The Bar - Regional Bar • Northern Circuit
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Chancery, probate, and tax

18 St John Street Chambers

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18 St John Street Chambers is home to head of chambers Richard Chapman KC, who boasts expertise in cases regarding trusts and wills. Elisabeth Tythcott is another key member of the group, and she acted for the defendant in Grantham v Ashton, a contested probate action in which the claimant was seeking to propound the deceased’s will, and the defendant challenged the will’s validity on lack of capacity grounds. Jennifer Newstead-Taylor is frequently instructed by HMRC, and she has particular expertise in VAT fraud cases, while Rupert Davies focuses on customs and excise and VAT work.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'The clerks at 18 St John Street Chambers are incredibly helpful. They provide an easy point of contact between firms and counsel and deal with enquiries in a quick and effective manner, especially Matthew Smith and Eden Cobb.'
  • 'James Parks and Katie Brown are very commercial and always very keen to provide the best service they can. They are also very responsive to urgent needs when required.'
  • 'James Parks runs an excellent clerking team. Responsive, commercial, and good fun too!'
  • 'Good, reliable clerking on the civil side, and Ryan Pugh is excellent.'
  • 'The clerks are one of the reasons for the success of 18 St John Street Chambers. James Parks is at the top of his game. He always goes above and beyond to make the instruction of counsel a smooth process. If there is not something James does not know then it is not worth knowing.'
  • 'Ryan Pugh is an excellent and helpful member of the clerking team.'
  • 'Eden Cobb, Katie Brown, and Ryan Pugh get back to you quickly, provide everything you need, and are super helpful.'

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.
Richard Chapman KC
18 St John Street Chambers 
‘Richard is the complete counsel who is always one step ahead of everyone else and gets the right result. An outstanding advocate who commands the courtroom, he doesn’t waste judges’ time taking silly points or grandstanding, and he brings a no-nonsense, unflappable attitude.’

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.
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Christopher McNall
18 St John Street Chambers
‘Christopher is a great creative thinker. His ideas are always outside the box and he comes up with commercial solutions, and he is proactive and happy to discuss ideas in a collaborative way, rather than dictate the next steps.'
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Elisabeth Tythcott
18 St John Street Chambers
‘Elisabeth demonstrates an interest in the case and wants to find a solution, she is excellent with clients in giving realistic and sensible commercial advice, and she is very responsive and goes the extra mile. She is also articulate and confident in court, her advocacy skills are strong and clear, and her cross-examination is well thought out.'

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