Legal 500 rankings released for 2021
Another very good showing with 15 members of chambers receiving 24 individual recommendations. Chambers remains in Band 1 for POCA work and has 13 recommendations in that practice area. With recommendations also in Civil Fraud, Business and Regulatory Crime and Fraud Crime 33 Chancery Lane maintains its reputation as being the go-to chambers for financial wrongdoing and asset recovery issues.
SET OVERVIEWS: ENGLAND AND WALES
33 Chancery Lane is ‘a very strong’ set for white collar crime and POCA instructions. The clerks’ room is ‘hardworking and always deliver very suitable solutions to problems’. Practice director Martin Adams is ‘a marvellous clerk and extremely helpful’. Deputy practice manager Chris Chiles and second deputy Oliver Carroll ‘can never do enough to make you feel welcome and important to chambers’. Offices in: London
PROCEEDS OF CRIME (POCA) AND ASSET FORFEITURE TIER 1
The 'excellent' 33 Chancery Lane is viewed as a 'go-to set for POCA and asset forfeiture work', with 'great strength in depth' and housing members with 'exceptional expertise'. Of note, Christopher Convey represented Zain Qaiser in confiscation proceedings following Qaiser's conviction for cybercrime and blackmail in 2019; Convey successfully reduced the amount to be repaid from a multimillion-pound figure to £270,000. Strengthening the POCA team in chambers, July 2020 saw John Carl Townsend join from Carmelite Chambers.
Andrew Mitchell QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘A leading authority for POCA-related work.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Graham Brodie QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘A master at strategy. Technically superb on complex POCA matters. Straddles both criminal and civil fraud and he is at the top of the tree in both.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Mark Rainsford QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘A silk who tactically is best placed to take points that other counsel would shy away from.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Kennedy Talbot QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘Excellent judgement and strong advocacy. Very intellectual in his approach. A subject expert: knowledge of POCA and asset forfeiture is immense and impressive. An exceptional and calm presence in a courtroom. Very approachable and helpful and is a pleasure to work with and learn from.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Martin Evans QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘Few know more about this area. A real leader in the field. Delivers particularly high quality written work. He is well-respected by all, including the judiciary and opponents. At home before any tribunal - civil or criminal. A good communicator and very responsive. A real team player who is willing to put himself out to deliver for those instructing him.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Christopher Convey - 33 Chancery Lane ‘He is a tenacious advocate, prepared to fight and win difficult points when other counsel would throw the towel in. His calm manner and ability to adapt and absorb last minute instructions and late developments in the case from difficult clients was hugely beneficial to the case.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Barry Stancombe - 33 Chancery Lane ‘A POCA veteran. Exceptionally thorough; dedicated to achieving results; very supportive; covers every angle and leaves nothing to chance; superb communicator; clients always impressed.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Fiona Jackson - 33 Chancery Lane ‘Fiona is truly an expert in the world of POCA and asset forfeiture. A pragmatic barrister with an encyclopaedic mind. One of my go-to counsel for complex confiscation matters.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Penelope Small - 33 Chancery Lane ‘Superb writing skills. Legal submissions are clear and concise. Works incredibly efficiently. Incredibly diligent and hard working. A no-nonsense approach that is appreciated by clients and solicitors. My go-to counsel for complex POCA cases.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Ian Smith - 33 Chancery Lane ‘Ian is very enthusiastic and friendly outside of court, but a firm advocate in trial. Strong knowledge of POCA. Hard working and good preparation undertaken.’
Ranked: Tier 2
John Carl Townsend - 33 Chancery Lane ‘A very gifted and hard working barrister. He is a true specialist in the field of POCA and asset forfeiture including civil recovery. His knowledge of case law and procedure is second to none. He has considerable negotiating skills which he uses to good effect with law enforcement agencies.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Catherine Collins - 33 Chancery Lane ‘Catherine is a formidable barrister. Her tenacity and absolute commitment to her clients allows her to win the unwinnable. Her written advice is truly top-end and her persuasive manner is a tribute to her flawless preparation. She knows her cases back to front.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Faisal Osman - 33 Chancery Lane ‘Faisal is one of the most relatable and easy to work with barristers we ever had to work with. Affable, polite, always reachable and deeply knowledgeable in his field.’
Ranked: Tier 3
BUSINESS AND REGULATORY CRIME (INCLUDING GLOBAL INVESTIGATIONS) TIER 3
Viewed as 'a go-to set for cases with a strong proceeds of crime element', 33 Chancery Lane is also 'extremely strong on business crime'; members act for companies and individuals in SFO investigations and corruption cases. The 'superb' Amanda Pinto QC, recently appointed Chair of the Bar, is 'an impressive, strategic, and focused leader' who 'oozes charm and gravitas'; 'nothing escapes her notice or her consideration'.
Mark Rainsford QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘An expert in his field. He thinks outside of the box, tactically and strategically and this ensures fantastic results.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Graham Brodie QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘Graham is an outstanding silk. A commanding advocate with a searing intellect. He is tenacious, tactically shrewd, and finds creative solutions to extremely complicated problems.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Amanda Pinto QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘She is a leader in every sense. Incisive, industrious, persuasive and formidable.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Graham Brodie QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘Graham has an exceptional intellect and is a master at strategy. He finds creative solutions to extremely complicated problems. His provision of a well-thought out plan of attack in any case - and sticking to it - gives reassurance and structure to the running of a case.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Ian Smith - 33 Chancery Lane ‘The go-to counsel for the crossover between the criminal and civil world, and he really understand the demands on clients from a practical perspective. He pushes and pushes until he has everything he needs and the cases are always the better for it.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Faisal Osman - 33 Chancery Lane ‘A great all-rounder. Has carved out a fairly unique practice as counsel and project manager for enforcement projects, which is a fantastic driver of value.’
Ranked: Tier 4
FRAUD: CRIME TIER 3
'Well run, slick, and commercial', 33 Chancery Lane is 'a top-quality chambers' with 'strength in depth' with a reputation for being 'one of the more specialised sets in the fraud world'. Members have been kept busy of late handling tax frauds, money laundering cases, MTIC and VAT frauds, and boiler room scams.
Graham Brodie QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘One of a very select group of silks who specialise in both civil and criminal fraud. He is excellent and a first choice for complex multi-jurisdictional cases involving commercial wrongdoing.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Andrew Mitchell QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘A very accessible silk.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Mark Rainsford QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘Mark is a very hard working a commercially astute silk. A great strategic thinker. He thinks outside of the box, strategically and tactically so that avenues which otherwise would not be explored are tested to the full.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Keith Mitchell - 33 Chancery Lane ‘He is hard working and very thorough and does not only rely on his vast experience. He is tactically astute. His court craft and ability to win over Judges and juries is brilliant.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Christopher Convey - 33 Chancery Lane ‘A determined advocate who is prepared to fight and win difficult points. His hard work ethic and attention to detail is very reassuring to clients.’
Ranked: Tier 4