Chambers of the Year

The inaugural Legal Business Chambers of the Year award will recognise the barristers' set that has consistently performed at the highest level on a variety of disputes. The judges of this award are also seeking submissions from the sets with impressive strength in depth, and those that distinguish themselves as the most innovative and forward thinking. In addition, this award is for those Chambers that have marked themselves out through clear and coherent strategy.

 

Previous Winners


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Fountain Court has truly reached new heights this year. This trailblazing set has been involved in the most significant cases, such as the bank charges disputes, where it had 11 members active, and the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s miners’ compensation matters, and has been the ‘go-to’ chambers for big-ticket financial cases. Indeed, many matters shortlisted for other awards this year have seen Fountain Court leading the line, including the Buncefield Oil Refinery litigation and Stone v Rolls, another reason why chambers is described as ‘probably the best set around in terms of strength in depth’.

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The firm’s outstanding roster of silks and juniors is now complemented by a restructured clerking service under the leadership of director of clerking Alex Taylor. The year 2010 looks set to be another superb one for the team, not least because of its role in the Lehman Brothers administration and its involvement in the much-publicised battle between the oligarchs in Berezovsky v Abramovich.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

39 ESSEX STREET
Michael Meeson
This chambers has enjoyed a very successful year, largely thanks to its strong personal injury, clinical negligence and professional discipline know-how, and its track record advising on construction disputes. Highlights of 2009 include the very high-profile Trafigura litigation, where eight members of chambers took part (on both sides). This was the largest UK class action to date, now settled.

BRICK COURT CHAMBERS
Nicholas Green QC; Jonathan Sumption QC

This high-profile set is no stranger to the limelight, and with leading names such as Bar Council chair Green QC, and leading silk Sumption QC, it is no surprise. Its commercial litigation offering and advocacy skills over the past year have served it well. With one of the best clerking systems in the country and a breathtaking bench of talent, chambers goes from strength to strength.

HARDWICKE
Ann Buxton; Amanda Illing

Five years ago, Hardwicke was a common law chambers with billings of just £7m. Its evolution has been radical – it has risen into the top 30 of all sets, introduced new practice management, and increased billings by a staggering 89%, with a compound annual growth rate of 15%. Chambers has won plaudits from all corners for demonstrating commercial nous and a real understanding of clients’ needs.

MATRIX CHAMBERS
Tim Owen QC; Daniel Squires; Rabinder Singh QC

This pioneering set not only handled the first substantive case in the new Supreme Court – A v HM Treasury, concerning UN sanctions regimes which freeze the property and funds of suspected terrorists – but can also boast of being involved in more cases in the House of Lords than any other chambers.

SERLE COURT
Philip Marshall QC; Philip Jones QC

Serle Court is recognised for its pre-eminence in credit crunch work and its high-profile, fraud-related cases. Last year saw it act on the multimillion US dollar conspiracy, fraud and bribery case, Fiona Trust and Holding Corporation v Privalov, as well as the very high-profile and long-running offshore case involving the Alhamrani family.