With a ‘strong bench in insolvency’ 3 Verulam Buildings' members cover a broad range of cross-border and domestic insolvency cases for a variety of clients, including insolvency practitioners, liquidators and administrators. Many of the set’s practitioners have cross-over experience, with insolvency cases having elements from banking and finance, financial services, dispute resolution and fraud. Ewan McQuater, alongside James McWilliams, Philip Hinks and William Day, acted for the liquidators of Grant Thornton in Harrington & Charles Trading Co and Others v Jatin Mehta and others, who alleged that the family and their associates had carried out a fraud by obtaining gold bullion from Indian banks. Angharad Start has acted on a variety of domestic and cross-border cases, while Jamie Riley KC is a key silk from the set.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Extremely strong bench in insolvency work with numerous available counsel with expert knowledge and practical experience of a variety of high profile cases.'
  • 'Stuart Pullum and Stephen Pension are extremely user friendly and responsive. Happy to discuss client needs and conscious of client-driven cost pressures.'
  • '3VB's clerking team is amongst the best. Particular kudos must go to Steve Penson, James Kelly and Richard Ansell - who are approachable, responsive and great in a crisis.' 
  • '3VB has great strength in depth in the financial services space.' 
  • 'They are personable, commercially minded 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.
Matthew Hardwick KC
3
Matthew Hardwick KC
3 Verulam Buildings
‘Matthew is an excellent advocate with pin-point strategic insight and a calm and collected manner. He is able to get to the heart to the matter in a way which is often well received by the judge. Good client manners, taking a step back and viewing the client’s strategic goals as a whole is second nature.’
Jamie Riley KC
4
Jamie Riley KC
3 Verulam Buildings
‘Jamie has the ability to use a turn of phrase to turn complexity into clarity within a single line. He is compelling and authoritative in advocacy, and excellent in written work and analytical advice, particularly pleadings and written argument. He is a go-to silk for best results.’
Adam Kramer KC
5
Adam Kramer KC
3 Verulam Buildings
‘Adam is a mastermind. He is able to argue a complicated claim in such a straightforward way that it makes it so much harder for the other side.’

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.
James McWilliams
4
James McWilliams
3 Verulam Buildings
‘James delivers straightforward advocacy over complex issues with authority. James also offers very clear views in consultations with clients, and does not sit on the fence.’
Angharad Start
4
Angharad Start
3 Verulam Buildings
'Angharad is a very persuasive advocate, has a pleasant and attractive speaking voice and is able to inject humour into her oral submissions at the appropriate time which always goes down with Judges who then warm to her and her case.'