5 King’s Bench Walk
With a history dating back to 1966 and under the joint leadership of Sarah Forshaw KC and Mark Heywood KC, 5KBW has established a strong reputation for excellence in both defence and prosecution work across all levels of the criminal justice system. The set comprises 10 King’s Counsel and over 40 experienced and junior barristers, enabling it to handle the full range of criminal matters, from high-profile murder and terrorism trials to complex cases involving organised crime, firearms offences, drug trafficking, financial crime and sexual offences, including sensitive and historic allegations. Members are consistently ranked in leading legal directories and contribute to the profession as authors and editors of key legal texts. The clerking team, led by Lee Hughes-Gage, supports this standard by providing a responsive and professional service, ensuring instructing solicitors are matched with the most suitable barristers.
Areas of Expertise
- Sexual Offences
- Business & Financial Crime
- Civil
- Confiscation
- Counter Terrorism
- Criminal Appeals
- Direct Access
- Family
- General Crime
- Homicide
- Inquests & Inquiries
- Private Prosecutions
- Public Prosecutions
- Regulatory
- Serious & Organised Crime