The Legal 500 UK Bar Guide 2025 was released yesterday, Wednesday 2 October. Members of Chambers have received 31 new rankings across 26 practice areas, bringing the total number of rankings to 245. This year’s ranking success includes 12 new rankings for members of chambers in Commercial Litigation, 7 in International Arbitration, 4 in Fraud: Civil and 5 in Insurance/Reinsurance. Essex Court Chambers has also received a new set ranking in Crypto & Blockchain Assets.
Special mention is given to the following members who have received a ranking in the Rising Star category:
- Freddie Onslow, Commercial Litigation
- Freddie Popplewell, Commercial Litigation
- Mark Belshaw, Fraud: Civil
- Katherine Ratcliffe, International Arbitration: Counsel
- Mubarak Waseem, International Arbitration: Counsel
The set has been ranked as Tier 1 in the following categories:
- Art and Cultural Property: Tier 1
- Commercial Litigation: Tier 1
- Fraud: Civil: Tier 1
- International Arbitration: Counsel: Tier 1
- Public International Law: Tier 1
The set has also been ranked in the following categories:
- Banking and Finance: Tier 2
- Crypto & Blockchain Assets: Tier 2
- Employment: Tier 2
- Shipping: Tier 2
- Tax: VAT & Excise: Tier 2
- Insurance and Reinsurance: Tier 3
- Energy: Tier 3
- Administrative & Human Rights: Tier 4
- The English Bar Offshore: Tier 4
Testimonials from clients and colleagues include:
- ‘Essex Court is indisputably one of the heavyweight sets of the commercial bar.’
- ‘Essex Court Chambers is the best commercial Chambers in London with an amazing bench strength.’
- ‘One of the leading sets in the country.’
- ‘One of the pre-eminent chambers in dispute resolution with stars at all levels. Highly impressive.’
- ‘Essex Court deserves its reputation as a leading set in civil fraud.’
- ‘Essex Court is one of the top Chambers in London for commercial arbitration and investment treaty arbitration work.’
- ‘Essex Court are without doubt the leading international arbitration chambers and have strength in depth when it comes to all types of arbitration at all levels of seniority.’
- ‘A strong set of various personalities that offer different approaches and strategies to disputes. An impressive reputation that does not disappoint.’
- ‘Essex Court has unparalleled experience in public international law and human rights. The team is second to none in the UK. Counsel are always available and have the capacity to produce excellent submissions working against short deadlines.’
- ‘Great set, full of first class minds with deep commercial experience.’
Members of Chambers once again congratulate their clerking team on receiving outstanding praise from clients collected by The Legal 500. Special mentions are given to:
- Joe Ferrigno who is described as ‘”very much behind the Essex Court success story, and the leading senior clerk at the bar. Beneath his understated and collegiate, affable engagement lies a visionary approach dedicated to engineering the best service delivery and a set geared for the demands of 21st century, complex global disputes. He understands how the market works on an instinctive level.”
- Ben Perry “is well-experienced clerking PIL practitioners who understands the particular demands of that field.”
- Jack Wood “excellent, very responsive, and quick to understand client requests
- Katie Myles “is great to deal with, we always receive excellent service.”
- Ollie Butcher “is a star in the making… always helpful and responsive.”
- Kevin Grubb “is particularly impressive with commercial nous and good relationships.”
- Samantha Wright “Fantastic and always responsive… wise beyond her years”
- Demi Woolger “Very responsive, and quick to understand client requests.”
- Karl Asleben “So responsive and helpful.”
Members, clerks and staff of Essex Court Chambers would like to thank our clients and colleagues for their kind feedback once again this year.