Department profile
6KBW College Hill

Crime

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)


6KBW College Hill

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Crime - London (Bar)

Band 1

Band 1


What the Team is Known For

6KBW College Hill is a premier criminal prosecution and defence set renowned for its involvement in the most serious criminal and regulatory cases. It is noted for "providing some of the best quality legal advice and representation." Members of the set regularly act at all levels of the court system, and have made numerous appearances in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, as well as in a number of foreign jurisdictions. Recent cases for the set have included R v Dylan Earl and others, which concerns the alleged involvement of the Wagner Group.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The clerks are great. Senior clerk Richard Summerscales has always been very communicative, interactive, pragmatic and helpful.

    Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Lizzie Labrum is the heart and soul of the clerking team.

    Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Mark Essex is a superb clerk, and is a class above. He is utterly dedicated to his craft and is incredibly knowledgeable. 6KBW clerks are very aware.

    Crime respondentUK Bar
  • 6KBW College Hill clerks are great. They are communicative, interactive, pragmatic and helpful.

    Crime respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Star IndividualsDuncan Penny
    Star IndividualsDuncan Penny

    Duncan Penny

    Former First Senior Treasury Counsel Duncan Penny KC is extremely experienced in high-profile matters. He routinely acts in cases that attract national media coverage including those relating to serial sex attacks, cold case reviews, terrorism and murder.

    • Duncan Penny KC is a very bright counsel. He has prosecution experience, so often is a good choice for that reason. He is good at knowing how to frame things.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is one of my favourites. He is extremely articulate and has one of the best grasps of the law in the field. He is approachable, good with clients, very honest and direct.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is in the premier tier of barristers. He is just an encyclopaedia of the law and a very forceful advocate.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is excellent, he is great at client handling and has clarity of approach.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Alison Morgan
    Band 1Alison Morgan

    Alison Morgan

    Alison Morgan KC regularly prosecutes some of the most high-profile criminal cases in the country. These have included era-defining murders, as well as arson charges and other serious criminal matters.

    • Alison Morgan is first-class.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Alison Morgan KC is a force of nature.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1David Perry
    Band 1David Perry

    David Perry

    David Perry KC is a high-profile advocate who is particularly renowned for having been instructed in the most significant appeals of recent times. Perry is highly experienced in acting for both the prosecution and the defence, and undertakes only the most challenging and complex criminal matters, both domestically and internationally. He regularly acts before the Supreme Court and foreign criminal courts, and is known for representing high-profile clients.

    • David Perry was great. He has gravitas and the client really liked him.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • David fully deserves his magisterial reputation.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • David Perry KC possesses unrivalled excellence.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Duncan Atkinson
    Band 1Duncan Atkinson

    Duncan Atkinson

    Former Senior Treasury Counsel Duncan Atkinson KC is a well-regarded silk for his prosecution of the most serious and complex criminal matters. He frequently handles high-profile murder, manslaughter and terrorism-related cases.

    • Duncan Atkinson KC is an intellectual lawyer. He is very good on the law and an academic advocate.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • In high-profile cases, he is in a league of own. He is one of the best silks around. He has a huge brain, is super intelligent, but is still approachable. He is a class act.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is a very upright, very measured, detailed individual and competent.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is a doyen of all matters criminal.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Jacob Hallam
    Band 1Jacob Hallam

    Jacob Hallam

    Jacob Hallam KC is a popular advocate who regularly appears at the Central Criminal Court. He has expertise in prosecuting complicated and high-profile murders.

    • It is effortless with him. He is cerebral and always professional. He is considerate and can cross-examine. He is a top-class prosecutor.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Jacob Hallam KC is very hard-working, very pleasant and very fair. That fairness makes him more effective because the jury senses that he gets the balance right.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Jacob Hallam KC is very pleasant and a very astute cross examiner. He is extremely effective. Juries love him.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Peter Ratliff
    Band 1Peter Ratliff

    Peter Ratliff

    Treasury Counsel Peter Ratliff is a highly reputable junior, known for acting as prosecution and defence counsel in all manner of serious criminal cases including murders. His experience includes the handling of cases relating to hacking and firearms importation.

    • Peter Ratliff is enormously hard-working, has an eye for strategy that very few people do and doesn't take short cuts. If a challenge rears its head, he will be ready for it.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is a top-class silk in all but name.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is hard-working and has a sensible head on his shoulders.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Sasha Wass
    Band 1Sasha Wass

    Sasha Wass

    Sasha Wass KC is a high-profile silk instructed in many of the most high-profile cases of recent years. She frequently handles murder and sexual assault cases, whether they be recent or historical in nature.

    • She has a stellar reputation.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Sasha Wass KC is one of a kind. She is striking in her advocacy and people listen. She is phenomenal.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Simon Denison
    Band 1Simon Denison

    Simon Denison

    Simon Denison KC is a fantastic barrister and former Treasury Counsel who possesses in-depth knowledge of all areas of serious and complex crime, and has a particularly impressive understanding of challenging homicide and conspiracy to murder briefs. He frequently prosecutes complex, multi-handed murders and also has experience in gang-related crime and drug cases.

    • Simon is a real professional. He is classy, professional, full of confidence and possesses real, sheer class in the courtroom.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Alistair Richardson
    Band 2Alistair Richardson

    Alistair Richardson

    Alistair Richardson is instructed on a mixture of both prosecution and defence work and has been appointed as Junior Treasury Counsel. He has a varied practice that includes instruction in cyber and white-collar crime.

    • Alistair is exceptional, and a pleasure to be led by. He fully deserves his appointment as Treasury Counsel. He is an uncompromising cross-examiner and juries listen to him.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Richardson is good on the law and as an advocate. He is phenomenal. He is one of the best.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Alistair Richardson is absolutely excellent. He is a powerhouse and extremely nice to deal with. He has a lot of integrity.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Alistair Richardson is very intelligent and hard-working. He is a pleasure to be around and is a top choice junior.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Annabel Darlow
    Band 2Annabel Darlow

    Annabel Darlow

    Annabel Darlow KC has an impressive docket of prosecution work across serious crime including cases relating to homicide and terror offences. She also has significant experience of handling fraud matters.

    • She can do the full range. She is a brilliant lawyer and very astute tactician.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Ben Lloyd
    Band 2Ben Lloyd

    Ben Lloyd

    Ben Lloyd is an impressive junior with a strong reputation for terrorism, homicide and extradition cases. As Junior Treasury Counsel, he is regularly instructed by the CPS and is known for his involvement in pro bono matters.

    • Ben Lloyd was very good, very responsive and able. He is collaborative and worked very well with everyone.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is sensible, down to earth, realistic and persuasive.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Denis Barry
    Band 2Denis Barry

    Denis Barry

    Denis Barry is a very experienced barrister who handles a rich diet of serious and organised crime work. Regularly instructed by the CPS Appeals Unit in judicial review and appellate work, he has particular expertise in cases involving complex medical evidence and psychiatric issues.

    • Denis Barry is great with the jury. He is very good on the more intricate points of financial crime. He is a really understated, calm and considered barrister, and brings the jury on a journey.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He has a command of the papers and of the evidence. He handled a difficult case extremely well and was so good with the jury and judge. Denis is very calm and very smooth.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2John Ryder
    Band 2John Ryder

    John Ryder

    John Ryder KC is a noted silk who specialises in defending the most complex and serious cases from violent crime to substantial fraud. He has particular experience of acting in cases relating to organised crime, and is well known for the depth of his experience in handling international criminal matters, particularly those in the Cayman Islands.

    • John Ryder KC provides exceptional advocacy and legal knowledge.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Louis Mably
    Band 2Louis Mably

    Louis Mably

    Louis Mably KC has a wealth of experience handling the full range of general criminal cases. His recent work includes prosecuting violent robbery, homicide and criminal appeals in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

    • Louis Mably KC is very measured and sensible. He has the calm confidence of the court. He dealt with the jury well. He is very reasonable to get on with.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He stands out. He offers incredible legal knowledge, which has been honed from doing many high-profile cases in different jurisdictions.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is exactly what you would expect from a top-class prosecutor. He is very good on the law and takes a properly classy approach.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Esther Schutzer-Weissmann
    Band 3Esther Schutzer-Weissmann

    Esther Schutzer-Weissmann

    • Esther Schutzer-Weissmann is a star of the future.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • She is phenomenal. The wonderful thing about her is that, although she is very wise and ferociously switched on, she is also very human.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Tony Badenoch
    Band 3Tony Badenoch

    Tony Badenoch

    • He works hard and his written work, in particular, is superb.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Gareth Patterson
    Band 4Gareth Patterson

    Gareth Patterson

    • Gareth Patterson KC is a natural prosecutor with a good command of his brief on every occasion. His advocacy demonstrates substantial experience as leading counsel.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Lucy Organ
    Band 4Lucy Organ

    Lucy Organ

    • She is great in and out of court. She is super likeable without being soft. She has great arguments and is very driven.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • She provides fantastic judgement, is very tenacious and is great at dealing with the opposition. She is brilliant.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Lucy Organ is very thorough and well prepared. She will do the most for her clients.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Adam Payter
    Band 5Adam Payter

    Adam Payter

    • He is extremely impressive. You can put him in front of any client.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Adam Payter is very adaptable. He is really respected by the opposition and seems to get a lot of respect from the bench for his sensible legal arguments, which are persuasive.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Martyn Bowyer
    Band 5Martyn Bowyer

    Martyn Bowyer

    • Martyn Bowyer is an outstanding advocate who provides exceptional service. He is of KC quality.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Tom Williams
    Band 5Tom Williams

    Tom Williams

    • Tom Williams is academically brilliant and a walking encyclopaedia.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Tom is excellent and has a fantastic practice.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 6Lyndon Harris
    Band 6Lyndon Harris

    Lyndon Harris

    • Lyndon Harris has excellent advocacy and is very knowledgeable.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • New SilksPaul Jarvis
    New SilksPaul Jarvis

    Paul Jarvis

    • He is an endless pot of wisdom.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Paul Jarvis really is an expert in the law. He is a leading lawyer in defending historic sexual offences. One of his greatest skills is he is great at simplifying complex issues.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He has a simply top-notch legal brain.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • New SilksSimon Ray
    New SilksSimon Ray

    Simon Ray

    • Ray possesses an incredible brain. He is really up to date on the law and is very strategic. He really understood the position of his client and is a really good tactician.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is absolutely outstanding and very calm under pressure. He has really blossomed into an outstanding silk. He gets five stars all the way.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Simon Ray KC is my go-to lawyer. He is calm, methodical and technically brilliant and a joy to work with.

      Crime respondentUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at 6KBW College Hill (24)

London (Bar)

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