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Stop Press :No.18 Barristers Chambers increases recognition in the annual Legal 500 rankings
No.18 Barrister Chambers are delighted to announce we have increased our recognition in the annual Legal 500 rankings. The Legal 500 assesses law firms throughout the country and this year No.18 Barristers Chambers have been named as one of the recommended sets on the Western Circuit for Family, Employment, Personal Injury and Public Law (particularly Immigration). Furthermore, four barristers have been individually acknowledged in the "Leading Juniors" list for their work in Family law & Children, Immigration and Employment.
Legal 500 Overview:
No.18 Barristers Chambers houses approachable barristers, who have particular expertise in Family work, with other notable strengths including personal injury, employment and public law, with immigration matters prominent in the case of the latter. The clerks are always on-hand to assist, and senior clerk Mark Windebank leads an ‘excellent’ team.
Family and children law : (Western Circuit - Leading juniors)
No.18 Barristers Chambers strength in family has seen an ‘uptick in complex private law children work regarding care, placement and adoption proceedings. Matrimonial finance is another core area of expertise’. (2018)
Lee Young (1991): ‘Steadfast and committed to his cases (2018) ’ Professional, reliable, and conscientious(2017)’ ‘A reliable barrister, who gets results’ (2016).
With over 20 year of experience of public law proceedings Lee is regularly instructed by local authorities, parents, intervenors, extended family members and by solicitors acting for children in a wide range of complex and demanding cases . Lee is experienced in cases involving serious non-accidental injuries, sexual and physical abuse, neglect, complex expert and medical evidence.
He also has a wealth of expertise in cases with international elements such as moving children across international borders, ‘miracle baby’ cases, sexual abuse, severe neglect and mental health issues of a psychiatric and psychological nature.
Nigel Cholerton (2007) (admitted as Solicitor 2004): ‘Very experienced in a broad range of family law matters’ (2018) ‘He thinks outside the box to conceive new ideas’ (2017) ’... a real passion for the work he undertakes.’ (2016)
Nigel is an established Family Practitioner with significant experience in care proceedings. He is regularly instructed to attend emergency protection orders, interim care orders and multi-day complex findings of fact and final hearings with cases involving sensitive sexual abuse or non-accidental injury. Nigel appears for parents, guardians, Local Authorities and Intervenor’s.
Nigel also has a strong practice in matrimonial finance and property disputes and frequently attends all hearings during the course of proceedings including MPS applications, final hearings and enforcement at all levels. In addition he is regularly asked to advise on complex matters of both matrimonial finance including Barder appeals
Laura Baines (2007): ‘She is quick to grasp the essence of a case.’(2018)
Laura has acted for the local authority, parents and Guardians as well as the children themselves in public law family matters. Laura accepts instructions in all public family law matters and has undertaken a range of hearings, most recently appearing in the High Court. She frequently appears in interim fact finding and final hearings involving care and supervision orders, section 8 orders, injunctions and matters of jurisdiction.
Laura also accepts instructions in all private law children matters and has undertaken a range of hearings involving child arrangement orders, specific issue and prohibited steps orders involving preventing taking the child out of the jurisdiction. Laura represents fathers and mothers as well as the children when the need has arisen for their separate representation. Laura has experience in dealing with private law children matters relating to forces personnel.
Employment : (Western Circuit - Leading juniors)
Ian Wheaton is head of the employment team at No.18 Barristers Chambers; recent instructions for the group include discrimination and unfair and wrongful dismissal cases.(2018)
Ian Wheaton (2002) : ‘A flexible and approachable barrister’(2018) ‘Very experienced in discrimination cases’ (2017) ‘A strong advocate, who is quick on his feet and robust with opponents.’(2016)
Ian has practised in the Employment Tribunals since 1996 representing clients firstly as a lay representative and then as a barrister since 2002. He has dealt with the full range of dismissal, discrimination and breach of contract cases that appear before the Tribunals. He has had notable successes in equal pay matters and sex discrimination cases. He is known for robust trial advocacy and common sense advice to clients. and developed a speciality in whistleblowing claims.
Ian’s employment practice sees him represent both employers and employees, primarily in “whistleblowing” claims involving disclosures made under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 in addition to the usual range of tribunal claims such as unfair dismissal constructive dismissal and discrimination claims.
In his most recently reported cases, Co-operative Limited v Baddeley [2013] All ER (D) 333 (Jul) and [2014] EWCA Civ 658 Ian represented an employee in the Employment Tribunal, then that the Employment Appeal Tribunal and then again in the Court of Appeal, (opposed by Mr Bruce Carr QC in the EAT and CA) where it was remitted to a fresh Employment Tribunal in a case involving potential lifetime losses consequent upon dismissal for making alleged protected disclosures.
Immigration (Western Circuit - Leading juniors)
Laura Baines at No.18 Barristers Chambers has established expertise in immigration cases, in which she is well known for representing both appellants and the Home Office (2018)
Laura Baines (2007): Very experienced in immigration and asylum matters.’ (2018) ‘Recommended for immigration cases’ (2017)
Laura has a dual practice of both Family & Immigration, which allows her to advise in family cases where there are complex immigration issues. Laura frequently appears in the first tier and upper tribunals in relation to immigration and asylum matters. She conducts a range of preliminary, final hearings and judicial reviews, having acted for both the Home Office and the Appellant. This gives her an advantage when advising clients as to the appropriate course of action. Laura in particular has had conduct of tier 1, tier 2, tier 4 points based system applications, article 8 applications, EU applications, trafficking cases, asylums from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Trinidad. Laura is happy to provide written advice and draft pleadings such as grounds of appeal for first tier tribunal appeals, upper tribunal appeals and judicial reviews.
Notable cases: IA/28304/2013, where IJ Robinson found the Home Office failed to prove the general ground of refusal under paragraph 322(1A) of the Immigration Rules. The Judge took the view that the evidence produced by the Home Office to show that the academic certificate submitted by the Appellant in support of his application for leave to remain was inadequate