Alan Gardner KC
23ES 'Alan is a master tactician and skillful advocate. He is always thoroughly prepared and hits every point. A masterful trial advocate.'
23ES is ‘a superb set with great strength in depth and a wide choice of proactive counsel’ who handle some of the most complex, high-profile and serious criminal cases. Kate Lumsdon KC is known for her ’calm, controlled and thoughtful approach’ and successfully represented one of the defendants charged with the murder of a taxi driver, while ‘highly intelligent’ Eloise Marshall KC led the successful prosecution of Lawrence Jones, founder of technology company UKFast, who was convicted of drugging, raping and assaulting several women. Alan Gardner KC is a ’calm and measured advocate praised for his strategy and questioning’ and successfully prosecuted two men who were convicted of sexual offences committed as part of a grooming gang in the early 2000s. James Bloomer represented a man who was acquitted of the most serious charges and avoided a custodial sentenced after being accused of involvement in the running of a gun factory - the case involved issues of the defendant, who was blind and unable to read braille, being able to participate in a trial with significant amounts of cell site evidence.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Adam Chapman is a brilliant clerk.'
- 'Wayne King is very well-organised and always does his best to help.'
- 'Adam Chapman and Wayne King are very good at what they do. They understand the cases and the expertise of their barristers and are able to offer recommendations of counsel where required.'
- 'The clerks at 23ES are second to none. Adam Chapman, in particular, is on another level. His service is exemplary and makes him indispensable to any practitioner with a busy practice.'
- '23 ES is a set with very broad quality.'
- '23ES is a very good set with some real stand-out performers.'
- '23ES is a recognised set with some quality barristers.'
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.
Kate Lumsdon KC
23ES 'Kate's skill is an understated advocacy, which is highly persuasive with judges and juries. She has a sharp and incisive mind.'
Eloise Marshall KC
23ES 'Eloise is a very effective advocate and excellent with clients.'
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.
2
James Bloomer
23ES ‘James is thorough barrister. His written arguments are comprehensive and compelling in the most complex and detailed cases. His advocacy is clear, well-planned, fastidiously researched and persuasive. He is a first-choice counsel for matters of complexity and seriousness.’
3
Rhodri James
23ES 'Rhodri is a skilled advocate who combines a friendly and approachable style with focused and persuasive advocacy. He holds a lot of authority in the courtroom, both with judges and juries.'
3
James McCrindell
23ES3
Stephen Shay
23ES 'Stephen's advocacy is highly focused and clear. He is an exceptionally effective and impressive prosecutor.'
3
4
David Dainty
23ES ‘David is a well-prepared and persuasive advocate. He is a formidable opponent who is confident in the court room.’