1
Tania Griffiths KC
Exchange ChambersExchange Chambers is praised as ‘the go-to set for serious criminal work’, with members called upon to defend and prosecute at all levels of court across the North West of England. The set has a strong bench of silks, including Ben Myers KC, whose practice encompasses the entirety of criminal law, from murder, manslaughter, rape, and sexual offences, to high-value fraud, money laundering, and drug trafficking – of recent note, he represented Lucy Letby, the former neonatal nurse convicted of the murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of six more after a ten-month trial. David Temkin KC is another notable criminal law silk handling both defence and prosecution work, while Imran Shafi KC exclusively defends in a range of criminal trials, including murders, complex fraud, and drug conspiracies. Head of the set’s criminal group Richard Littler KC has significant expertise in terrorism cases, and he also represented a fifteen-year-old autistic, mute boy, one of two defendants convicted of the murder of transgender teenager Brianna Ghey in Liverpool. Mark Rhind KC is another active silk who frequently handles multi-handed murder cases, as well as pension and timeshare frauds. Among the juniors, Damian Nolan predominately acts for the defence and his expertise spans across terrorism cases and international drug conspiracies, while Ian Whitehurst is notable for his expertise in cyber-related criminal activity. David Toal has expertise in prosecuting serious sexual offences, and he also prosecuted American boxing trainer Brian McIntyre for possession of a firearm – illegal in the UK but licensed in the US – that was found in his suitcase at Manchester Airport. Michael Lavery is another notable name, and he mostly handles defence work in fraud cases.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Nick Buckley is an exceptional criminal clerk. A real fixer and super responsive.'
- 'The main reason for the enduring success of Exchange is the management of the whole business, and the clerks are an integral part of that. Nick Buckley epitomises what Exchange are all about - excellence, professionalism, and complete reliability. The clerks room is seamless across the three cities and the service is simply superb.'
- 'Strong clerk's room. Nick Buckley is a robust senior clerk leading a hard working team at the Manchester set. In Liverpool, Kate Masher continues to provide excellent service. She is always honest in her assessment of counsel's strengths when approached for comment.'
- 'Dave Haley in Manchester is such a great guy. Nothing is ever too much trouble and he goes out of his way to help. In the event that there is a catastrophe around the corner, and in criminal cases there's always one looming, he always manages to sort out the problem with no fuss.'
- 'Nick Buckley is a robust senior clerk who knows his barristers' strengths and weaknesses. He is straight talking and easy to communicate with. He is supported by a strong team, especially Andy Leech.'
- 'Nick Buckley has a tremendous amount of experience. If ever unforeseen issues arise, Nick will have the solution to hand.'
- 'Ian Spencer is one of the best clerks. Nothing is too much for him and he will always endeavour to ensure clients' needs are met.'
- 'Nick Buckley is obviously a formidable clerk and an excellent chambers director. He is always available to speak and happy to assist in any way he can. More than anything, he is always reachable, approachable, and 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.
1
John Jones KC
Exchange Chambers1
Benjamin Myers KC
Exchange Chambers ‘Benjamin is an exceptional advocate who is able to effectively communicate to judges and juries alike. His natural talent to communicate is supported by his work ethic and his tactical brilliance, and he is a barrister who thinks deeply about tactics, and because his judgement is second-to-none, he always makes the right choice.’
1
Richard Littler KC
Exchange Chambers2
Gordon Cole KC
Exchange Chambers2
David Temkin KC
Exchange Chambers ‘David is the first choice for homicide cases, as he is extremely thorough and prepares meticulous documentation to assist the court at each and every hearing, not just trial. He strikes the perfect balance of being approachable and accessible, but robust when it is necessary, and he is the model modern silk.’
2
Imran Shafi KC
Exchange Chambers ‘Imran’s calm and meticulous approach is persuasive and devastating in equal measure. Thoroughly planned advocacy leaves no weaknesses to be exploited by his opponents.’
3
Mark Rhind KC
Exchange Chambers ‘Mark is an outstanding trial advocate to whom the jury can immediately relate. In multi-handed cases you can literally see them sit up to pay attention when Mark takes to his feet.’
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.
1
Paul Hodgkinson
Exchange Chambers1
Charlotte Kenny
Exchange Chambers ‘Charlotte is a formidable trial lawyer who shows a steely determination to get the best possible outcome for the client. Throughout the case, she is always approachable and ready to discuss the best tactical approach, she is a first-class performer in court when dealing with the most serious and complex of fraud cases, and she regularly produces outstanding results.'
1
Ian Whitehurst
Exchange Chambers ‘Ian is an extremely able advocate. He is strategically tactful and personable, and immediately builds rapport whilst taking positions to robustly defend his client's interests.'
1
Andrew Jebb
Exchange Chambers1
David Toal
Exchange Chambers ‘David is a phenomenal barrister and an excellent and articulate advocate. He is well respected by all on the circuit, he is able to absorb a great deal of information in complex cases at short notice, and he is incredible with clients and able to put defendants at ease regardless of the case before them.'
1
Damian Nolan
Exchange Chambers ‘Damian is a real fighter who clients love to have on their side. His preparation is fantastic, his paperwork meticulous, and juries really enjoy listening to him.’
1
Michael Lavery
Exchange Chambers ‘Michael is very well-received by the full range of clients, from murderers to company directors. He has an easy manner with all of them and in court is an extremely persuasive and empathetic jury advocate.’
2
Nicola Daley
Exchange Chambers2
David Birrell
Exchange Chambers ‘David is an exceptional jury advocate and a silk in the making. His tone and delivery are incredibly persuasive, he is a confident advocate, his competent manner appeals to judges, and he’s always prepared and never flustered.'
2
Richard Brigden
Exchange Chambers ‘Richard is a committed and thoughtful barrister who does excellent work on behalf of his clients. He prepares all cases thoroughly and with strong attention to detail, he is an excellent communicator, he is able to communicate effectively with clients from a wide variety of backgrounds, and his strong communication skills make him a good jury advocate.'
2
Fiona Clancy
Exchange Chambers ‘Fiona demonstrates a wide range of strengths throughout the duration of her trials. In respect of her advocacy, she strikes an excellent balance of firmness and fairness when cross-examining the complainant and her closing is extremely down-to-earth and relatable for the jury.'
2
Oliver Jarvis
Exchange Chambers 'Oliver is an exceptional advocate who obtains very good outcomes for all clients, whether it be a not guilty verdict or as a result of his mitigation. His preparation of cases and presentation is always very thorough, and he has a very good manner with clients and places them at ease in highly stressful situations.'
2
Charlotte Rimmer
Exchange Chambers ‘Charlotte is a rare diamond in that she has it all. She comes to court always fully prepared and knows every detail of her case, she has a wonderful manner with clients which ensures that even the most vulnerable clients are heard and their interests protected, and she is a dynamic advocate in court and has the ability to navigate complex legal issues quickly as and when they arise.'
2
Gareth Roberts
Exchange Chambers ‘Gareth genuinely fights for clients and he has the underrated ability to converse in a manner that clients both appreciate and understand, making them feel not only represented but supported throughout their case. He conducts brilliant analysis of issues in cases that others would miss.’
3
Huw Edwards
Exchange Chambers ‘Huw stands out for his superb advocacy. He has a gentle but extremely effective approach in cross-examination and he is also a very good lawyer with excellent judgement.'