Retour United Kingdom - The Bar

Leading Silks

Nicholas Bacon KC4 New Square ‘Nick is a fountain of knowledge on costs. His advocacy is excellent and he is passionate about his clients and fights hard to win.’
Simon Browne KC39 Essex Chambers 'Simon enthusiastically applies his expert knowledge of costs to advise on clear strategies in what is a difficult case. He proactively and expeditiously responds to queries from lawyers and clients and is always happy to listen to the arguments of the legal team and incorporate them into is advice.'
Alexander Hutton KCHailsham Chambers ‘Alexander is the go to person for costs matters. He is knowledgeable, practical and very user friendly.’
PJ Kirby KCGatehouse Chambers 'PJ has a superb manner in court. He leads in conferences with lay clients and takes control and provides confidence.'
Roger Mallalieu KC – 4 New Square ‘Roger has amazing advocacy and is very responsive and personable.’
Robert Marven KC4 New Square ‘Robert has it all and is the leading silk in the costs field. He combines an encyclopaedic costs knowledge with razor sharp intellect.’
Jamie Carpenter KCHailsham Chambers ‘Absolutely at the top of his game. His advice is clear and unequivocal and his advocacy is extremely effective.’
Vikram Sachdeva KC39 Essex Chambers 'Vikram has an ability to diffuse contention and he is always charming which works well with clients and in court.'
Daniel Saoul KC4 New SquareDaniel is very methodical and detail-oriented. He is not afraid to get into the weeds of a case, which is a very helpful attribute for a silk of his level, making him an excellent team player.’

2023 Silks

Nicola Greaney KC39 Essex Chambers ‘Nicola is extremely thorough, highly intelligent and has excellent judgment. She is a quiet but highly effective advocate.’
Andrew Roy KC12 King’s Bench Walk ‘Andrew is absolutely first class on costs. His knowledge of relevant caselaw is encyclopaedic and his written advocacy is second to none.'

2024 Silks

Shail Patel KC4 New Square 'Very well organised, good attention to detail and strong oral advocacy.'

Leading Juniors

Robin DunneGatehouse Chambers 'Robin's attention to detail is second to none. He regularly appears against leading counsel and more than holds his own. He provides realistic, commercial advice and is always willing to entertain new and innovative tactics.'
Mark FristonHailsham ChambersClearly an expert in his field. Mark has great technical knowledge and is a persuasive advocate with an excellent manner.' 
George McDonald4 New Square ‘George's costs knowledge is second to none. He is readily available to provide advice, which is invariably clear and concise and presented in a manner which enables the client to easily understand the strengths and weaknesses of their case. His advocacy skills are first class, he is quick on his feet and has an ability to forcibly argue his client's case in a persuasive and composed manner.’
Dan StaceyHailsham Chambers ‘Dan is exceptional at costs litigation, and takes a real commercial approach to the advice he gives.’
Imran BensonHailsham Chambers ‘Imran is an intelligent, eloquent and perceptive barrister who is good at getting the ear of the court. He focuses on his client's best arguments and expresses them with economy and strength. He is also a creative thinker, good at finding new perspectives to recurring and seemingly intractable problems.’
Martyn GriffithsGatehouse ChambersMartyn has the ability to provide advice that is both technically sound but also is commercially pragmatic. He is able to see the bigger picture and come up with solutions that sometimes haven't even been considered by clients.’
Shaman Kapoor39 Essex Chambers 'Shaman is incredible to work with. He is consistently impressive in all respects - advisory, advocacy, mediation, seminars - everything. He is practical, strategic, commercially astute, and, importantly, exceptionally approachable.' 
Pippa Manby4 New Square ‘Pippa is excellent. Her written advice is clear and concise and her advocacy is excellent. She knows the factual details and relevant legal principles inside out, and is exceptionally well prepared.’
Joshua MunroHailsham Chambers ‘Joshua gives measured advice and is a very competent and assured advocate.’
Matthew Waszak4 New Square ‘Matthew is one of a few leading junior counsel in relation to costs work. He is extremely knowledgeable in this area and understands his field well. He is very clear with his advice and a very strong advocate.’
Theo Barclay4 New Square ‘Theo is lovely to work with and really knows costs and procedure. He is very responsive, which is want you need in costs counsel. You can helicopter him into a dispute and solicitors should not be afraid to do this as necessary. Costs is a whole new world - experts are needed, of which he is one.’
Stephen Innes4 New Square ‘Stephen is incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to costs, particularly where there are difficult or unusual points to be taken. He is hard-working and methodical, making difficult points easy to understand. His advocacy is clear and very persuasive.’
Mark JamesTemple Garden Chambers ‘Mark is a real expert on costs-related issues. He is remarkably easy to work with and is able to explain and address costs matters in a succinct and simple way.’
Ben Smiley4 New Square 'Ben is very thorough and a pleasure to work with. His drafting is excellent and he provides frank advice.' 
Stephen BaileyHailsham ChambersStephen is excellent at advising on complex costs and procedural issues. He is very user friendly and his advice is clear and practical. He is a go-to for costs work, and in particular wasted costs cases.’ 
Daniel Laking39 Essex Chambers  ‘Dan’s knowledge is beyond his years of call. His work was always to a very high standard and he is able to turn around complex work in a very short time.’
Andrew Lyons – 12 King's Bench WalkAndrew is very approachable and always happy to have an informal chat, which is so helpful. He has excellent attention to detail and great knowledge of costs and litigation funding, which makes him an effective and successful advocate at costs hearings.’ 
Simon Teasdale4 New Square ‘Simon is an outstanding junior costs counsel and a star of the future. Exceptionally bright and his technical knowledge is superb, born from his infectious enthusiasm for costs. ’
Alaric WatsonGatehouse Chambers 'Alaric is very approachable and practical in his advice. He is responsive and a good sounding board for queries.'
Richard WilkinsonTemple Garden Chambers ‘Richard is very bright, commercial and hard working.’

Rising Stars

Henry King12 King’s Bench WalkHenry is a very good advocate and has a genuinely encyclopaedic knowledge of costs law, especially for a barrister of his call.’
Thomas MasonHailsham ChambersThomas is meticulous in his preparation for any advice or hearing. He has impressive understanding of legal costs authorities and is a formidable advocate.’
Charlotte WilkGatehouse Chambers ‘Charlotte is highly intelligent and capable. Her knowledge of costs law and practice is significant and greater than juniors of similar call due to her involvement in multiple costs cases. Her written work as well as her advice to clients are both first class.’ 

Costs and litigation funding in London Bar

4 New Square Chambers


‘Simply the best costs set in the country’, 4 New Square Chambers offers in-depth expertise at every level of call and across all aspects of costs and litigation funding, with particular areas of experience including wasted and non-party costs, funding arrangements, security for costs applications, and non-contentious advisory work. Nicholas Bacon KC, Robert Marven KC, Simon Teasdale and Stephen Innes all acted in Diag Human v Volterra Fietta, with this significant case about whether severance is available to save an otherwise enforceable conditional fee agreement heading from the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court. In Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust v Luke Hoskin, Benjamin Williams KC, Roger Mallalieu KC and Pippa Manby appeared in a case which now progresses to the Court of Appeal to clarify the principle concerning recoverability of agency fees in personal injury claims. Marven KC also appeared on the opposite side to Mallalieu KC and Teasdale in Thomson Snell & Passmore LLP v Kenig, a Court of Appeal case concerning if a beneficiary to a will can later challenge solicitors’ costs even though they have been agreed and paid by the executor.

Les références

The clerks, such as Dennis Peck, James Barrass and Tom Woolsey, are exceptionally helpful.’

The clerks are all excellent: responsive, well organised and collaborative.’ 

Clerks always reliable and helpful. James Barrass always goes above and beyond.’ 

Principaux dossiers














39 Essex Chambers


39 Essex Chambers has ‘become a powerhouse for costs and litigation funding work’, with members bringing extensive expertise in related areas such as commercial and insurance litigation, construction, arbitration, and clinical negligence and personal injury. In an important case for the Fixed Costs Regime, Simon Browne KC represented the respondent before the Court of Appeal in Santiago v Odubola & Motor Insurers’ Bureau, with the ruling stating that interpreter fees can be recovered from defendants. Nicola Greaney KC acted for the proposed class representative in the first judgment from the CAT dealing with the enforceability of litigation funding post-PACCAR. In Reem Zuhri v Vardags Limited, Shaman Kapoor represented the defendant as the High Court held that Part 36 CPR does not apply to Solicitors Act assessments.

Les références

The clerks are very responsive and helpful. Jamie Tucker in particular adds real value.’

The clerks at 39 Essex are extremely helpful and attentive to clients needs. This is particularly so insofar as providing recommendations and availability of certain counsel.’

The clerking team, led by Jamie Tucker, are brilliant and really user friendly. There is no hard sell but instead practical solution led responsiveness.’ 

Principaux dossiers














Hailsham Chambers


Hailsham Chambers have established ‘an excellent reputation for costs’, having been highly active in the recent significant developments related to litigation funding following the PACCAR judgment, the fallout from the Belsner case concerning solicitor-client costs, and the extension of the fixed recoverable costs regime. Jamie Carpenter KC acted for Bugsby Property LLC in the first dispute between litigation funders and a successfully funded client to reach the courts since PACCAR, with the High Court rejecting the first attempt to use the judgment to invalidate a previously agreed litigation funding agreement. ‘On the top of his game in this practice area’, Imran Benson successfully represented the respondent in Paper Mache Tiger v Mathews, an important High Court judgment on non-party costs orders in the situation of small businesses. Stephen Bailey was also successful for the respondents in Kindertons Ltd v Murtagh & Esure Services, with the decision of the High Court providing a significant win for insurers in relation to non-party costs orders.

Les références

‘Clerks are incredibly helpful – Stuart Paley in particular.’

‘The clerks are very helpful in advising on the suitable barrister for the task required.’ 

‘The clerks are the best there is.’ 

Principaux dossiers














Gatehouse Chambers


Offering a ‘well-skilled costs team at all levels’, Gatehouse Chambers members are well-versed at handling complex appellate cases, as well as assisting litigation teams on applications for security for costs, wasted costs and non-party costs orders. The ‘superbPJ Kirby KC continues to regularly advise on detailed assessments, costs budgeting and funding arrangements; having recently led Martyn Griffiths in Wilkins v Serco, a case of fundamental importance to the extension of the fixed costs regime. In Abbott v Ministry of Defence, Robin Dunne acts for the MoD in the determination of the costs arising from the claimant’s solicitors incurring in excess of £3m in issuing claims following the High Court finding that they could not be issued on one claim form.

Les références

‘Nadia Carby is particularly helpful and is the go-to practice manager.’ 

‘The clerks are very good. Peter Foad is calm measured and very thorough and Adam McDonald is always on the ball.’ 

‘All the clerks are helpful and have a sense of urgency.’

Principaux dossiers














Temple Garden Chambers


Temple Garden Chambers has a strong reputation for its experience handling significant costs disputes arising from collective redress and commercial litigation, with members also regularly sought after for their advisory knowledge by solicitors, litigation funders and insurers. In the High Court case of Giaquinto & Ors v ITI Capital, Mark James acted for the claimants in an application to vary an order for security for costs; raising difficult questions about the extent to which a judge could reopen a previous order. James Laughland  represented the respondent in Mundy v TUI Ltd, an appeal to the High Court on how to approach a case where parties make Part 36 offers of a different nature and each consider themselves successful.

Les références

‘Dean Norton and Keith Sharman continue to set the gold standard for client and law firm relations. They are personable and commercial.’ 

‘The clerks have always been very helpful and friendly.’ 

Principaux dossiers