What The Directories Say
With a ‘fantastic array of talent from top to bottom’ 5KBW has a strong reputation for its criminal law offering
Legal 500 2024
‘A powerhouse of talent’, 5KBW is ‘home to some of the biggest names’ at the Criminal Bar.
Legal 500 2020
"Strong from top to bottom’, solicitors receive a ‘second-to-none’, ‘competitively priced’ service from a diverse group of hardworking barristers."
Legal 500 2020
“He just has a way of reducing what are extremely complicated submissions into a really easy, digestible and understandable form. He is first-rate.”
Chambers UK 2020
| Mark Heywood KC
"The clerks ‘all genuinely understand the importance of keeping instructing solicitors informed and always return telephone call promptly. They are all incredibly professional’."
Legal 500 2020
“I find the clerks at 5KBW, especially Lee Hughes-Gage, professional, helpful and friendly. They will do all that they can to accommodate your requests, even at incredibly short notice or long distance.”
Chambers UK 2020
“He has extensive experience of how the criminal justice system operates in practice, particularly in relation to the processes used by law enforcement and the mechanics of the various powers available to law enforcement agencies. He has excellent judgement and is able to offer simple, but highly useful suggestions.”
Chambers UK 2020
| Jonathan Polnay
“A truly wonderful set” that has barristers who “prepare everything early and give huge confidence to clients.”
Chambers UK 2020
"Her refusal to back down is one of her greatest attributes. She is extremely dedicated and hard-working, which instils great confidence in her clients and solicitors alike.”
Chambers UK 2020
| Sarah Forshaw KC
"If you are serious about getting the very best representation then you need look no further than 5 KBW."
Chambers UK 2019
"Chambers has an array of talented and hard-working barristers who support their instructing solicitors, and each other, when necessary."
Chambers UK 2019
"The clerks are polite and well organised." "The attitude of the set as a whole is that it is hungry to develop new work contacts and provide a higher level of service." Lee Hughes-Gage is the senior clerk.
Chambers UK 2019
"An excellent jury advocate who makes clients feel at ease." "She is a very hard-working and accomplished advocate in whom clients have faith."
Chambers UK 2019
| Sarah Forshaw KC
The ‘fantastic’ 5KBW has dealt with many high-profile criminal cases over the last year and is ‘fast becoming a leading chambers thanks to the ability and experience of its counsel’.
Legal 500 - 2019
"A highly diligent new silk who exhibits clear communication skills and has great sensitivity to client concerns. High-value money laundering, rate rigging and corporate theft matters feature in her caseload. She is noted for her experience of handling matters for financial services clients."
Chambers UK 2019
| Natasha Wong KC
‘She inspires confidence in clients, which is born out in her track record.’
Legal 500 - 2019
‘Primarily a very fair and effective prosecutor, he is also a very hardworking defence junior who gets on very well with clients.’
Legal 500 - 2018
“Her meticulous approach wins plaudits from interviewees who also value her ability to get to the heart of complex fraud matters”.
Chambers UK 2018
| Natasha Wong KC
‘She is robust in defending with a velvet-clad iron fist.’
Legal 500 2017
'An electrifying character, who has an excellent rapport with clients.'
Legal 500 2017
‘As first senior Treasury Counsel, he prosecutes in some of the most serious cases.’
Legal 500 2017
‘He has an exceptional intellect, which allows him to analyse and dismantle a prosecution case with first-class finesse in the courtroom.’
Legal 500 2017
‘Incredibly hardworking and meticulous, with an attention to detail that is second to none.’
Legal 500 2017
In the clerks’ room, Lee Hughes-Gage ‘leads a very steady ship’. His team always provides ‘a high-quality service’ by ‘going the extra mile’ for clients and ‘providing the best barrister to suit client needs’.
Legal 500 2018
‘a serious outfit with the ability to take on very high-level cases’.
Legal 500 2017
"She's a silk who reads every piece of paper. She's demanding on those she works with and she's got great client rapport. Juries love her."
Chambers UK 2017
| Sarah Forshaw KC
"You can't get better than Mark Heywood. He's a beautiful advocate with great strategic awareness, who is lovely to work with and a very charming man."
Chambers UK 2018
| Mark Heywood KC
"Brilliant. An amazing advocate who's comfortable with the clients, takes an uncompromising approach to case presentation and develops a very good rapport with the jury."
Chambers UK 2018
| Sarah Forshaw KC
"He is able to get to the crux of a case extremely quickly and instils confidence in clients like few others. He is an exceptionally brilliant advocate who is loved by juries and judges alike".
Chambers UK 2016
| Alistair MacDonald KC
"Conscientious, supportive, hardworking and forward-thinking."
Legal 500 2016
"5KBW is ‘a truly independent and a forward-thinking set with a mind on the bigger picture and expertise at its core’. Containing ‘a wealth of high-end experience’ in criminal law."
Legal 500 2016
"Recommended for his experience from his previous career in the Police."
Legal 500 2016
Mark Heywood QC "...who is known for the strength of his intellect."
Chambers UK 2016
"She has an engaging manner with solicitors and lay clients."
Legal 500 2016
"5KBW is a strong set with excellent sexual offence specialists."
Legal 500 2016
“He’s eloquent, understated and extremely bright. He gets fantastic results and is always available on the end of the phone.” “He’s great with clients – I would recommend him without hesitation.”
Chambers UK 2020
| James Martin
‘He is highly intelligent; he is prolifically hard-working and has endless stamina and he is a great strategist and his judgment is pretty perfect. He is one of the best junior Treasury Counsel at the Old Bailey. A masterful advocate; he makes winning look easy.’
Legal 500 2021
| Jonathan Polnay
‘A hard working junior with an unflappable and laid back style. Fierce in cross-examination when required’.
Legal 500 2021
| Ben Holt
' Sarah is a master on her in feet in the courtroom and commands the attention of all in her presence due to her skilled advocacy.’
Legal 500 2023
| Sarah Forshaw KC
‘Natasha is an absolute star and now obviously one of the leading silks of her generation.’
Legal 500 2023
‘Charlotte has a wonderfully calming and reassuring nature when advising clients. Her advocacy is exceptionally clear and easy to digest, which is essential for a complex criminal case when people”s lives are on the line.’
Legal 500 2023
| Charlotte Newell KC
‘Danny is a consummate professional. He is a top-class advocate with a skill for an economy of words, each one carefully chosen for maximum impact.’
Legal 500 2023
Louise is calm under pressure, collected in the face of hostile opponents, and completely in command of her brief. A real star.'
Legal 500 2023
| Louise Oakley
"He is outrageously good and instils total confidence from the outset. A hugely impressive professional who is very, very responsive and able to grasp cases immediately."
Chambers UK 2023
| Jonathan Polnay
"James Martin is very experienced and has always provided a brilliant service to clients both through his advocacy and in the way he conducts conferences."
Chambers UK 2023
| James Martin
What The Directories Say
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