1 King’s Bench Walk is ‘an excellent set full of talented barristers at the top of their game’. Deborah Eaton KC is ’an exceptional, strategic and impressive advocate’ who handles complex cases involving allegations of physical and sexual abuse. Among the juniors, Caroline Lister is well versed in assisting with a broad range of private law children matters, and Nicola Fox is ‘an extremely effective advocate’. Richard Harrison KC, as was, is now a High Court judge.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Chris Gittins injects the clerking team with great energy and is an excellent promoter of the chambers' talent.'
  • 'The clerks are exceptional. Chris Gittins is a fantastic senior clerk.'
  • 'Chris Gittins is incredibly accommodating, efficient and personable.'
  • 'Chris Gittins is a breath of fresh air.'
  • '1 King's Bench Walk is a stellar set and go-to chambers for children's work.'
  • '1 King's Bench Walk offer the full range of family law expertise, with high-quality counsel across the spectrum.'
  • '1 King's Bench Walk is a fantastic set. All barristers have an extensive knowledge of the law and are brilliant advocates.'
  • '1 King's Bench Walk is the go-to set for children's work, including real strength-in-depth for international matters.'

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.
Deborah Eaton KC
1
Deborah Eaton KC
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Deborah is a superstar of the Bar, and her experience and knowledge of children’s cases is unrivalled. Her understanding of how people work is amazing, and she knows how to unlock the most difficult cases. She always has the ear of the judge and knows how to pitch her advocacy to the circumstances.’
Frank Feehan KC
2
Frank Feehan KC
1 King’s Bench Walk
'Frank is very well-prepared, good with clients and robust.'
Anna McKenna KC
2
Anna McKenna KC
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Anna is a strong and persuasive advocate. Her analytical skills are second to none.’
James Turner KC
2
James Turner KC
1 King’s Bench Walk
'James is a true titan of international family law. He has the most impressive breadth and depth of knowledge.'
Charles Howard KC
2
Charles Howard KC
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Charles is a first-rate advocate, exceptionally well-prepared and with an eye for the long game.’
Richard Anelay KC
3
Richard Anelay KC
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Richard is a serene, authoritative and powerful advocate.'

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.
Caroline Lister
1
Caroline Lister
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Caroline is a force to be reckoned with.’
Jay Banerji
1
Jay Banerji
1 King's Bench Walk
 ‘Jay is a thorough barrister who quickly gets to grips with complex cases, and can manage clients’ expectations.’
Katherine Kelsey
2
Katherine Kelsey
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Katherine is strategic and persuasive. She can command the courtroom.’
Nicola Fox
2
Nicola Fox
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Nicola is an exceptional advocate, possessing remarkable judgement and astute strategic oversight. Her deep understanding of cases allows her to delve beneath the surface.'
Charlotte Hartley
2
Charlotte Hartley
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Charlotte is a dynamic and compelling barrister.'
Jennifer Perrins
2
Jennifer Perrins
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Jennifer is very quick-thinking on her feet and has excellent legal knowledge.'
Victoria Green
4
Victoria Green
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Victoria is an effective communicator and a persuasive, powerful advocate.’
Stephen Jarmain
4
Stephen Jarmain
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Stephen is always two steps ahead of the opposition. He is a master tactician and is all over the details of the most complex cases.’
Andrea Watts
4
Andrea Watts
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Andrea is an articulate and focused advocate, who demonstrates great client empathy and is very approachable. She goes above and beyond.'
Thomas Dance
5
Thomas Dance
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Thomas gives clear and direct advice to clients without legal jargon. He passionately fights his client's corner and considers options outside the box.’
Katy Chokowry
5
Katy Chokowry
1 King's Bench Walk
 'Katy is a real superstar. She is always well-prepared and has an effective, authoritative, and polite advocacy style.'
Lucia Crimp
5
Lucia Crimp
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Lucia has a persuasive and authoritative advocacy style. She always presents focused and clear arguments.'
Naomi Wiseman
5
Naomi Wiseman
1 King’s Bench Walk
 ‘Naomi fights incredibly hard for her clients.’
Samantha Ridley
6
Samantha Ridley
1 King’s Bench Walk
'Samantha is a first-rate advocate who has the ear of judges. Her knowledge of international children's law is incredible. She is a tenacious negotiator and can sport the winning point and deploy it to devastating effect in cross-examination.'
Anna Sutcliffe
6
Anna Sutcliffe
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Anna is a tremendous fighter. She is compassionate with vulnerable clients.’
Elizabeth Selman
6
Elizabeth Selman
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Elizabeth's advocacy skills are impressive. She gains the respect of clients immediately with her robust approach to complex legal issues and handles emotionally taxing issues with care.’
Imogen Lloyd-Thomas
6
Imogen Lloyd-Thomas
1 King’s Bench Walk
 ‘Imogen has confidence and a skillset well above her year of call. She is exceptionally bright, robust and urbane in court, diligent and personable.'
Graham Crosthwaite
6
Graham Crosthwaite
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Graham is calm and patient with challenging clients, providing clear advice and strategy. His advocacy is strong, sharp and focused.’
Martha Holmes
6
Martha Holmes
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Martha is a formidable barrister. She is always well-prepared and goes above and beyond for her clients. She is excellent on her feet.’
Kate Ozwell
6
Kate Ozwell
1 King’s Bench Walk
 ‘Kate is a class act. She has a commanding presence in the courtroom. Her cross-examination is effective and delivered with precision.’
Helen Pomeroy
6
Helen Pomeroy
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Helen prepares all her cases thoroughly. She shows great judgement and is strategically astute.’
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.
Victoria Halsall
Victoria Halsall
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Victoria gets to grips with cases very quickly. She is a strong advocate, and anyone would want her on their side.'
Tadhgh Barwell O’Connor
Tadhgh Barwell O’Connor
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Tadhgh is a thorough and efficient advocate. He is excellent at managing high-conflict and vulnerable clients.’
Elle Tait
Elle Tait
1 King’s Bench Walk
 ‘Elle is a real star with gravitas beyond her years of call. She works tirelessly for her clients and rolls her sleeves up to resolve difficult issues.'
Emma Wilson
Emma Wilson
1 King’s Bench Walk
‘Emma is a strong advocate, amenable and composed to clients and compelling before the court.'