Essex Court Chambers is experienced in inter-state disputes, investor state proceedings and advisory opinions concerning public international law, where the set’s barristers have been instructed in numerous cases before the international courts and tribunals, namely the ICJ, ECHR and ITLOS. Among the sets work highlights is the Climate Change advisory proceedings before ITLOS and before the ICJ in which Ben Juratowitch is acting on behalf of the UK and leads Amy Sander before ITLOS regarding questions of state obligations to curb climate change under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. Further members of the chambers involved in the ICJ case are Dan Sarooshi KC who represents the UAE and Sam Wordsworth KC who is acting on behalf of the government of Belize, leading Sean Aughey and Naomi Hart. Vaughan Lowe KC is part of a team representing South Africa, and Malcolm Shaw KC is part of a team representing Israel, in the South Africa v Israel ICJ case, in which South Africa alleges that aspects of Israel’s military response to the October 7th 2023 attack on it by Hamas amount to genocide. Tariq Baloch joined from 3 Verulam Buildings in October 2024.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Excellent clerks, particularly Ben Perry.'
- 'The clerking team are responsive and helpful. Joe Ferrigno is a class above.'
- 'Ben Perry is well-experienced clerking PIL practitioners who understands the particular demands of that field.'
- 'They are a top PIL set, with some leading practitioners who are at the top of the field.'
- 'Essex Court has unparalleled experience in public international law and human rights. The team is second to none in the UK. Counsel are always available and have the capacity to produce excellent submissions working against short deadlines.'
- 'Great service - very proactive, problem-solving approach, smooth handling of the relationship with the instructing law firm.'
- 'One of the mega sets. If you can't find a specialist there, the area may not exist!'
Silks
Juniors
