1Hall of fameExchange Chambers
'Bill's powers of reasoning in cases where there are complex issues relating to liability and causation is absolutely formidable. He champions justice for the victims tirelessly. He is the best of the best!'
The Bar - Regional Bar • Northern Circuit
Exchange Chambers
Exchange Chambers ‘is the go-to set for personal injury counsel’ and its members handle cases involving injuries of the utmost severity, including fatal accidents, industrial disease, severe brain injuries, and catastrophic spinal cord injuries. It also provides representation in niche areas, such as military claims, which is an area of strength for Andrew Ward and Christopher Barnes KC; Barnes KC represented a Royal Marine who was paralysed during a training exercise. William Waldron KC is deputy Head of Chambers and has expertise in representing catastrophically injured claimants. Bill Braithwaite KC’s practice is highly specialised, and he represents claimants exclusively in claims involving catastrophic brain and spinal injuries. Gerard Martin KC, Louis Browne KC, and David Knifton KC are also skilled in this area, as well as claims for amputees; Knifton KC acted for a refuse collector who sustained severe crushing injuries to his right leg when run over by a bin wagon, resulting in above the knee amputation. Laura Gooding was appointed as a district judge in January 2023.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The clerks are responsive, helpful, and a pleasure to deal with. Rachel Williams in particular is excellent.'
- 'The clerks' room has great strength and all clerks are superb. Neil Wright, Rachel Williams, and Sarah Rotherham are stand-out clerks.'
- 'All clerks are very helpful and approachable. They deal with the digital transfer of large volumes of documents very well and without fuss. Neil Wright in particular is always very helpful and a pleasure to work with.'
- 'Rachel Williams is excellent and you can be confident she is doing her best to assist.'
- 'The clerks at Exchange are incredibly attentive and accommodating. They strive to provide the best service possible and invariably achieve it.'
- 'Exchange Chambers is the leading personal injury set in the UK at all levels, from KC to Junior Counsel. A very well-run set that has experienced counsel in all areas of personal injury.'
- 'Exchange Chambers is the go-to set for personal injury counsel.'
- 'Exchange Chambers is a fantastic set of chambers. Very modern, proactive, and eager to assist.'
- 'Exchange Chambers is faultless. It has strength in depth and an excellent training programme. It is rated very highly.'
- 'Exchange is a good set with good barristers. Its training programmes are invariably very good.'
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
1Hall of fameExchange Chambers
‘David is extremely bright and his ability to grasp complex matters is second-to-none. He is the best there is, he has excellent communication skills, and he is able to express himself very clearly.’
1Hall of fameExchange Chambers
‘Gerard is an extremely experienced and accomplished silk and a brilliant negotiator. He inspires confidence and exudes authority around the negotiating table, his cross-examination is measured and calm, yet devastating, and his judgment of the courtroom dynamics is impeccable and the judges all plainly hold him in very high regard, and rightly so.’
1Hall of fameExchange Chambers
'Will is a sharp and very accomplished advocate. He is very strong on rehabilitation and achieves the best results for his clients both in terms of outcome and settlement.'
2Hall of fameExchange Chambers
'Louis is unflappable, his attention to detail is meticulous, and his deep understanding of the issues involved in complex, high-value personal injury cases is always apparent. His advocacy skills are amongst the best, he always has a calm but steely approach that draws out the pertinent points from factual and expert witnesses at trial, and he demonstrates a real understanding of the bigger picture.'
2022 Silks
Exchange Chambers
‘Christopher is extremely knowledgeable in relation to military and catastrophic claims generally. He is very calm under pressure and is decisive, which is reassuring to mutual clients as well as the instructing solicitor.'
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.
1Exchange Chambers
‘Chris is much more accomplished than his years' call suggests. He is a phenomenally able barrister, he has a very relaxed manner, clients love him, and he is an extremely tough advocate.'
1Exchange Chambers
'Pankaj has great attention to detail, a fantastic analytical mind, and has a fantastic rapport with clients, enabling them to take confidence in his support.'
2Exchange Chambers
‘Alice is extremely focused and organised with fantastic attention to detail. She really focuses her mind on the case she is working on and compiles sound and robust advice, and she is particularly good when considering fundamental dishonesty and has strategic ways of investigating and combatting such issues.’
2Exchange Chambers
'Catherine is an excellent advocate; calm, precise, and she presents her arguments in a clear and persuasive manner.'
2Exchange Chambers
‘Matthew is strong in identifying issues and considering solutions to problems when they arise. He works well with experts, identifying any weaknesses in their evidence which need to be explored, he is very good at planning ahead in the most serious of cases, and he is good at drafting high-value schedules of loss.'
2Exchange Chambers
‘Andrew has an eye for detail and he is quick to identify the critical issues, the evidence required, and the relevant law and case law.'
3Exchange Chambers
'Christopher is extremely knowledgeable, reliable, calm, and resourceful. He achieves excellent results and his advocacy is very strong.'
3Exchange Chambers
‘Stuart is excellent on papers and available for ad hoc advice. He is always very well-prepared for conferences with clients and experts, and he is a good negotiator.’
3Exchange Chambers
'Sara is supportive, knowledgeable, excellent at getting the best out of witnesses, and realistic.'
Exchange Chambers
‘Christian’s advocacy skills are second-to-none. He is extremely clever, particularly mathematically gifted, he is extremely warm and personable, and he is able to form good relationships with lay clients quickly.’
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.
1Exchange Chambers
‘Chris is much more accomplished than his years' call suggests. He is a phenomenally able barrister, he has a very relaxed manner, clients love him, and he is an extremely tough advocate.'
1Exchange Chambers
'Pankaj has great attention to detail, a fantastic analytical mind, and has a fantastic rapport with clients, enabling them to take confidence in his support.'
2Exchange Chambers
‘Alice is extremely focused and organised with fantastic attention to detail. She really focuses her mind on the case she is working on and compiles sound and robust advice, and she is particularly good when considering fundamental dishonesty and has strategic ways of investigating and combatting such issues.’
2Exchange Chambers
'Catherine is an excellent advocate; calm, precise, and she presents her arguments in a clear and persuasive manner.'
2Exchange Chambers
‘Matthew is strong in identifying issues and considering solutions to problems when they arise. He works well with experts, identifying any weaknesses in their evidence which need to be explored, he is very good at planning ahead in the most serious of cases, and he is good at drafting high-value schedules of loss.'
2Exchange Chambers
‘Andrew has an eye for detail and he is quick to identify the critical issues, the evidence required, and the relevant law and case law.'
3Exchange Chambers
'Christopher is extremely knowledgeable, reliable, calm, and resourceful. He achieves excellent results and his advocacy is very strong.'
3Exchange Chambers
‘Stuart is excellent on papers and available for ad hoc advice. He is always very well-prepared for conferences with clients and experts, and he is a good negotiator.’
3Exchange Chambers
'Sara is supportive, knowledgeable, excellent at getting the best out of witnesses, and realistic.'
Exchange Chambers
‘Christian’s advocacy skills are second-to-none. He is extremely clever, particularly mathematically gifted, he is extremely warm and personable, and he is able to form good relationships with lay clients quickly.’