2 new members at Addington Chambers: Michael Ashe QC SC and Lynne Counsell

Addington Chambers, the new “virtual” international barristers’ chambers specialising in tax and revenue law is expanding its numbers and is taking on two high profile full Members of Chambers, including its first QC:

Michael Ashe QC SC is joining from 9 Stone Buildings, Lincolns Inn. As well as being Queen’s Counsel in England and Wales, he is also a practising silk in Ireland. 

Michael began practice in 1978 in Chancery Chambers in Lincoln’s Inn.  He is a Bencher of Middle Temple and has been a Recorder of the Crown Court.

Michael’s practice largely involves business and finance.  Before practising at the Bar, he worked for the Inland Revenue and then in investment banking.  His practice involves a broad area of law including contract, conflict of laws, company law, financial services, market abuse and tax. He also has experience in general Chancery and commercial matters as well as judicial review.

Michael acts for several overseas clients. He has acted as prosecution counsel in Singapore, including a one hundred-day insider dealing case and has recently completed a seven-month insider civil dealing case in Dublin. The pattern of his work abroad mirrors that of his domestic practice and includes investment industry matters, commercial arbitration, take-overs, privatisation, and construction contract disputes.

As well as practising in Ireland, Michael has acted as an advocate or advisor in several overseas common law jurisdictions.

Lynne Counsell- Lynne was called to the Bar in 1986 and has since practised in Lincoln’s Inn Chancery chambers. She also was previously at 9 Stone Buildings. Her two areas of expertise are private client: traditional Chancery work such as probate procedure, accounts, Inheritance Act claims, Court of Protection matters, cases under the Variation of Trusts Act 1958, mutual wills, construction of wills and trusts; and financial services, interpretation of the FSMA 2000, collective investment schemes, regulatory issues and the marketing of investments.

Lynne is the author of numerous books, including various volumes of Atkin’s Court Forms, giving her a unique insight into drafting, procedural and legal issues and means. She was awarded 2017 Corporate International Global “Investment Contracts Barrister of the Year in England”.

Lynne is also on the expert panel for LexisNexis Q&A – Private Client and LexisNexis Q&A – Commercial.

These two new members take Addington Chambers to a team of eleven, with five full Members and six associates.

Addington Chambers is a set of specialist barristers, offering a wealth of expertise in core areas of taxation and revenue law, chancery and commercial and financial services. Its members have breadth and depth of experience in both advisory and litigation work in all the principal areas of UK and International tax, from cross-border corporate transaction advice, to litigation in all tribunals and courts, and advisory work on complex business and personal tax planning.

The chambers only began life seven months ago, during the pandemic. It was set up as a “virtual chambers” by Adrian Shipwright and Julian Hickey, Joint Heads of Chambers, both of whom have considerable experience from careers in law and at the Bar. Adrian and Julian plan to create a collegiate barristers’ set of chambers, without the associated costs and overheads of being in buildings in the Inns of Court 

Working as a virtual chamber gives the Members the flexibility to take on work and cases from across the world, working as a collegiate and co-operative team, from wherever they are based. Three Members of the eleven member set are overseas (South Africa, Ireland, and Jersey). 

Commenting on the expansion, Adrian Shipwright, Joint Head of Chambers said: “We are delighted that from a standing-start seven months ago, we now have a team of eleven and it is a massive boost to our credibility as a serious tax practice that we have been able to recruit new Chamber members of both Michael and Lynne’s calibre and standing, including our first Silk. We seek to become the best not the biggest set and to continue our collaborative and cooperative ethos as we grow further.” 

Julian Hickey, Joint Head of Chambers continued: “In today’s complex financial and post-Brexit world there is a growing demand for representing individuals and businesses on appeals relating to complicated tax matters and associated advisory work.  We are seeing demand for our services grow, against a backdrop of constantly evolving anti-avoidance rules, and inevitably this will increase due to the need for taxes to pay for the pandemic. We welcome Michael and Lynne to our team and plan to announce further new Members shortly.”