Serle Court barristers appointed to the Attorney General’s Civil Panel of Junior Counsel

Serle Court is delighted to announce that Giselle McGowan and Hugh Rowan have been appointed to the London Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown. Their appointments will take effect on 1st September 2026 for a period of five years.

Serle Court is delighted to announce that Giselle McGowan has been promoted to the London ‘A’ Panel and Hugh Rowan has been appointed to the London C Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown. Their appointments will take effect on 1st September 2026 for a period of five years. Giselle was previously served on the London B Panel.

The Attorney General maintains three advisory panels of junior counsel to undertake work for all government departments, comprising London Panels, Regional Panels, and Public International Law Panels. Click here to learn more about the Attorney General’s Panel Counsel.

Giselle and Hugh join Lara Kuehl (London ‘B’ Panel), Wilson Leung (London ‘B’ Panel) and Max Marenbon (London ‘C’ Panel) as members serving on one of the Attorney General’s panels. Jonathan Fowles was appointed as Junior Counsel to the Treasury in Charity Matters.

We extend our warmest congratulations to Giselle and Hugh on their well-deserved appointment.

Related Barristers

Giselle McGowan

Call: 2011

Hugh Rowan specialises in property law and regularly acts in property disputes arising within a commercial chancery context.

His practice focuses on real property, enfranchisement, residential and commercial landlord and tenant law, alongside commercial and company disputes. He appears as sole counsel and as part of a team in the High Court, County Court and First-tier Tribunal.

Hugh regularly acts in high-profile cases. In 2025 and 2026, he appeared five times in the Court of Appeal in significant cases concerning damages for disrepair, the scope of the Building Safety Act 2022, the construction of a shareholders’ agreement and the court’s jurisdiction in bankruptcy proceedings.

Clients value Hugh’s collaborative approach and his ability to navigate complex legal and factual issues.

Hugh co-authors five specialist property law books covering service charges, the right to manage, enfranchisement and the Building Safety Act 2022, including one volume that he edits. He also regularly contributes to the Landlord & Tenant Review, writing case digests, topical articles and case commentaries.

During his legal training, Hugh volunteered as a caseworker at the Free Representation Unit and the Blackfriars Settlement Advice Clinic, gaining experience supporting individuals with legal issues.