Solicitors work with barristers, and the choice of ‘which Counsel’ is of critical importance to both the outcome of a dispute, and the budget. Maitland Chambers, has always been my ‘go to’ for commercial chancery work. We scored a major win for Frederick Wingfield Digby in the Court of Appeal in his dispute with Melford Capital Partners, with Tom Grant QC and Thomas Munby, an outstanding combination of meticulous preparation and one of the star advocates of the Chancery Bar. At the junior level, Ted Loveday is a genius (literally! Google ‘Hapax Legomenon’), and a delight to work with, as is Amanda Hadkiss (an excellent win before Deputy High Court Judge Andrew Lennon QC in a family property dispute), and Oliver Philips who we instructed on a substantial unfair prejudice petition. For tax, David Yates QC at Pump Court Tax Chambers is technically the complete works, responsive and friendly, and a team player. On the regulatory and criminal side, Richard Wormald QC of 3 Raymond Buildings, has a mastery of the subject, super advocacy skills, and an all round commercial approach to what the client needs and wants. I worked with Richard and John Kelsey Fry QC of Cloth Fair Chambers for almost three years to bring to an end a FCA prosecution of the Board of a listed software company, charged with premature income recognition. Flora Robertson at Blackstone has been a star find for Human Rights and that abstruse concept, Equality of Arms in the context of a commercial dispute.

A keen focus on a dispute in the Private Equity arena over the past two years, has brought in a wealth of skills in related tax issues from an accounting perspective. Jessica McLellan and Karen Spencer Smith of Wilson Wright have excellent experience working with HMRC to resolve issues in a pragmatic way for both the client and the regulator. For COP 8 and 9, and criminal investigations, Gary Ashford at Harbottle and Lewis is ex HMRC and sits on an HMRC advisory committee for offshore tax issues in particular in relation to investment management funds.