Retour United Kingdom - The Bar

Leading Silks

Philip Coppel KCCornerstone BarristersA skilful appeal advocate. As charming as he is inscrutable. A tough opponent who works hard to test arguments in a lateral manner.’     
Rory Dunlop KC39 Essex Chambers ‘Rory is an extremely able advocate who is able to present complex legal arguments clearly and convincingly to the court.’
Julian Milford KC – 11KBW ‘Supreme intellect, hard working, client friendly and focused – a great combination.’ 
Antony White KCMatrix Chambers ‘Antony is the best data protection KC in London. It is not just his unparalleled intellect; it is the sense of calmness and authority he brings to his cases, and his manner with clients and solicitors.’ 
Jude Bunting KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘A delight to work with and really good with clients. He seems able to pick up anything at short notice and is amazing at jumping on (and expeditiously advising) very difficult and unique issues. Very good judgement.’   
Stephen Cragg KC Doughty Street Chambers ‘Stephen’s knowledge of information law and his experience in the Information Tribunal is unrivalled. He is excellent at distilling procedurally and factually complex matters into clear submissions.’   
Estelle Dehon KC – Cornerstone Barristers ‘Estelle is fantastic. She has an outstanding preparation when it comes to FOIA cases, and she can put extremely well-prepared lawyers in difficulty.’  
Aidan Eardley KC5RB ‘Technically brilliant, very measured and composed both in his advice and advocacy. Excellent on the law and has a great insight into the media judges.’   
Kate Gallafent KCBlackstone Chambers ‘Kate is simply outstanding. She is intellectually brilliant but what makes her stand-out is her ability to distil complex legal and real-world problems into practical and actionable advice.
Sara Mansoori KC – Matrix Chambers ‘Sara provides detailed, clear and sensible legal advice that leaves clients feeling empowered to make decisions that can have life-changing consequences, and provides them with relevant legal advice.’     
Timothy Pitt-Payne KC11KBW ‘Hard-working, good-humoured, innovative arguments grounded in deep knowledge of relevant black letter law to facilitate creative approached and strategies. Persuasive on his feet. Highly regarded.’
Andrew Sharland KC – 11KBW ‘Andrew is a robust and clear advocate, who fights for his clients and secures brilliant results. A leading silk in his practice areas.’
Victoria Wakefield KCBrick Court Chambers ‘She is a compelling advocate who always has the trust of the court.’ 

2025 Silks

Edward Craven KCMatrix Chambers ‘Eddie is an absolute pleasure to work with. He is extremely clever but at the same time very down to earth and willing to roll his sleeves up. His appointment as a KC is well deserved.’

Leading Juniors

Robin Hopkins11KBW ‘Robin is one of the very top data protection juniors. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law in this area. He is an excellent draftsman, producing first class written arguments which are clear concise and compelling.’ 
Christopher Knight11KBW ‘Methodical, strategic and encyclopaedic. The perfect counsel for any case when he is on your side. Always makes a case harder when he is against you.’     
Hannah Ready11KBW ‘Hannah is an outstanding data protection junior. She is totally on top of her game; knowledgeable, sensible and hard working. Her written work is always on point and well written.’
Ben SilverstoneMatrix Chambers ‘Ben is highly intelligent and skilled barrister who can always be relied on for accurate and precise advice on complex issues. In addition to his professional skills, he has a pleasant and friendly manner and is calm in the face of difficult strategic problems.’   
Julian Blake11KBW ‘Julian possesses a range of individual strengths and qualities that make them stand out in his field. He is an exceptional advocate, highly persuasive and articulate. He presents complex legal arguments clearly and precisely, with clarity and precision.’
Heather Emmerson11KBW ‘Heather is approachable and incredibly knowledgeable in the field of data protection. Her involvement on a case instils confidence and she can be trusted to provide an honest assessment of the evidence, providing helpful guidance as to next steps.’
Clara Hamer5RB ‘Very hard working, with an eye for detail. She is a fearless advocate.’   
Stephen Kosmin – 11KBW ‘Stephen is a very strong advocate. He is forceful and forensic without ever ceasing to be courteous. His thoroughness and attention to detail is a particular strength, allied with excellent judgement about what the key points are in proceedings.’
Eric MetcalfeMonckton Chambers ‘Eric is a pleasure to work with. He is an excellent advocate – robust and persuasive, whilst always ensuring that the pertinent points are at the forefront of his arguments. He has a great knowledge of data protection law and his written advice is clear and instructive.’   
Julianne Kerr MorrisonMonckton Chambers ‘Very, very knowledgeable on data breach matters.’ 
Zac Sammour11KBW ‘Zac is an impressive advocate – he clear and persuasive and knows what points to run. He is also exceptional on paper and has very good judgment.’
Jonathan Scherbel-Ball5RB ‘Jonathan is a tenacious and committed barrister who works tirelessly for his clients. Extremely knowledgeable on data protection and defamation, he is clearly one of the leading senior juniors in these fields.’  
Jacob Turner  – Fountain Court Chambers  ‘Jacob is one of the leading barristers in the area of artificial intelligence – he is a true expert in this emerging and important field. He has excellent client skills.‘  
Will PerryMonckton Chambers ‘Will is a very strong data protection and information lawyer, who is an efficient and effective junior but well capable of holding his own against much more senior practitioners.’   
Leo Davidson11KBW ‘Leo is very thorough, easy to work with and is a huge support to our team on a difficult matter, he is forceful and considered in making his submissions. ’ 
John Fitzsimons  -  Cornerstone Barristers 'John has a gift of being able to communicate advice on complex law and procedure in a clear and user-friendly manner which is of great value both to solicitors and clients.'
Sam Fowles – 39 Essex Chambers  ‘Attention to detail. Grasp of subject matter. Good client skills.
John Goss5 Essex Chambers ‘A developing practitioner in information rights, with a particular focus on national security and defence matters.’
Ben Hamer  – 5RB – ‘Ben is very bright. He has an impressive work ethic. He is brilliant under pressure and a great team player.’
Ben Mitchell11KBW ‘Ben is a very thoughtful, clever and rigorous barrister.’ 
Aaron Moss  - 5 Essex Chambers  'Reassuring in-depth knowledge of data protection issues and police practices and procedures. Analytical but pragmatic. Industrious and reliable.'
Claire OvermanDoughty Street ChambersClaire is an exceptionally bright barrister who is capable of handling a range of complex cases; she has very sound judgment and is able to provide sensible, pragmatic advice where necessary. She is good on her feet and an accomplished advocate.’  
Will PerryMonckton Chambers ‘Will is a very strong data protection and information lawyer, who is an efficient and effective junior but well capable of holding his own against much more senior practitioners.’   
Jennifer Thelen39 Essex Chambers‘Jennifer is calm and reassuring. She is sharp-witted and quick-thinking and has an in-depth knowledge of information law and the tribunal procedures. She is an excellent advocate and her advice and drafting is thorough and pragmatic.’
Alex Ustych  – 5 Essex Chambers ‘Alex is an outstanding data practitioner who is terrifyingly clever and always on top of his brief. He never fails to identify the winning points and is considered an expert cross-examiner. He is allways able to win over the judge with his impressive advocacy.’
Aidan Wills Matrix Chambers  ‘Aidan is particularly effective in understanding the political context of an instruction and the needs of his clients for insightful advice. He is able to process and work through huge amounts of complex information.’ 

Rising Stars

Jenn LawrenceMonckton Chambers 'Jenn is a highly impressive junior.'

Data protection in London Bar

11KBW


At 11KBW, the members of the set are recognised as ‘data protection specialists at the very top of their game’, who are often instructed in domestic and internationally significant cases. Christopher Knight was instructed in RTM v Bonne Terre & Hestview, concerning the use of the personal data of betting customers for marketing purposes. David Glen boasts government authorities, regulatory bodies, international technology companies and media organisations. Hannah Ready represented a major pensions provider after a data breach involving the misuse of the personal data of police officers. Robin Hopkins was instructed in TikTok v Information Commissioner, which was connected to allegedly inappropriate age verification protocols. In A Utility Company v B Regulator, Jason Coppel KC  was involved in the first ever appeal relating to provisions in the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018. Rupert Paines represented the Information Commissioner in Ancestry Ireland Unlimited v Information Commissioner and National Records Scotland in the first major appeal under the Re-Use of Public Sector Information Regulations.

Les références

’11KBW is a top-tier set full of data protection specialists who are at the very top of their game. They have an extremely impressive breadth and depth of data protection expertise.’

’11 KBW is strong in this field.’

‘They are very good in the information and data space.’

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5RB


5RB ‘remains the undisputed leader in media and communications law’ as its members are often instructed by international newspaper companies, technology corporations, high-net worth private clients and public institutions. Ben Hamer acted for Watford Community Housing Trust in a mass data breach claim, while Aidan Eardley KC was instructed in TikTok Information Technologies UK Ltd v Information Commissioner, a First-tier Tribunal appeal against a multi-million pound fine. Jonathan Scherbel-Ball is instructed by various media organisations and has recently advocated in cases related to unlawful data accessing, right to be forgotten claims and FOIA exceptions.

Les références

‘5RB remains the undisputed leader in media and communications law, with unrivalled strength in depth across all levels of seniority. Whether navigating urgent injunctions, pre-publication instructions or defamation and privacy disputes, 5RB’s barristers are excellent, responsive, commercially aware and genuinely helpful.’

‘5RB are an excellent set of chambers. They have a breadth of expertise that is unrivalled, together with a great client approach.’

‘Great strength in depth in this area.’

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Matrix Chambers


Clients praise Matrix Chambers for the ‘extremely effective’ representation its barristers provide in market-defining tech data breach litigation, group claims and information law cases. Catrin Evans KC was instructed in Pacini v Dow Jones & Co and its conclusion has had a significant impact on the law surrounding reputational damage claims and right to be forgotten relief. Ben Silverstone leverages a wealth of media law expertise to advocate in highly publicised GDPR and national security proceedings. Ian Helme  is noted for his capabilities in cases involving the financial conduct authority, particularly those relating to cryptocurrency. Sara Mansoori KC acted for the claimant in Harrison v Cameron, which led to important clarification on the domestic purposes exemption when dealing with the recording and distribution of phone conversations.

Les références

‘Matrix Chambers are extremely effective with their use of time and resources and always provide the appropriate level of experience and enthusiasm needed from counsel in any given case. They respond to enquiries very quickly, and the clerks understand what you are looking for as a client.’

‘Matrix are always a pleasure to instruct. The clerks are friendly and responsive, and their approach is refreshingly unstuffy.’

‘Lovely set – very progressive and well-organised.’

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Monckton Chambers


The data protection team at Monckton Chambers is home to a team of barristers with an established client base, consisting of public authorities, vulnerable individuals and the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). Gerry Facenna KC is hailed as ‘great’ counsel on major class actions and appeals against allegations of unlawful data usage. Julianne Kerr Morrison is adept at handling matters with a distinct national security angle, while Nikolaus Grubeck is reputed for his depth of expertise in immigration cases. Eric Metcalfe is often involved in highly publicised proceedings such as Karpichkov v National Crime Agency, which related to the identification of former spies. Laura Elizabeth John is well-respected in environmental data cases.

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Blackstone Chambers


The barristers at Blackstone Chambers offer expertise in a wide array of data protection matters and experience advocating in both the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights. Kate Gallafent KC is adept at handling Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) matters and Data Protection Act (DPA) breaches, representing a broad spectrum of clients ranging from public authorities to international corporations. Gayatri Sarathy has built a strong track record in cases involving intelligence agencies and non-governmental organisations. Ben Jaffey KC is noted for his capabilities in cases involving government departments and agents, acting in both the Investigatory Powers Tribunal and the mainstream courts.

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Cornerstone Barristers


Cornerstone Barristers has a growing presence in the data protection market as the set contains barristers who are instructed in a wide array of matters across multiple sectors and jurisdictions. Philip Coppel KC represented the claimant in Doorstep Dispensaree Limited v Information Commissioner, a Court of Appeal case after a pharmacy was fined by the regulator. Estelle Dehon KC represented JUSTICE in an appeal to the FTT concerning its attempt to request data under FOIA concerning the Prevent anti-terrorism programme. Sam Fowles left the set in August 2025.

Les références

‘Cornerstone Barristers has significant strength and depth in data protection and freedom of information.’

‘The clerks rightly often win recognition of exceptional customer care. The team leaders are worthy of particular note, as they each go above and beyond for clients.’

‘Committed, high quality and enthusiastic junior end.’