39 ESSEX CHAMBERS - Key Persons
Adam has a broad practice across public law and human rights as well as regulatory and environmental law. He is a member of the Attorney General's C Panel of Counsel and is listed as a "rising star" in public law by the Legal 500.
He has appeared in a wide range of courts and tribunals, including the High Court, Upper and First-Tier Tribunals, Court of Protection and County Court, both as sole and junior counsel. He is currently instructed as junior counsel to the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Adam graduated from Balliol College, Oxford, with a First Class Degree in History and Politics. He obtained a Distinction on the GDL, an Outstanding on the BPTC, and was an Inner Temple Princess Royal Scholar.
Adam Fullwood's main areas of practice are public and administrative law (community care / adult social services, care homes, charging, safeguarding, housing, Inquests, Inquiries, prison, care standards, education, human rights law, mental capacity and mental health, Court of Protection and immigration), regulatory and disciplinary, public procurement and local government. He has particular experience in representing care home owners and care providers.
He is a member of the Attorney General's regional ‘A' panel. He is also a member of the Treasury Solicitor's Freedom of Information panel and is a Football Association Safeguarding Panel Member. Adam is an Assistant Coroner and an accredited mediator (CEDR).
Adam Robb specialises in the litigation and arbitration of large construction, engineering and infrastructure disputes, often involving professional negligence and insurance issues. He has experience of disputes arising out of the major UK and international forms of contract and a wide range of projects including:
transport (including roads, rail, ports and airports)
energy (including oil, gas and coal)
water and water treatment
hospitals and healthcare
retail and leisure
shipbuilding and repair
Adam has particular expertise in relation to disputes arising out of PFI and similar projects, including payment mechanism, funding and construction disputes.
He is an experienced advocate and has appeared before a wide range of courts and tribunals, including the Court of Appeal and the High Court (including the Commercial Court and the TCC), numerous domestic and international arbitral tribunals, as well as in adjudications. He regularly advises and represents clients in alternative dispute resolution processes, including mediation.
Adam's commercial practice includes sale of goods, bonds, guarantees and indemnities.
Adrian Hughes QC acts as counsel and arbitrator with a broad international and UK construction and commercial practice. He focuses on complex contract disputes spanning a wide range of sectors, including construction and engineering, energy, international trade, shipbuilding, transport and professional negligence.
Whilst his domestic practice centres on the Technology & Construction Court and the Commercial Court, much of his work involves international arbitration and associated court proceedings. He regularly conducts commercial and construction arbitration work as counsel in many different jurisdictions. Recent cases have included major international arbitrations arising from power and infrastructure projects in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia, with seats in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai and China.
Adrian increasingly sits as Arbitrator in international disputes, appointed by all the main international institutions. He also acts as chairman and member of dispute boards for international construction projects as well as Mediator and Adjudicator.
He has a leading practice relating to China and regularly conducts advocacy and advisory work for Chinese law firms and clients. Recent cases have included a number of prominent international arbitration and court cases in, and related to, China. He is instructed as expert to the Great Britain China Centre / Foreign Office on UK / China Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, and is on the advisory board of the Oxford University Belt and Road Institute directed at the impact of China's outbound investment policy. He acts as expert witness on English law issues and was the first English barrister to act in this capacity in Chinese commercial court proceedings.
His early practice included extensive Supreme Court and Commercial Court proceedings arising from the collapse of the International Tin Council, involving issues of public and private international law relating to the enforceability of arbitration awards against an international organisation and its Member States. This experience carries through to public and private international law issues arising in his current work.
He sits as a part time judge, having for a number of years acted as Recorder and Examiner of the Court, and has recently been appointed to the Court of Appeal of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. He has been a Chairman of the UK Society of Construction Law (SCL), the country's leading multi-disciplinary construction law association.
Adrian Hughes has a long-established international arbitration practice in, and connected with, Asia and the Far East. In particular, this involves acting for clients from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Korea.
He occupies a unique position at the English Bar in relation to his work in China. Originally stemming from his running of the Lord Chancellor's Training Scheme for Chinese Lawyers in London, he has developed a relationship with many of the main law firms in China and regularly conducts advisory and advocacy work upon direct instruction from Chinese law firms. He chairs the Bar Council's China Committee.
He also acts as expert witness on English Law issues and was the first barrister to appear in this capacity in Chinese commercial court proceedings in the landmark case of Hua An v Lehman in the Shanghai High Court.
Adrian Hughes has substantial experience in IT disputes. His work includes disputes arising from hardware and software contracts and licensing agreements. He regularly acts for employers, suppliers and designers in providing advice during the course of projects and in representing clients in court and arbitration proceedings.
Experience includes:
Adrian Hughes has many years of experience in resolving international disputes, ranging from sitting as judge or arbitrator to chairing dispute boards and acting as mediator or in other forms of ADR.
He regularly sits as arbitrator in both international and domestic cases either ad hoc or appointed by institutions. He has a specialist knowledge of arbitration and dispute resolution in China and sits on several panels in China including CIETAC, SHIAC and CCPIT (Mediation Panel).
Adrian Hughes is consistently recommended in both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500, in particular for the practice areas of International Arbitration, Construction and Engineering, Energy and Professional Negligence. He was shortlisted as "Leading Silk in International Arbitration" by The Legal 500 in 2017 and is nominated again for 2019.
Adrian Hughes QC will be moderating a panel discussion at the SIAC-SHIAC International Arbitration Forum in Shanghai
Job Titles:
- Member of the Editorial Board of the Law Society 's "Legal Compliance Bulletin
Alexis Hearnden is an experienced advocate with a successful regulatory and public law practice. She acts for regulators and those they regulate across a range of professions including solicitors, doctors, dentists, fertility clinics, vets, and osteopaths before tribunals, in judicial review proceedings and in statutory appeals. She has a growing practice in professional discipline in sport and advises Sports National Governing bodies, particularly around safeguarding investigations.
Alexis regularly represents family members, local authorities, health authorities and the Official Solicitor in the Court of Protection, which complements her work in the areas of mental health, community care and broader healthcare disputes.
She is recommended as a leading junior by Chambers UK in the areas of Professional Discipline and in the Court of Protection, and by The Legal 500 for Professional Discipline. Alexis was nominated for Professional Discipline Junior of the Year at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2020.
Alexis is a member of the editorial board of the Law Society's "Legal Compliance Bulletin".
Alexis is an experienced advocate with a successful regulatory and developing sports law practice.
"Andrew Deakin has a brilliant mind … He is very meticulous in his preparation, he is a thoughtful advocate and powerful on his feet."
Andrew Deakin is a public lawyer. His public law practice focusses on national security law, human rights and prisons law. He has experience of acting in politically sensitive public inquiries and inquests raising human rights issues. Andrew is regularly instructed to advise on matters of data protection, freedom of information and other regulatory matters.
Andrew was appointed to the Attorney General's A Panel in 2018. He acts for both claimants and public authorities.
Andrew Deakin appointed to Attorney General's A Panel and Stephen Kosmin, Jack Holborn and Ben Tankel appointed to Attorney General's B Panel
Andrew is an experienced and highly regarded construction and engineering barrister. He is also a Chartered Arbitrator, has judicial experience, and is an experienced construction Adjudicator accredited by both TeCSA and TECBAR, and an accredited and active Civil Mediator. He acts nationally and internationally in a wide range of energy, construction and engineering disputes and has almost 30 years' experience advising developers, end users, national and international contractors, subcontractors and consultants and their insurers. He has acted for many household name main contractors. He also acts in commercial and property cases.
Andrew originally qualified as a solicitor in 1992 and became a partner at Pinsent Masons, specialising in construction. He was called to the Bar in 2007.
Andrew Tabachnik QC has a versatile and wide-ranging practice, specialising in cases of complexity, and encompassing (in particular) planning and compulsory purchase; and disciplinary and regulatory law. Andrew has been a Recommended Silk and Junior in all the above areas from 2009 to date in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. Andrew took Silk in 2017. He was named Professional Discipline "Silk of the Year 2020" at the Chambers UK Bar Awards.
Andrew Tabachnik QC is instructed by the Law Society in relation to its intervention into Kingly Solicitors Ltd
In such cases, Angela has been instructed in multi-day trials in the High Court, the County Court, and regularly attends joint settlement meetings. She undertakes the full range of advisory and drafting work, including the use of Ogden tables and actuarial calculations as to future loss.
Angela is an experienced practitioner across the full range of such claims. She has acted in high value and sensitive cases, including brain and spinal injury on behalf of claimants and defendants. She regularly acts in RTA cases and has experience as junior counsel in instructed claims involving detailed expert analysis and accident reconstruction, often with jurisdictional issues and conflicts points.
Angela has been instructed as sole and as junior counsel in high court preliminary trials, and has been instructed to attend many JSMs with a significant jurisdictional or conflicts dispute. She undertakes advisory work as to the appropriate application of the EU and international legal framework regarding jurisdiction and choice of law, case strategy including the appropriate instruction of foreign experts, and litigation costs. Her experience as a specialist PI practitioner outside the confines of claims with a foreign element enhances her detailed and strategic approach to quantum in such cases, and is of particular advantage at settlement meetings.
Anna is a public lawyer who specialises in education law. Between 2016 and 2022 she was one of the junior counsel to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, working on the residential schools investigation and the Anglican investigation.
Anna also has extensive experience of Court of Protection work, providing training on DOLS and other aspects of the COP to local authorities and organisations.
Anna is a commercial and chancery practitioner specialising in commercial litigation and arbitration, banking and finance disputes, insolvency and company law matters and civil fraud. Anna is particularly interested in disputes arising at the intersection between her disciplines, such as banking or civil fraud matters involving an insolvency aspect. Anna is frequently led in substantial disputes but is equally confident being instructed as sole counsel and often appears as such against significantly more senior opponents including silks. She has considerable courtroom experience and is highly regarded for her engaging advocacy style and robust cross-examination skills. For example, Anna recently secured an overwhelming victory for her client following a two-week trial in Re. The Stratos Club Limited [2020] EWHC 3485 (Ch); [2021] EWHC 1008 (Ch), in which she appeared unled and the other side was represented by a silk and a junior. Anna is on the Attorney General's B Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown and is regularly instructed on behalf of Government Departments and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
Annabel specialises in public law and human rights, in particular, in healthcare and mental capacity law. She also accepts instructions in commercial and construction law.
As a public lawyer, her broad experience encompasses areas such as: judicial review, human rights, mental capacity, mental health, inquests, education, information rights, community care, healthcare, immigration and public international law. Annabel regularly appears in a wide range of courts and tribunals, including the High Court.
Annabel is consistently recommended as a leading junior for Administrative & Public Law (including Local Government) and Court of Protection (Health and Welfare) by The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners.
"Anthony is knowledgeable and experienced in the field of international disputes with the ability to master and distil complex issues, aided by a solid legal and engineering background."
Job Titles:
- Treasurer of the National Committee for the Court of Protection Practitioners Association
Arianna is the Treasurer of the National Committee for the Court of Protection Practitioners Association.
Arianna is a qualified mediator with a keen interest in the use of mediation in Court of Protection Health and Welfare and Property and Affairs contexts.
Arianna works extensively in the field of community care, regularly acting for local authorities, health authorities, and private individuals in community care and healthcare matters. Arianna has been involved in a range of judicial reviews of community care assessment and eligibility decisions and advises on matters relating to ordinary residence, charging, deferred payment agreements, and debt recovery. She is ranked in the Legal 500 as a ‘Rising Star' in Administrative and Public Law on the Northern and North Eastern Circuits, which writes: ‘Arianna is a superb advocate. She is methodical in her reasoning and makes complex concepts straightforward to understand. She works really hard and is always someone you want fighting your corner. She has star quality about her.'
She frequently advises in and undertakes judicial review work in relation to eligibility and care planning decisions, community care charging and debt recovery, safeguarding investigations and decisions to de-register approved providers, age assessments and allowances to special guardians.
She also advises public authorities on policies relating to health and social care.
Arianna has written for LexisNexis, Westlaw, Sweet & Maxwell and Local Government Lawyer on community care, and has authored a chapter on community care in Judicial Review: Law & Practice (3rd Edition) and a chapter on community care charging in Community Care Law and Local Authority Handbook (3rd Edition). She worked with many local authorities on the implementation of the Care Act 2014 and regularly trains on issues of community care law.
Arianna Kelly has been appointed as a Fee Paid First Tier Tribunal Judge
Ashley's broad commercial law practice sees him instructed in claims in the areas of Banking, Property, Construction, Aviation, as well as Domestic and International Commercial law. His international work sees litigation concerning America, Dubai, Eastern Europe, and Ireland which have involved jurisdictional issues, as well as asset tracing and enforcement. He has an active interest in arbitration.
Ashley has an ongoing interest in cryptocurrency cases especially in the context of freezing injunctions. He recently acted in a circa $120 million crypto-currency dispute against one of the chief engineers of one of the big crypto-currency firms.
Ashley has been involved in the following reported decisions in 2021 in the areas of:
Ashley is a busy clinical negligence practitioner and acts for national firms in this area. He has experience in clinical negligence cases ranging from obstetrics cases to failing to diagnose cancer. He is often involved with clinical negligence cases from their outset and is regularly instructed to attended inquests where there is an underlying clinical negligence issue.
Ashok Jain, Nisha Jain v Trent Strategic Health Authority (HL) [2009] UKHL 4: Health authorities did not owe a duty of care in tort to proprietors of nursing homes when making applications without notice for the cancellation of their registration.
Augustus Ullstein QC has built up and maintained a wide ranging practice in a number of areas including; Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence, Product Liability, Sports Law, Construction, Insurance, Professional Negligence and Common Law. He has been involved in a number of high-profile cases including, for example, successfully acting for the families of the victims of Dr Harold Shipman in Judicial Review of the Government's refusal to hold a public Inquiry (R v Secretary of State for Health ex parte Wagstaff) 1 WLR 292. He also defended three Balfour Beatty employees in the Hatfield Rail Crash prosecution.
Recently, he took the case of Jain v Trent Strategic Health Authority to the House of Lords. Although unsuccessful there, the case is now proceeding to the European Court of Human Rights who have accepted the complaint.
Augustus Ullstein has long experience of multi-party actions, particularly in relation to pharmaceutical products, dating back to the Opren Litigation in 1989. Since then, he has been involved in the Myodil Litigation, Sheep Dip Litigation, LSD Litigation, Gulf War cases and the MMR Litigation.
In the field of Personal Injury he gained international recognition in 1995 when he was one of five foreign lawyers appointed by the United States Federal Court as one of a panel to set the quantum of damages for claimants outside the USA. in the Shiley Heart Valve Litigation (Bowling v Pfizer Inc. 143 F.R.D. 138).He is currently advising the DII Asbestos Trust in Texas in relation to UK claims for asbestosis and mesothelioma.
He has extensive experience in catastrophic injury, particularly acquired traumatic brain injury, a subject in which he has both given lectures and seminars.
In the field of Professional Negligence he has regularly acted for both claimants and defendants in all professions. He has particular expertise in the field of Financial Services, having been involved in the Barlow Clowes Litigation; Home Income Plans and Pensions Mis-selling. He also regularly acts for surveyors and valuers with particular emphasis on negligent lending by banks and other financial institutions.
He has also wide experience of commercial cases. He acted for the Claimants in a long running case about the collapse of a property joint venture in 2008 (Daniels v Samuel Beadie (Properties and others). Currently he is instructed in a case involving the making of a film; a claim against Lloyds Bank for misrepresentation and breach of contract and a claim for loss of commission on a property venture.
He has been involved in high profile cases over the years, including litigation resulting from the activities of Nurse Beverley Allitt; acting for the families of Dr Harold Shipman's victims in Judicial Review Proceedings and latterly the MMR Litigation. He defended three of the Balfour Beatty employees in the prosecution which resulted from the Hatfield Rail Crash.
In 2009 he took the case of Jain v Trent Strategic Health Authority to the House of Lords. Although unsuccessful there, the European Court of Human Rights accepted the case and encouraged the UK Government to settle. The Jains subsequently accepted a very substantial sum in settlement together with their costs.
He has appeared as an expert witness on the English and European Law of Tort and damages in the United States on a number of occasions, in particular the Breast Implant Litigation (in Re Dow Corning Corporation).
He sits on the Council of the Academy of Experts and regularly gives courses and seminars for that organisation both in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.
Ben Olbourne provides advisory and advocacy services across a broad range of international commercial disputes, in England and other jurisdictions, in relation to both court and arbitration proceedings. He has acted as sole or junior counsel before courts at all levels in England and in arbitrations under all of the principal sets of arbitral rules. He has particular experience working in Asia and for Asian clients, having lived and worked in the region for a number of years, and currently holds a License to Practise Foreign Law in Singapore.
His recent work has been principally in the general commercial, international trade and commodities, construction (infrastructure and vessels), insurance/reinsurance, energy, natural resources, and shipping/carriage of goods sectors. That work includes substantive hearings as well as applications for interim and post-judgment relief. Much of that work is of a multi or cross-jurisdictional nature involving questions of private international law and/or disputes governed by foreign laws. He has also provided expert opinions on English law for use in foreign proceedings on a range of substantive and procedural legal issues.
Ben also practises in public international law and human rights, and has advised and been involved in domestic and international proceedings in fields including investment law, treaty interpretation, immunities, sanctions, humanitarian law, human rights and refugee rights and obligations.
Ben has been recommended in the leading global, regional and UK directories (Legal 500 / Chambers & Partners) since 2013 for (variously) commercial, international arbitration, construction and infrastructure, energy, oil & gas, commodities and shipping. The editors have reported that "he is developing a significant reputation as an arbitration counsel", is "well suited to complex international disputes" and is a "key name to note" in Singapore. Sources "are impressed by his abilities" and consider him to be "very thorough, has great skill as an advocate and is very impressive at cross-examination." Others observe that "he inspires confidence with his depth of knowledge and approachability."
Chambers & Partners (Global) currently states that Ben "has been …acting on a varied range of disputes and being particularly well known for his handling of oil and gas, shipping and, increasingly, construction and infrastructure cases. … Sources describe him as a ‘pragmatic, down-to-earth' advocate with a ‘good, tenacious style' and a formidable cross-examination capability - qualities which are identified as key reasons for his success.".
Chambers & Partners (Asia-Pacific) currently reports that Ben "advises clients on commercial disputes spanning energy, natural resources, commodities and shipping. He frequently appears in matters with Chinese, Indonesian, Malaysian and Nigerian aspects. Interviewees praise him as ‘charming and friendly.' ‘ I would recommend him in a heartbeat. He knows Singapore well and is a bright lawyer' …".
Ben accepts appointments as an arbitrator and has been appointed in more than 15 references over the last three years in matters under ICC, LCIA, LMAA and SIAC Rules and in ad hoc proceedings. Many of these cases have involved state owned enterprises or public sector undertakings. Governing laws have included English, Australian, Malaysian, Singaporean and Indian. Seats have included Singapore, London, Hong Kong, and Hyderabad. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is on the panel of arbitrators of ACICA, AMTAC, KLRCA and THAC. He is recommended as an arbitrator in the leading regional directories.
Ben was previously admitted in New South Wales (Australia) in 1999 and was an Associate (Legal Assistant) to Chief Justice Gleeson of the High Court of Australia in 1999-2000. He was a Junior Counsel to the Crown (C Panel) in 2008-2013.
Ben completed the Bar Council (England & Wales) Public Access Course in July 2014 and is certified to accept public access instructions, including for international work.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Member of the Senior Management Team
Job Titles:
- Kelly Stricklin - Coutinho and Professor Andrea Biondi Successfully Defend Wasps in State Aid Challenge
Securing permission for a substantial employment scheme at a Green Belt location in Brentwood district.
Job Titles:
- Finance Director
- Member of the Senior Management Team
- Accounts
was instructed as junior counsel in a multi-million pound construction dispute concerning a nuclear facility. She has practical experience of complex adjudications and arbitrations. She is also a contributor to Wilmot Smith's Construction Contracts: Law and Practice (OUP 2014).
Job Titles:
- Administration
- Chambers Administrator & Pupillage Manager
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Management Team
- Chief Executive & Director of Clerking
Representing Law Society in relation to high profile interventions, including securing two Search and Seizure orders to support the interventions. Acting on subsequent section 50 proceedings in the High Court against one solicitor. After establishing (at a 2 day trial before Mrs Justice Bacon) that the solicitor had capacity to participate in the proceedings, substantial admissions of misconduct were made and the solicitor was struck off the Roll.
Job Titles:
- Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence ( QBD ) [2007] EWHC 2608 ( QB )
Milos Vladimir Stankovic v Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence (QBD) [2007] EWHC 2608 (QB): In light of evidence uncovered following a covert investigation by the security services, the Ministry of Defence Police had had reasonable suspicion for believing that a major in the army had committed an offence.
Job Titles:
- Professor of European Union Law and Director of the Centre of European Law
Andrea Biondi is Professor of European Union Law and Director of the Centre of European Law at King's College London.
In his practice, he has provided expert opinions in arbitration proceedings involving EU law and represented clients in national and EU litigation in cases dealing with EU law, State aid, including fiscal aid, infrastructure, aviation and energy. He regularly advises governments and private clients.
Professor Biondi's research interests are in European Union law, with particular emphasis on state aid law, trade law and regulation as well as judicial protection of EU rights. He has published extensively on each of these areas. His interests also cover post-Brexit UK-EU relations.
He has a distinguished academic record with visiting positions at leading universities, including Georgetown University, the College of Europe, University of Paris II, Bocconi University in Milan and University of Rome La Sapienza. He was the Senior Legal Advisor on EU law to the office of the Prime Minister of Italy from 2015 - 2017.
Professor Biondi serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Appeal of ACER , the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.
Tony Hickmott [2021] EWCOP 63 - application by the BBC and Sky to lift reporting restrictions to be able to report on the case of Tony Hickmott, who has remained in a secure unit years past the point where doctors advise that he is fit for discharge. Alexis acts for Mr Hickmott (by his litigation friend, the Official Solicitor) in the long running welfare proceedings. See BBC News and Sky News.