UK Bar Awards 2021 Shortlist & Winners:

Bar Awards 2021  winners are highlighted in bold. Congratulations to all of the deserving winners and shortlist.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Lord Dyson 

Lord Dyson was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court in 2010 and Master of the Rolls in 2012. Since retiring from the Bench he has returned to 39 Essex Chambers, where he was head of chambers for many years, and has built a hugely successful career as an international arbitrator. He has also been appointed in some of the most high profile investigations of recent years which include his appointment by the BBC to conduct the inquiry into Panorama’s interview with Diana, Princess of Wales and by the Financial Reporting Council in relation to Deloitte’s audit of Autonomy’s accounts. 

He has a particular interest in sport related disputes and is a member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport; the Sport Resolutions Arbitration Panel; and the Football Association Judicial Panel. In 2020 he was chair of the panels looking into Saracens’ overspend under the Salary Cap Scheme and the appeal of South Shields Football Club following the Football Associations decision to end the season early as a result of the pandemic. 

Lifetime Achievement Award: Lord Pannick QC 

Lord Pannick QC of Blackstone Chambers has long been one of the UK’s most highly regarded advocates, practicing in a broad range of areas but with a particular emphasis on public law, human rights and constitutional law. He has been involved in many of the leading public law cases of the last 30 years, acting for the Sunday Times in Spycatcher; representing Debbie Purdy in her litigation about assisted suicide, establishing in the European Court of Human Rights that the armed forces could not dismiss gay men and women because of their sexual orientation, and acting for the Home Secretary in upholding the legality of the whole life tariff for Myra Hindley, one of the Moors Murderers. More recently, he twice acted successfully for Gina Miller in the Supreme Court, establishing after the Brexit referendum that this country could not exit the EU without an Act of Parliament and, in 2019, that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had unlawfully advised the Queen to prorogue Parliament for a lengthy period of time. Lord Pannick QC appeared in 100 cases in the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords before it was replaced by the Supreme Court in 2009, and over 30 cases since then in the Supreme Court, as well as in more than 25 cases in the European Court of Justice, over 30 cases in the European Court of Human Rights, and numerous cases in the courts of Hong Kong and other jurisdictions. He has been a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, since 1978. Lord Pannick QC was nominated by the House of Lords Appointments Commission for a life peerage as a crossbencher in 2008. 

Lifetime Achievement Award: Alex Taylor 

Alex Taylor has led Fountain Court’s outstanding clerking team for over 13 years. One of the most distinguished clerks in the industry, Alex has been integral to Fountain Court’s success during his time there, both in the UK and internationally.  

His five-decade career started in July 1979 at Fountain Court as a junior clerk before returning as the Senior Clerk in March 2008. During his career he has been through no fewer than three names; his actual name, Mark, John for 28 years and of course Alex in more recent times.  

 Known for his straightforward style, commercial approach and service-orientated focus, Alex is hugely respected by barristers, clients and colleagues alike. Under his leadership, Fountain Court has won several awards including ‘Chambers of the Year’ from Chambers & Partners. Clients have described him as “a banjo-thumping superstar” and “the best clerk in the City by a country mile”.  

BANKING 

SETS 
3 Verulam Buildings 
Fountain Court Chambers 
One Essex Court 

SILKS 
David Quest QC (3 Verulam Buildings) 
Sonia Tolaney QC (One Essex Court) 
Jonathan Crow QC (4 Stone Buildings) 

JUNIORS 
Charlotte Eborall (3 Verulam Buildings) 
Alexander Polley (One Essex Court) 
Emily Wood (Essex Court Chambers) 

CHANCERY 

SET 
4 Stone Buildings  
Ten Old Square 
Wilberforce Chambers 

SILKS 
Robert Pearce QC (Radcliffe Chambers) 
Jonathan Hilliard QC (Wilberforce Chambers) 
Thomas Grant QC (Maitland Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Tom Gentleman (4 Stone Buildings) 
James Brightwell (Serle Court) 
Richard Dew (Ten Old Square) 

CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE 

SETS 
7BR  
Serjeants Inn Chambers 
Hailsham Chambers 

SILKS 
Simeon Maskrey QC (7BR) 
John de Bono QC (Serjeants’ Inn Chambers) 
Henry Witcomb QC (1 Crown Office Row) 

JUNIORS 
Neil Davy (Serjeants’ Inn Chambers) 
Anna Hughes (2 Temple Gardens) 
Claire Toogood (Crown Office Chambers) 

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION 

SET 
Brick Court Chambers 
One Essex Court 
7 King’s Bench Walk 

SILKS 
Andrew Onslow QC (3 Verulam Buildings) 
Nigel Jones QC (Gatehouse Chambers) 
Bankim Thanki QC (Fountain Court Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
James MacDonald (One Essex Court) 
Alexander Milner (Fountain Court Chambers) 
James Sheehan (Essex Court Chambers) 

COMPANY/INSOLVENCY 

SETS 
Erskine Chambers 
South Square 
Maitland Chambers 

SILKS 
Andrew Thompson QC (Erskine Chambers) 
David Allison QC (South Square) 
David Mumford QC (Maitland Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Adam Al-Attar (South Square) 
Kavan Gunaratna (Enterprise Chambers) 
Paul Greenwood (4 Stone Buildings) 

COMPETITION 

SET 
Blackstone Chambers  
Brick Court Chambers 
Monckton Chambers 

SILKS 
Marie Demetriou QC (Brick Court Chambers) 
Paul Harris QC (Monckton Chambers) 
Jon Turner QC (Monckton Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Ben Lask (Monckton Chambers) 
Julianne Kerr Morrison (Monckton Chambers) 
Tristan Jones (Blackstone Chambers) 

CONSTRUCTION 

SETS 
Atkin Chambers 
Keating Chambers 
4 Pump Court 

SILKS 
James Howells QC (Atkin Chambers) 
Jessica Stephens QC (4 Pump Court) 
David Thomas QC (Keating Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Anna Laney (Crown Office Chambers) 
Tom Owen (Keating Chambers) 
Edmund Neuberger (Atkin Chambers) 

CRIME 

SET 
Red Lion Chambers 
6KBW 
Garden Court Chambers 

SILKS 
Rossano Scamardella QC (23ES (23 Essex Street Chambers)) 
Tim Moloney QC (Doughty Street Chambers) 
Tom Little QC (9 Gough Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Jocelyn Ledward (QEB Hollis Whiteman) 
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh (Matrix Chambers) 
Gavin Irwin (2 Hare Court) 

MEDIA, DEFAMATION, PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION 

SET 
Matrix Chambers 
5RB  
11KBW  

SILKS 
Catrin Evans QC  (Matrix Chambers) 
Anya Proops QC (11KBW) 
Ian Mill QC (Blackstone Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Jane Phillips (5RB) 
Clara Hamer (5RB) 
Ian Helme (Matrix Chambers) 

EMPLOYMENT 

SETS 
Littleton Chambers  
Cloisters Chambers 
Old Square Chambers 

SILKS 
Andrew Short QC (Outer Temple Chambers) 
Jason Galbraith-Marten QC (Cloisters Chambers) 
David Reade QC (Littleton Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Judy Stone (11KBW) 
Alexander Robson (Littleton Chambers) 
Robin White (Old Square Chambers) 

ENVIRONMENT/PLANNING 

SETS 
Landmark Chambers 
Francis Taylor Building 
Matrix Chambers  

SILKS 
Michael Humphries QC (Francis Taylor Building) 
Timothy Corner QC (Landmark Chambers) 
Thomas Cosgrove QC (Cornerstone Barristers) 

JUNIORS 
Jonathan Easton (Kings Chambers) 
Victoria Hutton (39 Essex Chambers) 
Richard Turney (Landmark Chambers) 

FAMILY 

SETS 
1 King’s Bench Walk 
1 Hare Court 
Queen Elizabeth Building QEB 

SILKS 
Mark Twomey QC (Coram Chambers) 
William Tyler QC (The 36 Group) 
Charles Hale QC (4PB) 

JUNIORS 
Mehvish Chaudhry (Harcourt Chambers) 
Sharon Segal (1GC Family Law) 
Marina Faggionato (Queen Elizabeth Building QEB) 

HEALTH & SAFETY 

SETS 
Crown Office Chambers 
Henderson Chambers 
Six Pump Court 

SILKS 
Simon Antrobus QC (Crown Office Chambers) 
Keith Morton QC (Temple Garden Chambers) 
Toby Riley-Smith QC (Henderson Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Harry Vann (Crown Office Chambers) 
Saba Naqshbandi (3 Raymond Buildings) 
Miles Bennett (5 Paper Buildings) 

HUMAN RIGHTS AND PUBLIC LAW 

SETS 
Blackstone Chambers  
Matrix Chambers  
11KBW 

SILKS 
James Eadie QC (Blackstone Chambers) 
Jason Coppel QC (11KBW) 
Amanda Weston QC (Garden Court Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Shu Shin Luh (Doughty Street Chambers) 
Christopher Knight (11KBW) 
Zoe Leventhal (Matrix Chambers) 

INSURANCE 

SETS 
7 King’s Bench Walk 
4 New Square 
Essex Court Chambers 

SILKS 
John Lockey QC (Essex Court Chambers) 
Tom Weitzman QC (3 Verulam Buildings) 
Ben Elkington QC (4 New Square) 

JUNIORS 
Josephine Higgs (7 King’s Bench Walk) 
Peter Ratcliffe (3 Verulam Buildings)  
David Pliener (Gatehouse Chambers) 

INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION 

SETS 
Essex Court Chambers  
Keating Chambers 
One Essex Court 

SILKS 
David Joseph QC (Essex Court Chambers) 
Manus McMullan QC (Atkin Chambers) 
Mark Howard QC (Brick Court Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Angeline Welsh (Essex Court Chambers) 
Calum Lamont (Keating Chambers) 
Luke Pearce (Twenty Essex) 

IT/IP 

SETS 
11 South Square 
8 New Square 
Three New Square 

SILKS 
Alex Charlton QC (4 Pump Court) 
Iain Purvis QC (11 South Square) 
Daniel Alexander QC (8 New Square) 

JUNIORS 
Miles Copeland (Three New Square) 
Chris Aikens (11 South Square) 
Jonathan Moss (Hogarth Chambers) 

PERSONAL INJURY 

SETS 
12 King’s Bench Walk 
39 Essex Chambers 
9 Gough Chambers  

SILKS 
Neil Block QC (39 Essex Chambers) 
Derek Sweeting QC (7BR) 
Steven Snowden QC (12 King’s Bench Walk) 

JUNIORS 
Laura Johnson (1 Chancery Lane) 
Charles Woodhouse (Old Square Chambers) 
David Sanderson (12 King’s Bench Walk) 

PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE 

SETS 
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers 
Fountain Court Chambers 
Blackstone Chambers 

SILKS 
Fenella Morris QC (39 Essex Chambers) 
Tom Kark QC (QEB Hollis Whiteman) 
Paul Ozin QC (23ES (23 Essex Street Chambers)) 

JUNIORS 
Elliot Gold (Serjeants’ Inn Chambers)  
Marios Lambis (2 Hare Court)  
Lydia Barnfather (QEB Hollis Whiteman) 

PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE 

SETS
4 New Square 
7 King’s Bench Walk 
4 Pump Court 

SILKS 
Rebecca Sabben-Clare QC (7 King’s Bench Walk) 
Justin Fenwick QC (4 New Square) 
Tom Adam QC (Brick Court Chambers)  

JUNIORS 
Helen Evans (4 New Square) 
Simon Wilton (Hailsham Chambers) 
Ben Smiley (4 New Square) 

REAL ESTATE 

SETS 
Wilberforce Chambers 
Falcon Chambers 
Tanfield Chambers  

SILKS 
Stephen Jourdan QC (Falcon Chambers)  
Jonathan Seitler QC (Wilberforce Chambers) 
Philip Rainey QC (Tanfield Chambers) 

JUNIORS 
Emily Windsor (Falcon Chambers) 
Camilla Lamont (Landmark Chambers) 
Harriet Holmes (Wilberforce Chambers) 

SHIPPING 

SETS 
Quadrant Chambers 
7 King’s Bench Walk  
Twenty Essex 

SILKS 

Stephen Hofmeyr QC (7 King’s Bench Walk)  
Robert Bright QC (7 King’s Bench Walk)  
Sean O'Sullivan QC (4 Pump Court)  

JUNIORS 
Tom Bird (Quadrant Chambers)  
Ravi Aswani (The 36 Group)  
Oliver Caplin (Twenty Essex)  

TAX 

SETS 
Pump Court Tax Chambers 
11 New Square 
Gray’s Inn Tax Chambers 

SILKS 
Sam Grodzinski QC (Blackstone Chambers) 
Julian Ghosh QC (One Essex Court) 
James Kessler QC (Old Square Tax Chambers) 

JUNIORS 

Barbara Belgrano (Pump Court Tax Chambers) 
Jonathan Schwarz (Temple Tax Chambers) 
Marika Lemos (Devereux) 

CLIENT SERVICE SET OF THE YEAR 
Radcliffe Chambers 
Selborne Chambers 
The 36 Group 
Temple Garden Chambers 
Francis Taylor Building 
Gatehouse Chambers 

REGIONAL SET OF THE YEAR 
New Park Court 
Guildhall Chambers 
No5 Barristers’ Chambers 
Exchange Chambers 
Trinity Chambers 
30 Park Place 

SET OF THE YEAR 

7 King's Bench Walk 

Winner Blurb:  

Our chambers of the year has enjoyed success in a number of award categories this evening. A formidable all-round commercial set, it has once again shown its credentials by participating in some of the most important Supreme Court cases of the year. By way of example, it  was on the winning side in Manchester Building Society v Grant Thornton, a key case concerning the scope of liability in professional negligence, and crucially fielded barristers on all sides in the FCA Business Interruption litigation, tackling matters of paramount importance to the insurance industry in the context of the Covid pandemic. Chambers and Partners set of the year 2021 is 7KBW. 

FUTURE LEADER: DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 

Alexandra Wilson, 5 St Andrew’s Hill 
Mass Ndow-Njie, 7 Bedford Row 
Mohsin Zaidi, 6KBW College Hill 
Natasha Shotunde, Garden Court Chambers 
Oliver May, No5 Barristers’ Chambers 
Steve Broach, 39 Essex Chambers 

Commended: Mass Ndow-Njie, 7 Bedford Row 
Winner: Steve Broach, 39 Essex Chambers 
 
Winner Blurb: An expert on health, education, social care and disability rights, Steve has contributed to a number of books and articles, regularly blogs on the topic to share best practice and recently co-authored a legal handbook for disabled children.   
 
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 

Harry Matovu QC, Brick Court Chambers  
Professor Jo Delahunty QC, 4 Paper Buildings  
Rehana Azib, 2 Temple Gardens  
Robin White, Old Square Chambers  
Dr S Chelvan, 33 Bedford Row  
Valerie Charbit, Red Lion Chambers 
 
Winner Blurb: Professor Jo Delahunty QC is one of the UK’s leading family barristers specialising in child protection law. The first person in her family to attend university, Jo has consistently been at the vanguard of D&I progress at the Bar. She is part of the Middle & Inner Temple Inns of Court Women’s Forum, a champion for Bridging the Bar and has consistently used her platform as an Emeritus Gresham Professor of Law to promote diversity at the Bar. 

OUTSTANDING SET FOR DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 

Keating Chambers  
Littleton Chambers  
Matrix Chambers  
1MCB Chambers 
No5 Barristers’ Chambers  
Ropewalk Chambers   
 
Commended: Ropewalk Chambers 
Winner: 1 MCB Chambers 
 
Winner Blurb: 1MCB Chambers have displayed an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion by building a culture geared towards social justice. Carrying out a large amount of legal aid work, they are firmly embedded in the communities they serve, providing great breadth and depth of expertise to those who need it most.