Legal 500 again names 9 Park Place as "Top Tier" set

The latest edition of the Legal 500 has once again named 9 Park Place Chambers as a leading tier one set offering strong all-round expertise. Head of Chambers Paul Hopkins Q.C. said: “we are delighted to report that more than twenty members are recommended across the Legal 500 practice areas, again illustrating the breadth of quality available at 9 Park Place.”

Within Commercial, Banking and Insolvency it is noted that 9 Park Place "has members who deal with business and commercial disputes as part of broader practices. Areas of expertise include partnership, company law, insolvency and professional negligence, as well as wills, trusts and probate."

Individual members recommended are Gwydion Hughes, whose "expertise spans company and partnership disputes, insolvency, trusts and probate."  Emyr Jones, whose “advice is very thorough, practical and very sound” and Richard Kember, whose “written work and drafting is always of an exemplary standard.”

Within Construction, Planning and Environment, Emyr Jones, who "has an impressive intellect" is recommended, and the Legal 500 notes that members at 9 Park Place “represent local authorities and developers, among others, in planning matters. Emyr Jones handled the first planning inquiry into a solar farm appeal in Wales."

Within Crime, 9 Park Place members "undertake prosecution and defence work across a broad spectrum of serious criminal offences, including fraud, large-scale drugs conspiracies, murder and sexual offences". Individual recommendations include head of the criminal team David Elias, who “has experience in cases involving money laundering, drugs conspiracies and fraud,”  Matthew Roberts, who “can be trusted to act in all criminal cases however serious,” Heath Edwards, who is“a first-rate advocate who provides support and assistance every step of the way,” Matthew Cobbe,“well regarded for his prosecution and defence expertise spanning a wide range of crimes”and Elizabeth Pearson whose “wide-ranging practice covers serious crimes, including sexual and violence offences.”

Within Employment, 9 Park Place's "very good team represents both public and private sector employers and employees in cases across the employment spectrum, including in equal pay, breach of contract, redundancy and unfair discrimination matters."  

Individual recommendations include head of the employment team Richard Kember, described as "a very bright professional, with a keen eye for detail," Robert Vernon, who provides “superb analysis of complex issues, and extremely bright,”  Phillip Morris, whose “workload spans areas such as unfair dismissal, TUPE and discrimination" and Carys Williams, who is noted as having “extensive expertise in wrongful and unfair dismissal, equal pay and discrimination.”

Within Family and Children law, 9 Park Place "attracts praise for the ‘strength, depth and availability of counsel’, and the ‘wide-ranging experience’ of the team. Its ‘very friendly and approachable’ family team has particular strength in care work, and is increasingly diversifying into other areas such as financial remedy, TOLATA and Court of Protection matters."

Head of Chambers Paul Hopkins Q.C., is “extremely knowledgeable in relation to childcare issues and very sensitive in his approach,” head of the family team Owen Thomas, who “regularly appears as a leading junior in cases involving serious harm to children,”  Christopher Felstead, whose “strengths lie in complex financial remedy cases involving business issues and trusts,” Richard Miller, of whom it is said “it is obvious that clients have confidence in him,” Christina Thomas, who “represents parents, children and guardians in care cases involving physical and sexual abuse,” Lisa Thomas, who is “well regarded for all aspects of family law work,” Andrew Barcello, described as “particularly well regarded for children cases involving allegations of abuse and neglect," Eifion Williams, whose “practice covers all aspects of public and private children law, and financial remedy cases,” and Matthew Barry, who is “adept in Children Act cases and equally strong in financial remedy matters,”  are all recommended.

Within Property, Gareth Thomas whose "workload includes cases involving disputed boundaries, easements, trespass and adverse possession" and Emyr Jones are both recommended.

Within Regulatory, Health and Safety and Licensing, David Elias is noted as being “as experienced in health and safety cases brought by the HSE, and also in licensing matters" in a chambers which provides "expertise in a wide range of regulatory areas, including food standards, professional discipline (involving doctors, teachers and solicitors), trading standards and licensing. Members handle instructions from individuals, companies and public bodies such as the HSE."

9 Park Place Chambers has been a leading Welsh legal brand for over sixty years and continues to set the standard for top quality legal representation in Wales. Based in the centre of Cardiff, it provides barristers recommended in commercial litigation, crime, employment, family, personal injury & clinical negligence, property law and public law & planning.  Its members are frequently involved in some of the most high-profile cases on the Wales and Chester Circuit as well as representing clients nationwide.