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Sanctions

1
Brick Court Chambers
2
Blackstone Chambers

Leading Silks

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Brian Kennelly KC – Blackstone Chambers 'Brian is very user friendly, articulate and engaging in his advocacy. He is very much in demand.'
Maya Lester KC – Brick Court Chambers 'Maya is hands down the go-to barrister on sanctions matters. She has great insights from her long career and experience of working both for and against the government. She has a good eye for detail but always has excellent grasp of the bigger picture.'
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Rachel Barnes KC – Three Raymond Buildings
Paul Key KC – Essex Court Chambers ‘Paul is brilliantly intelligent and erudite, as well as highly articulate and persuasive as an advocate. He is the consummate team player. He has a knack of coming up with creative solutions, and seeing them through, in complex sanctions-related cases where all other avenues have been tried and have failed.’
Hodge Malek KC – 3 Verulam Buildings 'Hodge is one of the greatest and most experienced barristers of our time. He is exceptionally intelligent. He is a superb advocate who commands the respect of the courtroom - effortlessly persuasive in his advocacy style. He is an excellent strategist who always has an eye on the bigger picture.'
Fergus Randolph KC – Brick Court Chambers ‘Fergus has a deep knowledge of sanctions, is very, very clever and at the same time has an eye to the commercial context and provides clear, helpful and robust advice. He is always a pleasure to deal with and very accommodating in relation to transaction timetables and unexpected developments.’
Clare Sibson KC – Fountain Court Chambers
Jim Sturman KC – 2 Bedford Row 'A seasoned practitioner who has buckets of strategic insight. A very good advocate who is trusted by judges.'

2025 Silks

Jason Pobjoy KC – Blackstone Chambers ‘Jason is truly exceptional – an unparalleled mix of encyclopaedic knowledge of the topic, excellent client care and a way of distilling the complex into the straight-forward.’

Leading Juniors

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Malcolm Birdling – Brick Court Chambers 'Malcolm is incomparable in the sanctions space. He is, without doubt, the best junior and is a silk in waiting. There is nothing he does not know, and no ask is too tall. An exceptional advocate with an unrivalled work ethic. There simply are not enough superlatives.'
Paul Wright – Brick Court Chambers ‘Deep knowledge of sanctions and export controls. Pragmatic approach and open minded on commercial solutions. A pleasure to deal with.’
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Jonathan Dawid – Brick Court Chambers
Alex Haines – 4 Pump Court ‘Alex is the sultan of sanctions. He is a silk in all but name when it comes to advising on this complicated and risk-heavy area of law. His written and oral advice is clear and practical.’
Tom Leary – Blackstone Chambers 'Tom is great with the detail of a case, able to get to the heart of a matter and to get right to the point. His advocacy is calm, logical and well thought through.'
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Tim James-Matthews – Matrix Chambers 'Tim has incredible levels of legal knowledge - he has a case to hand for all situations and provides brilliant written advocacy which demonstrates a complete grasp of the law and facts.'
Khadija Leuenberger – The 36 Group 'Good sanctions expertise in the shipping area.'
Sophie O’Sullivan – Outer Temple ‘Sophie is a leading sanctions junior at the Bar. She has impressive experience in this narrow area of law and practice. Her strengths include communication and written advocacy. She continues to develop her experience, making up one of a handful of juniors with the sanctions background required by clients in all sanctions areas of practice. She is well liked among instructing solicitors and is impressive on her feet.’
Tom Rainsbury – 3 Verulam Buildings 'Tom has developed a niche doing work for government bodies - he has a real expertise in this area.'
Jacob Turner – Fountain Court Chambers 'There isn't anything Jacob doesn't know about sanctions. He is responsive and provides advice in a very client-friendly way. Sanctions work is complex but he is able to advise with ease.'
Thomas Yarrow – Deka Chambers 'Thomas has excellent knowledge of public law and human rights, with experience in a wide range of areas, from sanctions to cutting edge issues such as state use of facial recognition.'

Rising Stars

Ali Al-Karim – Brick Court Chambers ‘Ali has a growing reputation in this area, especially in the interplay between sanctions and company law.’
Rayan Fakhoury – Blackstone Chambers
Joshua Hitchens – Outer Temple Chambers
Emile Simpson – 4 New Square Chambers ‘Emile has a gentle client manner, is fiercely intelligent, commercial and clear on strategy. His analytical skills are exceptional and his advice is delivered in plain English. He is responsive, a pleasure to deal with and clients have full confidence in him.’

Sanctions in London Bar

Brick Court Chambers


Brick Court Chambers‘ members are sought after by both government departments, designated individuals and corporates facing sanctions-related challenges for representation in s. 38 SAMLA challenges or commercial disputes where sanctions have become a core issue. Maya Lester KC is currently instructed by XTX Markets, which is bringing suit under the Equality Act 2010 against Legal & General (L&G) for failing to provide financial products to Russian companies, where L&G argues sanctions prevent it from providing said products. Paul Wright continues to advise the States of Guernsey on the implications of sanctions on Guernsey discretionary trusts, while Malcolm Birdling appeared for Eugene Shvidler in his appeal to the Supreme Court to overturn his designation, arguing that it is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Les références

‘The clerking was friendly and helpful.’

‘Tony Burgess and Jo Francis are very good, Kate Trott also.’

‘Jo Francis is very on the ball.’

Principaux dossiers














Blackstone Chambers


Barristers at Blackstone Chambers have a strong record in sanctions disputes, acting for both UK government departments and private individuals subject to various sanctions regimes. Brian Kennelly KC is well versed in challenging designations under UK and EU sanctions regimes, having acted for former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych in his successful appeal against his designation in the EU, while Jason Pobjoy KC, who took silk in 2025 and appeared for the FCDO in defending Eugene Shvidler’s Supreme Court appeal against his designation. Pobjoy KC is also instructed by the FCDO in an appeal by Dana Astra’s designation under the Belarus sanctions regime. Tom Leary appeared for the bank in Alfa Bank v SSFCDO, which brought a s. 38 SAMLA challenge to its designation.

Les références

‘Clerks at the chambers are very responsive and helpful.’

‘The clerks’ team is first class.’

‘The clerking team at Blackstone is very good.’

Principaux dossiers