Police Law (claimant)

Leading Silks

Nicholas Bowen KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Nicholas has a huge depth of knowledge in the field of police and wider public authority claims, and is the go-to counsel in the field. He is a hugely respected, a fierce yet persuasive advocate, with the ear of the court.’

Phillippa Kaufmann KC – Matrix Chambers

Hugh Southey KC – Matrix Chambers

Leslie Thomas KC – Garden Court Chambers

Jude Bunting KC – Doughty Street Chambers 'Jude is ferociously clever and dangerously charming. A behemoth of the police law Bar, he is second to none when it comes to representing claimants. He is very creative, quickly wins the ear of his tribunal and should never be underestimated.'

Stephen Cragg KC – Doughty Street Chambers 'Stephen has encyclopaedic knowledge of his area, with sound judgement and skill in his presentation.'

Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC – Doughty Street Chambers 'Caoilfhionn is incredibly knowledgeable and experienced in this area of law. She is creative, thinks outside the box and brings arguments and points to submissions that others simply would not think of.'

Anthony Metzer KC – Goldsmith Chambers 'Anthony has a remarkable ability to quickly grasp the intricacies of a case, have sound judgement on merits and trial strategy, which are fully reflected in the results he secures.'

Matthew Ryder KC – Matrix Chambers ‘Matthew is absolutely at the top of his game. There are so many things about him which are formidable: the sheer size of his intellect, his work ethic and his ability to think strategically about the case from the very beginning, among others.’

Stephen Simblet KC – Garden Court Chambers

Jamie Burton KC – Doughty Street Chambers 'Jamie is a really gifted courtroom advocate, equally adept at making legal submissions and cross examining witnesses.'

Maya Sikand KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Maya is an all around exceptional barrister. She is a straight talking legal power house. Her advocacy is exceptional, as is her litigation strategy and attention to detail. When you have Maya on your team you know your clients are in exceptional hands. ’

Adam Straw KC – Doughty Street Chambers 'Adam is excellent: one of the best claimant silks out there. He has a beautifully understated style, never pushing too far but gaining the ear of the court with his reasonable and well-focused submissions. A really stylish advocate.'

2023 Silks

Fiona Murphy KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Fiona is a powerful advocate with a huge knowledge of the law, tenacious and determined. One of the stand-out individuals in actions against the police practice.’

Leading Juniors

Nick Brown – Doughty Street Chambers

Sarah Hemingway – Garden Court Chambers

David Lemer – Doughty Street Chambers ‘David is analytical, practical, strategic and brings a creative energy to his cases. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of police and public law, with a fabulous work ethic and fierce intellect.’

Ifeanyi Odogwu – Matrix Chambers ‘He is collaborative with instructing solicitors, compassionate with clients, and approaches problems from a variety of angles. He is unflappable and professional and puts clients at ease.’

Nick Stanage – Doughty Street Chambers 'Nick is tenacious and straight talking. He gets to the heart of the issue quickly and incisively and juries like his style. '

Tom Stoate – Doughty Street Chambers 'Tom is extremely adept and thorough in his work and a pleasure to instruct. He is very detailed in his approach and leaves no stone unturned. He is an excellent and proficient trial advocate.'

Jodie Blackstock – Garden Court Chambers

Adam Clemens – 7BR

Iain Daniels – 2 Hare Court

Raj Desai – Matrix Chambers ‘Raj is incredibly astute, hard working and committed to thinking outside as well as inside the box. Absolute grasp of the detail as well as overall issues.’

Emma Favata – Garden Court Chambers

Alison Gerry – Doughty Street Chambers 'Alison is an excellent jury advocate. She is able to cut to the key points within huge amounts of material, while keeping the jury engaged. Her cross-examination is particularly powerful and she is also excellent with clients.'

Sam Jacobs – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Sam is a go to barrister for actions against the police. He has forensic knowledge of the law, he is responsive and reliable and brilliant with clients.‘

Helen Law –Matrix Chambers ‘Helen is an all rounder - her knowledge of criminal law is such an asset in this area of work and she has got some great results in my cases. She is quick, clever and strategic.’

Una Morris – Garden Court Chambers

Jesse Nicholls – Matrix Chambers

Angela Patrick – Doughty Street Chambers

Patrick Roche – Garden Court Chambers

Pippa Woodrow – Doughty Street Chambers 'Pippa is a go-to barrister for her work on behalf of survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. She is passionate but pragmatic and has a brilliant eye for detail.'

Rising Stars

Tim-James Matthews – Matrix Chambers ‘Tim is absolutely amazing. He is a great tactician and his drafting is second-to-none.’

Frederick Powell – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Frederick has an incredible eye for detail and leaves no stone unturned. He is very quick to respond and can turn around very complex and detailed pleadings in an impressively short amount of time.’

Police law (claimant) in London Bar

Tier 1 sets

Doughty Street Chambers

‘One of the leading sets in claimant police law’, Doughty Street Chambers draws on its wealth of experience in human rights and public law to handle the most complex police law cases, both at first instance and on appeal. A number of members represent core participants of the high-profile Undercover Policing Inquiry, which continues to unfold this year with opening statements and the second phase of evidence. In June 2024 Nicholas Bowen KC will appear before the Supreme Court in Tindall v Thames Valley Police, with the outcome determining if the Court of Appeal erred in finding the police did not owe road users a duty of care to protect them from harm. Adam Straw KC is ‘one of the best claimant silks out there’ and represents the family of Sean Fitzgerald, who was fatally shot by a police officer, in the on-going inquest and civil claim for damages against the police. Fiona Murphy KC and Nick Brown remain involved in the Hillsborough Victims Misfeasance Litigation.

Les références

‘The support staff are second to none. Always incredibly helpful, responsive, and very friendly. Cynthia Francis, customer experience manager, is fantastic and the driving force behind the public face of DSC.’

‘The clerks are extremely responsive and helpful, particularly Grace Walton.’

‘The clerks at Doughty Street are at the top of their game. Super helpful and responsive.’

Principaux dossiers

Tier 2 sets

Garden Court Chambers

Garden Court Chambers has a well-established reputation for representing claimants across the gamut of police law proceedings, from conventional torts and claims under the Human Rights Act 1998, to inquests, public inquiries and judicial review challenges against the police and IOPC. Leslie Thomas KC is representing the family of Rebecca Ikumelo following her death in the Brixton Academy crush, with the upcoming inquest raising questions over the policing of the incident and potential breaches of the right to life under the European Convention on Human Rights. In Bell v Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis, Stephen Simblet KC appeared before the High Court in a claim for damages contending the police are liable for their role in facilitating the abduction of a child to Brazil. Also appearing before the High Court in June 2024 is Sarah Hemingway in Reynolds v Chief Constable of Kent Police, with the judgment expected to be the lead authority on the use of the ‘Fundamental Dishonesty’ provision in police cases.

Les références

‘Garden Court are a well organised and approachable Chambers, leaving instructing solicitors happy they are in safe hands.’

Principaux dossiers

Matrix Chambers

Matrix Chambers offers ‘excellent barristers’ for claimant related police law expertise, with those drawing upon experience in associated areas of crime, public law, civil liberties, and inquests and inquiries. In R (W80) v IOPC, Phillippa Kaufmann KC appeared before the Supreme Court on behalf of the family of Jermaine Baker, who was fatally shot by a police officer, with the judgment clarifying that the civil test of whether an honest but mistaken belief is reasonable applies to police misconduct decisions, rather than the criminal law test of self-defence. ‘Quite simply the best junior around’, Jesse Nicholls is particularly adept at handling cases where police officers have caused death or catastrophic injury. ‘All rounder’ Helen Law , whose ‘knowledge of criminal law is such an asset in this area’, continues to act for wives of undercover officers in the Undercover Policing Inquiry.

Les références

‘The clerks are great – they are responsive and proactive. Matt Leitch is particularly helpful.’

‘The clerks are all very helpful and responsive.’

‘A leading set for actions against the state.’

Classements par PratiqueLondon Bar