Martin Westgate KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘He is the best housing law barrister. He is very good both as an advocate and in writing.’
Doughty Street Chambers is a ‘brilliant all-round set’. The team maintains an ’excellent reputation’ for tenant-side representation, ‘particularly when elements of public law are involved’. Martin Westgate KC has ’excellent legal knowledge’, having appeared alongside Sarah Steinhardt before the Supreme Court in R (Imam) v Croydon LBC – a judicial review concerning a local authority not securing suitable accommodation for a homeless claimant for nearly six years after the duty had been accepted. Jamie Burton KC has ‘excellent attention to detail’ shown in his representation in R (Zaman) v Waltham Forest LBC – a high-profile case concerning a proposed out of borough placement in Stoke-on-Trent. David Carter has advised and acted on a number of homelessness cases and Rea Murray has acted on a number of cases involving vulnerable individuals requiring representation at judicial reviews.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The clerks are all superb, led by Sian Wilkins and Rachel Finch who are exceptionally efficient, pragmatic and a joy to work with.'
- 'Clerks are responsive, reliable, and professional at all times.'
- 'The clerks are excellent; friendly, efficient and willing to help even at very short notice.'
- 'The set as a whole is committed to social housing, social justice, and legal aid.'
- 'At Doughty Street, there is real strength across the list of junior counsel.'
- 'One of the top social housing law chambers, superb in every way.'
- 'Excellent chambers who are always willing to take on complex cases.'
- 'A good set with excellent counsel at all levels.'
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.
Jamie Burton KC
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Excellent attention to detail and analysis. In advocacy, Jamie is very strong on cross-examination and anticipating developments at trial and in hearings, thinking on his feet and adapting strategies during trials and hearings if needed to achieve successful outcomes.’
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.
Dominic Preston
Doughty Street Chambers ‘A formidable advocate who is a joy to watch on the stand with his devastatingly forceful advocacy. Behind this lies a highly committed barrister with a long track record of delivering excellent results for vulnerable clients.’
Zia Nabi
Doughty Street Chambers ‘He is a silk in all but name. He sees arguments others do not, his advocacy is first class, he is considered and persuasive at all times. Zia will always consider the case from the client’s perspective and he will not shy away from forming an argument about an issue that hasn’t been raised elsewhere.’
Sarah Steinhardt
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Sarah is a first-rate advocate, ardent yet acutely plausible, and utterly compelling. Outside the courtroom, her advice and drafting are scrupulous and intelligent. She is courageous in the face of difficult cases and possessed of a very patient, reassuring manner with clients.’
David Carter
Doughty Street Chambers ‘David is very good at analysing and identifying the issues within a case. He is also very good in advocacy. He gets on well with every client and is extremely knowledgeable.'
3
Matthew Lee
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Matthew’s proficiency in housing law is truly remarkable. His comprehensive understanding of the law, coupled with his strategic insight, proved invaluable in navigating the complexities of cases.’
3
Rea Murray
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Rea is very knowledgeable, tactical and confident. She is also good at thinking on her feet, and with clients.’
Daniel Clarke
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Daniel is a leading light in the area of capacity to litigate and has lead the way on trying to clarify procedure in this field. He is also an incredibly thoughtful and knowledgeable barrister with a very calm yet incisive demeanor when on the stand. Clients always feel reassured by his calmness and compassion.’
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.
Alice Irving
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Alice is one of the go-to barristers. She is excellent in every conceivable way - technically brilliant, conscientious and strategic. She is also incredibly compassionate, sensitive and empathetic with clients. You can trust Alice with the most complex points of law and the most difficult cases.’
Marie Paris
Doughty Street Chambers ‘Marie knows how to win and her advocacy always hits the target. She marries tenacity with a passionate belief in social justice. Marie is a pleasure to instruct and her positive results, particularly with homelessness judicial reviews, speak for themselves. A sharp legal mind with a genuine empathy for her clients, Marie is a classy barrister whose star is clearly on the rise.’