Specialists in children law, the Court of Protection and public law are strongly represented among the 101 barristers and solicitors appointed as new Queen’s Counsel this week.
Alex Ruck Keene, a barrister at 39 Essex Chambers and leading authority on mental capacity law who regularly contributes to Local Government Lawyer, has also been named as one of eight honorary QCs.
Among those successful were:
- Jessica Boyd, Blackstone Chambers (public law and regulatory)
- David Bradly, 39 Essex Chambers (regulatory and disciplinary law)
- Nicola Braganza, Garden Court Chambers (public law)
- Joy Brereton, 4PB (public law children)
- Laura Briggs, 1GC (family law)
- Jude Bunting, Doughty Street (judicial review, human rights and media law)
- Joanne Clement, 11KBW (public and procurement law)
- Liz Davies, Garden Court Chambers (social housing law)
- Estelle Dehon, Cornerstone Barristers (administrative law, environment, planning, data protection)
- Gemma Farrington, 42 Bedford Row (children law)
- Michael Gration, 4PB ((children law, Court of Protection)
- Catherine Heyworth, 30 Park Place (public law children)
- Zoe Leventhal, Matrix Law (public law and human rights)
- Melissa Murphy, Francis Taylor Building (compulsory purchase and compensation, planning and associated administrative law)
- Hanif Mussa, Blackstone Chambers (public law)
- Joseph O’Brien, St Johns Buildings (Court of Protection)
- Tim Parker, 9 Gough Square (family law, inquests, Court of Protection)
- Carine Patry, Landmark Chambers (public and administrative law, Court of Protection)
- Sarah Reid, Kings Chambers (planning)
- Sophia Roper, Serjeants’ Inn (public law, Court of Protection)
- Galina Ward, Landmark Chambers (public and property law)
- Toby Watkin, Landmark Chambers (property)
- Charlotte Worsley, Park Square Barristers (children law)
On the appointment of Ruck Keene, who is Visiting Professor at King’s College London, the Ministry of Justice said: “He has played a key role in reforming both the Mental Capacity Act and the Mental Health Act, having worked on the Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty project at the Law Commission and acted as the legal advisor to the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act.
“In his role as lawyer and educator, he has played a significant role in supporting health and social care professionals understand and apply the Mental Capacity Act in different contexts, including during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
QC Appointments, the body that runs the selection process, said 45 women applicants of the 72 who applied were successful. Fifteen applicants who declared an ethnic origin other than white were successful of the 38 who applied. Five solicitor advocates were appointed a QC of the 21 who applied.