicitor as well as healthcare providers and funders, and in the Mental Health Review Tribunal, as well as in the various healthcare disciplinary tribunals.

Rajkiran Arhestey

Rajkiran (Kiran) accepts instructions in all areas of Chambers’ work and is developing a broad practice, particularly in clinical negligence, personal injury, inquests, tax, environmental and planning law, immigration, public law and human rights. Kiran is a member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel (‘C’ Panel).

Rhoderick Chalmers

Rhoderick Chalmers is developing his practice in all of Chamber’s practice areas, particularly in clinical negligence, personal injury, inquests public law, human rights, tax and costs. He also accepts instruction on pro bono cases. From a background in academic research in linguistics and history, he moved to the International Committee of the Red Cross, helping to establish their field mission in Nepal and working with state and rebel forces to promote the observance of international humanitarian law. He is fluent in French, Nepali and Hindi, and has a good knowledge of Russian, Spanish, Bengali and Sylheti. Whilst completing his legal studies, he volunteered for the Free Representation Unit, representing clients in social security hearings and on appeal. He produced a guide on court interpreting and provided training for new volunteers at induction sessions. He continues to provide advocacy skills training.

Richard Smith

Richard Smith’s practice focuses on professional discipline, clinical negligence, professional negligence, personal injury and costs.

Richard Mumford

Richard is a specialist healthcare and personal injury barrister, providing timely and focused advocacy and advice to injured individuals and to clinical practitioners and organisations, amongst others. Richard’s healthcare work is focused on claims relating to medical accidents of all descriptions but also encompasses regulatory proceedings and contractual claims relating to the provision of healthcare and related services. In addition, Richard regularly deals with personal injury claims ranging from serious road traffic injury and industrial injuries to physical and sexual abuse. Richard also advises and represents clients in relation to costs arising from litigation.

Richard Booth KC

Richard Booth KC has practised at 1 Crown Office Row since being called to the Bar by Middle Temple in 1993 and is our current Head of Chambers. He specialises in clinical negligence, disciplinary / regulatory law, personal injury (especially brain and sports injuries), costs, inquests and sports law.

Richard Ager

Richard has a very strong reputation in all the area of Children (Public) Law, representing local authorities, parents, grandparents, children, interveners and guardians. Richard’s experience includes acting in cases involving allegations of sexual abuse, including historical sexual abuse, non-accidental injury and fabricated induced illness. He has considerable experience of cases of placement of children abroad. Richard is instructed on behalf of parents, children and extended family members in the full range of applications. These include difficult cases of implacable hostility, shared care arrangements, internal and external relocation, special guardianship and fact-finding hearings regarding domestic violence, sexual abuse and children giving evidence.

Robert Kellar KC

Robert Kellar KC’s areas of specialism include Clinical Negligence, Professional Discipline and Regulation, Healthcare, Public & Administrative Law and Human Rights, Personal Injury, Employment Law and Inquests.

Robert Mills

Robert is a clinical negligence specialist, acting for both claimants and defendants. He has experience of litigation across a wide range of areas of medicine, with a particular interest in obstetrics, brain injuries, oncology, orthopaedics and cardiology. He also conducts clinical negligence inquest work. He is experienced in handling high value litigation involving life-changing injuries. Robert has a particular interest in the law surrounding fatal accident claims, which represent a core component of his practice and on which he regularly provides training. He provides specialist advice on high value claims for care, loss of earnings and pension loss. He is regularly instructed by solicitors across the country, including Birmingham, Manchester and London, as well as a strong practice in the South West. In the personal injury field, Robert regularly conducts fast-track and multi-track trials. He has experience across the spectrum of personal injury litigation, including employer’s liability, occupier’s liability, Highways Act 1980 and road traffic cases. He regularly attends applications relating to issues such as pre-action disclosure, default judgment, amendments to statements of case and strike out. Robert is a member of the Action Versus Medical Accidents (AVMA) Charity, is on their pro bono inquest panel. He further undertakes clinical negligence cases for clients of the Bar Pro Bono Unit. Robert enjoys both writing papers and presenting them at solicitors’ firms and AVMA events. He particularly enjoys speaking on the topics of dental negligence litigation, causation in clinical negligence, secondary victim claims and fatal accident claims in clinical negligence.

Rory Badenoch

Rory has extensive experience in cases involving personal injury of all kinds. His principal areas of practice are Clinical Negligence, Inquests, Employer’s and Public Liability and RTA cases. He has a particular interest in cases involving clinical negligence and is regularly instructed in claims ranging from sub-standard cosmetic surgery to catastrophic brain injury, and death in children arising from obstetric and paediatric negligence. In addition to his civil practice he frequently represents families at inquests in which clinical negligence is suspected, an example of which led recently to a successful settlement on behalf of parents bereaved by obstetric negligence. He also represents the families in cases involving deaths in custody.

Sarabjit Singh KC

Sarabjit (Sab) Singh KC specialises in tax, including the interface between tax and public law, and clinical negligence. Sab also specialises in public law in its own right, and frequently appears in public law and tax cases in the highest courts, including regular appearances in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Sab has appeared in some of the most heavyweight cases in tax and public law in the last few decades, as outlined in the description of his practice in each of those areas below. He continues to act both for and against the government in high-profile tax and public law matters. Unusually for someone who practices in tax and public law, Sab also specialises in clinical negligence, and as a silk has acted in a number of catastrophic birth injury and other cases. He is valued for his careful and high-quality pleadings and advocacy, as well as his tactful manner with clients.

Sarah Lambert KC

Sarah is a specialist in complex clinical negligence, inquests, inquiries, personal injury and costs cases. Experienced across the board in all types of medical claims, she now increasingly focuses on highly complex neurological brain injury, spinal, amputation and obstetric injury claims, including twins, and wrongful birth cases, acting both for Claimants and Defendants. She also has a significant caseload of fatal cases, particularly those arising out of delayed cancer diagnoses, cases of suicide by mental health patients, and secondary victim claims. In inquests, with particular expertise in medical deaths, Sarah is instructed by families and by NHS Trusts, and has sensitive experience of both jury and non jury inquests, death in custody and cases attracting considerable media interest. From 2022 Sarah is instructed in Module 3 of the Covid Inquiry. Sarah also defends before both the GMC and GDC, where her experience encompasses alleged personal and professional misconduct cases, clinical malpractice, professional fraud and non clinical criminal matters, as well as health and substance dependency cases. Alongside her practice at the Bar, Sarah has since 2012 sat part time as a judge, as a Recorder on the South Eastern Circuit (crime and civil) and since 2013 as a Deputy Costs Judge of the Senior Courts Costs Office.

Sarah Hunwick

Sarah joined Chambers in September 2024 from a leading common law set and specialises in public law proceedings relating to children. She acts for local authorities, parents, children, and other family members. At the start of her career Sarah also practiced criminal and civil law, giving her a breadth of other experience to draw upon when approaching new cases. Sarah has a growing reputation as a fastidiously prepared advocate who is determined to achieve the right result for her clients. She has adapted to a fully paperless way of working and is attending remote, hybrid and in person hearings.

Scott Storey

Scott Storey’s practice has a focus on Court of Protection proceedings, public law and human rights, police law and inquests.

Shaheen Rahman KC

Shaheen Rahman KC has a diverse practice with particular expertise in the areas of Clinical Negligence, Inquests and Inquiries, Public Law, Human Rights and Professional Discipline. Shaheen is instructed by Claimants and Defendants in high value, sensitive and complex clinical negligence cases including catastrophic brain injury, severe obstetric and surgical injury cases. She represents families and healthcare providers at inquests, particularly Article 2 and jury inquests concerning detained patients, the elderly and infant deaths. She has been appointed as Counsel to the Inquest touching the death of Joe Pooley and represented a core participant at the Infected Blood Inquiry. She is Chair of the Birthrights’ Inquiry on Racial Injustice in UK Maternity Services. In May 2022 Shaheen was appointed to join the UK Covid-19 Inquiry legal team. Shaheen undertakes a broad range of public law work with an emphasis on Prisons, Healthcare, Public Consultations and Religious Discrimination. She is an experienced Special Advocate, appearing in many of the leading terrorism cases. She also has extensive experience of professional disciplinary matters, appearing for doctors, dentists, and other healthcare providers before their regulators and in associated appeals, judicial reviews, internal disciplinary matters and MHPS hearings.

Shahram Sharghy

Shahram is a specialist personal injury and clinical negligence barrister with extensive expertise in handling complex and catastrophic claims including brain injury, spinal cord injury and fatal accidents. He regularly represents claimants in the Coroner’s Court, the High Court and in the Court of Appeal. In addition to his medical law expertise, Shahram has appeared in several of the leading cases regarding High Court Enforcement.

Simon Sinnatt

Simon is a property law specialist, practising primarily in Sussex, London and the South Coast, acting for developers, local government and private clients.

Simon Parra-Chokier

Simon is a civil barrister accepting instructions nationwide for preliminary hearings and trials, as well as advisory and drafting work. His expertise includes property, landlord and tenant, commercial, credit hire and personal injury law. In addition, he has an expanding practice in consumer credit law, regularly representing claimants in unfair relationship cases under section 140A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, including “PPI” mis-selling and “PCP” motor finance secret commission cases. Simon is commercially minded, amiable and persuasive. He is also bilingual in Spanish. Prior to being called to the Bar, Simon was a financial services paralegal, a personal injury litigation assistant, a judicial assistant and appeared as a junior advocate in civil rights proceedings overseas.

Stuart Wright

Stuart Wright is our Head of Civil Litigation and an ADR Group Accredited Civil & Commercial Mediator. Stuart has a dedicated civil practice and has received consistently strong independent directory ratings. He is regularly instructed in a range of common law matters with particular expertise in property law, professional negligence, and commercial disputes. He provides in-house lectures for Local Authorities and firms of solicitors in his specialist areas. Whilst predominantly practising throughout the south east, he travels nationally when required.

Susan Healey

Susan has wide ranging experience in all aspects of Public Law acting for Parents, Grandparents, Local Authorities, Official Solicitor and Guardians. She also has experience in all aspects of Private Family Law acting for both applicants and respondents. Susan accepts instructions in injunctive proceedings, often involving serious domestic violence and abuse. She has appeared in proceedings concerning Non-Molestation, and Occupation.

Suzanne Lambert

Suzanne Lambert has a broad civil and public law practice. She undertakes a wide range of common law cases, with a particular focus on healthcare and medical law, including clinical negligence and inquests, but also contractual matters involving institutions and GPs, cases involving ethical questions such as consent to treatment, human rights, mental health law, confidentiality issues and product liability. She also has extensive experience in personal injury, judicial review, professional discipline and regulatory law, as well as public inquiries. She is recommended as a leading junior by Legal 500. She is instructed by both Claimants and Defendants in a wide variety of cases arising from allegations of clinical negligence. She acts in both low-value cases as well as high-value cases involving serious and catastrophic injuries (for example, cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, neurological injuries, loss of fertility, IVF and surrogacy, and delayed diagnosis of cancer). She has experience with complex legal issues such as contributory negligence, apportionment between Defendants, fatal accident claims, consent, and secondary victim claims.

Sydney Chawatama

Sydney Chawatama specialises in clinical negligence and personal injury, acting for Claimants and Defendants. His work in these areas inludes complex high value claims, from initial advice to settlement meetings and trial. He has acted in several birth injury and catastrophic PI claims arising out of road traffic accidents in the High Court and Court of Appeal. Sydney has a broad practice which covers the Court of Protection, professional discipline, costs, mental health law, inquests and child abuse compensation law. He has a developing practice in international commercial and investment arbitration and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Tara Celikoz

Tara is a highly experienced family law practitioner. She was called to the Bar in 2007 and completed her pupillage in Sussex. Although continuing to practice as a tenant from the chambers where she had successfully completed her pupillage in 2008, Tara was much later invited to practice as In-House Counsel with family law Solicitors firms in Sussex. This extended Tara’s already extensive family law skills in advocacy to include responsibility for running her own significant family public and private law caseload.

Thomas Beamont

Tom has a busy practice in all areas of Chambers’ work, with a particular emphasis on clinical negligence, personal injury (including abuse), inquests and inquiries, and various areas of public law and human rights. He has experience acting in high-value and/or complex cases, led by silks in Chambers and in his own right. He joined Chambers as a tenant in September 2019 after 12 months of pupillage at 1 Crown Office Row. Tom appears in the High Court, the County Court and the Coroner’s Court, and has acted in cases up to and including the Court of Appeal.

Thomas Hayes

Tim Hussein

Tim’s background is in both criminal and family law but his practice has been exclusively in family law both public and private for the last 20 years. He undertakes a substantial amount of advocacy training for those hoping to join the Bar and is a Pupil Supervisor.

Timothy Bergin

Tim is a highly experienced family barrister with over 30 years’ experience at the Bar. Specialising predominantly in all matters concerning children’s welfare, with emphasis on child protection, Tim is regularly seen at the family courts in and around Sussex and London representing parents and guardians in complex care cases. In addition to public law, Tim has a strong reputation for representing parents in private law proceedings, in particular cases involving allegations of domestic abuse.

Vanessa Long

Vanessa regularly appears in care proceedings representing local authorities, parents and children at both contested and directions hearings, including emergency hearings, ICOs, CMHs, IRHs and Final Hearings. Vanessa has experience of dealing with allegations of neglect, physical and emotional harm, substance misuse and domestic violence amongst others. Vanessa represents both Applicants and Respondents in private law cases at all stages of proceedings, including applications for Child Arrangements Orders, Specific Issue Orders and Prohibited Steps Orders. Vanessa has particular experience in cases involving allegations of abuse and domestic violence between partners and against children and is able to advise parents on the procedural steps to be taken in such cases, including advice as to whether separate Fact Finding hearings are appropriate during proceedings. Vanessa accepts instruction from Applicants and Respondents in relation to applications for both non-molestation orders and occupation orders.

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