Department profile
Blackstone Chambers

Employment

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)


Blackstone Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Employment - London (Bar)

Band 1

Band 1


What the Team is Known For

Blackstone Chambers is a "very well-resourced set" with "excellent silks for highly complex employment work." Home to a number of leading lights in the employment law field, members' expertise covers a full spread of developing issues including restrictive covenants, employment status, equal pay and protected disclosure. The "highly intelligent" barristers act for well-known corporates and financial services firms, and are skilled in advocacy before the tribunals, the senior courts and the Supreme Court. Recent cases include acting for Dare International in its claim against two of its former traders, and acting for McLaren in its multimillion-pound claim against Alex Palou.

Derek Sutton and Adam Sloane are joint senior clerks.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Derek Sutton is obviously very capable and effective. The clerks are all very good.

    Employment respondentUK Bar
  • The clerking is very efficient, good fun and client-friendly.

    Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Blackstone Chambers' clerks are willing to go the extra mile to set up work for clients.

    Employment respondentUK Bar
  • The clerks are always responsive and willing to find solutions.

    Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Blackstone Chambers has a very high-quality clerking team.

    Employment respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Star IndividualsPaul Goulding
    Star IndividualsPaul Goulding

    Paul Goulding

    Paul Goulding KC is a pre-eminent barrister in the area of restrictive covenants, according to market sources. He is widely regarded as a leading light of the Employment Bar and takes on a diverse set of instructions, pertaining to such matters as team moves, whistle-blowing, employment status and discrimination, typically acting for household-name clients.

    • Paul Goulding is the best in the business. He's very good at navigating restrictive covenants.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Paul Goulding is second to none in particular on restrictive covenants.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Paul Goulding is an absolute star of the Bar and in employee competition work.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Diya Sen Gupta
    Band 1Diya Sen Gupta

    Diya Sen Gupta

    Diya Sen Gupta KC is an effective and incisive advocate who regularly works with clients in the financial services sector. She is highly proficient in whistle-blowing and discrimination issues, with experience of complex team move cases, injunctive relief applications and unfair dismissal claims.

    • Diya Sen Gupta is a strong team player who is proactive and gives clear advice.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Diya Sen Gupta is super-clever, committed, proactive and collaborative.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • She sorts out a massive morass of stuff in a way that makes sense and she is very calm. She is not a showperson advocate; she just delivers.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Jane Mulcahy
    Band 1Jane Mulcahy

    Jane Mulcahy

    Jane Mulcahy KC is a highly experienced barrister who works across the whole breadth of employment law, with demonstrable expertise in wrongful and unfair dismissal cases, as well as discrimination and whistle-blowing.

    • Jane Mulcahy is a very tough advocate who is very good on a sensitive area. She points clearly and forcefully but treads the line correctly.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Jane is very good to work with, knowledgeable, and sensitive to client needs.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Jane Mulcahy is a fantastic advocate with superb client service. She is extremely commercial and collaborative in her approach.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Navid Pourghazi
    Band 2Navid Pourghazi

    Navid Pourghazi

    Navid Pourghazi is a gifted barrister with notable skill in discrimination, whistle-blowing, employment status and employee competition cases. He is also sought after for his expertise in conducting investigations for a range of organisations.

    • Navid is an exceptional talent, incredibly bright, very approachable and easy to work with.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Navid Pourghazi puts the client at ease whilst being able to identify and progress complex legal arguments with finesse and an aura of calm.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Navid Pourghazi's drafting is excellent. His advocacy is tenacious and persuasive. He is somebody who is a real fighter but also has intelligence to go with it.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Thomas Croxford
    Band 2Thomas Croxford

    Thomas Croxford

    Thomas Croxford KC is considered to be a strong High Court advocate who often handles highly complex whistle-blowing and injunctive relief work as well as sophisticated discrimination claims. He regularly provides counsel to clients in the financial services sector, and his multidisciplinary practice allows him to bring a commercial edge to his employment law analysis.

    • Thomas Croxford was very agile in dealing with the complexities and providing strategic and adept advice in a complex case with many different facets.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Thomas Croxford is willing to give robust, strategic direction and has an ability to win over challenging tribunal judges.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Thomas is calm and makes any issue seem effortless. He has a brilliant method of communication with clients and brings clarity and confidence to every case.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Kerenza Davis
    Band 3Kerenza Davis

    Kerenza Davis

    Kerenza Davis is a respected barrister with demonstrable expertise in handling a variety of cases before the High Court and Employment Tribunal. She is regularly called upon by both claimants and defendants to handle complex discrimination claims.

    • Kerenza Davis is extremely diligent and conscientious. She is thorough and detail-oriented while also being able to step back and see the bigger commercial picture.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Kerenza Davis is always thoroughly prepared and a persuasive advocate.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Not only is she an expert in the law, but she is also incredibly personable, commercial and strategic.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Craig Rajgopaul
    Band 4Craig Rajgopaul

    Craig Rajgopaul

    Former solicitor Craig Rajgopaul KC offers a well-rounded perspective on complex employment proceedings. His expertise spans a range of employment law matters, including restrictive covenants, team moves, discrimination and whistle-blowing.

    • Craig is clever and an entertaining advocate; he is never dull and he captures the attention of the court.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Craig Rajgopaul is brilliant, tenacious, fights the case hard, and is always on the client's side.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Craig Rajgopaul is first-class, commercial, client-friendly, incredibly hard-working, and an excellent advocate.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4George Molyneaux
    Band 4George Molyneaux

    George Molyneaux

    George Molyneaux offers strong expertise across a full range of employment cases. He is experienced in cases of whistle-blowing, discrimination, equal pay and TUPE.

    • George was very well prepared for hearings and explained tricky legal issues to the client in a clear manner.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • George has a very high level of expertise, as well as excellent client care and advocacy skills.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Kate Gallafent
    Band 4Kate Gallafent

    Kate Gallafent

    Kate Gallafent KC manages a busy employment law caseload including claims relating to discrimination and unfair dismissal. She is noted for her expertise in cases which require crossover knowledge of civil liberties and human rights.

    • Kate is excellent and her advocacy is brilliant.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Clients love Kate Gallafent as she's really sensible and direct.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Kate Gallafent is incredibly pragmatic, cuts to the issues quickly, and distils things in a way which is client-friendly.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Tristan Jones
    Band 4Tristan Jones

    Tristan Jones

    Tristan Jones KC is a respected advocate with notable experience handling disputes in the Employment Appeal Tribunal and Court of Appeal. He is lauded for his work in equal pay and discrimination claims.

    • Tristan Jones has got a really smooth and engaging style in court and advocacy.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Tristan Jones is a safe pair of hands.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Celia Rooney
    Band 5Celia Rooney

    Celia Rooney

    Celia Rooney is a highly skilled barrister who is called upon to advise claimants and respondents on employment disputes. Discrimination claims and restrictive covenants number among her areas of expertise.

    • Celia is extremely driven, committed and focused. She'll always go the extra mile for her clients and do what needs to be done.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Celia Rooney is an intelligent barrister.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Hollie Higgins
    Band 5Hollie Higgins

    Hollie Higgins

    Hollie Higgins is a respected barrister developing a reputation as a go-to employment junior. Her employment law knowledge is strong across whistle-blowing, discrimination and equal pay.

    • Hollie Higgins has been a joy to work with, and she is very clever and very efficient.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Hollie Higgins is on the ball and very organised.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Hollie is exceptionally bright so she dealt with difficult facts.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
  • Band 6Tom Mountford
    Band 6Tom Mountford

    Tom Mountford

    Tom Mountford is a well-regarded senior junior whose employment expertise encompasses a range of matters, like unfair and wrongful dismissals, whistle-blowing, race and disability discrimination, and restrictive covenants.

    • Tom Mountford is very user-friendly with great analytical skills.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • His advice is consistently clear and demonstrates an excellent command of the underlying law.

      Employment respondentUK Bar
    • Tom is really accessible, really easy to deal with, excellent with clients, and very responsive.

      Employment respondentUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at Blackstone Chambers (13)

London (Bar)

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