Legal 500 2024 Rankings: Crime and International Crime & Extradition

The Legal 500 2024 recognises 25 Bedford Row as specialists in the fields of Crime and International Crime & Extradition.

"25 Bedford Row is a powerhouse criminal defence set with ‘talented barristers at every level of call'". 

"25 Bedford Row is a fantastic set with a good range of barristers suitable for an array of cases across the criminal spectrum."

"This chambers is one of the very best in the country with some very fine and reputable advocates. It is a ‘defence only’ set which sets them apart from most other criminal sets."

Leading Silks who are ranked in Tier 1

George Carter-Stephenson KC: "George has two great strengths: he is never underprepared (his work ethic is phenomenal) and he is one of the nicest men at the Bar."

Jeremy Dein KC: "Jeremy is a fearless and highly intelligent barrister who really comes alive in trials. He is always well prepared and is clearly driven to ensure that his clients receive the very best possible representation. He is highly respected by all of those within the criminal justice system."

Paul Mendelle KC: "Paul is an extremely able advocate. He is an astute tactician with a fearsome intellect and has a very smooth style of advocacy, defending his clients to great effect. He also has a first-class legal mind."

Paul Hynes KC: "Paul is frighteningly intelligent; he grasps complex legal issues with ease and simplifies these so that they can be presented to a client, court or jury in an easily comprehensible way. His advocacy is fluent and incredibly engaging and his cross-examination is devastating. In a room full of silks, Paul will always stand out."

Other Leading Silks

Tyrone Smith KC: "Tyrone is a superb advocate who commands attention from and wins the respect of the jury. He is able to cut through to the issues in a case incredibly quickly and is not fazed by unexpected developments in a trial. He is also well abreast of the law and able to make concise but comprehensive legal submissions before a judge at short notice."

Diana Ellis KC: "Diana is the barrister version of a Rolls-Royce in that you know that you will arrive safely at your destination in total comfort, having been offered the best possible service along the way. She is able to get right to the heart of the issues in a case and provide realistic advice from day one."

Paul Keleher KC: "Paul is extremely astute, meticulous and utterly unflappable. He is able to produce high-quality written legal arguments at lightening speed and regularly is the only one in the courtroom who is fully on top of the technology."

Simon Pentol KC: "Simon is excellent on his feet. He is very good at instilling confidence in clients and fearless in court. He is also an astute tactician and strategist and a thorough cross-examiner."

John Cooper KC

Peter Doyle KC: "Peter has a calm authority in court, and a lovely and engaging manner with witnesses, judges and juries. He can find an argument in even the most evidentially challenging of cases."

Rudi Fortson KC: "He has a comprehensive knowledge of the law, which enables him to spot legal gaps in prosecution cases. He is an effective cross-examiner and his understated and polite manner in court means opponents, juries and judges warm to him."

2022 Silks

Laurie-Anne Power KC: "Laurie-Anne is the epitome of the modern silk. She is fiercely intelligent, empathic, tactically astute and smooth in her presentation to judge and jury. She can break down complex legal principles to palatable form and is utterly charming."

Leading Juniors who are ranked in Tier 1

Arlette Piercy: "Arlette is an excellent barrister who forms strong working relationships with lay clients. She is especially experienced and skilled dealing with gang matters and particularly cases with a musical element. She gives firm but fair advice and is formidable in court. Arlette really embraces challenging and complex cases."

Aisling Byrnes: "She is an outstanding advocate who completely masters the facts of a case and has the law at her fingertips. She is a formidable presence in court and a highly skilled cross-examiner who presents her legal submissions in a succinct and persuasive way. She is better than most silks."

Michael Neofytou: "Michael is an exceptional advocate and a silk in the making. Juries love his calm and reassuring style and he knows all the facts of a case, down to the smallest details buried in phone data."

Ben Smitten: "Ben is a standout junior at the criminal Bar. His work ethic is a class apart, and his ability to digest material is second-to-none. His advocacy, both written and oral, is considered and devastating on a prosecution case or criminal investigation."

Other Leading Juniors

Carolina Guiloff: "Carolina is ferocious in court with a combative style. Her academic ability as a lawyer is also of an extremely high level. Clients absolutely love her because she advocates for them tenaciously and without fear."

Matthew Radstone: "Matthew is extremely thorough, diligent, razor sharp and able to deal with the nitty gritty in all cases. He is a silk in waiting."

Lisa Wilson: "Lisa has a charming and commanding presence in the court room. She is fearless in the representation of her lay clients and juries love her and her calm, persistent, and persuasive manner. A quite formidable advocate and a real star of the bar.’"

David Wood: "David is adept at navigating voluminous evidence served electronically. He has a straightforward, easy manner combined with a cutting intellect and an ability to get to the heart of the issues of the most complex of cases quickly and efficiently."

Emma Akuwudike: "Emma is very good on the law and is a highly competent advocate."

Warwick Aleeson: "Warwick is a powerful advocate on his feet and equally effective in his written drafting. He is a decision-maker but has the capacity to compromise and work very efficiently with others. He has good judgment and is a sound tactician. He has no weaknesses."

Osman Osman: "Osman is in a class of his own. He quickly gets to grips with issues and his rapport with clients is out of this world. He prepares some very clever legal arguments and his trial advocacy is mesmerising - the jury cannot help being impressed."

Sebastian Gardiner: "Sebastian is an imposing figure in court. He is an assured advocate with a sound appreciation of forensic strategy and a highly effective cross-examiner, able by his skill and careful preparation to extract the right answers from recalcitrant prosecution witnesses. His legal submissions are concise, accurate and persuasive."

Dominic Thomas: "Dominic is a scintillating advocate and formidable cross-examiner with a powerful presence in court. His legal submissions and jury speeches are a model of eloquence, precision and clarity. There is no finer jury advocate at the junior Bar."

Sheryl Nwosu: "Sheryl is passionate and committed. She thinks hard about her cases and is shrewd enough to vary her tactics as the circumstances demand. She also has the rare ability to ensure her audience is absorbed by her advocacy."

Alex Jamieson: "Alex is calm, considered, reassuring and intellectual. He is a safe pair of hands for any case."

Monica Stevenson: "Monica is an extremely assured and able barrister. Her legal submissions are authoritative and persuasive and her detailed preparation allows her to be very agile during the trial process in relation to tactical decisions."

Beth O’Reilly: "Beth is hard working and extremely personable. She is a good lawyer and a persuasive advocate. Her unique talent is her ability to get on with everyone in the court room - lawyers, staff, clients and more. She is a very talented junior."

Helen Valley

Alex Di Francesco: "Alex oozes class and confidence with the intelligence to back it up. He is a firm and persuasive advocate with an element of charm to compliment it."

Daniel Murray: "Daniel can assimilate lots of information very quickly. His knowledge of the law is superb and his advocacy is brilliant. He is calm and his client care skills are impressive."

Kate Chidgey: "Kate is an exceptional advocate with a careful and understated manner which belies a real tenacity. She is fiercely intelligent and unafraid of raising difficult points of law. She is outstanding in her ability to cross-examine young and vulnerable witnesses and her speeches are carefully presented and delivered reasonably. She has a great future ahead of her."

Paul Lazarus: "Paul has an incredible eye for detail and gives very good practical advice. He gets on well with all different types of clients and his written work is very well prepared and thought out."

Rising Stars Ranked in Tier 1

Hannah Edwards: "Hannah is unbelievably bright and committed to her cases. A junior barrister who will, for sure, go all the way."

Tobias Smith: "Tobias is an excellent, highly persuasive jury advocate. He has a very confident and competent court manner that appeals to judges. He can deploy complex legal argument skilfully and efficiently. He never takes a bad point and marshals his case with great care and skill."

International Crime and Extradition 

Leading Silks Ranked in Tier 1 

Diana Ellis KC: "Diana is most impressive."

Other Leading Silks

David Hooper KC: "David has a very individual style which makes him a very original and effective advocate."

Leading Juniors

Sam Blom-Cooper: "Sam is a powerful force. He has excellent forensic skills, and has an incisively critical eye both for individual items of evidence as well as the larger factual picture."

Set Testimonials

"25 Bedford Row is an outstanding criminal defence set. They are well aware of their foundations in legal aid, but provide an outstanding service to private clients. The election of Nicola Howard KC and Tyrone Smith KC signifies this, and there is no doubt that they will continue to go from strength to strength. Solid advocates across the board, with outstanding ability in all types of cases."

The new edition of the Legal 500 can be accessed by clicking here.