6 PUMP COURT - Key Persons
"Brendon understand complex incidents and infrastructure quickly and handles with ease difficult and voluminous cases. He has excellent people skills as well as an encyclopaedic knowledge of environmental law, especially waste and large water company cases. In court he is calm but incisive and tenacious - a future silk."
Brendon Moorhouse is an established environmental, planning and regulatory barrister, acting as both leading counsel and senior-junior counsel in cases throughout England and Wales.
He is regularly instructed in large-scale criminal waste and water cases that include some of the biggest prosecutions in the country.
He is also instructed in significant environmental permitting cases as well as dealing with public inquiry work on projects such as Hinkley C cooling system marine permit conditions, Bristol Airport expansion and the then proposed M4 motorway extension around Newport. He has extensive practical experience dealing with Habitats and Marine Regulation.
Brendon Moorhouse is frequently instructed in planning appeals and enforcement cases including those with wider environmental concerns such as the UK's largest unlawful AD plant and alleged condition breaches for a gas peaking plant.
Experienced in nuisance cases, he has been instructed to represent clients ranging from a motor manufacturing plant, a power station to a metal smelting plant.
Brendon Moorhouse is regularly instructed in cases involving habitats and wildlife issues including both terrestrial and marine planning cases.
He also has considerable experience in criminal planning enforcement cases.
Christopher Badger has an established practice in commercial regulatory investigations and prosecutions, specialising in environmental enforcement, acting for both corporate and individual defendants and on behalf of the Environment Agency.
High profile cases in which he has recently been instructed include allegations of the deliberate illegal disposal of hazardous waste, the export of waste abroad, end of waste and environmental issues relating to the Thames Tideway super-sewer project. He is often asked to provide early-stage advice into on-going investigations, both pre-interview and pre-charge.
Christopher Badger has specialised in regulatory law for many years and was appointed to the ‘A' list of Specialist Regulatory Counsel in June 2012.
He has a broad range of experience in criminal enforcement up to and including appellate level and has expertise in a wide variety of regulatory matters, including health and safety. He has been regularly instructed to appear on behalf of interested parties in inquests, particularly where there is a risk of ensuing criminal proceedings.
"David is both good on his feet and with his paperwork, proving particularly effective when dealing with complex legal points."
"Gordon has good knowledge of the law and ability to apply it in practice. He has a good manner in dealing with the client and provides clear explanation of the issues and good ideas for case strategy."
Gordon Wignall is an experienced common law practitioner whose main interest is in advocacy and other varieties of written persuasion. He has a special interest in areas of the law which are within the scope of EU law. This is reflected by his knowledge of various types of regulatory proceedings, especially in environmental and financial cases (including judicial review, tribunal and criminal matters). He is familiar with principles of EU law relevant to competition and state aid.
Gordon is particularly pleased to be able to draw on his experience in the many different forums in which he appears to the benefit of any of his clients. These include the Competition Appeal Tribunal, the First Tier Property Tribunal, the criminal courts, PINS tribunals, the civil courts and the Privy Council (in criminal appeals).
Gordon has been instructed for many years in various types of group litigation, including consumer redress schemes, financial services, private/public nuisance, professional negligence and sale of goods. This is enhanced by his recognised experience over many years in costs and litigation funding. Cases with an international element have included China, the Caribbean, Australia and various EU States. For 10 years he was a part-time employment judge. He qualified as a mediator with CEDR.
In litigation, Gordon's preference is to work closely with both solicitors and clients as a team, advising and identifying the best evidence in order to provide the most robust advocacy. Whilst direct access work is undertaken in appropriate regulatory and advisory cases, a good solicitor can be sourced to take the strain when necessary. He has acted successfully for direct access clients under the terms of damages-based agreements.
Gordon Wignall has a specialist understanding of all aspects of environmental and planning work. He has a particular interest in the waste, recycling and associated industries and in the agricultural and related sectors (extending to habitats law). Pollution issues, including contaminated land, flooding, noise, odour, fire, air quality and water pollution, constitute a significant part of his work. He is a recognised expert in litigation relating to private, public and statutory nuisance (including s.82 proceedings) and has written and lectured in the area.
Gordon had an unusual training which encompassed both complex commercial law as well as serious crime. This has given him a strong grounding in both written and oral advocacy and there is a balanced application of both in his practice. He is familiar with conflicts of laws and arbitration principles. He advises and provides representation in overlapping areas which have environmental issues as their subject matter, including contract and professional negligence.
He has been instructed in many cases covered by a group litigation order.
Gordon is accustomed to working under pressure and as part of a team. As well as acting for private operators on the receiving end of applications for injunctive relief, he has obtained injunctions on behalf of local authorities where other remedies have proved inadequate. He is familiar with issues of privacy and confidentiality and has been instructed in proceedings before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (RIPA surveillance powers).
He is very familiar with costs issues in all courts tribunals, also being a recognised advocate in costs cases. Even at initial stages of his instructions he will have in mind the likelihood of the recovery of costs. He has advised and provided representation in respect of the separate liabilities of group undertakings and their individual officers (including piercing the corporate veil).
James joined Chambers following the successful completion of his pupillage in April 2022. During his pupillage year, James gained experience in several Chambers' key practice areas including, environmental, regulatory, and criminal work. He was supervised by Chris Badger, Simon Taylor KC (now HHJ Taylor KC), and Mark Watson KC.
Jason Sharp (by his brother & litigation friend John Sharp) v Top Flight Scaffolding Ltd [2013] EWHC 479 (QB) (Personal Injury/Health & Safety at Work/Contributory Negligence/Scaffolder Falling from Scaffolding/Lack of Adequate Training).
Lee Bennett is a specialist regulatory lawyer consistently ranked as a leading individual in both the Chambers UK Bar Guide and the Legal 500 for over a decade.
His practice includes company defence and compliance work in health and safety, fire safety, food, consumer, environment, and planning law.
He acts in Inquests and Public Inquiries. He represented The Football Association throughout the new Hillsborough Inquests. He acts for a corporate core participant at the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry.
Lee Bennett also has expertise and significant experience in complementary areas of civil, licensing and public law.
Lee Bennett is described as "a real ‘go-to'" for regulatory matters having "impeccable judgment and huge experience". He is recommended for being "thorough beyond belief" and "a brilliant tactician" but also "incisive", "very practical" and "a real team player".
He has a varied client base drawn from the regulated and the regulator and has been in practice at Six Pump Court since 2000.
Lee Bennett has been instructed in two of the seminal cases in relation to this practice area where he is recommended as being "excellent".
He advised and represented The Football Association in all matters relating to the new Hillsborough Inquests throughout the period 2013 to 2016.
Since 2018 he has been instructed by a corporate core participant in the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry.
Lee's involvement in a fatal accident case will often commence with the inquest. He has considerable experience in representing Interested Persons before Coroners.
Margaret Anne Brown (Widow and Executrix of Peter Brown) -v- (1) Drake International Ltd and (2) Southampton Container Terminals [2004] EWCA Civ 1629 (Contracts/Health and Safety at Work/Personal Injury).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Association of Health
- Member of the Criminal Bar Association
Natasha joined Chambers in September 2017 following the successful completion of pupillage with Mark Beard, Gordon Menzies and Simon Taylor.
Natasha has conducted numerous multi-track, fast track and small claims trials. She appears in a wide range of complex civil claims, for Claimants and Defendants, which have included a university, a multi-billion pound drinks company, construction companies and international investors. As a trainee solicitor Natasha gained experience in complex and high value litigation in the commercial court.
She has appeared in the high court, in relation to recognition of a foreign insolvency proceeding under Article 15 of the UNCITRAL Model Law, involving the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006. She often deals with ancillary applications, including for Norwich Pharmaceutical Orders and she has experience dealing with appeals at Tribunal under the Freedom of Information Act.
Natasha is experienced in civil applications in the Magistrates' Courts, including with respect to rights of way under the Highways Act 1980, statutory nuisance and in Police (Property) Act cases for actions concerning the recovery of property seized during the course of investigations.
Natasha has been instructed to advise the HSE and local authorities on regulatory matters. She has also assisted ‘A list' regulatory counsel on complex advice including with respect to the Reservoirs Act 1975 and guidance for the Food Standards Agency, involving the navigation of EU regulations. She has advised on the application of food safety guidance, the Human Medicine Regulations and with respect to judicial review in this area.
Natasha has been involved in successful complaints to the OECD National Contact Point, with respect to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and to the Charities Commission. As a Government Legal Department junior-junior, Natasha was instructed in an extensive disclosure review for HMRC involving Legal Professional Privilege in a large scale fraud matter.
Natasha is a member of the Association of Health and Safety Lawyers and has been appointed to the C Panel of Attorney General's List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates.
Natasha works frequently for the police dealing with DVPOs, SOPOs and SROs. She has also been instructed by the Police and Local Authorities in relation to the Dangerous Dogs Act, CBOs, other anti-social behaviour matters and in relation to POCA proceedings. Natasha has recently also dealt with a number of cases involving complexities of criminal disclosure into the family courts and has developed a detailed understanding of the challenges faced by public authorities, especially with respect to historic cases.
Natasha was recently instructed to draft amicus submissions to the International Criminal Court Pre-Trial Chamber concerning the scope of the Court's territorial jurisdiction in relation to the Prosecutor's request, under article 19(3) of the Rome Statute, ICC-01/18-12, permission having been given by the Court in February 2020.
Natasha is a member of the Criminal Bar Association and the South Eastern Circuit.
Job Titles:
- Counsel for the Defendant ) Will Be Presenting a Webinar RE
Nicholas Baldock was called to the Bar in 1983 and joined Six Pump Court in April 1985. He regularly appears in the High Court, County Courts, Tribunals and also the Court of Appeal. Personal injury and property damage claims form a large part of his practice. Within those areas fall a broad range of claims. Nicholas has a substantial practice relating to nuisance and pollution claims. He also advises in commercial matters including the drafting of contracts.
Nicholas is a CEDR trained mediator and often represents parties in ADR procedures as well as acting as mediator himself. Nicholas regularly lectures to both solicitors (in both large and small groups including at seminars in person and on line) and non-lawyers including medical groups and commercial bodies.
Nicholas Baldock represented the Pride of Derby Angling Association and secured a final injunction at trial to prevent the multi million pound development at Sawley Weir at which it had fishing rights. The developers wished to install a hydro turbine and were represented by Leading Counsel.
Nicholas Baldock has developed a substantial practice dealing with environmental civil litigation. Many of the cases deal with water but he also deals with cases involving dust, noise and various other emissions and pollutants. Notable cases include representing the owner of a lake which was subjected to substantial silt pollution following the failure of an upstream dam, representing residential property owners in a claim from noise nuisance emanating from a large scale dairy, representing the riparian owner on a well known sea trout river in a claim against farmers who had dredged it and altered its course and representing a farmer in a claim against him for water run-off from a maize field. Nicholas is currently representing Tata Steel UK with Stephen Hockman KC in a Group Claim brought for dust nuisance by local residents in Port Talbot.
Nicholas Ostrowski specialises in public, environmental and regulatory law. As a member of both the Attorney General's Civil Panel (B Panel) and the ‘B' List of Specialist Regulatory Counsel he advises and represents government departments, corporate and individuals in his core practice areas and is ranked in three separate areas (environmental, planning and health & safety law).
Nicola Strachan has a practice in commercial litigation and arbitration, public law and planning (including compulsory purchase). She also acts for a number of clients in the UK and overseas in relation to oil and gas exploration including shale gas and fracking and climate change.
Nicola has appeared in a number of reported judgments and is regularly instructed in cases where she acts as sole Counsel or as a Junior to Leading Counsel. She has the reputation of being a strong and tenacious advocate and of having commercial acumen and good judgment. Highly regarded by professional and lay clients, she has developed a strong client base.
Nicola was also called to the Seychelles Bar in 2021.
Nicola has been involved in high profile and significant cases with a police law element. She was one of the first people in the country to successfully obtain a Violent Offender Order. This type of Civil Restraint Order seeks to protect the public and to manage the risk posed from violent offenders by imposing prohibitions against dangerous and violent individuals beyond the period of their sentence.
Nicola has provided tax advice as to whether a university college was eligible for VAT zero rating in relation to major alterations to a Grade II listed residential building. She has also advised on whether a builder was acting as the principal in relation to the performance significant contractual works and consequently whether he should have been registered for VAT.
Nicola's has substantial public law experience including representing Government departments and Local Authorities in tribunals and in judicial review applications.
Richard Banwell is a barrister practising in planning, environmental and regulatory law.
Tanya Robinson specialises in criminal law, coroner's work and regulatory law. The frequent cross-over between these areas means that following a fatality, Tanya often acts at the inquest and in any connected criminal proceedings.
She is a persuasive advocate, well used to dealing with the pressures of sensitive, demanding cases, and always prepared to go the extra mile.
Tanya Robinson was educated at Southampton University (LLB) and Rouen University. She obtained an LLB (European Legal Studies) Honours degree, having spent one year abroad studying French and European Law. She was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple in 1997 and was an Inner Temple Scholar in 1997.