Hardwicke Building Ratings in 2006
Hardwicke Building appears once again in the Legal 500 this year with chambers being rated as one of the leading Property sets and Education maintaining its position as one of the top three sets at the Bar. Insurance remains a “core discipline” and chambers is also highly regarded for its expertise in human rights and residential care matters in the Administrative and Public Law field.
A total of 13 barristers are recommended as leaders in their field across 9 separate specialisms. Nigel Jones QC (head of chambers) leads the way being recommended as a leader in Commercial, Insurance and Professional Negligence. Chambers has a strong Administrative and Public law team, and is noted in the directory for residential care and housing with Barbara Hewson being singled out as a leading junior, – “Hardwicke Building, where Barbara Hewson appeared before the ECHR in a challenge to Ireland’s restrictive abortion law, and has particular expertise in residential care matters”.
Nigel Jones QC heads chambers Commercial team and continues to appear as a leading silk at the Commercial bar. Nigel and Paul Reed, both of whom are also members of chambers Insurance and Reinsurance team, are noted as leaders in the field with Nigel appearing as one of only 16 leading silks in Insurance and Reinsurance and Paul Reed, previously recommended as a leading junior for reinsurance, being recommended again: “Hardwicke Building continues to consider insurance and reinsurance as a core discipline. Head of chambers Nigel Jones QC is the most recognizable name and was most recently involved in a £30m coverage dispute in the Cayman Islands. Senior Junior Paul Reed is also active, particularly in construction sector insurance disputes.”
Chambers has a separate Shipping team whose work is closely linked to chambers’ commercial and insurance work and John Passmore continues to be recommended as a leading junior: “John Passmore handles carriage by sea matters and has a niche specialism in yachts.”
Chambers Education team is ranked as one of the top three education teams at the Bar. The directory recommends four leading juniors, John Friel, Deborah Hay, Clive Rawlings and Fiona Scolding with the following comment: “Hardwicke Building boasts a number of impressive juniors, including the ever popular John Friel….. His expertise includes defending disability discrimination cases and handling claims relating to fee-paying students in higher education. Deborah Hay continues to pursue High Court appeals for parents against SENDIST decisions while the “level headed” Clive Rawlings demonstrates both a thorough and extensive understanding of all education related issues” and “has an excellent rapport with the client”. He acted in the “Governing Body of PPC v DS and Others, a leading case on the application of the Disability Act Discrimination Act to schools.”
Chambers has a highly regarded Personal Injury team with Emily Formby being noted as a leading junior in this field and Dr Margaret Bloom, who is also a member of Hardwicke Building’s Clinical Negligence team, also being mentioned as a leading junior. Chambers thriving Professional Negligence team appears again through Nigel Jones QC who continues to be recommended as a leading silk. The whole of chambers Property team is recommended as one of the top ten leading property sets whilst Alex Bastin, Stephen Lennard and Michelle Stevens-Hoare are singled out for special mention as leading juniors in the Property field: “Other notable sets include Hardwicke Building, which has assembled some excellent juniors in recent years and enters our tables for the first time. Standout figures include the “very well organized” Alex Bastin, Stephen Lennard, a “very reliable all rounder” who works on property cases with a commercial slant, and most notably, Michelle Stevens-Hoare who is said to be brilliant with clients.”
