Department profile
Doughty Street Chambers

Crime

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)


Doughty Street Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Crime - London (Bar)

Band 1

Band 1


What the Team is Known For

Doughty Street Chambers is a redoubtable set with skill in serious crime and related human rights and international law cases, that is noted by sources for its "very strong advocacy, passionate and dedicated counsel." It handles the full range of criminal matters, but is especially well known for its involvement in significant terrorism cases and murders that receive national media interest. It also routinely deals with vulnerable defendants and youth crime cases, and has a specialist Appeals Unit, which concentrates on matters brought before the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, Privy Council and ECtHR. Members were instructed in Craig Miller v R, acting for Craig Miller who was one of three defendants in an appeal against conviction and sentence for attempted murder, where the conviction was ultimately rendered unsafe.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The clerks are great and deliver when they say they will deliver.

    Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Practice manager Chloe Cousins and senior clerk Matthew Butchard are both outstanding and exceptionally responsive. They are always available; they go above and beyond.

    Crime respondentUK Bar
  • The clerks were very responsive and always provided a high level of service relating to the covering of hearings, availability and keeping solicitors up to date.

    Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Doughty Street clerks are delightful. They are very efficient.

    Crime respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Star IndividualsEdward Fitzgerald
    Star IndividualsEdward Fitzgerald

    Edward Fitzgerald

    Edward Fitzgerald KC is an excellent practitioner and pre-eminent figure at the bar who comes highly recommended by market commentators for his expertise in extradition matters alongside his general crime practice. He is also noted for his international practice. Fitzgerald has considerable expertise in an array of criminal matters, including murder, and is also renowned for his international criminal law expertise. He is a regular before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Privy Council.

    • He is a very good barrister and an amazing appellate lawyer. He is one of the best barristers at the Bar and is very good on his feet.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1James Wood
    Band 1James Wood

    James Wood

    James Wood KC is a skilled practitioner who is highly sought after for terrorism cases. Committed to both private and publicly funded work, his practice also consists of challenging and complex cases relating to murder and drug offences. He also has experience handling complex gang-related matters.

    • He has a formidable intellect, is a fearsome advocate and, for a criminal KC, he is unusual in a sense that he has got good courtroom presence and his people work is also very good.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Tim Moloney
    Band 1Tim Moloney

    Tim Moloney

    Tim Moloney KC is an excellent advocate who is highly praised for his exceptional client-handling abilities and legal knowledge. Moloney is particularly accomplished when it comes to handling serious criminal matters involving terrorism and murder. Additionally, he is well known for his niche experience in advising on reviews of death penalty decisions resulting from the actions of British government departments.

    • Tim Moloney KC is a real class act. He gets juries to listen to him, he has a real knack for juries. They are on his side.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Tim Moloney KC is fast and very effective in court.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is a top barrister.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is so capable in court with judges and juries, who love him. He is one of the best.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2David Bentley
    Band 2David Bentley

    David Bentley

    Defence specialist David Bentley KC, who is joint head of the crime team, is a well-regarded advocate. He has particularly excellent capabilities with regards to complex and high-profile serious violent crime cases, and is known for his domestic and international appeals work.

    • He is extremely good with the law and is very good with clients.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • It is clear he really cares about the outcome for a client and strives for excellence.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • David Bentley KC is a smooth operator. His legal knowledge is spot-on and he provides tactical judgement too.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2David Hislop
    Band 2David Hislop

    David Hislop

    David Hislop KC is a sought-after silk with an extensive career at the general criminal Bar. He is particularly experienced in representing clients involved in multi-handed homicides in the context of organised crime.

    • David is great and a silk who doesn't stand on ceremony, but just wants to get the job done. He's an immediately reassuring figure, who quickly grasps the issues in a case.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Kate O'Raghallaigh
    Band 2Kate O'Raghallaigh

    Kate O'Raghallaigh

    Kate O'Raghallaigh practises in both crime and extradition. She is experienced in handling serious matters including terrorism cases, and has appeared in a wide variety of matters that have reached the appellate courts.

    • Kate O'Raghallaigh is absolutely brilliant in her innovation and ability to think outside the box. She is tenacious and sophisticated at the same time.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • She is a brilliant lawyer and great with clients. She is reasonable and fantastic. She is absolutely a top-notch barrister.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Kate is a smart and intelligent junior. She is able to think of and successfully run successful strategies that would not occur to others. She is nothing short of first-rate.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Katy Thorne
    Band 2Katy Thorne

    Katy Thorne

    Katy Thorne KC is a strong criminal barrister with a firmly established practice across serious and general crime. She has experience defending violence charges including homicide, as well as handling RASSO cases.

    • She is smart and clever, and this particularly regards complex cases with scientific evidence. She translates forensic material well.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • She is brilliant and made very succinct legal arguments. She truly did an exceptional job for client.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Thorne understands innately the needs of and pressures upon solicitors and makes life easy. She is always prepared and on top of paperwork. It is never a question of a client liking her.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Katy Thorne is phenomenal. She was unbelievably prepared, in a calm, measured and considered way.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Kirsty Brimelow
    Band 2Kirsty Brimelow

    Kirsty Brimelow

    Kirsty Brimelow KC has an impressive criminal practice, and often acts in cases with significant human rights elements. Alongside homicide and serious drug cases, she frequently acts in protest law cases. She has experience at all levels of the court system, and has both a domestic and international practice.

    • It is like she is conducting an orchestra. She is impressive.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Peter Wilcock
    Band 2Peter Wilcock

    Peter Wilcock

    Peter Wilcock KC is an established criminal defence practitioner whose practice encompasses the full range of serious offences. He makes regular appearances at the Old Bailey.

    • You could not have more courteous senior counsel. He is an excellent advocate and an extremely able lawyer. He is an absolute first-class KC and operates an outstanding service at all levels.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Peter is lovely. He is a charming and consequently devastating advocate.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is very eminent. He is is a star on every level, has a calm head and a brilliant mind. His tactical reasoning makes him stand out.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Piers Marquis
    Band 2Piers Marquis

    Piers Marquis

    Piers Marquis specialises in defending against allegations of murder and offences relating to serious and organised crime. He is also noted for his expertise in terrorism cases.

    • He is a brilliant advocate and an excellent strategist and has a lovely manner with clients. He is good at having the difficult conversations and is a pleasure to work with.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He did a great job and is an excellent advocate.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Marquis always fights for the underdog with vim and vigour.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Sarah Elliott
    Band 2Sarah Elliott

    Sarah Elliott

    Talented defence silk Sarah Elliott KC has a plethora of experience appearing in high-profile general crime cases. She is particularly sought out by solicitors for matters concerning complex homicide and rape.

    • Fearsome but also kind with it, she is a real born fighter who commands the attention of juries from the off without haranguing them. She knows all there is worth knowing about the law.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Andrew Hall
    Band 3Andrew Hall

    Andrew Hall

    • When he walks into a packed courtroom, the room stops. He has an unbelievable presence and his persona in court is truly remarkable. He is of true silk material.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Liam Walker
    Band 4Liam Walker

    Liam Walker

    • He is a highly impressive and strong performer.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Liam is an amazing advocate in court and is brilliant with details. He is great with judges and persuading them to do things in his clients' interest. He is a wonderful jury advocate.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is one of the toughest barristers. He will fight tooth and nail and does not give up.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Melanie Simpson
    Band 4Melanie Simpson

    Melanie Simpson

    • She is a good tactical thinker.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Melanie Simpson is a powerful advocate.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Rabah Kherbane
    Band 4Rabah Kherbane

    Rabah Kherbane

    • Rabah Kherbane is a brilliant junior. His grasp of the law and facts is just unrivalled. He is exceptional.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is a bright star. He is really hard-working and switched on.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • His advocacy is good.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Benjamin Newton
    Band 5Benjamin Newton

    Benjamin Newton

    • Ben is a brilliant cross-examiner, very good on disclosure and is a very charming advocate.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is so well respected by judges and he is on top of it all. He is a critical thinker.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Clients trust him implicitly with their life and are 100% right to do so. He is absolutely brilliant.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Emma Goodall
    Band 5Emma Goodall

    Emma Goodall

    • Emma Goodall is a very good KC. She is very hard-working and professional and really knows her brief very well. She is an up-and-coming KC.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Garry Green
    Band 5Garry Green

    Garry Green

    • He is a fighter, enthusiastic and hard-working.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Garry Green KC is very personable and very good with clients. He gets outstanding results.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Garry is a master of the law. He is very approachable and easy to talk to about issues that arise.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Maryam Mir
    Band 5Maryam Mir

    Maryam Mir

    • She is really experienced and really knows how to navigate the criminal courts and how to approach matters of evidence, in drugs cases in particular.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Maryam Mir is a fighter. She is very personable, hard-working and committed.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Richard Thomas
    Band 5Richard Thomas

    Richard Thomas

    • Richard Thomas KC is very clever. He can turn his hand to a lot of different things. He has a multidisciplinary skill set.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • He is absolutely sublime as an advocate.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Richard is a wonderful court performer. He is very smooth and measured. Judges and juries love listening to him.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 5Sarah Vine
    Band 5Sarah Vine

    Sarah Vine

    • Sarah is tenacious, full of enthusiasm for the cause and works really hard. She puts in the time, prepares cases well all the way through and offers constant attention.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • She is quite simply a natural in silk. She has dealt with a sensitive case with the utmost skill and ease. She is easily the most competent person in the courtroom.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 6Farrhat Arshad
    Band 6Farrhat Arshad

    Farrhat Arshad

    • She is an excellent advocate and very good with youth clients. She has a great client manner. She is very bright.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 6Peter Carter
    Band 6Peter Carter

    Peter Carter

    • Peter Carter KC is the industry expert on matters of privilege.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • Band 6Tunde Okewale
    Band 6Tunde Okewale

    Tunde Okewale

    • He is an excellent junior.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
    • Tunde Okewale provided an exceptional level of client service and expertise in the subject matter of his instruction.

      Crime respondentUK Bar
  • New SilksDavid Rhodes
    New SilksDavid Rhodes

    David Rhodes

    • David is really good with legal arguments, and his written work is also very good.

      Crime respondentUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at Doughty Street Chambers (25)

London (Bar)

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