Noted for its high quality counsel and strong organisational skills’, the clinical negligence practitioners at 39 Essex Chambers offer ‘strong depth of counsel and practice areas’, with a strong focus on representing NHS and other medical boards. Romilly Cummerson is a notable practitioner in high-value clinical negligence claims, and was the sole counsel in Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust v Bogmer, representing NHS Resolution in a claim pertaining to a coronary artery bypass procedure and the veracity of symptoms claimed by the defendant. The set also includes notable senior barristers such as Susan Rodway KC, active in novel cases spanning clinical negligence and personal injury.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Jamie Tucker and Harry Airth are very able, friendly and most importantly, reliable, clerks.'
  • 'Clerks are all fantastic. Oscar Rediff is great.'
  • 'Clerks are excellent and provide an excellent service.'
  • '39 Essex are really well organised and easy to work with. The Clerks are smart and efficient. I have been impressed with every counsel I have instructed from this set. '
  • 'Strong depth of counsel and practice areas, always counsel available, excellent CPD and outdoor seminars.'
  • '39 Essex Street take exceptional care of their clients. They stand out amongst their competitors for their level of engagement with the regional teams, high quality counsel and strong organisational skills.'
  • 'Very good, experienced Defendant clinical negligence set.'
  • 'First class.'

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.
Neil Block KC
1
39 Essex Chambers
‘Great team player and supportive. Very authoritative - judges recognise his experience. Very experienced and knowledgeable on group actions and well as other matters. Advocacy is excellent - measured and concise.’
Charlie Cory-Wright KC
2
39 Essex Chambers
 ‘Charlie's strengths are his calm authority and ability to get to the heart of an issue and always give sound advice. He is a joy to work with and a fantastic team player.’ 
Judith Ayling KC
3
39 Essex Chambers
‘Judith is a very skilled and accomplished leading counsel. She can get a huge amount of work done with no fuss - her work is always of the very highest quality.’
James Todd KC
4
39 Essex Chambers
‘James is a skilled negotiator and fantastic advocate. Extremely easy to work with, incisive and incredibly efficient.’
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.

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.
Emma Corkill
3
39 Essex Chambers
‘Emma has excellent command of detail and complex medical issues. I have worked with Emma in mediation settings, where she is robust and compelling in negotiations.’
Quintin Fraser
3
39 Essex Chambers
 ‘His attention to detail is excellent. Always fully prepared for conferences, RTMs and knows his stuff. Approachable and non intimidating approach to experts and witnesses and puts witnesses at their ease.'
Daniel Laking
4
39 Essex Chambers
‘Dan’s knowledge is beyond his years of call. His work is always to a very high standard and he is able to turn around complex work in a very short time.’