Cornerstone Barristers

Heads of Chambers: Philip Coppel KC and Tom Cosgrove KC

Chief Executive: Clare Bello

Senior Clerk: Elliot Langdorf

Tenants: 66

THE CHAMBERS:

Leading chambers in which excellence is achieved across a range of practice areas related to public law, and through professional client service. With over 65 barristers and offices in London, Birmingham and Cardiff, Cornerstone Barristers provides advice and representation in areas including administrative and public law, planning, housing, climate litigation and advice, licensing, information law, property, Court of Protection, health and social care, commercial, and regulatory law. Clients include companies, central and local government, private developers, public development agencies and individuals. Chambers offers expertise at all levels of seniority. Members are regularly involved in ground-breaking cases in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. They are not just legal experts but sector specialists, meaning they understand clients’ perspectives.

WORK UNDERTAKEN:

The set’s expertise takes in the most lengthy, complex and high profile cases, as well as more routine matters.

Public Law & Judicial Review:

The set defends and challenges public law decisions in many areas including planning, housing, highways, health and social care, court of protection, immigration, human rights, education and employment. Members take part in the most prominent public inquiries and inquests.

Planning & Environment:

As one of the leading planning sets, Cornerstone Barristers handles the full range of issues including high-profile infrastructure and other nationally important projects involving property, public and environmental law, compulsory purchase and compensation, minerals and waste, rights of way, highways, village greens and commons. Members are involved in major inquiries and advise on prominent developments, statutory challenges and judicial review.

Social Housing:

The set is well known for landlord and tenant law, homelessness, social housing, fraud, possession claims, contested succession, unlawful subletting, anti-social behaviour and disrepair.

Climate Litigation and Advice:

This set has a strong track record of providing credible, strategic, carbon-literate advice to clients and our barristers are frequently involved in some of the most consequential and high-profile climate litigation cases in the UK, including at the Supreme Court.

Licensing:

The set drives professional development in this area by advising, representing and training across the whole field, including alcohol, entertainment, gambling and taxis, on behalf of licensing authorities, police, leading industry operators, trade associations and campaign and community groups.

Information Law:

The team has particular expertise in profiling, big data and AI, and brings both legal and technical knowledge to advising clients.

Property:

As well as advising and representing private and public-sector clients in relation to commercial and residential property, members act as mediators and arbitrators.

Health & Social Care:

Members represent clients in the Court of Protection, the Administrative Court and the Supreme Court across the full spectrum of health and social care as well as property and affairs matters, including adult and child social care, mental capacity both welfare and property and affairs and mental health law.

Commercial:

The set includes barristers with domestic business law practices encompassing contentious and non-contentious commercial and corporate work.

Regulatory Law:

In conjunction with a leading reputation in corporate manslaughter, the set provides a comprehensive service in consumer protection, trading standards, health and safety and environmental regulation.

RECRUITMENT

Pupils are recruited each year; pupillage funds are available.