Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Chancery: Traditional - London (Bar)
What the Team is Known For
5 Stone Buildings is one of the pre-eminent traditional chancery sets in London and is notable for its strength and depth. A source says that the set "continues to be top of their field in terms of estates and trusts for both contentious and non-contentious matters. The quality of their juniors and KCs is very, very impressive." Its barristers are highly sought after in the higher courts and continue to be instructed in high-profile and complex disputes. “5 Stone Buildings is probably the leading set for complex probate work,” says a source.
Strengths
The clerking is very, very professional and slick. There is a high service level at the set.
They have a really good clerking team. They are very user-friendly, responsive and always try to help.
It is a very good clerking team led by Paul Jennings.
Notable practitioners
Penelope Reed is just the doyenne: she's the best mediator, an exceptional KC. She spots the smallest of things that can turn cases.
Penelope is highly regarded and is top of the tree. I think it is her knowledge of the law and usability which is standout. She is very good at ensuring she gets everything done and is always fair.
Penelope has a great style as both counsel and mediator. She's collegiate, approachable and engaging. She is good at reading the room and can adapt her style to achieve results at mediation.
He is brilliant and deals with high-value contentious estate claims. He's at the top of his game. He has very good tax knowledge and technical acumen.
He is simply excellent to have on your side. He provides comprehensive advice which the court will rely upon due to its detail and realistic approach. He has the court's ear.
Edward Hewitt has a respected traditional chancery practice which regularly handles multimillion-pound estate disputes. He further undertakes a number of Court of Protection cases.
Edward is a real equity lawyer who is also absolutely excellent on his feet. He is a real strategist in the courtroom.
He is my go-to barrister for contentious probate. I use him because he is very responsive, always available and brilliant with clients. He does a sterling job on every front.
He is a very good barrister. He is willing to come up with solutions to complex scenarios and will find multiple ways to find solutions for clients creatively.
Henry Legge KC is a renowned silk who has an extremely strong reputation at the chancery Bar for his handling of a wide variety of work, including complex estate disputes.
He's got very good judgement and a phenomenal brain. I've seen him on his feet. He's very impressive. He's a smooth, clear, crisp advocate and just a real joy to work with.
Everyone regards him a superlative barrister, an absolute all-rounder in everything he is involved in.
Henry continues to be superb. He is always very creative with his arguments, but he is also very user-friendly.
He is a very respected team leader. He really knows his trust law and draws on his other areas of expertise like pensions and art. He has the respect of other senior KCs.
He is someone that gets to grips with a case so quickly. He is very strategically minded, very technical and his drafting is also clear and crisp.
Luke is really good for emotionally charged cases because he appreciates these things are not just about the law. He is good on technical cases, he can cut through complexity and identify solutions.
Luke Harris is incredibly thorough; it never ceases to amaze me the things he can dig out and think about in a matter.
Shân Warnock-Smith KC is an exceptionally well-regarded silk who is a particular expert in offshore matters, maintaining chambers in the Cayman Islands as well as practising from 5 Stone Buildings.
Shân Warnock-Smith is a stellar advocate, a brilliant speaker.
She is incredibly good with clients and lawyers, and looks to find solutions. She has an amazing ability to interact with judges, is knowledgeable on trusts and is a very good advocate.
Shân Warnock-Smith is very swift and to the point.
It is absolutely terrifying to be against her and wonderful to have on your side. Tracey has the most incredible ability to retain information on complex cases and is a great incisive strategist.
She is absolutely phenomenal, number one choice for any highly complex private client dispute be it probate, trusts or capacity. Her grasp of information is exceptional and she is a joy to work with.
She is at the top of her game and a go-to silk for complex chancery work. She is really hands-on and doesn't miss a trick. She is so strategic in her advice, a megastar KC.
Jordan Holland is frequently instructed in complex, high-profile and high-value matters. He handles cases across the full breadth of traditional chancery, and also works on Court of Protection cases and advises on art and cultural property matters.
Jordan is incredibly adaptable and flexible. He can adapt easily when litigation is rough and he is unflappable.
Jordan is a pleasure to work with and always has one eye on the big picture.
He is formidable - really quick, technically excellent and a pleasure to work with. He gets stuck into the weeds of the case and is the person you need in your corner.
Mark Baxter has a respected traditional chancery practice involving contentious probate and Inheritance Act cases. He also handles Court of Protection work.
Mark is top of his game and operates at a silk level. He is very user-friendly and excellent for complex Court of Protection matters crossing over with trusts. That is his niche.
Mark Baxter is a really good practitioner. His drafting is focused and his advocacy is calm.
Mark brings together tax, trust and professional negligence. He is eminently practical in reaching conclusions for clients.
Toby Bishop has a strong following among solicitors, who value his traditional chancery expertise and his client-handling skills. He specialises in succession and trust disputes including contentious probate, 1975 Act claims, the administration of estates and trusts and proprietary estoppel, claims.
He fights his client's corner, but with such a degree of positive advice behind him. Clients and solicitors both love him.
He is very approachable, easy to work with and great with clients. He is very strategic and works on complex trust matters and cross-border issues.
Toby is a great at cross-examining witnesses and getting to the truth of the matter.
Toby Bishop is an excellent litigator. His clients and instructing solicitors adore him. He provides excellent strategic advice and is confident on his feet.
Barbara Rich is always well prepared, has a lovely client manner, and adopts a pragmatic and sensible approach in mediation.
Christopher Tidmarsh is very, very good on his feet.
Eliza is particularly good for '75 Act and probate claims, and has great trusts and Court of Protection work. She is prompt and someone who can just turn things around and get you what you need.
Eliza is fantastic. She's very practical in setting up plans of action, great with clients in conferences and other communications, very pragmatic and very organised.
Francis is a delight to work with. He will leave no stone unturned and has genuine enthusiasm for the black-letter law. If you have an interest in probate, he is your man.
He is a phenomenal talent when it comes to trusts. His preparation is second to none, just really meticulous with the detail.
He is extremely technical and good on his feet. His written work is exemplary, really, and he is a strong go-to for trusts and estates.
We found him extremely knowledgeable and worth instructing because he adds value to clients. He is always on our list of potential barristers when looking for the right fit.
Rose Fetherstonhaugh's chancery work includes handling probate claims, Court of Protection work and often multi-jurisdictional trust disputes.
She is really reliable and well-respected, especially for offshore matters. She has managed to create a footprint really early on with her sharp insight and steady support.
Rose Fetherstonhaugh is a real rising star - she's very switched-on and knowledgeable and solution-focused.
Rose is so conscientious, and a brilliant drafter, and is also a pleasure to work with. She has a brilliant, brilliant mind.
Sam Chandler is tactically very astute. He is indefatigable and great on strategy. He's one of the best junior barristers I've worked with.
He is a real up-and-coming junior who combines excellent technical skills and judgement with great empathy.
He has got a good eye for detail and drafting statements. He provides strategic advice particularly on the smaller details, and is great with clients as well.
Sarah Haren is getting a lot of high-quality work, and she knows her way around the area.
Sarah is absolutely outstanding. She is magnificently clever, sharp, and excellent at finding solutions on difficult issues.
William East is incredibly bright and also just easy to get along with. He turns things around very quickly despite his very heavy workload.
One of the things I really value is his ability to communicate with clients which helps them understand the advice being given. He is very good at making clients at ease and makes them think deeper.
William East is charming and brilliant on his feet. He knows what to say, when and how best to say it.
Alexander is able to quickly put clients at ease, which is particularly valuable in emotive trust disputes. He has a good technical legal grasp and he is easy to work with.
Alexander provides excellent advice and representation on trust and estate disputes with complex tax elements.
He is very intelligent and able to give complicated advice but is also very sensible and easy to speak with for clients. He is very robust but also intellectual.
Elis Gomer has recently moved his practice to London. He has expertise in a range of private wealth disputes, including those with Court of Protection elements.
Elis Gomer is very popular and a superb advocate.
Elis Gomer has a good advocacy style. He reads the room and the judge well and has a great court presence.
Hugh Cumber has developed a strong reputation among solicitors for his traditional chancery work, which covers all aspects of trusts, estates and probate work.
Hugh is very clever and a great technical lawyer.
Hugh is very good, attentive and hard-working. He really rolls his sleeves up and gets into it.
Hugh Cumber is an excellent barrister. He provides clear, focused advice and is excellent on his feet.
Mathew Roper has a busy contentious and non-contentious practice with a particular emphasis on trusts, estates, 1975 Act claims and the Court of Protection.
His key skill set is that he is analytical. Mathew can cut through the detail and come up with a strategic plan. He is calm and unflappable.
Mathew Roper is very good, very reliable and technically a safe pair of hands.
Matthew Paton advises client on contentious and non-contentious matters relating to trusts and probate. He regularly works with clients on offshore matters, and has been called to the Bar in the Bahamas.
I found Matthew to be thorough, incisive and a very classy litigator.
Matthew is a thoroughly competent individual. If I had to make a recommendation for a Bahamian practitioner, he would be one of the people I'd mention.
He has a real depth of knowledge when it comes to tax and complex litigation. He also has a rare ability to cut through the noise to get to the key points.
Michael is a safe pair of hands and very good technically. He is not frightened of giving tough advice.
Ruth Hughes KC has a wide-ranging traditional chancery practice, with a focus on trusts, tax and Court of Protection cases.
She is fantastic, very good at picking up issues. She is excellent for Court of Protection and tax issues in particular.
She is brilliant, I would instruct her without hesitation - she is a go-to for anything contentious in the Court of Protection. She is responsive, clever and really works by your side.