Kings Chambers boasts an extensive bench of silks and juniors who handle planning and environmental cases. Giles Cannock KC leads the planning team and he is instructed on cases regarding housing and energy schemes, infrastructure projects, and retail developments. David Manley KC acts for both private and public sector clients and he regularly appears in planning inquiries and hearings, as well as in the High Court, as does Ruth Stockley KC. Jonathan Easton KC is particularly skilled in compulsory purchases and environmental matters, while Paul Tucker KC is also notable as chair of the Planning and Environmental Bar Association. Vincent Fraser KC is skilled at handling renewable energy projects, and he recently acted for RWE Renewables UK Onshore Wind regarding an application for a wind farm comprising twelve turbines up to 200 metres tall. Alan Evans specialises in cases regarding village greens and commons, highways, and public right of ways. Of recent note, he successfully represented Manchester City Council in a judicial review, challenging the granting of planning permission for a 55-storey student accommodation building in the middle of Manchester (Macintosh Village Management Ltd v Manchester City Council). Stephanie Hall, Ian Ponter, and John Barrett are also key members of the planning team.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Brilliant service and knowledge. Gary Smith and Mark Ronson are responsive, knowledgeable, and personable. They are great to work with.'
- 'Mark Ronson and Gary Smith are an asset to Kings Chambers. At all times, they have been helpful and quick to respond.'
- 'Mark Ronson and Gary Smith are always particularly helpful in facilitating and coordinating matters.'
- 'Always approachable and keen to assist. Gary Smith and Mark Ronson are adept at arranging appropriate representation to deal with the case at hand.'
- 'Gary Smith and Mark Ronson are both excellent clerks who are keen to support customers.'
- 'The clerks, particularly Mark Ronson and Gary Smith, have always been friendly and extremely efficient. The level of service provided has always been excellent.'
- 'Mark Ronson and Gary Smith are always on the ball. They respond very promptly to enquires and have an in-depth understanding of the barrister's experience and areas of expertise.'
- 'Dealings with Gary Smith and Mark Ronson are excellent. They are responsive, approachable, and reliable. The service they provide is second-to-none.'
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.
David Manley KC
Kings Chambers 'David is brilliant. He always reads the papers, is always laser focused with the job done in the fastest possible time, and he is so funny and accessible and a joy to work with.'
Giles Cannock KC
Kings Chambers 'Giles is excellent in his advocacy at public inquiries, and his cross-examination of the other side's witnesses is very strong. He is clear in his written and oral advice, and is not afraid to give it straight to clients where he considers there are weaknesses in their cases.'
Sarah Reid KC
Kings Chambers 'Sarah is absolutely superb and provides razor-sharp advice and cross-examination. She leaves no stone unturned.'
2023 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.
Jonathan Easton KC
Kings Chambers 'Jonathan is calm, affable, and a genuine pleasure to work with. His humour and warmth, combined with his excellent knowledge and level of client management, set him apart as a KC of choice in the north, and his advocacy style is keen, adept, charming, and disarming to witnesses being cross-examined by him.'
2024 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.
Ruth Stockley KC
Kings Chambers 'Ruth has a confident, persuasive style of advocacy which is well-received by inspectors. She has a firm grasp of the law and can construct convincing legal arguments, she is very strong in cross-examination, and frequently has witnesses agreeing with her and contradicting their previous statements.'
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
Alan Evans
Kings Chambers 'Alan is extremely approachable and always tailors his advice so that it is framed at an appropriate level for clients' understanding. His technical knowledge is also superb, and he excels at timely advice on short notice.'
1
Ian Ponter
Kings Chambers 'Ian is an exceptionally methodical barrister who is capable of grasping key planning issues at a very early stage and guiding witnesses clearly on the evidence to be advanced. His understanding of planning law and policy matters is incomparable and this provides witnesses with the confidence necessary when presenting their evidence at inquiry.'
1
John Hunter
Kings Chambers 'John's written advice and advocacy is very strong. He does a great job and he is unflappable.'
1
Killian Garvey
Kings Chambers 'Killian is a hugely talented barrister who is destined for great success in the profession. He is intelligent, attentive, and responsive, as well as being reliable and very personable.'
1
Philip Robson
Kings Chambers 'Philip is down-to-earth, as well as being incredibly bright and knowledgeable. This means he is approachable and well-liked by clients, as well as very easy to work with.'
1
Stephanie Hall
Kings Chambers 'Stephanie is extremely bright, has laser sharp focus and the ability to zoom in with precision, and has a focused approach on the important issues on any matter. She is incredibly firm and robust in her advice, and, all in all, an incredibly impressive performer.'
1
John Barrett
Kings Chambers ‘John is very thorough and particularly good at preparing witnesses who are inexperienced. He provides good advice on tactics on how to deal with certain points and his cross-examination is well delivered.’
1
Martin Carter
Kings Chambers ‘Martin is down-to-earth, approachable, and genuine. He is always a pleasure to work with, his advice is trusted completely, and he is able to put witnesses at ease and instil in them confidence in the case.’
2
Constanze Bell
Kings Chambers 'Constanze is a superb communicator and really human to deal with, something particularly appreciated by clients. She will always respond at short notice and has great technical knowledge which she uses in an accessible way for the client's benefit.'
2
Freddie Humphreys
Kings Chambers 'Freddie has developed into a very effective operator in planning appeal inquiries and appeal heaings. He has a knack of simplifying a complicated case into key points which he presents in an irresistible manner, and he is a most effective cross-examiner.'
2
Piers Riley-Smith
Kings Chambers 'Piers is an absolute expert and intellect in the field of planning law. He is always friendly and approachable, his technical knowledge and his ability to deal with matters in a pragmatic and creative way is an excellent strength, and the legal support that Piers provides is outstanding.'
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.
Shemuel Sheikh
Kings Chambers ‘Shemuel is an exceptional advocate. He is patient and a good reader of his audience.’