An excellent year for Serle Court in The Legal 500 UK Bar guide
We are delighted to have once again received excellent rankings and testimonials in The Legal 500 UK Bar 2024, having been listed as a recommended set in 10 different practice areas. There are an impressive 149 individual recommendations for our barristers this year (69 Leading Silk recommendations and 74 Leading Junior recommendations).
Of particular note, Serle Court has been commended as the 'go-to set for high-value trusts work', retaining our Tier 1 ranking for Private Client: Trusts and Probate. In this category 10 members have been ranked as Leading Silks, with 12 members being ranked as Leading Juniors. In addition to this, two members (Gregor Hogan and Sparsh Garg) have been ranked as Rising Stars.
Serle Court also remains Tier 1 for Fraud: Civil, with the guide enthusing that members are 'formidably intelligent, yet approachable and user-friendly barristers'. 10 members are listed as Leading Silks and 14 members as Leading Juniors.
Serle Court has acquired a Tier 1 ranking in ‘Dispute Resolution: mediators’, and has three mediators in the ‘Hall of Fame’: Elizabeth Jones KC, Beverly-Ann Rogers and Paul Johnson.
Congratulations to the following barristers who have received new rankings this year, across eight of our practice areas:
- Zoe O’Sullivan KC in Banking & Finance
- Justin Higgo KC in Commercial Litigation
- Hugh Norbury KC in Company
- Professor Suzanne Rab in Energy
- Sophie Holcombe, Zahler Bryan, Gregor Hogan, and Stephanie Thompson in Civil Fraud
- Jonathan McDonagh in Group Litigation
- Jonathan Adkin KC and Matthew Morrison in Insolvency
- Amy Proferes and Sparsh Garg in Private Client Trusts and Probate
- Jennifer Meech in Professional Negligence
We are very grateful to our referees for taking the time to provide invaluable feedback, and to The Legal 500 for compiling the rankings and recommendations. We hope that our clients find the recommendations useful.
To view Serle Court's full rankings and testimonials, please click here.
Related Barristers
Elizabeth Jones KC
Call: 1984
Silk: 2000
Paul Chaisty KC
Call: 1982
Silk: 2001
Dominic Dowley KC
Call: 1983
Silk: 2002
Lance Ashworth KC
Call: 1987
Silk: 2006
David Casement KC FCIArb
Call: 1992
Silk: 2008
Christopher Stoner KC
Call: 1991
Silk: 2010
Michael Edenborough KC
Call: 1992
Silk: 2010
John Machell KC has a broad commercial chancery practice, with particular experience in large-scale litigation involving trusts, fiduciary/director duties, and fraud, particularly with an international dimension.
John is regarded as one of the leading partnership and LLP silks and has experience of a wide range of both contentious and non-contentious matters across the whole range of business sectors. A large part of his work involves issues arising from the use of partnerships and LLPs in hedge fund and private equity structures; in international commercial group structures; and as part of wealth planning strategies.
A substantial part of John’s practice is offshore, and he has appeared in the courts of Grand Cayman, the British Virgin Islands, and Bermuda on several occasions in recent years.
John Machell KC
Call: 1993
Silk: 2012
Hugh Norbury KC
Call: 1995
Silk: 2012
David Blayney KC
Call: 1992
Silk: 2013
Jonathan Adkin KC
Call: 1997
Silk: 2013
Rupert Reed KC
Call: 1996
Silk: 2014
As part of a broad Chancery-Commercial practice, Daniel Lightman KC engages with challenging and novel issues of law and civil procedure, in particular concerning shareholder disputes (having appeared in a number of landmark unfair prejudice petitions and derivative claims), company law (including in matrimonial proceedings), insolvency, civil fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and professional negligence.
Shortlisted for Company/Insolvency Silk of the Year in the Chambers & Partners UK Bar Awards in both 2026 and 2024 and shortlisted for Chancery Silk of the Year in the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2026, Daniel is recommended in Band 1 for Silks for Company by both Chambers UK, 2027 and the Legal 500, 2027 – and in Band 1 for Chancery Commercial by Chambers. Chambers UK, 2027 describes him as “A go-to silk for high value, complex disputes who leads the pack on shareholder disputes. He has great judgement and always furnishes reliable advice” and praises him for “constantly identifying innovative solutions to complex problems” and building “outstanding relationships with the wider legal team.”
Daniel has an extensive international practice, including current or recent shareholder litigation in the courts of Abu Dhabi, Bermuda, Cayman, Guernsey and Qatar, and a multi-shareholder arbitration in Hong Kong.
Daniel Lightman KC
Call: 1995
Silk: 2016
Described by The Legal 500 as “one of the stars of his generation”, Richard Wilson KC specialises in litigation, drafting and advisory work across traditional and commercial chancery. His practice focuses on trusts and probate, both contentious and non-contentious, related company and partnership law, claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, tax, professional negligence and civil fraud.
Richard has acted in many of the most significant and high-value cases in these areas in recent years. He is currently involved in several disputes concerning the estates of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) in England and overseas.
His practice frequently involves offshore matters and private international law. He has appeared before the Privy Council, the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Gibraltar, the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Bermuda, the Supreme Court of The Bahamas, the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. He has also provided expert evidence on English law before the Royal Courts of Jersey and Guernsey.
Richard regularly acts in disputes across all the principal offshore jurisdictions. A significant proportion of his practice involves international clients, particularly those based in Asia, including Hong Kong.
Richard Wilson KC
Call: 1996
Silk: 2016
Dakis Hagen KC
Call: 2002
Silk: 2017
Constance McDonnell KC
Call: 2000
Silk: 2019
Justin Higgo KC
Call: 1995
Silk: 2020
Timothy Collingwood KC has a broad commercial and chancery practice, with a particular emphasis on litigation concerning commercial agreements, company, insolvency, and international trust matters.
Described in Legal 500 (2025) as “a truly gifted advocate who is totally committed to the case”. The directories recognise him as a leading practitioner in these fields. He has extensive experience of claims concerning breaches of duty, in particular in respect of directors or trustees and frequently involving allegations of fraud, and of shareholder disputes.
Prior to commencing practice in this jurisdiction, Tim was called to the bar in the Cayman Islands and practised as an attorney-at-law. He continues to undertake work in respect of a number of offshore jurisdictions. He is called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands.
Timothy Collingwood KC
Call: 1996
Silk: 2020
Giles Richardson KC
Call: 1997
Silk: 2022
Dan McCourt Fritz KC
Call: 2007
Silk: 2023
Matthew Morrison KC has a broad commercial chancery practice, with particular expertise in civil fraud, company and partnership disputes, and insolvency litigation.
Described by Chambers UK 2027 as an “outstanding barrister” who is “technically brilliant, fantastic with clients and someone whose cross-examination is exceptional”, Matthew regularly appears in the High Court and Court of Appeal and has acted in proceedings before the Grand Court and Court of Appeal of the Cayman Islands, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (BVI), the Supreme Court of Gibraltar, the Isle of Man High Court of Justice and the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts. He also has significant experience assisting advocates before the Royal Courts of Jersey and Guernsey. He is generally admitted to the BVI Bar and is currently admitted ad hoc on a number of matters in the Cayman Islands.
Matthew is an established legal author. He has written widely read PLC practice notes on minority shareholder remedies and edits chapters on directors’ duties and disqualification, and insolvency, in Gore-Browne, Butterworths Corporate Law Service, Tolley’s Company Law Service and Tolley’s Company Law Handbook; and on unfair prejudice, misfeasance and disqualification in the Law of Limited Liability Partnerships (Whittaker and Machell (6th ed.), 2026).
Matthew Morrison KC
Call: 2004
Silk: 2025
Michael Walsh KC
Call: 2006
Silk: 2025
James Weale KC has a very busy commercial chancery practice with a focus on domestic and international commercial and trusts disputes.
He is recognised as a leading practitioner in those fields by Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, Chambers Global, Chambers High Net Worth, and Who’s Who Legal, where they describe him as a “brilliant lawyer” and a “Superstar”. He was Chambers & Partners’ Chancery Junior of the Year in 2023.
He regularly appears (both as sole and junior counsel) in the English High Court and has appeared several times in the Court of Appeal. He also has considerable experience in overseas jurisdictions (including as sole counsel), including Bermuda, the DIFC, the BVI, Cayman, Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar and Panama.
James Weale KC
Call: 2007
Silk: 2026
Beverly-Ann Rogers
Call: 1978
Andrew Bruce
Call: 1992
David Drake
Call: 1994
Thomas Braithwaite
Call: 1998
Simon Hattan
Call: 1999
Jennifer Haywood
Call: 2001
Ruth Jordan
Call: 2001
Jonathan Fowles
Call: 2004
James Mather
Call: 2006
Paul Adams
Call: 2008
Jennifer Meech
Call: 2008
Thomas Elias
Call: 2008
Sophie Holcombe
Call: 2009
Thomas Fletcher
Call: 2009
Adil Mohamedbhai
Call: 2010
Jonathan McDonagh
Call: 2011
Amy Proferes’ practice covers both traditional and commercial Chancery. She has particular interests in contentious probate, company, civil fraud, and property, and is experienced in dealing with cases where these areas overlap. She appears regularly in the High Court, often unled, but also enjoys working as part of a larger team.
Amy is ranked as a leading junior in Private Wealth & Probate by Legal 500 and in Chancery: Traditional by Chambers & Partners. The directories describe her as “remarkably versatile across company law and trust and estate disputes” and “very thorough, has an intricate knowledge of the law, and is also very approachable.”
Amy Proferes
Call: 2012
Emma Hargreaves
Call: 2012
Oliver Jones is a senior junior with a broad commercial and chancery practice, and particular expertise in private wealth and civil fraud disputes. He is recognised by the directories as a leading junior in these areas.
In addition to his busy practice in England, he regularly works in major offshore jurisdictions, including the Channel Islands, BVI and Bermuda. Ollie was called to the BVI bar in 2019.
In addition to noting his “incredible intellect” and “engaging and persuasive” advocacy, the directories note Ollie’s ability to “roll up his sleeves”, “get on top of huge volumes of work and detail quickly” and build a “great rapport with clients”. In addition to acting unled, Ollie also enjoys working as part of larger teams on large-scale litigation, in which he “consistently delivers impressive results”. Ollie takes pride in his reputation for being “user-friendly” and “great to work with”.
Before coming to the Bar, Ollie spent several years as a management consultant in the financial services, energy, and public sectors. He brings this commercial experience and perspective to bear in his cases.
Oliver Jones
Call: 2014
Stephanie Wickenden specialises in intellectual property, art and media law.
She has experience in commercial chancery cases in the creative and technology sectors, including contractual and tortious IT disputes, contentious trusts and estates matters involving creative assets, and shareholder and directors’ disputes involving IP breaches. A significant proportion of her practice has an international element, including cases involving disputed jurisdiction, foreign law, and service and enforcement out of the jurisdiction.
With a background in art and theatre, combined with expertise in IP, commercial and private international law, Stephanie is uniquely placed to advise on contentious and non-contentious matters relating to art and cultural property. Having spent three years at a top international law firm, she also advises on IP transactions and licensing.
Stephanie enjoys working as part of a team and is confident acting as sole counsel. She is regularly instructed in significant Intellectual Property cases before the UK courts, often unled and against KCs, including Thatchers v Aldi [2025] EWCA Civ 5 and EasyGroup v Nuclei and others [2023] EWCA Civ 1247. She has appeared before the CJEU (General Court), Court of Appeal, High Court and IPEC, and in registry proceedings before the UK IPO and EUIPO.
Stephanie Wickenden
Call: 2014
Charlotte Beynon has a commercial chancery practice encompassing contentious trusts, civil fraud, insolvency and commercial litigation.
Her clients say, “Charlotte is brilliant. A superstar in the making”, and they also commend her as “pragmatic, responsive and commercial.”
She frequently handles complex, high-value cases, onshore and offshore, often with international elements. She is particularly experienced in acting in high-value offshore trusts disputes and complex fraud claims – often raising issues of private international law.
Charlotte regularly appears in the High Court and County Court both led and as sole counsel. She also appears as specialist chancery counsel in matrimonial proceedings in the Family Division. Her legal writing has been published in Trusts & Trustees.
Charlotte Beynon
Call: 2015
Gregor Hogan
Call: 2016
Sparsh Garg is a chancery and commercial barrister specialising in contentious trusts and estates matters and company disputes. He has acted in complex, high-value trusts and company cases.
Sparsh is recognised in the legal directories for offshore private client and commercial work. He regularly receives instructions in The Bahamas, Gibraltar and Jersey, is called to the BVI Bar, and acts in BVI matters independently and as part of counsel teams.
In England, Sparsh is recognised as a “rising star” and “up and coming” barrister in traditional chancery and private client work. Clients describe him as “intelligent, hard-working, an innovative thinker”, as well as personable and a good team player.
In 2019, Sparsh was seconded to the dispute resolution team of a leading Gibraltar law firm, working on contentious trusts and commercial disputes. He has since continued to develop his offshore practice, acting as sole counsel and alongside other barristers.
His offshore experience includes three Privy Council appeals: Chu v Lau [2020], concerning just and equitable winding-up on grounds of shareholder deadlock; Perry v Lopag [2023], concerning appellate intervention in findings of foreign law; and Dawson-Damer v Grampian Trust Company Ltd, concerning a trustee’s duty of adequate deliberation.
Sparsh Garg
Call: 2017
Stephanie Thompson
Call: 2017
