Department profile
South Square

Chancery: Commercial

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)


South Square

Rankings

About

Provided by South Square

South Square is a world-renowned leading commercial chancery set with Members frequently instructed in the most high-profile disputes, both domestically and internationally. It is routinely instructed by magic circle firms and those ranked in Band 1, and Members frequently appear against opposing counsel ranked in Band 1.   

Chambers’ expertise in this field spans an impressive range of areas, including banking, funds and shareholder disputes, fraud and asset tracing (often arising out of high-profile global insolvencies, in which Members are routinely instructed). Members are regularly instructed to appear in offshore jurisdictions and at the highest appellate levels

Some notable examples of recent cases involving Members of South Square are: AGPS Bondco plc (also known as Re Adler), Avanti Communications, Bulb Energy Ltd, Greensill; Credit Suisse v Softbank; Citibank v Speciality Steel UK, London Capital & Finance Plc, NMC Healthcare, Port Fund.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chancery: Commercial - London (Bar)

Band 2

Band 2


What the Team is Known For

In addition to offering significant strength in insolvency law, South Square is also highly regarded for its expertise in a wide range of commercial chancery disputes. The barristers here are noted for their "supreme ability to handle complex, sophisticated matters" and are well versed in the handling of both contentious and non-contentious cases. Members are regularly called upon to act in claims brought against accountants and professional service firms, and in complex cases involving derivatives and securitisation transactions, among other commercial matters. The team is known for its expert handling of both domestic and international disputes. Recent examples include Credit Suisse v SoftBank Vision II Fund, a high-profile claim by a Credit Suisse sub-fund. Members also appeared in Mitchell v Al Jaber, a Supreme Court case deciding whether a company's director continues to owe fiduciary duties after its liquidation, and Public Institution for Social Security v Al-Rajaan, a USD1 billion fraud case arising from alleged bribery of the claimant's former director general. Dylan Playfoot is the senior clerk.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The clerks pushed getting our cases through at short notice. They are on the ball.

    Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • The clerks at South Square are excellent.

    Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Senior clerk Dylan Playfoot and his team are outstanding in terms of responsiveness.

    Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Band 1Felicity Toube
    Band 1Felicity Toube

    Felicity Toube

    • Felicity is very learned in her approach; she really knows the law. You always get a quick but well-supported answer.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Felicity is great fun and really smart.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Felicity is the go-to KC. She is clever, practical, commercial and accessible. She is very good on her feet; not a shrinking violent in front of the judge.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Tom Smith
    Band 1Tom Smith

    Tom Smith

    • Tom is brilliant at distilling complex issues into digestible advice.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Tom is one of the leading silks in the City, especially for insolvency and restructuring work. He is a first rate advocate who gives robust, commercial and succinct advice.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Tom is very impressive in court.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3David Allison
    Band 3David Allison

    David Allison

    • David is an excellent advocate, litigator, academic and tactician. He is the best combination of all of those factors.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • David gives excellent, clear and commercial advice and is excellent with clients. He is a fantastic advocate who invariably has the trust of the court.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • David is incredibly calm and reassuring. He manages clients very effectively.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Tony Beswetherick
    Band 3Tony Beswetherick

    Tony Beswetherick

    • I find Tony to be meticulous in his preparation and someone who adopts a calm, measured approach to his advocacy. He's an impressive all rounder.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Tony is analytical, and his advocacy is second to none. He also treats everyone in the team with respect.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Tony is a very clever guy who is very commercial as well. He will push the points which he justifiably can and avoid the bad points.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Tony is extremely bright and is able to knit together complex multi-stranded cases into a cohesive strategy. He has an eye to the commercial reality of a case that few barristers have.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Adam Al-Attar
    Band 4Adam Al-Attar

    Adam Al-Attar

    • Adam is super smart. His strength is his ability to present submissions which are well grounded and concerned with practical commercial reality.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Adam is very user-friendly and good at talking through the issues.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Adam is a brain on legs. He is exceptionally bright.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Adam is a great team player. He's very bright, and he drafts incredibly well in a very crisp and precise manner.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Daniel Bayfield
    Band 4Daniel Bayfield

    Daniel Bayfield

    • Daniel is an excellent advocate who handles judges' questions with great skill.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Daniel will always tell you honestly what the vulnerabilities are in your plan, and is very clear about how to navigate round them. He thinks tactically and strategically.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Daniel is an incredibly smart and commercial individual. He has very good judgement.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Daniel doesn't mind getting his hands dirty despite being one of the top operators in the insolvency space. He's very easy to work alongside.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Mark Phillips
    Band 4Mark Phillips

    Mark Phillips

    • Mark thinks fast on his feet, and is very assured when dealing with judges. Both well liked and well connected, he produces really impressive arguments.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Mark reads the court well, and I love working with him as he's very proactive.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Mark is very hands-on. He's always available if I need him at short notice, which is rare for someone of his seniority.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Richard Fisher
    Band 4Richard Fisher

    Richard Fisher

    • When it comes to instructing an insolvency silk, he's top of my list. Richard is a really polished advocate who's easy to work with. He is all over the detail.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Richard has great instincts and is really liked by clients. He is very nimble and flexible in his thinking.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Richard has incredible commercial feel. As an advocate, he is careful and thoughtful, and he persuades the judge from fundamentals.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Richard is technically very proficient and very experienced in insolvency matters.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Richard is a great team player who is very thoughtful in his approach. He identifies angles that others don't pick up on and proves very successful.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • New SilksRory Brown
    New SilksRory Brown

    Rory Brown

    • A really powerful advocate who understands that sometimes less is more. He's great at understanding what will work in court. In times of high stress, he's reassuring and confident.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Rory produces excellent written work, all presented in tip-top order. His advocacy is amongst the best I've seen. He really enjoys the art of advocacy and legal persuasion.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Rory Brown offers an excellent service and is a joy to work with. He's always prepared to go the extra mile.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Rory Brown's advocacy is very good and he gets his points across well.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • A calm and humble man, Rory is erudite, very articulate and very discerning. His drafting skills are excellent.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at South Square (9)

London (Bar)

Members

Provided by South Square

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