2 Hare Court | London Barristers Chambers - One of the UK's leading sets

2 Hare Court is widely acknowledged as one of the foremost criminal defence sets in the country and has a long and proud history of representing both individuals and companies facing criminal prosecution.

Chambers offers unrivalled expertise and exceptional ability in defence at all levels of the criminal justice system, from pre-charge advice to representation before the highest appellate courts. Members of Chambers are recognised for the outstanding quality of their written and oral advice and careful, precise advocacy in defence of their clients. We appear throughout England and Wales, Northern Ireland, the Caribbean and in other international jurisdictions.

We offer specialist and committed representation to those charged with life or reputation-changing allegations and recognise that every case is of critical importance to the people who are involved, regardless of its apparent size or the attendant media coverage, although many of the cases in which we are instructed are of national or international interest.

Examples of cases in which members have defended include, Ike Ekweremadu, a former Nigerian Senator prosecuted for an organ harvesting plot, the Boohoo modern slavery investigation, the trial of Imran Khan MP for sexual assault, the Boris Becker insolvency case, the John Leslie sexual assault case, the Benjamin Mendy rape trial, the News International phone hacking cases (Rebekah Brooks and Ian Edmonson), the ‘Dizzee Rascal’ domestic assault case, the murder of au pair Sophie Lionnet, the pensioner killer Danville Neil, the police-killing cannibal Stefano Brizzi, Just Stop Oil activists and those accused of breaching Covid regulations.

Members of chambers are contributors to the leading publications used by practitioners; we lecture and provide training to companies and individuals concerned about compliance.

"The set as a whole is fantastic to work with. The clerks make life every easy, and are on top of everything."

Legal 500 UK 2024

"The set is loaded with exceptional KCs, senior juniors at the top of their game and diligent juniors with qualities above their call."

Chambers UK 2023

"2 Hare Court is an excellent set with a range of eminent silks as well as brilliant junior barristers. This chambers is often a first port of call for solicitors who have white collar or private general crime cases."

Legal 500 UK 2024

"2 Hare Court are a go-to set. With their expansion over the last few years they are able to offer a vast number of barristers who are leaders in this field."

Legal 500 UK 2022

"2 Hare Court are the premier set for serious and general crime. They have strength at every year of call, and the clerks know their counsel intimately."

Legal 500 UK 2025

"The clerks at 2 Hare Court are very user friendly and really care about their instructing solicitors. Special mention goes to Chloe Tennent, Louis Lockwood and Julian Campbell for their excellent clerking."

Legal 500 UK 2025

"Jack Shah always provides a full service, from the moment counsel is briefed, until a matter has concluded and been billed."

Legal 500 UK 2025

"Chloe Tennent is an excellent clerk. She is very helpful."

Legal 500 UK 2025

"Chloe Tennent is one to watch and will go far!"

Legal 500 UK 2025

"2 Hare Court are fortunate to have such a dedicated set of clerks. They are always very keen to help and will respond timely to enquiries positively."

Chambers UK 2024

Key Contact

Jack Shah, Senior Practice Manager

For more information please contact Jack Shah on 0207 353 5324 or email jackshah@2harecourt.com.

We will guide you through our simple and transparent process and ensure you obtain the best representation.

Criminal Defence Barristers

King's Counsel

Jonathan Laidlaw KC

Call 1982 | Silk 2008

Martin Heslop KC

Call 1972 | Silk 1995

Peter Wright KC

Call 1981 | Silk 1999

Orlando Pownall KC

Call 1975 | Silk 2002

Martin Hicks KC

Call 1977 | Silk 2003

Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC

Call 1984 | Silk 2006

Brendan Kelly KC

Call 1988 | Silk 2008

Jonathan Rees KC

Call 1987 | Silk 2010

Brian O’Neill KC

Call 1987 | Silk 2010

Kate Blackwell KC

Call 1992 | Silk 2012

Jonathan Kinnear KC

Call 1994 (Northern Ireland 1996) | Silk 2012

Michael Hayton KC

Call 1993 | Silk 2013

Oliver Glasgow KC

Call 1995 | Silk 2016

David Whittaker KC

Call 1986 | Silk 2019

Zubair Ahmad KC

Call 1995 | Silk 2019

Mark Graffius KC

Call 1990 | Silk 2020

Leon Kazakos KC

Call 1999 | Silk 2020

Marios Lambis KC

Call 1989 | Silk 2022

Gudrun Young KC

Call 2001 | Silk 2022

Nneka Akudolu KC

Call 2002 | Silk 2022

Junior Counsel

Tyrone Belger

Call 1984

Gavin Irwin

Call 1996

Madeleine Wolfe

Call 1998

Peter Lownds

Call 1998

“Paul is excellent at dealing with fragile clients, and navigating them through their evidence and the inquest process.”

Quinn Hawkins

Call 1999

Angus Bunyan

Call 1999

Michael Rawlinson

Call 2002

Julia Faure Walker

Call 2004

Sarah Przybylska

Call 2006

Daniel Chadwick

Call 2006

Emily Dummett

Call 2006

Harry Bentley

Call 2007

Fiona Robertson

Call 2008

Tom Day

Call 2008

Will Martin

Call 2010

Laura Stephenson

Call 2012

Rebecca Erkan-Bax

Call 2012

Sophia Dower

Call 2013

Paul Renteurs

Call 2013

Lewis MacDonald

Call 2014

Grace Forbes

Call 2015

Hannah Thomas

Call 2016

Neelam Gomersall

Call 2017

Max Mills

Call 2018

Harry Laidlaw

Call 2018

Eleanor Lucas

Call 2018

Redmond Traynor

Call 2019

Gabriele Watts

Call 2019

Jack Gilliland

Call 2019

Ralph Pickering

Call 2021

Eleanor Fox

Call 2021

Thomas Beardsworth

Call 2021

Daniel Mullin

Call 2021

Ella Ripper

Call 2021

Madeleine Price

Call 2021

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