Share:

Doughty Street Chambers’ five 2022 Silks sworn in at the Queen’s Counsel Appointment Ceremony at Westminster Hall

Doughty Street Chambers is immensely proud to congratulate our five 2022 Silks who were formally sworn in at the Queen’s Counsel Appointment Ceremony at Westminster Hall on Monday 21 March. Sarah Vine, Liam Walker, Laura Dubinsky, Richard Thomas and Jude Bunting were appointed as Queen’s Counsel following the rigorous process for selection in demonstrating excellence in advocacy in the higher courts in England and Wales.

 

Sarah Vine (second left), Liam Walker (left), Laura Dubinsky (right), Richard Thomas (centre) and Jude Bunting (second right)
Sarah Vine (centre left), Liam Walker (left), Laura Dubinsky (right), Richard Thomas (centre) and Jude Bunting (centre right)

 

Sarah specialises in criminal law and appeals, defending against a wide range of difficult and emotive cases of serious violence (in particular murder and other homicide offences) and sexual offending. She is also instructed in complex and serious allegations of financial crime, and is sought out for advice and representation in matters involving investigatory powers, confiscation and restraint orders.

Liam is a crime specialist whose practice extends across regulatory and professional disciplinary law (including sports, medical and media), business crime, inquests and inquiries. He is one of only two junior counsel listed as being ranked in the top tier of counsel in both the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners 2022.  Liam is regularly instructed to defend individuals charged with the most serious offences: murder, attempted murder, terrorism, serious sexual offences and complex fraud. He is the author of Westlaw Insight’s guide to manslaughter and, as an expert in sexual offences, is a speaker for Lexis Nexis on serious sexual offences. As a result of Liam’s commitment to his clients, Liam is regularly instructed to represent individuals with a high media profile. 

Laura practices in public law at all levels, with a particular focus on cases with a refugee, immigration, ECHR or EU law dimension.  She is regularly instructed in test challenges to government policy and to systemic failures arising out of public authority practices.  A substantial part of her work also focuses on civil liberties. She has, for example, for example, acted in test litigation concerning the scope of bail powers; challenges to the unlawful imposition of COVID curfews; and many of the landmark cases concerning unlawful administrative detention.

Richard has extensive experience of complex and high-profile trials and appeals. He regularly appears in cases which engage the interface between criminal, public and civil law, and many of his cases involve an international dimension, arising out of multi-jurisdictional investigations or prosecutions. Richard advises individuals, organisations and companies who are seeking to manage the risks of contravening criminal legislation (in particular terrorism and financial sanctions regimes) and is often instructed at an early stage, challenging investigative measures and helping clients manage an overall strategy.

Jude specialises in judicial review, human rights and media law. He is an expert in arguing novel and high-profile points of law and has acted in 17 cases before the Supreme Court. His practice includes cases involving open justice, surveillance, national security, prisons, police, international law, and women’s rights. In 2020, Jude was named "Public Law Junior of the Year" at the Legal 500 Bar Awards, “Human Rights and Public Law Junior of the Year” at the Chambers and Partners Bar Awards, and "Lawyer of the Week” in The Times.

Doughty Street Chambers also congratulates our colleague and Academic Expert Elizabeth Wilmshurst CMG upon her appointment as Honorary Queen’s Counsel (QC Honoris Causa). Honorary QCs are awarded to those who have made a major contribution to the law of England and Wales, outside practice in the courts.


For more information about the work of Sarah, Liam and Richard, please contact Matthew Butchard.

For more information about the work of Laura, please contact Rachel Finch, and for Jude, please contact Melvin Warner.