Chambers & Partners 2009 recommendations for civil liberties, public law, crime, immigration and social housing  

CHAMBERS & PARTNERS 2009 RECOMMENDATIONS

Civil liberties : Northern

Garden Court North is the leading set for civil liberties work outside London.

Specialising in prison law, Pete Weatherby is " a brilliant lawyer who has taken on some important cases." He is counsel for Michael Shields, the football fan serving a sentence for the attempted murder of a barman in Bulgaria in 2005.

Administrative and public law : National

Based in Manchester, Pete Weatherby of Garden Court North has "unrivalled knowledge of administrative and public law in the North" and specialist expertise in prison law. "He's a junior with virtually the same level of knowledge and experience as a silk," peers say. Clients find him "prompt, proactive and very personable."

Crime : Northern

The calibre of counsel at Garden Court North was described as "truly outstanding." Known for their "matchless dedication to cases", they enjoy the support of some of the most "friendly and supportive" administrative staff on circuit.

Solicitors praise Mark George for "his mastery of a brief, knowledge of the law and rapport with the clients." His practice is predominantly trial-based, and covers all serious criminal matters. He acted in R v Omar Altimini, the first trial in Manchester involving allegations linked to Middle Eastern terrorism.

Peter Hodson has an advocacy style that is both "persuasive and realistic." Solicitors favour him as he "invariably instils confidence in the clients."

Pete Weatherby has a specialist criminal practice; he acts mainly in cases which have civil liberties or human rights points involved, as well as in miscarriage of justice and High Court and Court of Appeal cases. Clients agree that "he is extremely academic, has a good way with clients and can really argue his point in court, no matter how tough it gets."

Immigration: Leading Silk

Leading Silk: Immigration (Band 2) “ Ian Macdonald QC’s tremendous reputation for work across the immigration and race relations sector is assured not only through his efforts in court, but also by dint of the fact that he authored the leading textbook on immigration. His personal approach is valued by sources, who comment that his ‘affable, outside the box style endears him to peers and clients alike’. Macdonald’s varied practice covers the full gamut of immigration advice and representation, from defending alleged terrorists to advising sporting bodies on the procurement of overseas staff”.

Immigration : Northern

Garden Court North is still the pre-eminent public law set in the North, drawing plaudits for its expertise across immigration, housing and prison law.

Alex Durance has a broad immigration practice dealing with asylum cases and third-country removals, and is praised by sources for his "simply fantastic knowledge."

Rory O'Ryan is another of the set's acknowledged immigration experts, and has grabbed his share of the limelight recently due to his work in cases involving Somali asylum seekers.

Social housing : Northern

Garden Court North is considered to be the leading set for tenants work outside of London.

James Stark [is] considered "an expert when it comes to tolerated trespassers work," Stark is also respected for his "encyclopaedic knowledge of housing allocation and possession proceedings."

Also at Garden Court, former solicitor Ben McCormack moves up the rankings this year. Solicitors are particularly appreciative of his ability to turn work around quickly.

> See all rankings for Garden Court North Chambers on Chambers & Partners website