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 Chambers & Partners 2011

Legal 500 2008

Legal 500 ranked Wilberforce Chambers as a leading set for:

Individually ranked for: 

Leading Sets: Commercial Chancery

Wilberforce Chambers is defined by strength in depth, in both the silk rankings, and those of the juniors.  The well-regarded Declan Redmond leads a clerking team rich in experience.  Maintaining its position in the rankings, the set has seen promotion in property litigation, and new entries in the IP tables. 

Leading Sets: Banking & finance

Leading Silks: Terence Mowschenson QC, John Martin QC, Michael Tennet QC

Wilberforce Chambers offer Terence Mowschenson QC, who retains a loyal following for dealing with the complex offshore cases.  Michael Tennet QC advised the Jersey Financial Services Commission on its duties as the main financial services regulator in Jersey and on the comparable position under English Law.  He is recommended alongside John Martin QC.

Leading Sets: Charities

Leading Silks:   Michael Furness QC, Edward Nugee QC

At Wilberforce Chambers, Michael Furness QC's broad Chancery experience includes experience in charities work, and Edward Nugee QC is on of the Bar's true eminence gris, with more than 30 years in silk.

Leading Sets: Commercial litigation

Leading Silks: Terence Mowschenson QC, Jules Sher QC, John Wardell QC, Lawrence Cohen QC

Leading Juniors: Nikki Singla, Joanna Smith, Julian Greenhill

Wilberforce Chambers is ‘pre-eminent in Chancery work', where two silks were made up in 2008.  Terence Mowschenson QC handles complex confidential offshore claims, John Wardell QC is ‘an excellent trial lawyer - ferociously intelligent and very committed', and Jules Sher QC is ‘super-intelligent, and difficult to defeat on financial details'.  Lawrence Cohen QC, who provides ‘an excellent level of advice', joined from XXIV Old Buildings.  Juniors like Nikki Singla, Joanna Smith and Julian Greenhill are ‘affordable barristers with appreciation of legal issues', and ‘knowledgeable and user-friendly'.

Leading Sets: Company

Leading Silks: Terence Mowschenson QC, Jules Sher QC, Lawrence Cohen QC, John Wardell QC

Leading Juniors: Thomas Lowe, Nikki Singla

Wilberforce Chambers, as a ‘leading Chancery and commercial set', possesses a deep intellectual awareness of equity and trust law, which provides a useful framework for company disputes.  Company law expert Lawrence Cohen QC, formerly of XXIV Old Buildings, joined chambers this year; he is ‘very impressive at cross-examining'.  Terence Mowschenson QC is noted for having ‘broad knowledge and tremendous company law experience'.  Jules Sher QC acts in numerous complex company matters at both national and international levels.  Nikki Singla is a ‘rising star'.  Also recommended is John Wardell QC.

Leading Sets: Energy

Leading Silks:  Christopher Nugee QC, Jules Sher QC

Both Christopher Nugee QC and Jules Sher QC are recommended at Wilberforce Chambers for their ‘strong commercial awareness'. 

Fraud: Civil

Leading Silks: Ian Croxford QC, Lawrence Cohen QC

Leading Juniors: Gabriel Fadipe

Health and safety

Leading Silks: Ian Croxford QC

Insolvency

Leading Silks: Lawrence Cohen QC, Terence Mowschenson QC

Leading Sets: Intellectual Property

Leading Silks: Michael Bloch QC

Leading Juniors: Alan Bryson, Anna Carboni

At Wilberforce Chambers, Alan Bryson and Anna Carboni both have strong practices, while commercial silk Michael Bloch QC is also active in IP work.  Bloch led Bryson in the Star Wars trial, Lucas Films v Ainsworth, while Carboni has recently been appointed to hear appeals from the UK Trade Marks Registry.

Media, entertainment and sport

Leading Silks: David Phillips QC

Leading Juniors: Nikki Singla

David Phillips at Wilberforce Chambers acted for Leeds United and successfully represented Renault F1 before the World Motor Sport Council in Monaco.  Nikki Singla is also recommended.

Leading Sets: Pensions

Leading Silks: Brian Green QC, Robert Ham QC, Christopher Nugee QC, Michael Furness QC, Michael Tennet QC, Jules Sher QC

Leading Juniors: Jonathan Evans, Paul Newman, Emily Campbell, Caroline Furze, Jonathan Hilliard, Thomas Seymour, Joanna Smith

At Wilberforce Chambers, the clerks ‘are to be complimented for their efficiency and service', running what clients call a ‘dominant' set fronted by a high concentration of leading pensions barristers, who provide ‘strength in depth'.  Of the silks, Brian Green QC has shown himself to be ‘pragmatic and resourceful' in leading cases such as Sea Containers and Telent.  Robert Ham QC brings a ‘pragmatic' mind and ‘good judgement' to ‘any case where complex trust law issues are involved'.  Michael Furness QC moves to the top of the tier this year as an ‘impressive and eloquent all-rounder', who is ‘equally capable of advising on complex technical matters, as on those requiring a more broad-brush approach'.  Christopher Nugee QC is praised as an ‘accessible', ‘technically brilliant' and ‘persuasive advocate' with ‘real presence'.  Still a relatively new silk, Michael Tennet QC is ‘approachable, intelligent, practical', and his reputation as a ‘highly numerate quick thinker' sees him rise again in the rankings this year.  Jules Sher QC is a ‘good all-round' advocate.  Of the juniors, Paul Newman is ‘commercial' and ‘does fantastic job on true litigation'.  Emily Campbell and Joanna  Smith are ‘bright', ‘responsive' and ‘commercial'.  Jonathan Evans wins plaudits for being ‘extremely clear', ‘dependable' and rises in this year's rankings. ‘Very constructive junior' Caroline Furze ‘is a delight and has an astonishingly good mind'.  ‘Quiet junior' Jonathan Hilliard is nonetheless ‘definitely a rising star'. Thomas Seymour regularly acts for trustees and employers.

Planning

Leading Silks: Michael Barnes QC, Jonathan Karas QC

Other recommended barristers:...Jonathan Karas QC at Wilberforce Chambers.

Leading Sets: Private client: personal tax, trusts and probate

Leading Silks: Michael Furness QC, Brian Green QC, Edward Nugee QC, Robert Ham QC

Leading Juniors: Emily Campbell, Judith Bryant, John Child, Daniel Hochberg, Mark Studer

Wilberforce Chambers blends a background in traditional Chancery trusts and probate advice with expertise in complex international disputes.  Tax law is also covered to the highest standard, as well as pensions law.  For complex trusts disputes clients pick out silk Michael Furness QC.  The ‘highly approachable, measured and wise' Brian Green QC is ‘all-round top quality' for private client work, including complex trust restructuring. Robert Ham QC is consistently praised for his ‘very good judgement' and ‘excellent drafting skills', as is junior John Child.  The star junior is the ‘erudite' and ‘approachable' Emily Campbell, whose advice is always ‘practical and thorough'.  Judith Bryant, Daniel Hochberg and Mark Studer are also popular with leading solicitors.

Leading Sets: Professional negligence

Leading Silks: John Wardell QC, Jonathan Seitler QC, Ian Croxford QC, Jules Sher QC, Michael Furness QC, Christopher Nugee QC, David Phillips QC

Leading Juniors: Joanna  Smith, Paul Newman, Clare Stanley, Joanne Wicks

The ‘assertive' John Wardell QC, Jonathan Seitler QC and Ian Croxford QC, who possesses ‘across-the-board' skills, are just three of the reasons Wilberforce Chambers rates in the second tier.  David Phillips QC enters the rankings after defending Eversheds against two sizeable claims.  2007 saw Joanna Smith acting in a £150m construction claim without a leader.  Clare Stanley represented solicitor defendants in the Meer Care & Desai Zambian litigation.

Leading Sets: Property litigation (including agriculture and housing)

Leading Silks: Michael Barnes QC, Jonathan Seitler QC, John Furber QC, Jonathan Karas QC, John Martin QC, Christopher Nugee QC, Michael Tennet QC

Leading Juniors: Joanne Wicks, Daniel Hochberg, Jonathan Evans, Caroline Furze, Martin Hutchings, Paul Newman, Rupert Reed, Tiffany Scott

Moving up is Wilberforce Chambers.  The clerks are praised for being user-friendly and advice is described as bullish and reasonably priced.  Michael Barnes QC is a ‘scarily good advocate' and Jonathan Seitler QC is a ‘good guy to have on your side.  He speaks a language that clients love'.  Jonathan Karas QC's ‘ability to resolve arguments impresses' and Christopher Nugee QC is applauded for being ‘incisive and direct'.  The ‘helpful and committed' Joanne Wicks is recognised for her enfranchisement work and for ‘getting stuck in'.  Tiffany Scott has a ‘fantastic eye for detail' and Rupert Reed is a first-class junior who gives ‘sound practical advice'. Jonathan Evans is ‘great on rent review matters'.