39 Essex Chambers
'Charlie is an outstanding advocate who is clear, engaging and persuasive.'
39 Essex Chambers is home to ‘an incredibly strong team of counsel’ within the public law arena, with the set acting for a diverse range of public bodies and claimants. Recent work highlights include the ‘super’ Jenni Richards KC, Catherine Dobson and Stephanie David acting for the claimant in Jennings v Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, involving an application for a declaration that it was lawful for the claimant to use an embryo with a surrogate following the death of the claimant’s wife. The claim was brought on the grounds that preventing the use of the posthumous embryo would act as a breach of the claimant’s Article 8 rights; the High Court permitted the declaration. In a separate matter, Richards KC successfully represented the claimant in R (Timson) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, a judicial review challenge to the DWP’s policy of allowing automatic deductions, without presenting the claimant with an opportunity to make representations, from welfare benefits to pay debts to utility providers. Katherine Apps KC and Nicola Greaney KC were elevated to silk in March 2023.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Sheraton Doyle and Peter Campbell are extremely responsive.'
- 'Sheraton Doyle is excellent.'
- 'Sheraton Doyle is amazing.'
- 'Oscar Redif is an excellent clerk, approachable and committed to providing a top service for solicitors.'
- 'Peter Campbell is excellent.'
- '39 Essex has a very good depth and breadth of counsel.'
- 'Excellent in the field of public law.'
- 'A go-to chambers for public law.'
- 'A good depth of talent.'
- 'First-class.'
- 'The clerks are efficient and responsive.'
Silks
Leading Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
39 Essex Chambers
'Fenella has intellectual rigour, and she can think through a thorny issue and provide advice with great clarity.'
39 Essex Chambers
'Jenni is just what you hope to get when instructing a silk: she is very persuasive on her feet, and has spot-on judgement when it comes to strategy.'
39 Essex Chambers
'She is very responsive and is also fantastic at thinking creatively to find ways to unpick difficult and seemingly intractable problems.'
39 Essex Chambers
‘James is a very impressive silk. Thoughtful and smooth in his presentation, he can disarm even the most hostile judge.'
2023 Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
39 Essex Chambers
'Katherine has encyclopaedic knowledge. She is a confident advocate and her advice is always solid.'
39 Essex Chambers
'Nicola has excellent expertise in Human Rights Act claims. She handles extremely sensitive cases with ease and skill.'
2024 Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Juniors
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.
39 Essex Chambers
'Catherine is very conscientious. She is astute, and has an in-depth knowledge of administrative law.'
39 Essex Chambers
'He has a profound knowledge of case law. His advocacy is affable and persuasive.'
39 Essex Chambers
'She is responsive, thoughtful, practical, empathetic, academic and meticulously well prepared. She is brave on her feet, argues difficult points elegantly and works tirelessly hard for her vulnerable clients.'
39 Essex Chambers
'Emily is massively bright, bold, and brilliant. She is extremely adaptable and knowledgeable. One to watch.'
39 Essex Chambers
‘Jennifer is calm and reassuring. She is sharp-witted and provides timely advice.'
39 Essex Chambers
'A big brain who quickly sees the heart of the issue. He is very knowledgeable yet practical, and extremely approachable.'
39 Essex Chambers
���Katherine is extremely dedicated and diligent. She is always ready to provide excellent advice which exceeds her year of call.'
39 Essex Chambers
'His advice has always been very on point, clear, well-researched, constructive and helpful.'
39 Essex Chambers
‘Scarlett is exceptionally bright. She has a meticulous approach to getting to the bottom of very complex issues, and provides advice that is both legally and commercially sound.’
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.