Skip to main content
15NBS Chambers

15NBS ranked in Legal 500 for 2021

By September 30, 2020No Comments

We are delighted to announce that we have been ranked as a Tier 4 Chambers within the 2021 Legal 500 publication with 2 silks and 12 juniors individually ranked.

 

Details can found below:

15NBS Chambers is ‘an excellent set’ with ‘expertise in all areas of criminal law’ and houses ‘very experienced counsel’, who prosecute and defend across a diverse range of cases. Martin Rutherford QC and Simon Smith acted in R v KB, where the defendant was convicted of the murder of his ex-girlfriend and burying her body in the garden of her home. In another high-profile case, Patrick Maggs represented the defendant in R v Gemma Watts, where 21-year-old Watts used the alias of “Jake Watton”, a 16-year-old-boy, to groom young girls on social media; she received an 8-year sentence for sexual offences.

 

Martin Rutherford QC –  ‘His disarming nature coupled with his assured delivery make him a formidable opponent in the most serious of cases. Calm under pressure. Excellent rapport with the jury. Strategic thinker. Tactically astute. Hard-working. Highly personable.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Brian St. Louis QC –  ‘Brian is an outstanding silk, he is fearless in court, very thorough with his preparation he is superb in cross-examination of police officers. An assured silk with composed yet charismatic delivery; he holds the attention of every eye in the courtroom.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Charles Evans –  ‘He is a distinguished, charming jury advocate who has the ability to simplify and present the most complex case for the benefit of both your client and the jury. Charles puts the most nervous and apprehensive clients at ease with a calm and knowledgeable attitude. Charles’ persuasive arguments have saved numerous defendants their liberty.’
Ranked: Tier 2

Justin McClintock –  ‘A talented barrister who combines first-rate tactical judgement with a charming courtroom manner. Justin is very thorough and pays particular attention to detail. He is very good with clients and always makes himself available for advice when needed.’
Ranked: Tier 2

Ruby Selva –  ‘Very assured; juries warm to her advocacy style. Her preparation is second to none. She knows the minute detail of case very early in the proceedings which clients find reassuring. Clients take to her instantly. She is extremely tenacious and determined in getting the best result. They trust her judgement in tactical decisions.’
Ranked: Tier 2

Rupert Hallowes –  ‘Rupert is very impressive – he is intellectually brilliant. He is a formidable jury advocate and has a wonderful ability to effectively communicate even the most complex cases. He’s a fearless advocate in court and a real fighter. He has the ear of judges.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Matthew Hardyman –  ‘Matthew is a persuasive charismatic trial advocate. A very calm influence on a trial. Certainly a favourite when it comes to allegations of violent crimes.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Patrick Maggs –  ‘Patrick has an excellent manner with the client. He has a softly-spoken and personable manner which quickly wins the trust of clients, opponents and jurors alike. By contrast, when in Court he is a powerful and effective advocate who hones in on the important points with a laser-like focus, and presents them to the jury with unshakable (and justified) confidence.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Sarah Read –  ‘Sarah has a wonderful stillness to her advocacy. She emits an aura of calm and reassurance which is reflected in her measured responses to judicial intervention. She remains unflustered under fire. Her preparation and grasp of the detail of a case are first class and her client care second to none. The defendant she represented received a five star service in terms of client care.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Sophie Shotton – ‘Fluent, confident and terrifically focused. Her presence, professionalism and extensive preparation for pre-trial hearings immediately impressed; very competent advocacy was demonstrated during the trial alongside a sensible, measured yet thorough approach in this case involving a disadvantaged defendant. This is an advocate who truly assists the court, recognizes when sensible accommodations can be reached, and stands out from the crowd.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Robert Ward –  ‘Top class junior with the ability to turn a trial around with two or three well crafted questions. Able to cross-examine with surgical precision. Never fazed. Excellent manner and rapport with clients and peers. Well-liked and respected in the circuit. A sure bet for silk in the coming years.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Dominic Benthall –  ‘A thoughtful advocate with excellent judgement. Each client has been able to form an identifiable bond with Dominic who will explain and advise them cautiously and accurately. Dominic attracts praise from those who co-defend. Dominic oozes charisma.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Clodaghmuire Callinan –  ‘An exceptionally resilient advocate. She has excellent focus on the key issues in a case, and an effective and tenacious style. Her cross-examination in particular is fierce and incisive, whilst always keeping the jury on-side; Fiercely bright, extremely dedicated, and superb in cross-examining vulnerable witnesses.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Simon Smith –  ‘Simon is a very thorough and well prepared barrister, inspiring confidence in his ability to represent the client. He breaks down the evidence in a clear way making it easier to focus on the issues to be addressed when taking instructions from the client. I found him to be very calm and patient.’
Ranked: Tier 4

 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our clients who took the time to act as referees in this process.

Click here for The Legal 500 website.