Retour United Kingdom - The Bar

Leading Silks

Lesley Anderson KC – Kings Chambers ‘Lesley is a powerhouse of the Bar, and she is able to work through masses of detail and pick out the salient points very quickly and is able to distil that information into clear and succinct advice. Her advocacy skills are also second-to-none.’
Paul Chaisty KC – Kings Chambers 'Paul is exceptionally tenacious, a real fighter, and very accessible. He explains things to clients beautifully so they understand often difficult points of law.'
Richard Chapman KC – 18 St John Street Chambers 'Richard is cool and calm under pressure in court. He is always well prepared, be it for court or in conference.'
Andrew Singer KC – Kings Chambers 'Andrew has a firm grasp of litigation strategy and how best to deploy it in any given situation. His knowledge of construction is apparently bottomless, his appreciation for detail and nuance is excellent, and his softly spoken and gentle manner before the court appears to appeal to judges.'

Leading Juniors

Brynmor Adams – Exchange Chambers ‘Brynmor is absolutely razor-sharp on the law, explains matters in eminently understandable terms for lay clients, and is superb on his feet. His cross-examination skills are second-to-none.’
Nigel Clayton – Kings Chambers 'Nigel is accessible, engaging, and highly intelligent, and he is indispensable on technically complex and evidentially difficult matters. He is top class, extremely knowledgeable, and is a go-to person for property disputes.'
David Fearon – Exchange Chambers 'David is easy to talk with and approachable. He has good knowledge about practical aspects relating to construction work.'
Matthew Hall – Kings Chambers 'Matthew has an excellent advisory and drafting practice and he is very user friendly with clients.'
Wilson Horne – Kings Chambers ‘Wilson’s fundamental strength is that he goes straight to the heart of the matter and clients love his no-nonsense approach. He tends to cut through irrelevance and gives calm, crisp advice that always bears the client’s commercial objectives in mind.’
Richard Lander – Kings Chambers 'Richard's advocacy is ideally suited for persuading tribunals. He is well-briefed, knowledgeable, quiet, firm, and persistent, which is exactly what judges want.'
James Malam – Exchange Chambers 'James has an eye for detail and has incredible knowledge of what is a complex and specialised area of the law in construction, as well as being adept at dealing with commercial disputes more generally. His written work is always very thorough, and on his feet, he is robust and skilled, both in cross-examination and submissions.'
Lawrence McDonald – Exchange Chambers 'Lawrence is very robust in submissions. Judges appreciate his technical expertise and calm presence in court.'
Andrew WilliamsExchange Chambers 'Andrew is a silk in junior robes, as his written advocacy is unrivalled and he has a formidable presence in the court room. He is a leading individual in property and probate litigation.'
Oliver Caplan - 18 St John Street Chambers 'Oliver is a fantastic barrister who analyses matters meticulously and does not leave any stones unturned. Oliver is very user friendly with clients too, reassuring and empathising with them, and his advocacy is excellent.'
Geraint Wheatley – Kings Chambers 'Geraint is very accessible and does not overcomplicate matters. Because of this, he is very straightforward to work with and cost effective for clients, and he can cut through the issues with ease and make matters seem much less complicated which is refreshing.'
Simon Whitfield – Exchange Chambers ‘Simon possesses clarity and practicality. He provides good tactical advice and excellent drafting.’
Mike Wilkinson – 18 St John Street Chambers ‘Michael is forensic in his approach and has a very good eye for detail. He is prepared to take a difficult point and run with it, which he does to great effect.’

Rising Stars

Adil Navaid – St John’s Buildings ‘Adil is well-prepared for his hearings.’

Property and construction in Regional Bar

Exchange Chambers


Construction law is a key area of expertise for members at Exchange Chambers, and with several barristers boasting industry-specific qualifications, Chartered Quantity Surveyors and a Chartered Builder form part of the team. It is also highly experienced in property-related cases, covering both commercial and residential-based mandates surrounding planning, registered land, landlord and tenant disputes, and boundary issues. The set houses David Fearon and Simon Whitfield, who both possess expertise in construction and engineering disputes. Fearon is representing the defendant in Shiers v QM Developments, a case arising from allegations that a drainage system the builders installed was defective and caused the property to flood and suffer damage. Andrew Williams practices exclusively in real estate litigation, and he is acting for the claimant, who manages a large residential housing development, in Cwmni Rheoli Pentref Marina Conwy v McCarthy; this concerns the challenge of a covenant preventing the property owners from letting houses on a short-term basis to holiday-makers. Lawrence McDonald, who acts for companies, individuals, office holders, and public bodies before all court levels, and Brynmor Adams, who handles a variety of commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes, are also key members.

Les références

‘Joe Mawson is particularly good, and he works with a large team and is efficient.’

‘Turnaround by and communications with counsel is very good.’

‘Ian Spencer is fantastic at being available, approachable, and talking through who might be suitable for certain new matters and the cost range.’

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Kings Chambers


Kings Chambers features a strong bench of silks and juniors who are well-respected in the field of real estate litigation, frequently representing development companies and insurers, public authorities, charities, and trustees, as well as insolvency practitioners. Among the silks, Lesley Anderson KC, Andrew Singer KC, and Paul Chaisty KC are notable names in this space. Property litigation specialist Geraint Wheatley predominately focuses on cases in the commercial sector, advising on disputes regarding development sites, promotion and development agreements, and covenants. Matthew Hall acts exclusively in property and succession law mandates, and he represented the owner of a marina in Canal & Riverside Trust v Harbourside Marina Limited concerning a claim by the landlord to forfeit its 250-year lease. Nigel Clayton is especially skilled in disputes surrounding mortgages.

Les références

‘Harry Young is very helpful and easy to deal with.’

‘The clerks are very efficient and helpful. Gary Smith is excellent.’

‘Harry Young, Gary Young, and Brandon Singh are all very good. Harry in particular is great – quick, responsive and keen to ensure client needs and deadlines are met.’

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