The UK Legal 500 2016 Recommends
15 September 2016
This year’s UK Legal 500 directory was published online yesterday.
Garden Court North Chambers is delighted to have been promoted from Band 3 to Band 2 in the Northern Circuit Leading Sets category, which says: “Garden Court North Chambers has a true focus on civil rights and the individual” … “The set houses a range of expertise but has a focus on publically funded work…”.
We are also very pleased to have maintained all our current Leading Individual rankings across the categories of Crime, Public Law (which encompasses immigration, housing and welfare benefits, judicial review and inquests) and Personal Injury, along with the new addition of Brigid Baillie in Crime.
There is also an excellent recommendation for our Practice Management Team (described in past editions as “first class”): “Sarah Wright leads the ‘highly efficient’ clerking team”.
Full details of the Category and Leading Individual recommendations are below:
LEGAL 500 2016: THE BAR
Northern Circuit Leading Sets – band 2
SET OVERVIEW
‘Garden Court North Chambers has a true focus on civil rights and the individual. Four advocates from the set were acting for families in the Hillsborough inquests, which investigated whether the 96 individuals who died at an FA Cup semi-final in 1989 were unlawfully killed. The set houses a range of expertise but has a focus on publically funded work, including criminal defence, housing, immigration, actions against the police, Court of Protection matters, inquests and judicial reviews. Sarah Wright leads the ‘highly efficient’ clerking team. Office in: Manchester.’
CRIME
‘With a focus on human rights and civil liberties, Garden Court North Chambers is primarily instructed in criminal defence cases. Mark George QC heads up the team, which is active in murder cases, gang crime, serious fraud, drugs, public order and sexual offences trials. A notable case was the successful defence of Michael Curran against allegations of involvement in a paedophile ring. Inquests is another large area for the set.’
- Mark George QC – Garden Court North Chambers ‘Experienced in defence trials.’
- Brigid Baillie – Garden Court North Chambers ‘Vast experience in large-scale historical abuse trials and inquiries.’
- Nina Grahame – Garden Court North Chambers ‘Considerable experience defending in Court of Appeal cases.
PERSONAL INJURY
‘Garden Court North Chambers houses Peter Hodson, who is well known for representing claimants in occupational injury and disease cases. Hodson also represents prisoners who have suffered while in custody.’
- Peter Hodson – Garden Court North Chambers ‘He specialises in occupational disease and injury.’
PUBLIC LAW
‘Garden Court North Chambers is a leader in public law on the Northern Circuit, with members who are well versed in a range of areas such as judicial reviews, social housing, immigration, prison law, mental health and welfare. Pete Weatherby QC heads up the team and has appeared in major Supreme Court human rights cases, including the pivotal Vinter, and – more recently – R (Haney, Kaiyam, Massey and Robinson) v Secretary of State for Justice, leading Vijay Jagadesham in representing the prisoners in a case that considered indeterminate prison sentences.’
- Pete Weatherby QC – Garden Court North Chambers ‘An expert in a range of areas including human rights, prison law and international law.’
- Vijay Jagadesham – Garden Court North Chambers ‘An expert in cases against the state.’
- Alex Offer – Garden Court North Chambers ‘Well known for his human rights expertise.’
- Rory O’Ryan – Garden Court North Chambers ‘Highly experienced in immigration judicial reviews.’
- Kerry Smith – Garden Court North Chambers ‘An experienced immigration practitioner.’
Ian Macdonald QC, who is also a tenant at Garden Court Chambers in London, is recommended as a leading silk for Immigration (Including business immigration) – London (silks): ‘A heavyweight authority on immigration and nationality law.’
