‘Henry is exceedingly clever. He excels in dealing with complicated cases and issues and enjoys strategy. He is a creative thinker and very good on his feet.’
5 Stone Buildings is the ‘go-to set for complex trusts and estates work’ and ’a superlative set of excellent lawyers whose expertise is beyond doubt’. Penelope Reed KC recently appeared before the Supreme Court in Guest v Guest, a Supreme Court case concerning what relief the courts should provide in proprietary estoppel claims. Turning to the set's juniors, Ruth Hughes represented the claimant in the Clitheroe v Bond litigation, a dispute between siblings raising complex issues of the correct test for testamentary capacity, and issues regarding testators' deluded beliefs, while Mathew Roper represented successful claimants who rescinded mis-sold trust products, which purported to protect family homes from care home fee means-testing but instead created capital gains tax problems. Rose Fetherstonhaugh is known for ‘cross-examining witnesses in a very effective matter.’
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Paul Jennings and Dan Coote are highly experienced and reliable clerks who provide great service.'
- 'All of the clerks are responsive, well-organised and pragmatic. Paul Jennings is one of the best clerks to work with and always allows matters to run smoothly. Dan Coote is also excellent.'
- '5 Stone Buildings is a strong set. Each barrister is a capable lot across the board.'
- '5 Stone Buildings provides an excellent offering for contentious trusts and probate. Junior counsels' work is invariable of the highest standard and is approachable.'
- '5 Stone Buildings is the stand-out set for traditional trusts and probate litigation. It has a strength in depth across its members. The juniors, in particular, are at the top of their game.'
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.
‘Penelope is hugely experienced and intelligent. She has the respect of all judges and parties involved and is a collegiate person to work with.’
‘Tracey has an exceptional eye for detail and grasp of complex legal issues.’
‘David is an exceptional lawyer and is a go-to silk. He is technically excellent in both strategy and his subject matter. He is a level head and calming influence in some very difficult client situations.’
‘Shân is an immensely experienced and brilliant strategist and stays calm even in the face of an overly aggressive adversary. She is down to earth, has a lovely human side, and clients love her – she is someone you want on your team.’
‘Christopher is very user-friendly. He rolls up his sleeves and makes practical and pragmatic recommendations. He gets straight to the point and is straightforward to work with. He can distil lots of complicated detail into concise takeaways.’
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.
'Elis is a master of his trade. His knowledge and expertise of this work-type is formidable and coupled with his collaborative approach, he is simply the first-choice counsel on all trusts, estates, and probate disputes.'
‘Toby is excellent with clients and puts them at ease with his down-to-earth nature. He is technically brilliant and never misses anything. He is always available when needed and never seems stressed or too busy to help.’
'Ruth is tenacious in her advocacy and makes her points strongly and well. She is good in her written advice.'
'Michael is technically brilliant and delivers an excellent, timely service.'
'Hugh provides excellent advice throughout all aspects of the litigation, including mediation. He is always on hand to assist with all steps in the process and goes the extra mile to help and assist his instructing solicitors.'
‘William knows the law and understands the commercial context and the particular judge involved.’
'He is very hard-working, great value, and a go-to barrister in contentious trusts and estate matters.'
‘Edward's advocacy is tough and tenacious but glazed in charm. He is an excellent strategic thinker but has all the skills of a traditional chancery barrister, making him a top choice for complex trusts and estate litigation.’
‘Francis has an encyclopedic knowledge of his subject. He is insightful, professional and provides robust advice on the strengths and weaknesses of the case. He is good on his feet and can navigate thorny issues effortlessly.’
‘Matthew is highly personable and a real team player. He is calm and composed in court, a good strategist who is able to assess the merits of a claim dispassionately and accurately. He is very good at thinking outside the box.’
‘Mathew can grapple with complex legal issues and his ability to present arguments clearly and attractively to the court.’
‘Jordan is an excellent advocate. He is confident, incisive and persuasive. His drafting is also extremely good. He is good under pressure and very commercially-minded.’
Leading Juniors
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.
'Elis is a master of his trade. His knowledge and expertise of this work-type is formidable and coupled with his collaborative approach, he is simply the first-choice counsel on all trusts, estates, and probate disputes.'
‘Toby is excellent with clients and puts them at ease with his down-to-earth nature. He is technically brilliant and never misses anything. He is always available when needed and never seems stressed or too busy to help.’
'Ruth is tenacious in her advocacy and makes her points strongly and well. She is good in her written advice.'
'Michael is technically brilliant and delivers an excellent, timely service.'
'Hugh provides excellent advice throughout all aspects of the litigation, including mediation. He is always on hand to assist with all steps in the process and goes the extra mile to help and assist his instructing solicitors.'
‘William knows the law and understands the commercial context and the particular judge involved.’
'He is very hard-working, great value, and a go-to barrister in contentious trusts and estate matters.'
‘Edward's advocacy is tough and tenacious but glazed in charm. He is an excellent strategic thinker but has all the skills of a traditional chancery barrister, making him a top choice for complex trusts and estate litigation.’
‘Francis has an encyclopedic knowledge of his subject. He is insightful, professional and provides robust advice on the strengths and weaknesses of the case. He is good on his feet and can navigate thorny issues effortlessly.’
‘Matthew is highly personable and a real team player. He is calm and composed in court, a good strategist who is able to assess the merits of a claim dispassionately and accurately. He is very good at thinking outside the box.’
‘Mathew can grapple with complex legal issues and his ability to present arguments clearly and attractively to the court.’
‘Jordan is an excellent advocate. He is confident, incisive and persuasive. His drafting is also extremely good. He is good under pressure and very commercially-minded.’