Legal 500 2025

Leading Silks: 

• Gilead Cooper KC –  ‘Gilead is incredibly clever, sharp and lucid. He can explain very complicated matters with an unrivalled economy and clarity.’

Leading Juniors: 

• Bobby Friedman

Leading silks: 

• Lexa Hilliard KC ‘Lexa is utterly, utterly committed, really lives and dies with her client’s case. She has a fierce sense of right and wrong and justice.’
• Thomas Grant KC ‘Extremely clever yet very user-friendly; excellent with clients; offers brilliant yet pragmatic solutions.’
• Tim Penny KC ‘Tim is an outstanding advocate, particularly adept at dealing with enormous volumes of documentary material which can be a hallmark of complex fraud trials. He has an understated but highly persuasive style of advocacy which is extremely effective when serious accusations are being made. He is incredibly hard-working and has complete mastery of all the details.’

Leading Silks:

• Jonathan Davey KC ‘Jonathan is extremely thorough and very reasonable. He makes those instructing him feel at ease and gives good, well considered advice.’
• Michael Furness KC ‘Michael is simply superb. His ability to grasp the key points from large amounts of information and provide technically excellent yet pragmatic advice is second to none. He is very approachable and a real pleasure to deal with.’

Wilberforce Chambers is recognised as an ‘excellent commercial Chancery set’, offering specialist expertise across various areas including banking and finance, insolvency, fraud, and commercial contract disputes. In a notable cryptocurrency dispute, John Wardell KC leads Bobby Friedman and Sri Carmichael in representing the claimant in Tulip Trading LLP v Bitcoin Association following a hack on the computer of CEO Craig Steven Wright, raising questions about whether Bitcoin developers owe fiduciary duties to fraud victims. Alan Gourgey KC represents principal defendants in Bourlakova v Bourlakov, a case involving assets worth nearly £3bn belonging to the late Russian businessman Oleg Burlakov. Additionally, in Mitchell v Al Jabar, Clare Stanley KC defended Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber regarding whether directors of BVI companies owe fiduciary duties post-liquidation.

Leading Silks: 

• John Wardell KC  ‘John is second to none. An intellectual powerhouse and formidable cross-examiner who is lovely to work with.’
• Alan Gourgey KC ‘Alan’s experience and expertise is invaluable.’
• Thomas Grant KC ‘Cuts straight to the point and immediately grasps the relevant detail. He is a barrister that judges listen to.’
• Terence Mowschenson KC
• Lexa Hilliard KC ‘Lexa has the rare ability to distil complicated concepts into such beautifully logical and simple arguments that you cannot help but agree with her. Commercial and forthright with clients and opponents – she is a joy to have on any litigation team.’
• Tim Penny KC ‘Tim is just great – he has an excellent strategic view of a case and can quickly unpick the weaknesses in both sides’ cases. He is very clever and highly collaborative.’
• Clare Stanley KC ‘Clare is frighteningly intelligent, but with a personal touch not often seen at the bar. Absolutely brilliant on her feet.’
• Ian Croxford KC
• Fenner Moeran KC ‘A terrific advocate and able to persuade a wavering court. He is supremely quick off the mark but listens to the mood of the room.’
• Nikki Singla KC ‘Nikki is brilliantly analytical and fantastically clever. Just the right combination of intellectual brilliance, determination and courtroom savvy.’
• James Bailey KC ‘James is incredibly hard-working and not adverse to rolling his sleeves up to get the best results for his clients. His star quality is the effectiveness of his advocacy, both in his written and oral submissions.’

Leading Juniors:

• Anna Littler ‘A fiercely intelligent, analytical and creative lawyer with tremendous judgement skills. Superb on her feet and excellent on paper.’
• Emily McKechnie ‘Emily is direct and clear in her advice and is extraordinarily bright. She can easily hold her own against the most difficult of opponents.’
• Sri Carmichael ‘Sri’s strategic insight is overlaid with a brilliant analytical mind and a superb eye for detail.’
• Edward Sawyer ‘Edward has excellent legal knowledge and great tactical skills and is a great advocate on paper and on his feet. His super power is being able to use his strong technical knowledge of different areas of law and procedural rules to plot a clear way through a very unusual dispute, coming up with a clear, entirely novel, and incredibly good approach.’
• James Walmsley ‘James is an exemplary problem solver. He is popular with judges and his written work is clear and thorough.’
• Bobby Friedman ‘Bobby has the extremely useful ability to provide cogent, focused advice on the law, while also keeping in mind the commercial drivers a client will be considering. His advocacy is robust and persuasive.’
• Jessica Brooke ‘Jessica is hands-on, detail-oriented and robust in the face of slippery opponents. Great advocate and a delight to work with.’
• Jack Watson ‘An exceptional team player and a very good advocate. Commercially minded, aware of the needs and objectives of clients and prepared to adopt strategy accordingly.’
• Daniel Scott
• Stephen Brown ‘Stephen has a unique ability to align legal strategy with commercial objectives, ensuring that clients’ interests are represented with both precision and practicality. He has an approachable demeanour and ability to explain complex legal issues in an accessible manner.’
• Tara Taylor ‘Extremely talented, with an impressive intellect, in-depth legal knowledge, coupled with great interpersonal skills.’

Rising Stars:

• Daniel Petrides ‘Daniel is very personable, hard-working and very highly regarded by the seniors with whom he works. A real team player.’

Wilberforce Chambers ‘offers strength and depth across the board in all company and Chancery matters, with approachable and ferociously bright barristers‘. The set has a solid track record in advising on cross-border company law matters, and continues to advising on cases involving directors’ duties issues, financial assistance and shareholder disputes. Lexa Hilliard KC is sought after for her strong track record in advising on high-profile shareholder disputes. Thomas Grant KC is appearing in proceedings in the Cayman Islands concerning the value of minority shareholdings in Chinese social media company Weibo.

Leading Silks: 

• Lexa Hilliard KC ‘Utterly committed, Lexa is fearless and her advocacy is fabulous.’
• Terence Mowschenson KC ‘A superb advocate with a wealth of experience and a direct and effective courtroom style.’
• Thomas Grant KC ‘Thomas never fails to perform at a very high standard in every aspect, instilling confidence in clients and instructing solicitors.’
• Marcia Shekerdeminan KC ‘Analytical and knowledgeable, Marcia is always thinking three steps ahead.’
• Clare Stanley KC ‘Clare is a master strategist. A captivating advocate who is an absolute force in the courtroom.’
• James Bailey KC ‘He is incredibly hardworking, his grasp of the factual issues is impressive, and his star quality is his impactful advocacy.’
• Max Mallin KC

Leading Juniors: 

• Sri Carmichael ‘Sri is an absolutely exceptional advocate. She is tenacious and meticulous.’
• Daniel Lewis ‘A very user-friendly and forward-thinking junior.’
• Stephen Brown ‘He is able to defuse situations created by high-stakes cases and demanding clients.’
• Rachael Earle

Leading Juniors: 

• Sri Carmichael ‘Sri is cool under pressure. She immediately gets to grips with a complex novel issues for very demanding clients. She gives confidence to clients and instructing solicitors as she is approachable and unfazed by having her advice tested but decisive when it matters.’

Wilberforce Chambers is ‘excellent for fraud, insolvency and commercial Chancery work’, regularly handling claims involving allegations of misrepresentation, conspiracy, breach of duty, as well as accessory liability. Tim Penny KC was instructed by the first and seventeenth defendant in Suppipat and others v Narongdej and others, a $1bn claim arising from allegations of fraud and asset-stripping related to dealings in the shares of Thailand’s largest wind farm company, Wind Energy Holding. In Harrington & Charles Trading Company and others v Mehta and others, another $1bn claim, Thomas Grant KC and Emily McKechnie are defending various members of the Mehta family, accused of misappropriating and laundering proceeds from their diamond and precious metals businesses​ in an international fraud scheme. Alan Gourgey KC, leading Bobby Friedman, act for the defendants in Steenbok Newco 10 SARL v Formal Holdings, a fraud claim advanced by assignees of the Steinhoff Group, involving allegations of misappropriation and laundering of £90m in payments made by the now-liquidated South African conglomerate.

Leading Silks: 

• Alan Gourgey KC ‘Alan is a fantastic leader and a port in a storm in tricky fraud cases. He is calm and utterly reliable, with great judgement built on experience with the toughest cases.’
• Thomas Grant KC ‘Thomas is a fantastic strategist and a master at steering the court’s attention to the key elements of the case – he is simply brilliant to work with.’
• John Wardell KC ‘John is a top-class barrister. His attention to detail is meticulous, which combined with an engaging and persuasive advocacy style makes him a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom.’
• Tim Penny KC  ‘A very pragmatic and concise silk. He understands exactly how to advance arguments for maximum impact with the court, even when arguing challenging points.’
• Fenner Moeran KC ‘A terrific advocate. Clients love him. He is supremely quick off the mark but listens to the mood of the room.’
• Clare Stanley KC

Leading Juniors:

• Anna Littler  ‘Underestimate Anna at your peril. A fiercely intelligent, analytical and creative lawyer with tremendous judgement and is superb on her feet.’
• Bobby Friedman ‘Bobby is commercially aware, astute and highly intelligent. He is pure class.’
• Jack Watson ‘Jack is a terrific advocate whose cross-examination skills are beyond his year of call. He is direct yet personable and is liked by clients’
• Tim Matthewson ‘Tim is a talented junior barrister with a strong understanding of fraud law. He is able to hold ground in court even in particularly challenging circumstances.’
• James Goodwin ‘He is a brilliant court advocate with a mastery of the details in even the most complex cases.’
• Alice Hawker ‘She always rolls her sleeves up, and is calm, confident and on top of the details.’
• Sri Carmichael ‘Sri is a fantastic advocate – ferocious when required, calm and collected when not.’
• Jamie Holmes ‘A very insightful barrister.’
• Emily McKechnie ‘She has a great command of the law and top quality strategic views.’

Rising stars: 

• Jia Wei Lee ‘A very bright junior.’

Hall of Fame:

• Jonathan Seitler KC

• John Wardell KC

The insolvency group at Wilberforce Chambers specialises in a wide range of corporate and personal insolvency litigation cases, both domestically and internationally. Barristers at the set are often involved in high-profile insolvency matters, as well as work connected to restructurings, in particular where issues cross-over with other practice areas including property and pensions. Lexa Hilliard KC, alongside Tom Roscoe, were involved In the matter of Lehman Brothers Holdings PLC where they successfully advised the client, LBGP No 1, on a second issue concerning interest in the wake of the Lehman Brothers’ collapse. Marcia Shekerdemian KC specialises in personal and corporate insolvency, including restructuring, while Daniel Petrides is a name to watch.

Leading Silks: 

• Lexa Hilliard KC ‘Lexa really is one of the team. She is approachable and happy to get stuck in. Her advice is invaluable both from a legal perspective, but she is also extremely commercial. Lexa is just as comfortable in court – she delivers submissions with such ease and creates a rapport with judges.’
• Marcia Shekerdemian KC ‘Marcia’s knowledge is limitless and she can absorb facts instantaneously and deliver an effective strategy that no one else considered. A firm favourite with the courts, clients and her peers alike. Commercial, client-friendly and a genuine team player.’
• James Bailey KC ‘ James is a brilliant and highly persuasive advocate and strategic thinker. He is one of the most creative silks at the Bar and is not afraid to try new things to achieve his goals. He is able to combine a wealth of experience in company, insolvency and civil fraud matters to provide big-picture strategic thinking.’
• Clare Stanley KC ‘Clare is a first-class barrister who consistently demonstrates exceptional advocacy, unwavering dedication and a deep understanding of the law. Her thorough approach to her advice and analysis, combined with her ability to articulate complex legal arguments, has consistently impressed our clients.’
• Terence Mowschenson KC

Leading Juniors: 

• Sri Carmichael ‘Sri is fantastically talented at identifying the critical issue to be addressed in any situation. She can absorb a huge amount of technical information quickly, sifting the wheat from the chaff and getting to the heart of a dispute. She is decisive and focused, but incredibly approachable and responsive with it. She is formidable as counsel, but a pleasure to have as a professional acquaintance.’
• Graeme Halkerston
• Jessica Brooke ‘Sound legal knowledge. Commercially minded and has excellent attention to detail. Able to process evidence and hone in on the detail.’
• Jack Watson ‘Jack is very knowledgeable, has lots of experience and, importantly, is commercially sensible. He easily understands and meets the client’s expectations. His advocacy is very effective, sharp and committed to advocating the client’s best interest. Highly recommended.’
• Daniel Lewis ‘Daniel is friendly, capable and always understands the issues’
• Rachael Earle ‘Very user-friendly and good on calls with clients.’
• Bobby Friedman ‘Excellent communicator. Gives clear and incisive advice.’
• Tim Matthewson ‘Very clever, thorough and a no-nonsense advocate.’
• Thomas Robinson ‘Tom is incredibly bright, well-prepared, eloquent, calm, but tenacious and fearless when the need arises. He works incredibly well within a team.’

Rising star:

• Daniel Petrides ‘Daniel is very bright diligent and hardworking he is good on his feet for someone who is relatively junior.’

Wilberforce Chambers is ‘well known in the pensions and trust law world’. Brian Green KC has an excellent track record in handling complex, high-profile pensions cases, and Michael Tennet KC is sought after for his expertise in assisting with pensions-related regulatory matters and professional negligence issues in the space. Among the junior end of chambers, Sebastian Allen is acting for the London Borough of Croyden in a longrunning dispute over how the Local Government Pension Scheme calculates contributions made by academy schools.

Leading Silks: 

• Michael Tennet KC  ‘Michael is one of the pre-eminent pensions silks. He can be relied on to provide incisive and authoritative advice.’
• Michael Furness KC ‘His sheer intellectual power will get you past most obstacles.’
• Paul Newman KC ‘An absolutely brilliant advocate – a straight talking person who does not sugar coat in the situation. He fights like his life depends on it to put your best points across.’
• Brian Green KC ‘He is a fighter who wears minx boxing gloves, but lands punches with the collective force of Wilder, Fury, Tyson and Foreman.’
• Jonathan Hilliard KC ‘Incredibly bright – Jonathan sees dimensions others miss.’
• Fenner Moeran KC ‘He has excellent knowledge of pensions and financial services law and regulatory issues – a go-to KC in this area.’
• Andrew Mold KC  ‘An assured advocate who quickly wins the support of the judge.’

Leading Juniors:

• Edward Sawyer ‘Edward is both thoughtful and practical and sees the full picture. He combines technical knowledge with commercial awareness and is one of the most highly rated senior juniors.’
• Sebastian Allen ‘Sebastian is a stand-out pensions counsel. His approach is incisive, clear, collaborative and innovative. His technical legal work is top-notch and he’s a genuine pleasure to work with.’
• James McCreath  ‘He’s a real superstar – very smart and gets to the nub of issues very quickly.’
• Thomas Robinson ‘Thomas is fiercely intellectual, incredibly hardworking, and solutions-focused.’
• James Walmsley
• Jennifer Seaman ‘A user-friendly junior with very strong analytical skills.’
• Michael Ashdown
• Jonathan Chew ‘He is a real superstar – very smart and gets to the nub of issues very quickly.’
• Joseph Steadman  ‘Joseph is hugely talented, cogent and eloquent, with a sharp eye for detail.’

Wilberforce Chambers has ‘an unrivalled team of senior and junior counsel to provide the appropriate level of expert assistance with the various complex and sophisticated aspects of the matter’. Gilead Cooper KC is highly regarded for his excellent track record in handling contentious property and trust matters and is noted for his ’ability to produce clear opinions’. Brian Green KC successfully represented the Saudi National Bank before the Supreme Court in Byers v Saudi National Bank, a constructive trust dispute involving the issue of whether a continuing proprietary interest is a condition of bringing a claim in knowing receipt. Robert Ham KC is known for ‘giving excellent advice to clients and turning matters around quickly and effectively’ and has longstanding experience of handling contentious and non-contentious trusts and private client law matters. Simon Atkinson recently successfully acted for the defendant in Asturion Fondation v HRH Aljawharah Bint Ibrahim Abdulaziz Alibrahi, a complex case involving Liechtenstein, English and Sharia Law, a dispute over who is entitled to a high-value property in Hampstead.

Leading Silks: 

• Gilead Cooper KC ‘Gilead is brilliant. He has an incredibly quick mind, great intellectual powers and a wonderful creative and strategic thinking capacity.’
• Michael Furness KC
• Brian Green KC ‘Brian is at the top of the chancery Bar. He is committed to any case in which he is instructed. He works ferociously hard and has very high standards.’
• Clare Stanley KC ‘Clare is an exceptional advocate, technically brilliant and a master strategist. She is a captivating advocate and an absolute force in the courtroom. She has true expert knowledge of her practice areas and commercial nous.’
• Robert Ham KC ‘Robert is extremely experienced and knowledgeable in this area. He is a great strategist in complex matters and very calm under pressure.’
• Jonathan Hilliard KC ‘Jonathan has an incredible ability to be all over the detail of a matter and provides excellent strategic and commercial advice. He has an amazing mind and is incredibly knowledgeable.’
• Fenner Moeran KC ‘Fenner is ferociously bright and goes down very well with clients who like his clear communication and top-notch advice.’
• Tiffany Scott KC ‘Tiffany provides very high-quality advice, is highly responsive and has a helpful manner.’
• Jonathan Davey KC ‘Jonathan’s legal knowledge and attention to detail is unparalleled. He is a thorough silk.’
• Zoë Barton KC 
• Andrew Mold KC ‘Andrew is a fantastic advocate, and his analysis is second to none. He is responsive, client-friendly and commercially aware.’

Leading Juniors:

• Simon Atkinson ‘Simon has a real attention to details, is good at strategy and has excellent drafting.’
• Edward Sawyer ‘Edward is conscientious and considerate, with a brilliant technical mind. He has excellent attention to detail in drafting. His oral advocacy is strong and measured.’
• Tom Roscoe ‘Tom is measured, erudite and very bright. His drafting is impeccable, and he represents the client’s interests well before the court at a hearing.’
• Elizabeth Houghton ‘Elizabeth is a calm operator, has real attention to detail and is very responsive.’
• Michael Ashdown ‘Michael can explain the most complex trust issues clearly and cogently. His drafting skills are second-to-none. He is extremely bright, user-friendly and responsive.’
• James Goodwin ‘James is an excellent junior. He is approachable to clients and solicitors alike. He has a mastery of the details in even the most complex cases and brilliant judgement.’
• Joseph Steadman ‘Joseph is a skilled senior junior who operates beyond his years.’

Wilberforce Chambers undertake a variety of professional indemnity cases, including claims against barristers, solicitors, accountants, surveyors, and insurance brokers. Paul Newman KC is involved with the case of Royal College of Midwives v Walkers Solicitors, a claim arising out of a breach of duty against the solicitors of the trustees of a pension scheme. Edward Sawyer is representing a firm of solicitors in Re Wandel, a multi-party claim arising out of the administration of a pension scheme. In the case of Skykomish v Gerald Eve, Jonathan Seitler KC is instructed on behalf of Skykomish Ltd in a multi-million claim alleging the negligent valuation of student accommodation.

Hall of Fame:

• Jonathan Seitler KC ‘Jonathan is a powerhouse in the solicitor’s professional negligence world. He’s extremely client friendly and a great team player when defending complex and high value claims against solicitors.’

Leading Silks: 

• John Wardell KC
• Ian Croxford KC
• Michael Furness KC ‘He is highly experienced. He explains difficult concepts clearly. He is very pleasant, calm, and highly intelligent.’
• Paul Newman KC ‘Paul gives robust advice with enthusiasm. He has seen a wide range of cases which informs his advice. He is a pleasure to deal with.’
• Clare Stanley KC ‘Clare holds the ear of the court. She is better prepared than any of her opponents. She adds real value by thinking outside the box.’
• Thomas Grant KC ‘He is extremely clever. He is excellent with clients and offers brilliant yet pragmatic solutions.’
• Lexa Hilliard KC
• Zoë Barton KC ‘Zoë is wonderfully intelligent with an ability to think outside of the box.’
• James Ayliffe KC
• Tiffany Scott KC ‘Tiffany is a really straegic thinker. She is an incredibly impressive and authoritative advocate.’

Leading Juniors: 

• Benjamin Faulkner ‘He is very strong in property and pensions-related cases. He is a good team player, who works hard and is painstaking in his attention to detail.’
• Edward Sawyer ‘He is an excellent advocate. He explains difficult concepts clearly. He is very pleasant, calm, highly intelligent, and very hardworking.’
• James Walmsley ‘James is an exemplary problem solver, and obviously committed to his client’s cause. His written work is clear and thorough, easily digested and appreciated by clients.’

Wilberforce Chambers‘ team continues to act on a broad range of property disputes, with mortgage litigation, commercial and residential landlord and tenant issues and development disputes being prominent in the group’s recent workload. Joanne Wicks KC and Daniel Petrides are acting in R(Annington Property Ltd & ors) v The Secretary of State for Defence, which is due to be heard by the Court of Appeal, concerning whether the MoD can reacquire a significant portfolio of properties via enfranchisement law. Jonathan Seitler KC appeared in Jalla v Shell, a Supreme Court case clarifying what constitutes a continuing nuisance following a major oil spill off the coast of Nigeria that damaged the appellant’s land. Jonathan Davey KC is highly regarded for his expertise in advising on property disputes involving tax issues. In July 2023 Mark Wonnacott KC retired from practice.

Hall of Fame:

• Jonathan Seitler KC ‘Jonathan is incredibly bright, astute, pragmatic and prudent.’

Leading Silks: 

• John McGhee KC ‘The guru for rights of light matters.’
• Joanne Wicks KC ‘Joanne is at the top of the tree. She is excellent in every aspect.’
• Martin Hutchings KC ‘Martin is a first-rate advocate and the barrister you want in your corner on a big complex case. He has a reassuring presence and a calm advocacy style.’
• Tiffany Scott KC ‘Tiffany has a meticulous eye for detail, and her advice is comprehensible, practical and technical, ensuring clients are properly prepared to bring or defend a claim.’
• Jonathan Davey KC ‘Jonathan is everything one expects from a leading silk: he has impressive knowledge of numerous areas of law and a powerful court presence.’
• Zoë Barton KC ‘A real star.’
• Thomas Grant KC
• Julian Greenhill KC ‘Julian has an excellent legal mind. He is calm, measured and very effective advocate who carefully reads the room. He has a wonderful ability to dismantle and analyse legal concepts.’

Leading Juniors: 

• Emer Murphy  ‘Emer is a cut above. She slices through knotty issues like butter. She is refreshingly no-nonsense and her advice is measured and clear.’
• James McCreath ‘Very intelligent and responsive, a real team player and brilliant to work with. Strong on paper and his feet. More than a match for many KCs.’
• Benjamin Faulkner ‘Ben is technically brilliant, grasping complex issues with ease. He has very strong advocacy skills and can articulate arguments confidently, clearly and succinctly and doesn’t get fazed in difficult hearings.’
• Harriet Holmes ‘Her analysis of complex legal issues is clear and concise and she inspires confidence in clients. In court she is calm, confident and persuasive.’
• Jonathan Chew ‘Jonathan is a star junior. He is a property expert who comes up with clever solutions and robust strategies for cases. He is most impressive on his feet and an expert cross examiner.’
• Alice Hawker ‘A go-to junior for cases that straddle property and economic torts.’
• Simon Atkinson ‘Simon’s technical knowledge and grasp of the law is impressive. His advice always demonstrates both that and his keen attention to detail.’
• Tom Roscoe ‘Tom’s advice is pragmatic, commercial and client-friendly.’
• Joseph Steadman ‘Joe is extremely bright and very easy to work with. He combines an incisive intellect with an easy-going manner in confidence.’
• Daniel Petrides ‘Daniel is personable and hardworking. A highly regarded junior.’

Leading Silks: 

• Jonathan Davey KC ‘Jonathan is very clear and compelling in his written and oral advocacy, and in his advice, which is invariably practical and commercial. He is highly responsive and very easy to work with.’

Wilberforce Chambers‘ group of ’high-quality barristers’ has expertise in the taxation of estates and trusts, including issues relating to offshore structures. Jonathan Davey KC is regularly active on behalf of HMRC in high-stakes disputes, including Levack and others v Bay Trust International Ltd and others, a test case concerning potential tax avoidance schemes. Brian Green KC‘s advises a range of high net worth individuals in estate planning, domicile issues, and matters relating to offshore structures, in addition to other issues.

Leading Silks: 

• Jonathan Davey KC ‘Jonathan’s advocacy is the best in the business.’
• Michael Furness KC
• Brian Green KC  ‘Superb academic ability combined with an ability to resolve problems through a commercial lens. This combined with his engaging manner and genuine interest in clients as individuals is a rare thing.’