Department profile
Erskine Chambers

Company

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)


Erskine Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Company - London (Bar)

Band 1

Band 1


What the Team is Known For

Erskine Chambers continues to justify its place as the foremost company set in London. Sources from across the market reach consensus when lauding it as the go-to set for the most sophisticated and prominent matters in this area of the law. Members of Erskine, both senior and junior, demonstrate market-leading capabilities in heavyweight contentious and non-contentious company matters, and receive routine instructions from the country's top solicitors. Barristers at Erskine possess a strong command of schemes of arrangement, M&A, partnership and shareholder disputes and general corporate advisory work, as part of an all-encompassing offering. Erskine's barristers have been active on highly significant matters across the past year, such as acting on the Nam Tai Property v West Ridge Investment case, and advising Jardine Matheson Group on an appraisal action before the Bermuda Court of Appeal. Another work highlight is representing Zedra in a case against THG that involved the Supreme Court, concerning the limitation in unfair prejudice claims under Section 994 of the Companies Act 2006. Interviewees report that the members here "are outstanding strategists and advocates, extremely client-friendly and not afraid to get into the trenches."

Michael Shillingford and Alex Calder are the joint senior clerks.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The clerks at Erskine Chambers are the best in the business. The provide a very personal service. Nothing is too much trouble for them.

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  • The clerks understand the urgency of many matters and work tirelessly to find you counsel quickly.

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  • Practice managers Jake Taylor and Seamus Nixon are very responsive.

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  • Michael Shillingford, practice manager Jake Taylor and the rest of the clerks are first rate. They are responsive and insightful, and they offer sensible and pragmatic solutions when issues arise.

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Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Star IndividualsMartin Moore
    Star IndividualsMartin Moore

    Martin Moore

    Martin Moore KC is widely considered a leading authority on corporate transactional and reorganisation matters, and attracts repeated praise from solicitors for his expertise in scheme of arrangement work. He attracts particular acclaim for his work in cases involving banking and insurance.

    • Martin is very thoughtful and knows all of the cases.

      Company respondentUK Bar
    • A barrister who inspires great confidence in clients. He connects very well with the bench, and he's effective at getting across what position we are taking.

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    • Martin is vastly experienced, and has a very reassuring and client-friendly manner. He is able to call upon a real depth of expertise and is not fazed by the novel or the unexpected.

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    • As Martin is such an authority in the area, he gave an opinion quickly and commercially. It was so impressive that the clients were absolutely delighted.

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    • Martin Moore KC is very responsive and technically very good.

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  • Star IndividualsMichael Todd
    Star IndividualsMichael Todd

    Michael Todd

    Michael Todd KC is a highly respected silk with a fantastic reputation in company litigation and advisory work. He is often instructed with regard to contested takeovers and schemes, and also has deep knowledge of complex restructurings. He is active in both domestic and cross-border instructions.

    • Michael Todd KC is fantastic. He quickly establishes a strong rapport with the client and is tactically astute.

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    • He has read about every case and is au fait with every issue pertaining to company law.

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    • Michael provides clear and well-reasoned advice across the full range of company law issues in a manner that engenders great confidence.

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    • Michael Todd KC is incredibly smart, and he commands the courtroom well. He is great before both the judge and clients.

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    • He is practical and commercial, and he understands the issues clients are facing. We managed to reach a pragmatic solution with Michael's help; he really is at the top of his game.

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  • Band 1Andrew Thompson
    Band 1Andrew Thompson

    Andrew Thompson

    Andrew Thompson KC is well known for handling company, partnership and corporate insolvency disputes. His particular areas of strength include shareholder claims and breach of fiduciary duty cases, and he also has niche expertise in LLP law. He regularly appears in proceedings in the Commercial Court, Court of Appeal and Chancery Division.

    • He is really responsive, practical and a real expert in his area.

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    • Andrew gets stuck in and is a team player who is not scared of any case. He likes to find a way to win.

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    • Andrew Thompson KC is brilliant to work with. He is thoughtful and knows the law inside out.

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    • Andrew Thompson KC is a great strategist and is very experienced.

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  • Band 1Andrew Thornton
    Band 1Andrew Thornton

    Andrew Thornton

    Andrew Thornton KC possesses a stellar reputation in high-profile and high-value M&A matters. He earns acclaim among solicitors for his outstanding credentials in schemes of arrangement and wider advisory work, both domestically and in a number of foreign jurisdictions. His enviable client base includes numerous FTSE 100 companies.

    • Andrew Thornton KC is a brilliant company lawyer who has a lot of experience and great client-handling skills.

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    • Andrew is incredibly responsive and very commercial.

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    • A barrister with great experience who gives pragmatic solutions to complex problems.

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    • Andrew is an excellent barrister with extensive experience and a pragmatic and client-friendly manner.

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  • Band 1Edward Davies
    Band 1Edward Davies

    Edward Davies

    Edward Davies KC is an experienced silk with an excellent track record in company and insolvency cases. He often appears in high-profile disputes at the High Court and Court of Appeal, and displays strength in unfair prejudice petitions, shareholder disputes and matters concerning dividend recovery.

    • Edward is an excellent trial advocate who is expert at cross-examination and brilliant in trial. He knows this area of the law inside out.

      Company respondentUK Bar
    • Edward is great. Judges listen to him because he is so knowledgeable, and opponents respect him.

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    • Edward is very commercial and a joy to work with. His advocacy is amazing, and he thinks deeply about all of the issues in the case.

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    • Edward Davies KC is really good on the technical and commercial side.

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  • Band 1James Potts
    Band 1James Potts

    James Potts

    James Potts KC is an experienced and highly regarded silk whose practice spans corporate, insolvency, banking, financial services and commercial law. He demonstrates considerable advocacy skills and has made numerous appearances in arbitration hearings and in courts including the Privy Council and Supreme Court. His expertise in schemes of arrangement is particularly pronounced.

    • James is a barrister who you want acting for you. Very enthusiastic and determined, he knows company law inside out, and he likes to win.

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    • James did an incredible job at distilling down all of the facts in the case into clear, coherent advice. He was also very collaborative and regularly kept us informed of proceedings and developments.

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    • He is delightful to work with, being both hardworking and very able.

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    • James Potts KC is very user-friendly and has a wealth of experience.

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  • Band 1Nigel Dougherty
    Band 1Nigel Dougherty

    Nigel Dougherty

    Nigel Dougherty is particularly skilled in shareholder work and disputes over directors' duties. He acts in contentious and non-contentious matters and is routinely instructed by leading City firms, both domestically and offshore. Nigel exhibits additional expertise in takeover and merger matters, acquisition agreements and corporate insolvency.

    • Nigel is a very strong advocate who is so experienced. He always knows the best way to deal with things and has encyclopaedic knowledge of the law.

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    • Nigel Dougherty is highly responsive and offers great technical expertise.

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    • Nigel knows his way around company law, and is very happy to hold the hand of non-specialist solicitors in a fashion which makes them feel part of the team.

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  • Band 1Stephen Horan
    Band 1Stephen Horan

    Stephen Horan

    Stephen Horan is a highly regarded expert in cross-border merger and wider transactional work, and a noted authority on corporate finance. Areas of expertise include advising on heavyweight schemes of arrangement, cross-border mergers and reductions of capital. Clients reap the benefit of his prior experience as a corporate solicitor.

    • A very knowledgeable barrister who is highly responsive and very industrious.

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    • Stephen is a barrister with an excellent level of expertise and experience whose support is invaluable. He is approachable and always willing to help.

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    • He is very user-friendly and responsive, and he provides pragmatic, commercial advice.

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    • Stephen was very easy to work with, being clear and helpful in his advice and very pragmatic.

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    • Stephen Horan had valuable foresight with regard to what issues would be of interest to the court and how matters would best be presented in order to ensure a successful outcome.

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  • Band 2Andrew Blake
    Band 2Andrew Blake

    Andrew Blake

    Andrew Blake is highly regarded for the quality of his work in matters concerning company law and corporate disputes. He is active on both the domestic and international stages.

    • Andrew has a brilliant legal mind and is a man whose opinions and input we value. He's able to simplify issues and focus in on what matters.

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    • Andrew's reading of the courtroom and the judge was spot on. He was also responsive out of hours and worked well under extreme pressure.

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    • Andrew is a great team player whose deep knowledge and sheer hard work made a big difference for us. He did a brilliant job in front of the judges and stood his ground.

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    • Very sensible and commercially minded, Andrew is really grounded in company law.

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    • He has handled tough issues and helped us immensely. When we instruct him, he always makes judgement calls well.

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  • Band 2Benjamin Shaw
    Band 2Benjamin Shaw

    Benjamin Shaw

    Benjamin Shaw KC demonstrates outstanding expertise across both transactional and dispute work. His highly sought-after litigation skills have seen him appear in numerous matters concerning shareholder disputes, derivative claims and Section 994 unfair prejudice petitions. He is also well practised in cases concerning schemes of arrangement and reductions of capital.

    • We found him to be very thorough, very intelligent and generally easy to work with.

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    • Benjamin Shaw KC was very good at getting up to speed on the details very quickly.

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    • Benjamin is so responsive and will always find the time to talk, even when he is busy. He is incredibly good at cutting to the chase.

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  • Band 2David Mabb KC
    Band 2David Mabb KC

    David Mabb KC

    David Mabb KC is experienced across the full range of advisory and contentious company law matters, and is an expert in company accounting. He benefits from experience as a member of the Financial Reporting Review Panel, which compels listed and other larger companies to comply with the law relating to company accounts.

    • David Mabb KC is a very clever company specialist who displays great technical knowledge of the subject.

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    • A master of detail when handling the most complex cases.

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  • Band 2Jack Rivett
    Band 2Jack Rivett

    Jack Rivett

    Jack Rivett is a talented junior with a strong company practice that sits within his broader commercial chancery skill set. He is experienced in proceedings in the High Court and Court of Appeal. He is increasingly active in offshore matters, particularly those in Caribbean jurisdictions.

    • Jack is a true subject-matter expert who is calm and steady in his advice and support. I have complete faith in him.

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    • Jack is a spectacular junior who's extremely hard-working.

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    • Jack Rivett always makes himself available and is someone who can navigate choppy waters.

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  • Band 2Matthew Parfitt
    Band 2Matthew Parfitt

    Matthew Parfitt

    Matthew Parfitt demonstrates broad skills in contentious and advisory company and insolvency work, and has particularly deep knowledge of derivative claims. His appointment to the Attorney General's Panel of Counsel for government litigation has led him to make numerous unled appearances in court.

    • Matthew is a man with encyclopaedic knowledge of insolvency law who is calm, confident and concise. I have nothing but good things to say about him.

      Company respondentUK Bar
    • Matthew is not only technically excellent but also strategically brilliant, always tailoring his submissions to the nuances of the case and the temperament of the court.

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    • Matthew Parfitt is extremely thoughtful and a real expert in company law. The written work he produces is always spot on.

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  • Band 2Peter Arden
    Band 2Peter Arden

    Peter Arden

    Peter Arden KC ably handles company, insolvency and restructuring cases, and has notable expertise in the financial services sector. He advises on schemes of arrangement, breaches of fiduciary duty and corporate governance work, and displays strength in cross-border matters.

    • Peter is a great team player who is very user-friendly and extremely bright. He is able to summarise and explain complicated issues to clients in a really simple way.

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    • Peter is a real guru who is excellent on the technical aspects.

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  • Band 3Anna Scharnetzky
    Band 3Anna Scharnetzky

    Anna Scharnetzky

    Anna Scharnetzky handles contentious and non-contentious company law and corporate insolvency/restructuring cases. She regularly appears in the High Court on applications under the Companies Act, including schemes of arrangement, reductions of capital and rectification matters

    • Anna is a fantastic member of the team, who offers pragmatic and commercial advice on a range of complex issues. She is also a brilliant advocate, who is excellent and thoroughly robust in court.

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    • Anna is highly intelligent, thorough, detail-focused and very understanding of solicitors' needs. Her advice is very carefully considered and honest, and delivered without arrogance or grandstanding.

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  • Band 3Chantelle Staynings
    Band 3Chantelle Staynings

    Chantelle Staynings

    Chantelle Staynings maintains a strong company practice with strength in M&A, unfair prejudice petitions and shareholder disputes, among other matters. She has appeared in proceedings at the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.

    • We are instructing Chantelle, and she is doing a great job.

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    • Chantelle Staynings is all over the detail but also very pragmatic and commercial. She works very well as part of a team, which is really reassuring.

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  • Band 3Samuel Parsons
    Band 3Samuel Parsons

    Samuel Parsons

    Samuel Parsons has been led in major offshore company litigation, including matters heard in the Privy Council. Domestically, he is frequently instructed by the Secretary of State regarding director disqualification matters.

    • Samuel Parsons is approachable and really client-friendly. He explains often-technical areas of law in a simple and clear manner, and he is always willing to go the extra mile to assist.

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    • Very responsive, user-friendly, hands-on and intelligent.

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  • New SilksBen Griffiths
    New SilksBen Griffiths

    Ben Griffiths

    Ben Griffiths garners accolades for his expertise in company law litigation and advisory work, and has a particular focus on commercial and financial law. He is experienced in both international and domestic disputes, including matters before the High Court and Supreme Court, and has appeared unled in appellate proceedings.

    • Ben Griffiths is the first choice for clients faced with complicated matters. He is great.

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    • Ben is an extremely experienced senior junior.

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Ranked Barristers at Erskine Chambers (18)

London (Bar)

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