The 2026 listing of Leading London Criminal Law Kings Counsel details silks practising within the areas of Criminal Defence matters within the UK legal market who have been identified by the nation’s criminal law solicitors for their expertise and abilities in these areas.
Preeminent
Eleanor Laws KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Duncan Penny KC, 6KBW College Hill
John Ryder KC, 6 KBW College Hill
James Scobie KC, Garden Court Chambers
Leading
Narita Bahra KC, 33 Chancery Lane
Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC, 2 Hare Court
Adrian Darbishire KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Jeremy Dein KC, 25 Bedford Row
Patrick Gibbs KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Dean Gorge KC, 2BR
Mark Heywood KC, 5KBW
Jonathan Laidlaw KC, 2 Hare Court
Clare Montgomery KC, Matrix Chambers
Melanie Simpson KC, 25 Bedford Row
Tyrone Smith KC, 25 Bedford Row
Jim Sturman KC, 2BR
Liam Walker KC, Doughty Street Chambers
Sacha Wass KC, 6KBW College Hill
Adrian Waterman KC, Matrix Chambers
Alisdair Williamson KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Recommended
Christine Agnew KC, 2BR
Stuart Biggs KC, Cloth Fair Chambers
Henry Blaxland KC, Garden Court Chambers
Paul Bogan KC, 23 Essex Street
Trevor Burke KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Allison Clare KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Peter Doyle KC, 25 Bedford Row
Alexandra Felix KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Sarah Forshaw KC, 5KBW
Alexandra Healy KC, Foundry Chambers
Nicola Howard KC, 25 Bedford Row
William Hughes KC, Foundry Chambers
Paul Hynes KC, 25 Bedford Row
Riel Karmy Jones KC, Red Lion Chambers
Leon Kazakos KC, 2 Hare Court
Dermot Keating KC, 25 Bedford Row
Brendan Kelly KC, 2 Hare Court
Martin McCarthy KC, Farringdon Chambers
Paul Mendelle KC, 25 Bedford Row
Rajiv Menon KC, Garden Court Chambers
Ben Newton KC, Doughty St Chambers
Simon Pentol KC, 25 Bedford Row
David Perry KC, 6KBW College Hill
Luke Ponte KC, Three Raymond Buildings
Selva Ramasamy KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Charlie Sherrard KC, 2BR
David Whittaker KC, 2 Hare Court
Lisa Wilding KC, 23 Essex Street
Nicholas Yeo KC, Three Raymond Buildings
Gudrun Young KC, 2 Hare Court
Previous editions
2025 edition published June 2025
Preeminent
Eleanor Laws KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Clare Montgomery KC, Matrix Chambers
James Scobie KC, Garden Court Chambers
Leading
Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC, 2 Hare Court
Trevor Burke KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Adrian Darbishire KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Jeremy Dein KC, 25 Bedford Row
Duncan Penny KC, 6KBW College Hill
John Ryder KC, 6 KBW College Hill
Melanie Simpson KC, Doughty Street Chambers
Tyrone Smith KC, 25 Bedford Row
Jim Sturman KC, 2 Bedford Row
Liam Walker KC, Doughty Street Chambers
Adrian Waterman KC, Matrix Chambers
Lisa Wilding KC, 23 Essex Street
Alisdair Williamson KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Recommended
Crispin Aylet KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Narita Bahra KC, 33 Chancery Lane
Alex Bailin KC, Matrix Chambers
Ali Naseem Bajwa KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
James Bloomer KC, 23 Essex Street
Michael Borelli KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Giles Cockings KC, Furnival Chambers
Mark Cotter KC, 5 St Andrews Hill
Jennifer Dempster KC, Red Lion Chambers
Peter Doyle KC, 25 Bedford Row
Patrick Gibbs KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Alexandra Felix KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Sarah Forshaw KC, 5KBW
Tom Forster KC, Red Lion Chambers
Patrick Gibbs KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Edward Henry KC, Mountford Chambers
Mark Heywood KC, 5KBW
Brendan Kelly KC, 2 Hare Court
Jonathan Laidlaw KC, 2 Hare Court
James Lewis KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Paul Mendelle KC, 25 Bedford Row
Tim Moloney KC, Doughty Street Chambers
Ben Newton KC, Doughty St Chambers
David Perry KC, 6KBW College Hill
Laurie-Anne Power, 25 Bedford Row
Alison Pople KC, Cloth Fair Chambers
Stan Reiz KC, 2BR
Richard Thomas KC, Doughty St Chambers
Sacha Wass KC, 6KBW College Hill
Ian Winter KC, Cloth Fair Chambers
Gudren Young KC, 2 Hare Court
2024 edition published July 2024
Preeminent
Jennifer Dempster KC, Red Lion Chambers
Eleanor Laws KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Clare Montgomery KC, Matrix Chambers
James Scobie KC, Garden Court Chambers
Jim Sturman KC, 2 Bedford Row
Leading
Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC, 2 Hare Court
Adrian Darbishire KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Edward Henry KC, Mountford Chambers
Paul Mendelle KC, 25 Bedford Row
Tim Moloney KC, Doughty Street Chambers
Duncan Penny KC, 6KBW College Hill
Liam Walker KC, Doughty Street Chambers
Adrian Waterman KC, Matrix Chambers
Alisdair Williamson KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Ian Winter KC, Cloth Fair Chambers
Recommended
Ali Naseem Bajwa KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Kate Bex KC, Red Lion Chambers
Paul Bogan KC, 23ES
Matthew Butt KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
George Carter-Stephenson KC, 25 Bedford Row
Giles Cockings KC, Furnival Chambers
Nicholas Corsellis KC, QEB Hollis Whiteman
Mark Cotter KC, 5 St Andrews Hill
Peter Doyle KC, 25 Bedford Row
Tom Forster KC, Red Lion Chambers
Patrick Gibbs KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Garry Green KC, Doughty Street Chambers
Riel Karmy Jones KC, Red Lion Chambers
Jonathan Laidlaw KC, 2 Hare Court
David Perry KC, 6KBW College Hill
Amanda Pinto KC, 3 Raymond Buildings
Laurie-Anne Power, 25 Bedford Row
Alison Pople KC, Cloth Fair Chambers
Melanie Simpson KC, Doughty Street Chambers
Tyrone Smith KC, 25 Bedford Row
Sacha Wass KC, 6KBW College Hill
Lisa Wilding KC, 23ES