Retour United Kingdom - The Bar

Group Litigation

Henderson Chambers

2 Temple Gardens

Leading Silks

Alexander Antelme KC – Crown Office Chambers ‘Very bright, quick mind, hard-working, a great team player, very good to work with and a fantastic advocate.’

Oliver Campbell KC – Henderson Chambers ‘Oliver is without doubt one of the standout silks in this space, absolutely at the top of his game. He has a deep strategic insight into group cases and the behaviour of defendants, and a clarity of thought that cuts through the strategic complexity. He is a brilliant advocate with a lovely relaxed style that judges appreciate.’

Thomas de la Mare KC – Blackstone Chambers

Charles Dougherty KC – 2 Temple Gardens 'Charles is a highly skilled, intelligent, and astute advocate with an impressive ability to marshal large volumes of complex evidence into clear and concise legal arguments. He provides commercial and pragmatic advice in a way that is easy for clients to digest and he is extremely approachable.'

Charles Gibson KC – Henderson Chambers

Leigh-Ann Mulcahy KC – Fountain Court Chambers

Hugh Preston KC – 7BR ‘Superb advocate. Always measured and reasonable, he therefore always has the ear of the court.’

Geraint Webb KC – Henderson Chambers

Helen Davies KC – Brick Court Chambers ‘Helen is one of the outstanding silks of her generation. She is a clear and forceful advocate and can dominate courtrooms by sheer force of personality. Away from the court, she is a wonderful colleague and team leader.'

Peter De Verneuil Smith KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He is a great team player, always accessible and is fantastic with clients.'

Marie Demetriou KC – Brick Court Chambers

Shaheed Fatima KC – Blackstone Chambers ‘Shaheed is a fantastic advocate. She is hugely committed, commercial and creative. Simply outstanding and the go-to barrister for corporate defence work on mass tort claims.'

Patrick Green KC – Henderson Chambers ‘Patrick's ability to hold a room and his deep and abiding expertise stand out. His work in particular on the Post Office Group Litigation gave him an incredibly insightful perspective, and his authority and gravitas in this area of work shone through.'

Adam Heppinstall KC – Henderson Chambers 'Adam is a calm, persuasive and charming advocate - really excellent on his feet. As leader of a team on a large complex case, he is responsive, helpful, practical - a reassuring presence who provides robust, commercial advice. Adam truly is an expert on group action practice and procedure and is able to read judges extremely well. He is a pleasure to work with and always adds value.'

Marie Louise Kinsler KC – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Marie Louise is an absolute authority on complex issues of international litigation, particularly jurisdiction and foreign law. She has an ability few barristers have to distil the most abstract legal issues into a form that judges will readily understand and follow, making her extremely effective in court.'

Simeon Maskrey KC – 7BR 'Simeon is an absolute superstar, feared by opponents and loved by clients in equal measures.'

Jonathan Nash KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Jonathan's advocacy skills are unrivalled. He is a clear leader and not afraid to front up to the other side. He is remarkably approachable and on top of the detail.'

Andrew Onslow KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Andrew has demonstrated why he remains one of the powerhouses in this area. His advocacy is the perfect mix of charm and ferociousness.'

Prashant Popat KC – Henderson Chambers

Toby Riley-Smith KC – Henderson Chambers ‘Toby has excellent experience in all the major product liability group actions over the last two decades. He has an impeccable eye for detail, a calm and sensible approach to problems and an attractive advocacy style. He is one of the currently one of the most sought after players in the field.’

Malcolm Sheehan KC – Henderson Chambers

Sarah Abram KC – Brick Court Chambers ‘Sarah is a leader in this field. She always provides clear and intelligent advice.’

Daniel Beard KC – Monckton Chambers ‘A fantastic mind and an encyclopaedic knowledge of competition law. He has an ability to distil the most complex issues into clear and effective submissions. He is also great on his feet and able to convey very complicated material in a succinct and persuasive manner.'

Neil Block KC – 39 Essex Chambers

Paul Harris KC – Monckton Chambers

Anneli Howard KC – Monckton Chambers

Ben Jaffey KC – Blackstone Chambers

Brian Kennelly KC – Blackstone Chambers ‘His strategic ability, judgement and leadership is at the top of the market. His advocacy is outstanding, and he is able to manage the most difficult tribunals with charm to deliver the best result possible.'

Andrew Kinnier KC - Henderson Chambers 'Andrew is a rarity among KCs, he is ultra-approachable with clients and queries. Yet, when it comes to the court he is a goliath of an advocate. During cross-examination, he can gain the trust of a witness, only to unleash a serrated edge when the next witness in line is obstructive. '

Adam Kramer KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Fiercely clever, strategic and sensible. A commanding presence in court - calm and unflappable, but all over the detail.'

Neil Moody KC - 2 Temple Gardens 'Neil is a very calm and authoritative advocate in court.'

Marcus Pilgerstorfer KC – 11KBW ‘His strengths include being able to process very difficult, complex and legally challenging problems. He is very well organised, and is meticulous in detail. Very well written advice and an excellent advocate.

Anya Proops KC – 11KBW ‘A phenomenal advocate and a brilliant legal brain. She is devastating in cross-examination and very persuasive on legal points. She is also a first rate team leader who thinks ahead and guides a case through all obstacles. A real star.’

Daniel Saoul KC – 4 New Square Chambers ‘Daniel is undoubtedly one of the most gifted junior silks at the Bar, unusually bright, incisive with great clarity of thought and a genuinely stellar and, when necessary, pugnacious advocate. He is able to take a court though the most complex points and make them seem simple.’

Tony Singla KC – Brick Court Chambers ‘Exceptional clarity of thought and fearless advocacy.'

Victoria Wakefield KC – Brick Court Chambers 'She is exceptionally smart and hard working. An outstanding advocate who has the ear of the court.'

Henry Warwick KC – Henderson Chambers

Antony White KC – Matrix Chambers

2023 Silks

Kathleen Donnelly KC – Henderson Chambers ‘Kathleen is great to work with. She has a down-to-earth, practical and commercial approach which is invaluable in an area of practice that requires careful strategic planning in negotiating large claimant groups and their legal teams. Her advice is sound and provided in an extremely accessible and efficient way – she cuts to the chase. Her advocacy is robust and targeted to the points that really matter.’

2024 Silks

James Duffy KC – Fountain Court Chambers

Shail Patel KC – 4 New Square Chambers ‘Excellent oral advocacy, great attention to detail, strong on the numbers and the case law.’

Nicholas Sloboda KC – One Essex Court ‘Nicholas is an all round superstar. A fantastic advocate, a real team player, and technically fantastic. He is one of the best.’

Leading Juniors

Isabel Barter – 4 New Square Chambers ‘Isabel is exceptional. She operates at a level far beyond her call and out-performs silks and senior juniors at that level. Both her clarity of expression and composure make her oral and written advocacy particularly polished and persuasive, and is quite clearly primed and ready to take on that role more formally in silk in the very near future.’

Edward Craven – Matrix Chambers ‘Very good – a star in the making, who has been involved in numerous Supreme Court cases.’

Thomas Evans – Henderson Chambers 'Subject area expert - very pleasant to work with.'

Alistair Mackenzie – 2 Temple Gardens ‘He has exceptional knowledge of the law, is adept at picking the right strategy and clients enjoy working with him.'

George McDonald – 4 New Square ‘User friendly, cutting edge.'

Kate Boakes – Matrix Chambers

Harry Lambert – Crown Office Chambers 'Harry is excellent - personable, passionate and intelligent. His strategic thinking is first-rate.'

Lucy McCormick – Henderson Chambers ‘Lucy works very hard and has a strong eye for the detail. She is responsive and works well in a team. She has excellent judgement in complex multi-party cases.'

Meghann McTague – 2 Temple Gardens 'Meghann is an exceptional lawyer. She has an almost superhuman intellect, with an ease and self-assuredness that belies a will of steel.'

Ognjen Miletic – Henderson Chambers ‘Ognjen has great judgement and a fantastic feel for group action procedure.'

James Purnell – Henderson Chambers 'James is the consummate senior junior. He is very hard working and has excellent judgement combined with a persuasive oral style.'

Rachel Tandy – Henderson Chambers ‘Rachel is excellent in every way. She is incredibly hard-working, and fully commits herself to all her cases.’

Daniel Benedyk – One Essex Court

Anneliese Blackwood – Monckton Chambers 'Anneliese is an effective advocate, she understands the law extremely well, and she is an absolute joy to work with.'

Joanne Box – Brick Court Chambers ‘Joanne is a pleasure to work with. She is extremely hard working, and her written work is excellent.'

Niamh Cleary – Fountain Court Chambers 'An extremely gifted orator.'

Robert Dickason – Outer Temple Chambers ‘In terms of his advocacy, Robert is as crisp as a freshly-ironed shirt. He is also very warm with clients and good at building up a rapport. He does not shy away from hard work, and is sought after as a junior by a number of top group actions silks. His impressive personal injury practice complements his growing product liability expertise.'

Tom Fairclough - 2 Temple Gardens 'Tom is a fantastic drafter, even under the most extreme time pressure, and always delivers an excellent product.'

Nikolaus Grubeck – Monckton Chambers 'Nik is very strong on his feet and handles complex lines of enquiry adeptly. His written analysis is also very strong.'

Robin Hopkins – 11KBW 'Pragmatic advice, efficient, quick thinker.'

Anna Hughes – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Brilliant. One of the best barristers out there for complex medical devices and pharmaceutical group claims. A great advocate.’

Adam Korn – 7BR ‘Excellent client care skills. Good team player. Clever and easy to work with.'

Paul Luckhurst – Blackstone Chambers ‘He is extremely smart, very hard-working and an absolute joy to work with.'

James MacDonald – 7BR ‘Articulate advocate, well prepared and personable. Perfect client rapport and respectful throughout.'

Jennifer MacLeod – Brick Court Chambers ‘Jennifer has exceptional people skills. She can lead and play a supportive role, as the case and team requires. She is also an excellent lawyer - an analytical and creative thinker.'

Jonathan McDonagh – Serle Court 'Jonathan is an extremely well-rounded barrister, phenomenally smart and details-oriented but able to clearly see the overall strategic picture. He is lovely to work with and incredibly down to earth and wears his intelligence very lightly.'

Tom Mountford – Blackstone Chambers

Rupert Paines – 11KBW ‘Incredibly bright and knowledgeable. Exceptionally calm in all circumstances. Excellent strategic mind that incorporates not just the legal merits of a case but also the wider circumstances and the clients' requirements and expectations.'

Gerard Rothschild – Brick Court Chambers ‘Gerard has incredible attention to detail. A particular strength is his ability to be across the detail of granular expert evidence, distilling extremely complicated information into clear and reasoned advice. His written advocacy is exceptional and his oral advocacy is clear, methodical and persuasive. His knowledge and understanding of civil procedure is second to none.'

Gayatri Sarathy – Blackstone Chambers

Gareth Shires – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Gareth is very practical and quickly gets to the nub of the issue. He is incredibly knowledgeable and experienced in personal injury/medical claims and also group action work. He is a good advocate and skilled drafter.’

Ben Silverstone – Matrix Chambers ‘Ben is simply excellent - he is a top rate junior all around - his advice, drafting and advocacy are all superb. He is great with clients.'

James White – Henderson Chambers

Rising Stars

James Burton – 39 Essex Chambers

Anna Dannreuther – Old Square Chambers ‘Anna is excellent. She is personable and an excellent team player. She is adept at legal research and willing to spend significant time on solving issues. A star in the making.'

Group litigation in London Bar

Tier 1 sets

Henderson Chambers

A pre-eminent set for group litigation, Henderson Chambers is equipped to advise on a variety of claims, including those related to product liability, environmental law, and human rights abuse. With numerous members – including Charles Gibson KC, Oliver Campbell KC, and Geraint Webb KC – continuing to act in a variety of emissions-related proceedings, the set is also lauded for providing clients with noteworthy knowledge of commercial funding and mass settlement mechanisms. Prashant Popat KC is instructed for AstraZeneca regarding claims issued by people claiming injuries and death caused by the company’s Covid-19 vaccine. Adam Heppinstall KC acts in a modern slavery group action against Tesco in relation to garment manufacturing in Thailand. Ognjen Miletic‘s busy workload extends to representing the claimant group that alleges deceit, unlawful means conspiracy and negligence regarding a property development scheme for leasehold properties intended to be sub-let for use as holiday and student accommodation.

Les références

‘Knowledgeable and helpful. Jason Housden excels.’

‘They are the best clerking team in the City – collaborative and fully reflective of the collegiate culture of this set. They treat junior solicitors with the same respect as partners, which is one reason why solicitors instruct them repeatedly. Jason Housden is a force of nature – kind, empathetic, highly business-minded and a great ambassador for the set. Daniel Kemp is cut from exactly the same cloth.’

‘Henderson is the best set for large-scale group actions and mass claims in London. Their track record in this area speaks volumes – they have been in almost every novel and high-profile group claim over the past 20 years, and their expertise in ESG, consumer and commercial litigation – particularly claims of very large scale – is unrivalled.’

Principaux dossiers

Tier 2 sets

2 Temple Gardens

2 Temple Gardens is recommended for strength in private international and administrative law, with the set’s focus areas encompassing product liability and personal injury claims, as well as healthcare and environment-related litigation. Charles Dougherty KC remains busy being instructed in both Diesel emission claims and in relation to the fire at Grenfell Tower. Acting for Colombian claimants, Marie Louise Kinsler KC pursued an environmental damages claim against a British company arising from a crude oil spill which caused pollution of watercourses. Alistair Mackenzie acts for hundreds of Liverpool FC supporters seeking damages for physical and psychological injuries out of the chaos at the Champions League final in Paris in 2022 in which Liverpool fans suffered physical and psychological injuries, allegedly due to safety failures culminating with the French police using tear gas and pepper spray.

Les références

‘2TG are an excellent set with particular experience in group litigation.’

‘2TG is growing in strength and depth in the area of group litigation.’

‘The set offers a great range of barristers at all levels. They regularly put on really excellent training, which is much appreciated.’

Principaux dossiers

3 Verulam Buildings

Geared to handle the full spectrum of commercial group litigation, 3 Verulam Buildings is highlighted for proficiency in consumer disputes and work in the financial sector, with a specialism in securities. Andrew Onslow KC is representing former shareholders in claims against Glencore for losses allegedly suffered as a result of untrue and misleading statements. Jonathan Nash KC acts in the first class action to be brought in the Isle of Man, involving a multi-million pound claim against a financial institution in relation to the collapse of financial funds held within offshore bonds, whereas Peter De Verneuil Smith KC is representing Santander Bank in a group action by 40,000 individual claimants who allege they were mis-sold payment protection insurance. Adam Kramer KC‘s caseload includes handling Dieselgate cases for claimants, in which he obtained six Group Litigation Orders in one hearing in January 2024.

Les références

‘Their clerks are the best in the business.’

‘Have had excellent service from clerks.’

‘3VB is an excellent chambers, with a responsive clerking team who are always keen to help find a solution on availability. Chambers has a diverse array of barristers, who often have an interesting career background which adds to their skills.’

Principaux dossiers

7BR

Particularly recommended for representing claimants, 7BR excels in dealing with claims related to product liability, personal injury, clinical negligence, consumer, and human rights law. Hugh Preston KC is instructed by the defendant in a Human Rights Act damages group action by various dental practices following the Care Quality Commission’s decision to direct dentists to cease routine dental treatment during the 2020 Covid lockdown. Simeon Maskrey KC acts for the claimant in Munn & Others v Various NHS Trusts, proceedings related to the contaminated blood scandal, while also representing the NHS on a number of claims relating to the Covid-19 pandemic. James MacDonald is active in an ongoing cartel claim brought in England under Brazilian competition laws regarding orange juice processors gaining control of the market to reduce the selling price of oranges since the 1980s.

Les références

‘Very good and keen, Paul Eeles runs them well.’

‘Albie Barton and Max Wright stand out, but all clerks are willing to help and move heaven and earth for 7BR clients.’

‘An excellent set, one of the top sets for claimant work, probably the top set for claimant group actions in products context.’

Principaux dossiers

Blackstone Chambers

Frequently acting in both UK and European Courts, Blackstone Chambers demonstrates prowess across the full spectrum of GLO and CPO work and representative proceedings, as well as commercial and transnational tort litigation. Thomas de la Mare KC handles group, collective and test case litigation in a variety of areas, including competition, public, and environmental law. Shaheed Fatima KC frequently acts for both claimants and defendants, and acts for BHP in Municipality of Mariana v BHP, the long-running case in relation to the 2015 collapse of the Fundão tailings dam in Brazil. Tristan Jones KC specialises in competition damages claims and employment equal pay litigation.

Principaux dossiers

Matrix Chambers

Lauded for strength in human rights abuse and environmental group litigation, Matrix Chambers‘ areas of expertise encompass consumer law, product liability, and data production. Prior to his appointment as Attorney General in July 2024, Richard Hermer KC leads Edward Craven in emissions group litigation against various manufacturers, representing thousands of claimants. Both also act in Milasi Josiya v British American Tobacco Plc & Imperial Brands Plc, representing thousands of Malawian tobacco farmers seeking compensation from two of the world’s largest tobacco multinationals, alleging child labour, exploitation, and dangerous conditions on tobacco farms. Kate Boakes acted for more than a hundred firefighters who suffered severe psychological harm during the Grenfell Tower Fire, while Antony White KC is instructed in Mackintosh and others v Currys Retail Ltd, relating to 1,700 individual claims for damages for distress arising from a data breach using a single claim form.

Les références

‘The clerks are responsive and clear.’

‘Clerks are helpful.’

‘Matrix Chambers has very strong on the privacy and media side. They have a number of leading silks in this area. They could probably do with more senior juniors.’

Principaux dossiers

Tier 3 sets

Brick Court Chambers

Well-known for expertise in handling competition claims, Brick Court Chambers‘ members acted in various recent high-profile proceedings, including the trucks litigation, Merricks v Mastercard, Kent v Apple, and Alex Neill Class Representative Ltd v Sony. Marie Demetriou KC is instructed by NYK in McLaren v MOL, NYK and others, proceedings under section 47B of the Competition Act 1998, discussing the question of whether defendants can communicate with class members and the nature of the Tribunal’s role at the certification stage. Helen Davies KC remains instructed by Daimler in emissions litigation, whereas Tony Singla KC is defending Serco in group shareholder litigation brought under section 90 FSMA based on allegedly misleading information published to investors. Jennifer MacLeod appears unled for the CMA in an intervention into the first collective proceedings trial in the Competition Appeal Tribunal regarding a class of millions of consumers alleging overcharging for telephone services.

Les références

‘Clerks are uniformly excellent. Hannah Rayner is responsive and great to work with.’

‘The service is very good, and the clerks are very responsive and nice to deal with.’

‘The set has amazing service.’

Classements par PratiqueLondon Bar