Chambers & Partners 2007 recommendations for Human Rights, Crime, Social Housing, Immigration and Police Law  

"This Manchester-based set has experience in a wide range of human rights cases, touching on subjects such as immigration, race relations, social security, housing, discrimination, public law, police law and inquests. The set is instructed by leading human rights law firms in the North, the Midlands and London." (Chambers & Partners 2007)

Human Rights: Northern

"This Manchester-based set has experience in a wide range of human rights cases, touching on subjects such as immigration, race relations, social security, housing, discrimination, public law, police law and inquests. The set is instructed by leading human rights law firms in the North, the Midlands and London. Highly regarded Pete Weatherby's primary areas of practice are prison, criminal and inquest law. After appearing in the Middleton inquest, he has seen a huge development in his inquiry practice generally. On the prison law side, he has been involved in some cutting-edge judicial reviews, particularly with respect to fair trial, privacy and liberty and prohibition from torture issues. He appeared recently in R (Lunn) v Governor of HMP Moorland and R (R) v Manchester City Youth Court. Other notable cases include Keith Rose v DPP, a public indecency case, and Sierny v DPP. A newcomer to this year’s rankings, Nick Stanage is a highly rated police law expert. He handled the civil claim against the police in Jason Paul v Chief Constable of Humberside Police. Stanage also specialises in dealing with inquests. He represented the families in the inquest into the death of Wendy Booth at HMP Durham and the inquest into the death of Rebecca Turner at HMP Low Newton."

Crime : Northern

"Garden Court North’s Mark George enjoys a particularly privileged place in the region for “the wealth of his experience and the regard he is held in.” He is best known for undertaking historical abuse cases and defending teachers. This year, however, he spent a good deal of his time involved in the Kingsway Hopsital Inquest into a number of deaths on the geriatric ward in the 1990s. He has also tackled a number of high-profile animal rights-related cases. At the same set, Farrhat Arshad impresses as a woman with a busy practice. She recently acted as defence counsel in the Linda Walker case, regarding a teacher who fired an air pistol at a group of youths."

Immigration : Northern

" “There are no rivals to this set for immigration prowess in the North,” interviewees confidently asserted. A host of “talented barristers” handle all aspects of immigration, asylum and nationality law. These barristers “do not merely acquiesce with accepted principles, they are always challenging the norm,” said one source. This makes the set popular for complex immigration cases. Market sources were as one in describing Melanie Plimmer as the leading barrister for immigration within the North. Her “knowledge of the law is phenomenal,” enthused one source, while others extolled her for her commitment to her clients and her strength in advocacy. She regularly undertakes complex appellate, review and judicial review asylum cases. Alex Durance has a practice that straddles the overlapping social housing, welfare and immigration areas. A “creative” junior “who is always pushing the boundaries,” he shows great skill acting in third-party removal cases. New entrant Rory O’Ryan's practice encompasses all aspects of asylum, immigration and nationality law including human rights and entry clearance cases. His previous experience as legal officer for the Refugee Legal Centre was described as being “a beneficial tool in his box.” A “clever and committed” practitioner, he also displays particular expertise in Somali asylum cases. Well versed in immigration and asylum law, Nick Stanage gained plaudits from solicitors for his expertise in Palestinian appeals. He has recently been involved in a case where permission has been given for a Court of Appeal hearing on the question of Home Office policy on asylum seekers from occupied Palestinian territories."

Police Law : Mainly Claimant

" Nick Stanage from Garden Court North Chambers has recently been involved in many topical cases, including those addressing the use of CS gas, the rights of peaceful protesters and, most famously, the malicious prosecution case brought by Jason Paul. Peers rate him for his skilful presentation in front of a jury."

Social Housing : Northern

"Outside London, there are very few concentrations of social housing talent but Garden Court North can claim to represent one of them. Based in Manchester, and an offshoot of the highly successful human rights set Garden Court Chambers in London, it has been active for the past decade. Its team of seven is active across the sector, handling such matters as tenants’ rights, the defence of possession proceedings, Housing Act appeals and squatters' rights. Amongst its numbers it can count James Stark , whose practice mirrors that of the group as a whole, and Adam Fullwood , who recently appeared in the homelessness case of Griffiths v St Helens MBC. Both were described as being “extremely hard working and very committed.” "

> more details http://www.chambersandpartners.co.uk/uk/rankings36.aspx?fid=10689&aid=225756&solbar=2

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Quick links

> Legal 500 2006/7 recommendations (published September 2006)

> Chambers & Partners 2006 recommendations (published October 2005)