2 Hare Court is a ‘leading set for white-collar work’ offering ’the cream of the crop of criminal barristers’. Jonathan Laidlaw KC is ‘simply one of the greatest advocates around’ who is regularly instructed by high-profile clients. Brendan Kelly KC remains involved in the SFO’s investigation into London Capital and Finance, which is alleged to have been a Ponzi scheme, while David Whittaker KC has recently acted alone for a consultant surgeon accused of billing insurance companies for more complex procedures than the ones he actually undertook. Private prosecutions are a key area of expertise for the set's members.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
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.
1‘Jonny is a go-to KC and the fact he is not only brilliant but easy to work with makes him excellent for a range of clients. He is simply one of the greatest advocates around. There is a reason he is consistently involved in the biggest cases.'
1‘David is a superb jury advocate who is highly respected by his opponents. He is charming and persuasive in court and has a caring and compassionate manner with clients.'
2‘Brian is a true heavyweight. He is a clear, strategic thinker, which is essential in large-scale fraud cases, as well as a robust and persuasive advocate.'
3‘Leon is the advocate's advocate. He is compelling, lucid and erudite. Not a word is wasted in his written submissions or skeleton arguments and no bad point is ever taken.'
'Brendan is a charming, urbane and likeable advocate. He is able to combine efficacy with a degree of harmony in a way many others cannot. Judges and juries like him as a result and opponents are respectful and amenable to his charms.'
4'Andrew's attention to detail is particularly important in fraud cases, where he thoroughly masters all the evidence, cross-referencing vast quantities of material. He is a strong advocate, who commands attention and remains calm and assured in his tone to the jury.'
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.
‘Viv is brilliant with her lay clients; she is very down to earth, warm, re-assuring and she breaks down complicated legal issues in a clear and digestible manner. She presents legal arguments attractively and forcefully and is very adept at case strategy and finding ways round legal issues.'
3‘Angus is an articulate and brilliant advocate who is as happy in the weeds of the facts as he is in making legal argument.’
4‘Daniel is the complete package. He is charming with juries, very user-friendly and has a total command of every detail of a case. In particular, Daniel is able to articulate complex topics to juries in a simple yet highly engaging manner.’
4‘Lewis is excellent at considering the details of a voluminous case and being able to spot a complex legal argument which many others may not have seen. His preparation and understanding of a case is outstanding and he is a very intellectual barrister. This is coupled with good court presence and ability to communicate well with lay clients.'
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.
‘Viv is brilliant with her lay clients; she is very down to earth, warm, re-assuring and she breaks down complicated legal issues in a clear and digestible manner. She presents legal arguments attractively and forcefully and is very adept at case strategy and finding ways round legal issues.'
3‘Angus is an articulate and brilliant advocate who is as happy in the weeds of the facts as he is in making legal argument.’
4‘Daniel is the complete package. He is charming with juries, very user-friendly and has a total command of every detail of a case. In particular, Daniel is able to articulate complex topics to juries in a simple yet highly engaging manner.’
4‘Lewis is excellent at considering the details of a voluminous case and being able to spot a complex legal argument which many others may not have seen. His preparation and understanding of a case is outstanding and he is a very intellectual barrister. This is coupled with good court presence and ability to communicate well with lay clients.'