Stars at the Bar 2026
The Chambers UK Bar team present the Stars at the Bar, all of whom have been researched and rank in the Chambers UK Bar guide 2026.
Who is a leading legal professional across the UK Bar?
The Stars at the Bar have proved their excellence across a range of practice areas as researched and ranked by the Chambers UK Bar team during their research for the Chambers UK Bar guide 2026.
Below are these top legal practitioners and the Chambers editorial for each, providing a true reflection of their work and services offered.
Jonathan Crow KC (4 Stone Buildings)
“He is one of the smartest people I’ve met and one of the best advocates I have seen.” “His skeleton arguments are always fantastically short but somehow meaningful as well.” “Jonathan Crow has the respect of the judiciary at all levels.” “Jonathan is tremendously precise and a clear thinker.” “He has the ability to take what seems like a difficult position in the law and succeed with it.” “His cross examination is exceptional.” “Jonathan pitches his submissions in a way that is tuned to the court.” “A simply outstanding advocate. Best of his generation.”
Clare Montgomery KC (Matrix Chambers)
“She has the combination of charm and ruthlessness in court. Judges visibly respect her when she is speaking.” “She is what a silk should be.” “Clare is a phenomenally hard worker, with a huge intellect and is a real team player.” “Clare is brilliant in all respects.” “Clare Montgomery is the leading crime silk of her generation.”
Mark Howard KC (Brick Court Chambers)
“He is really creating a market leading appellate practice.” “He is absolutely adored by judges.” “An incredible cross-examiner.” “A true heavy hitter who you want on any bet the company case. He has huge gravitas but is also very easy to work with.” “His performance in court is outstanding.” “He is vastly experienced in trials and fierce in his cross-examination.” “The commerciality of his advice is second to none.” “Mark Howard is strategically very astute.” “He is a stellar advocate.” “He brings the sharpest insight to every issue, and has an immense presence in the conference and court room.”
Anneliese Day KC (Fountain Court Chambers)
“Anneliese Day is an excellent silk. Clever, personable and a pleasure to work with.” “She is very excellent on strategic decisions, and her commercial instincts are top tier.” “Her advocacy style is very fluent, elegant and also forceful.” “Anneliese is an excellent advocate, great with clients and the legal team.” “I can’t think of enough superlatives to use in our work with Anneliese – fantastic on all fronts.” “Simply put, one of the stars of the construction bar.” “Anneliese is highly experienced and has all the soft skills you would hope for from a modern day KC.”
Richard Lissack KC (Fountain Court Chambers)
“Richard Lissack is highly intelligent, experienced and possessed of extremely sound judgment.” “Richard has incredible client-handling skills and peerless strategic judgment.” “He is extremely bright, a lovely person to work with and excellent on his feet.” “He exudes confidence and is unflappable.” “His advocacy is clear and punchy, but always respectful.” “Richard Lissack is outstanding in his handling of clients, opponents and judges alike.” “He makes complicated problems look simple.”
Bankim Thanki KC (Fountain Court Chambers)
“He seized the case by the horns and made a big difference in a short time.” “He is a great team player and at explaining concepts to clients.” “Bankim was phenomenal, one of the most complete barristers.” “He has the judge’s ear.” “His advocacy is superb and extremely convincing.” “Bankim’s breadth of experience that translates into an extremely clear and calm approach.” “He is quietly effective.” “On cross-examination he devastates.”
Thomas de la Mare KC (Blackstone Chambers)
“Thomas is deeply knowledgeable in EU law and an impressive advocate.” “He is charming and persuasive with judges.” “He is really effective and very charismatic.” “Tom is extremely bright and very good with clients. He get the big picture and is strong strategy.” “A very punchy advocate who makes all of the points in a forceful and sophisticated manner which enhances his clients’ case.” “He is fantastically energetic and always leads from the front.” “Tom just simply has a wealth of experience to draw from.” “Thomas is extremely persuasive and passionate about the work he does.”
Paul Chaisty KC (Kings Chambers)
“Paul Chaisty is excellent and top of the tree.” “He is sensational; one of the most incisive, effective and natural cross examiners.” “Paul is a fantastic performer on his feet.” “He is excellent at advocacy and good at dealing with challenging cases.” “He is a secret weapon.” “An excellent commercial litigation barrister.” “He is a very safe pair of hands.” “Paul is a highly efficient and effective advocate with great strategic acumen.”
Joe Smouha KC (Essex Court Chambers)
“Joe is great in court, a fantastic advocate and is clever.” “He is absolutely dedicated to his cases and is always thinking about new angles and new approaches.” “He is very bright, very focussed and succinct.” “Joe is one of the very best trial advocates. He masters the detail and is an extraordinarily good tactician when it comes to trial.” “He is a fighter and has the ear of the court.” “He is a strategic genius.” “He is able to handle anything that crosses his desk with ease while also making it an enjoyable time.”
Laurence Rabinowitz KC (One Essex Court)
“He is very easy to deal with and clients love him.” “He is literally market leading.” “Laurence is very persuasive in court and really prepared for all the questions.” “He is a very softly spoken advocate, yet you can hear a pin drop because he has such a command of the court.” “Laurie is one of the pre-eminent silks at the English bar and a pleasure to work with.” “He is able to communicate difficult and complex concepts in an easy way that reaches the whole audience.” “He is spectacularly knowledgeable, very calm and a steading pair of hands.”
David Perry KC (6KBW College Hill)
“An absolutely brilliant advocate.” “David is a leading criminal barrister with brilliant judgment.” “He is just extremely intellectual, very calm and very reasonable.” “David fully deserves his magisterial reputation.” “He formulates arguments in a very excellent way.” “He is probably every firms top pick.” “He puts you at ease and is the same way with the courts. An absolute superstar.”
Charles Dougherty KC (2 Temple Gardens)
“His advocacy is incredibly nuanced and lovely to listen to.” “He was calm in court.” “His mastery of jurisdiction issues is second to none.” “Charles is a super commercial barrister and very good at working through problems.” “A real leader in his field who you would trust to present the most complicated cases to the court.” “He is brilliant on his feet because he is compelling, reasonable and takes the right points.” “Charles is an expert in his field, he gives clear and direct advice, and he is impressive in front of clients.”
Roger Stewart KC (4 New Square Gardens)
“He has an excellent manner with clients, and he is very respected at the Bar.” “Roger is a very good trial advocate who gives crisp and succinct advice.” “Roger is very clever, very diligent and extremely fair.” “Clients very much appreciated his pragmatic approach.” “Superb every step of the way.” “He’s incredibly incisive and to the point.” “He is excellent and comes prepared to hearings, asking questions to get to the root of the issues.”
Hugh Sims KC (Guildhall Chambers)
“Hugh Sims is a very experienced counsel with a keen eye for the right argument.” “Hugh was fantastic. He is quick thinking, assertive and thoughtful without being antagonistic.” “He is my first choice outside of London on any case.” “Hugh works tirelessly to get the best result.” “Hugh is very quick to grasp issues. He’s also very commercial.” “He adds great value, working seamlessly with the juniors and adding that layer of confidence and insight which makes all the difference.” “A talented advocate and a very impressive academic.”
Helen Davies KC (Brick Court Chambers)
“Helen is amazing to work with, super intelligent and has incredible gravitas in the court.” “Helen is very assured and authoritative.” “She is able to cut through and get messages through to different parties.” “Helen Davies stands out for her impeccable judgment.” “Absolutely at the top of her game – without doubt the top silk in the group action market.” “Helen is incredibly effective.” “She handles everything in a first-class way.” “Helen Davies is a brilliant advocate and brilliant client handler.”
Lesley Anderson KC (Kings Chambers)
“Lesley is a formidable barrister – someone you want on your side.” “She is an excellent KC with a strong ability to absorb complex information and deal with matters commercially.” “Lesley is a client-pleaser.” “A truly formidable silk.” “She is extremely good and cooperative.” “She is very approachable and is able to discuss complex issues with clients in the right way and to offer commercial solutions.” “Lesley Anderson is brilliant all round.”
Mark Harper KC (Kings Chambers)
“Mark is very collaborative and generous with junior members of the team.” “He is able to understand and advise on matters with clear and precise guidance.” “Mark is extremely effective and very intelligent.” “He is excellent at explaining concerts and is really good fun.” “He is an impressive advocate, has an excellent manner with clients and he is supremely commercial.” “An excellent silk.”
Simon Salzedo KC (One Essex Court)
“Simon Salzedo is absolutely outstanding.” “Simon is someone who the court listens to and his submissions have particular power.” “He is the full package.” “Simon is unflappable in court.” “A brilliant operator who is experienced and brings calm insights.” “He brings the highest technical quality.” “He has a clear understanding of issues and is measured when dealing with other parties.” “Simon is an intellectual powerhouse.” “He is formidably clever, very user-friendly and very sensible.”
Sonia Tolaney KC (One Essex Court)
“Sonia is incredibly user friendly and clients adore her.” “Sonia quickly masters the most complex of transactions and zooms in on what is most important.” “She is a reassuring presence with a willingness for strategic thinking.” “Sonia is rightly in demand for the largest, most complex and tricky matters. Her ability to cut through issues is superb.” “She invests the time to build relationships with clients and solicitors.” “Sonia clearly stood out as the most effective advocate and the judges clearly appreciate her style.” “Sonia has incredible gravitas in the court room. She knows how to make a point lightly, with real authority, using the fewest words necessary for it to hit home with the court.”
Patrick Gibbs KC (3 Raymond Buildings)
“Patrick Gibbs is exceptionally good.” “An exceptional advocate.” “Patrick has a very strong presence in court and he is a very well respected and capable KC.” “Astonishingly impressive in every sense, as well as having a magnetic manner and being a brilliant storyteller.” “He is exceptional in sensitive cases and is astute, calm and has assured judgment.” “Patrick Gibbs is a stellar silk.” “Patrick is so technically accomplished in cross examination.” “He is taken very seriously by the courts.”
Edward Fitzgerald KC (Doughty Street Chambers)
“Edward is an excellent barrister, approachable and brave.” “He is a walking, talking textbook and he walks into a courtroom and judges are just wowed by him.” “He is really calm and clear.” “Edward is peerless in his preparation and presentation.” “His court work is extremely compelling, agile and convincing.” “Edward is very good at keeping the peace.” “Edward understands the objectives of a case and the route needed to make it viable in the international courts.” “He is a supreme force of nature in the human rights field.”