Ranking tables
UK Bar London (Bar) Civil Liberties & Human Rights
Rankings overview for Sets
Band 1
Star Individuals
Band 1
- Ben Jaffey KC Blackstone Chambers20 Years Ranked
- Monica Carss-Frisk KC Blackstone Chambers28 Years Ranked
- Shaheed Fatima KC Blackstone Chambers18 Years Ranked
- Angus McCullough KC
- Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC
- Clare Montgomery KC
- Daniel Squires KC
- Danny Friedman KC
- Edward Fitzgerald KC
- Helen Mountfield KC
- Hugh Southey KC
- Karon Monaghan KC
- Raza Husain KC
- Richard Drabble KC
- Richard Hermer KC
Band 2
- Alex Bailin KC Matrix Chambers17 Years Ranked
- Jason Coppel KC 11KBW20 Years Ranked
- Kate Gallafent KC Blackstone Chambers22 Years Ranked
- Maya Lester KC Brick Court Chambers19 Years Ranked
- Paul Bowen KC Brick Court Chambers21 Years Ranked
- Schona Jolly KC Cloisters Chambers13 Years Ranked
- Thomas de la Mare KC Blackstone Chambers22 Years Ranked
- Tim Owen KC Matrix Chambers28 Years Ranked
- Timothy Otty KC Blackstone Chambers19 Years Ranked
- Tom Hickman KC Blackstone Chambers15 Years Ranked
- David Wolfe KC
- Jenni Richards KC
- Kirsty Brimelow KC
- Lisa Giovannetti KC
- Martin Westgate KC
- Shaheen Rahman KC
- Stephanie Harrison KC
Band 3
- Alison Macdonald KC Essex Court Chambers17 Years Ranked
- Charlotte Kilroy KC Blackstone Chambers16 Years Ranked
- Gerry Facenna KC Monckton Chambers15 Years Ranked
- Sam Grodzinski KC Blackstone Chambers19 Years Ranked
- Adam Straw KC
- Amanda Weston KC
- Chris Buttler KC
- David Blundell KC
- James Maurici KC
- James Strachan KC
- Jemima Stratford KC
- Jessica Simor KC
- Leslie Thomas KC
- Marie Demetriou KC
- Nageena Khalique KC
- Nigel Pleming KC
- Philip Havers KC
- Richard Clayton KC
- Stephen Cragg KC
- Thomas Roe KC
- Tim Buley KC
- Victoria Butler-Cole KC
- Victoria Wakefield KC
Band 4
- Ben Watson KC 3 Raymond Buildings16 Years Ranked
- David Pievsky KC Blackstone Chambers13 Years Ranked
- Ivan Hare KC Blackstone Chambers13 Years Ranked
- Mark Hill KC Francis Taylor Building22 Years Ranked
- Mohinderpal Sethi KC Littleton Chambers16 Years Ranked
- Robin Allen KC Cloisters Chambers28 Years Ranked
- Sarah Hannett KC Matrix Chambers13 Years Ranked
- Aidan O'Neill KC
- Ian Wise KC
- Jamie Burton KC
- Jeremy Hyam KC
- Jonathan Glasson KC
- Marc Willers KC
- Matthew Ryder KC
- Maya Sikand KC
- Rory Dunlop KC
- Samantha Knights KC
- Stephen Simblet KC
- Tom Poole KC
- Vikram Sachdeva KC
New Silks
- Jessica Boyd KC Blackstone Chambers12 Years Ranked
- Joanne Clement KC 11KBW13 Years Ranked
- Katherine Apps KC 39 Essex Chambers11 Years Ranked
- Alex Goodman KC
- Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC
- Jude Bunting KC
- Laura Dubinsky KC
- Nicholas Armstrong KC
- Nicola Braganza KC
- Zoe Leventhal KC
Band 1
Band 2
- Can Yeginsu 3 Verulam Buildings10 Years Ranked
- Christopher Knight 11KBW9 Years Ranked
- Naina Patel Blackstone Chambers15 Years Ranked
- Tom Cross 11KBW10 Years Ranked
- Adam Wagner
- Helen Law
- Jesse Nicholls
- Malcolm Birdling
- Steve Broach
Band 3
- Jennifer MacLeod Brick Court Chambers6 Years Ranked
- Alex Gask
- Alison Gerry
- Azeem Suterwalla
- Conor McCarthy
- Eric Metcalfe
- Graham Denholm
- Gráinne Mellon
- Jennifer Robinson
- Julianne Kerr Morrison
- Natasha Barnes
- Piers Gardner
- Tatyana Eatwell
Band 4
- Cecilia Ivimy 11KBW12 Years Ranked
- Paul Luckhurst Blackstone Chambers5 Years Ranked
- Ravi Mehta Blackstone Chambers5 Years Ranked
- Tom Mountford Blackstone Chambers9 Years Ranked
- Victoria Laughton One Pump Court17 Years Ranked
- Yaaser Vanderman Landmark Chambers1 Years Ranked
- Admas Habteslasie
- Alasdair Henderson
- Andrew Deakin
- Anthony Vaughan
- Catherine Meredith
- Elizabeth Prochaska
- Jessica Jones
- Katherine Barnes
- Katherine O'Byrne
- Leonie Hirst
- Nikolaus Grubeck
- Raj Desai
- Una Morris
Up and Coming
- George Molyneaux Blackstone Chambers3 Years Ranked
- Isabel Buchanan Blackstone Chambers2 Years Ranked
- Ayesha Christie
- Stephen Clark
All Sets profiles
Band 1
1 Blackstone ChambersCivil Liberties & Human Rights2023 | Band 1 | 19 Years RankedBlackstone Chambers is lauded as a legendary set for its human rights practice. Its barristers appear in prominent disputes before the Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights, routinely handling cases of extraordinary complexity and severity. Recent instructions include acting in the high-profile appeal cases of Shamima Begum v Special Immigration Appeals Commission, and R (Elan-Cane) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, an appeal of the government's decision not to issue non-gender-specific 'X' passports, in which members appeared for the appellant, intervener and respondent.1 Doughty Street ChambersCivil Liberties & Human Rights2023 | Band 1 | 19 Years RankedDoughty Street Chambers is a highly respected set which sits at the cutting edge of human rights both in a domestic and international context. Tenants represent claimants or NGO interveners in a wide variety of areas including protest law, police law, immigration, housing and welfare benefits. A number of barristers from the set have in recent years advised or acted in prominent international law matters, such as Tatyana Eatwell, who acted on behalf of the family of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, and Kirsty Brimelow KC, who led the first challenge to the legality of US targeted killing operations before a regional human rights treaty monitoring body. Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC and Amal Clooney have continued to represent the Filipino journalist Maria Ressa in challenging a controversial cyber libel conviction.1 Matrix ChambersCivil Liberties & Human Rights2023 | Band 1 | 19 Years RankedMatrix Chambers maintains an outstanding reputation for its civil liberties and human rights work. Members of the set represent both defendants and claimants across criminal and civil claims, and frequently appear in the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Supreme Court. In a recent highlight, Raza Husain KC and Chris Buttler KC represented the successful claimants in their application to the ECtHR, to halt the first flight carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda. Sarah Hannett KC appeared for the Home Secretary in the Supreme Court case of R (Elan-Cane), concerning non-gendered passports, whilst Hugh Southey KC and Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh achieved success in the 'hooded men' judicial reviews.
Band 2
2 39 Essex ChambersCivil Liberties & Human Rights2023 | Band 2 | 19 Years Ranked39 Essex Chambers is widely respected for its abilities across a broad range of civil liberties and human rights matters. Its barristers are often sought out to represent the government as respondent in significant proceedings, particularly in the areas of immigration and asylum, and health and social care. Recent work includes Jenni Richards KC's appointment as lead counsel to the Infected Blood Inquiry; and acting for the government in AM (Zimbabwe) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, a Supreme Court appeal in which Lisa Giovanetti KC, Rory Dunlop KC and others were instructed, concerning the deportation of foreign nationals who lack access to appropriate healthcare in their home country.2 Garden Court ChambersCivil Liberties & Human Rights2023 | Band 2 | 19 Years RankedA highly experienced claimant set, Garden Court Chambers regularly handles complex and high-profile human rights disputes. Members at the set have expertise across prison law, protest law, immigration detention and public inquiries. Recently several members, including Gráinne Mellon and Una Morris, have appeared in the Undercover Policing Inquiry, examining the targeting of political activists, grassroots organisations, justice campaigns and politicians by undercover police officers since 1968. In addition, Amanda Weston KC successfully represented Mr Majera, a Rwandan national, in his Supreme Court appeal concerning immigration detention bail conditions.
Band 3
3 1 Crown Office RowCivil Liberties & Human Rights2023 | Band 3 | 19 Years Ranked1 Crown Office Row's barristers are highly regarded for their work in closed proceedings as Special Advocates, regularly representing the government in terrorism and national security cases. Members also offer human rights expertise in immigration, asylum and healthcare-related matters, and are equally adept acting for claimants as defendants. Recent matters include acting as Special Advocate for Shamima Begum in her challenge to the withdrawal of British citizenship, and Bell v Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, a challenge to the treatment protocol for transgender children in the UK.3 11KBWCivil Liberties & Human Rights2023 | Band 3 | 19 Years Ranked11KBW enjoys a strong reputation for its human rights and civil liberties work, which ranges across immigration and mental health matters, to disputes concerning privacy and the disclosure of criminal records. The set is a popular choice for both individual claimants and NGOs as well as state and public bodies. Jason Coppel KC, Tom Cross and Cecilia Ivimy are among barristers from the set who have been involved in some of the key human rights and public law challenges to the 2020 lockdown restrictions and other matters relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.3 Brick Court ChambersCivil Liberties & Human Rights2023 | Band 3 | 19 Years RankedBrick Court Chambers houses barristers who are adept at both national and international human rights disputes, frequently appearing before the highest UK appellate courts and a number of international judicial fora. Their expertise ranges across immigration and asylum cases, terrorism and issues around data privacy. Recent highlights have included Maya Lester KC's and Malcolm Birdling's involvement in the successful challenge to delist the Tamil Tigers as a terrorist organisation in the UK. Other key cases include R (Doctors Association United Kingdom) v Secretary of State for Health, challenging the refusal to conduct an inquiry into the deaths of healthcare workers arising from COVID-19, and failures in the procurement and supply of PPE.3 Landmark ChambersCivil Liberties & Human Rights2023 | Band 3 | 12 Years RankedSkilled at representing both defendants and claimants, Landmark Chambers' excellent barristers frequently appear in human rights cases pertaining to healthcare, immigration and asylum, voting rights, prisoners' rights and torture. Barristers from the set have appeared in both international and national courts, and recently acted in the case of Shamima Begum v Secretary of State for the Home Department.3 Monckton ChambersCivil Liberties & Human Rights2023 | Band 3 | 6 Years RankedMonckton Chambers is notable for its ability to act at the intersection between commercial regulatory law and human rights. The set also maintains a broader human rights and civil liberties practice, with members acting in discrimination, police law and privacy-related cases. Monckton barristers appear before all levels of the domestic court system, as well as international courts. A recent highlight saw Ian Wise KC act in R (Miller) v College of Policing, a successful challenge to police guidance on hate speech online.