Partnership
UK Bar Guide 2025 : London (Bar)
Band 1
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
(020) 7242 6105Chambers Review
Serle Court is a pre-eminent set with a deep bench of barristers who act for law firms, financial services companies and other professional services clients in connection with a variety of partnership issues. Members also represent property developers and individual partners, and regularly handle matters concerning partnerships between high net worth individuals. The set is known for having developed strong arbitration and mediation practices, and for being home to barristers who appear in the leading cases of the day. Examples include the High Court LLP claimArmstrong v Taylor and Rockpool Investments LLP.Other recent cases handled include Re Bell Pottinger LLP, in which the set acted for several former members of an LLP, defending claims for the recoupment of drawings subsequent to the breakdown of the LLP. Nicholas Hockney and Daniel Wheeler are the practice directors at the set.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"I have always found the clerks to be very helpful and responsive."
"All at the set are pleasantly informal and easy to get hold of. Their rates are sensible too."
"I have always found the clerks to be very helpful and responsive."
"All at the set are pleasantly informal and easy to get hold of. Their rates are sensible too."
Notable Practitioners
Philip Jones KC stands out for his clarity of thought, straightforwardness of exposition and high level of user-friendliness, founded upon many years' experience of handling partnership disputes. He is also prominent in the representation of solicitors' firms and LLPs.
"Charming, sensible, very knowledgeable and a man who makes the right points."
John Machell KC receives extensive and enthusiastic praise from across the market as the go-to silk for the most complex or intractable pure partnership or LLP matters, his mastery of the latter being cited particularly frequently. His partnership practice covers a wide range of sectors including legal and financial services.
"An undisputed leader in the field of partnerships and LLPs, who is very user-friendly."
"John Machell KC is knowledgeable, calm, highly commercial and absolutely to be trusted. You always feel that he's got your back, and that's what you need in a barrister."
"John Machell KC is always quick to respond. He cuts through the issues and looks beyond the finer legal points for the best commercial outcome."
Jennifer Haywood handles an exhaustive range of contentious and non-contentious partnership issues as part of her wide-ranging chancery practice. Active in a variety of sectors, including the legal, medical, property development and professional services spheres, and a noted authority on LLP issues, she attracts particular praise for her strategic advice and business acumen.
"Jennifer Haywood is fabulous. She's a formidable opponent who offers an impressive combination of people skills, creativity and commercial awareness."
"A sophisticated barrister with very strong commercial vision, whose general level of service is very high."
Thomas Braithwaite is a versatile commercial chancery barrister with particularly extensive partnership experience in the professional services and property development spheres, where he advises on a variety of matters.
"Thomas Braithwaite has the ability to simplify the complex very quickly and provide clear advice. He is also a formidable advocate."
"He provides excellent and very straightforward advice."
James Mather is a formidable junior who is well respected in the partnership field, particularly where the operations of solicitors' firms and private equity funds are concerned. He offers notable expertise in litigation and arbitration partnership matters, both domestically and in offshore jurisdictions.
"James Mather's strategic thinking is impressive. He is able to look ahead and see future obstacles that others miss. His expertise in partnership law is impressive."