Mountford Chambers delivers a nationwide and international service to clients, who are assured quality advice, advocacy and representation at all levels.
Mountford Chambers delivers a nationwide and international service to clients, who are assured quality advice, advocacy and representation at all levels.
Mountford Chambers is a leading criminal law set, representing a diverse range of lay and professional clients across the full spectrum of criminal cases. Renowned for excellence in advocacy and advisory services, Mountford Chambers is frequently instructed in high-profile cases of national and international importance.
Highly respected for its breadth of expertise, Mountford Chambers covers every aspect of criminal and regulatory law, along with advisory work. Its barristers have a reputation for being assured and compelling advocates who provide forensic and rigorous advice and representation. They are known for their meticulous preparation and exceptional client service, delivering outstanding results in even the most complex cases.
Since a successful rebrand in 2021, Mountford Chambers has gone from strength-to-strength, cementing its position at the forefront of criminal law while expanding into areas such as international criminal law, inquests, and inquiries.
Mountford has been consistently recognised by peers and the wider legal industry, with Mountford Chambers being acknowledged at prestigious awards, including:
Named after Edward William Mountford, the renowned English architect who designed the Old Bailey, Mountford Chambers reflects its namesake’s values of excellence and enduring impact. Upholding its reputation as a dependable and forward-thinking set, Mountford Chambers continues to provide outstanding legal services to clients in the UK and beyond.
Today, the Mountford name is synonymous with dependability, and longevity, reflecting an ethos that underpins chambers’ commitment to delivering first-class legal services.
This area of Holborn was bought in 1280 by John de Kirkby who was appointed Bishop of Ely in 1286. He passed the land to the See of Ely in 1290 and the creation of the London residence of the Bishops of Ely began. His immediate successor William de Luda built the chapel of St Etheldreda, and later Bishops built a palace with vineyard and orchards. By establishing the site as an enclave the Bishops ensured that the palace was not subjected to the laws and taxes of London but was legally part of the Diocese of Ely. The enclave covered some 60 acres before Elizabeth I began its break up over her obsession with Sir Christopher Hatton in 1577. The gardens were particularly noted for their strawberries as mentioned by Shakespeare in Richard III:
“My Lords of Ely when I was last in Holborn I saw good strawberries in your garden there; I do beseech you, send for some of them!”
St Ethelreda’s is the last remaining part of the palace and is arguably the oldest Catholic Church in England. St Ethelreda was an Anglo-Saxon queen, princess and saint who founded the monastery in Ely in 673 AD. The church survived the Great Fire but was severely damaged in the Blitz – the repairs took some 7 years. The 13th century crypt remained intact and the glorious Victorian stained glass windows were replaced with some equally fabulous stained glass installed in the 1950’s.
Ye Olde Mitre can be accessed via a narrow alley off Ely Place (as can the Bleeding Heart through a gate in the brick wall that blocks off Ely Place). Perhaps the most hidden pub in London it was built in 1546 but the current building only dates back to 1773 (with some mock Tudor remodelling in the 1970’s). Until the late 20th century the area was part of Cambridgeshire and the landlord had to seek the licence in Cambridge well into the 1960’s.
Mountford Chambers is a specialist criminal, regulatory and public law set that is founded on principles of integrity, equality and representation for all.
Our KCs, Barristers and Clerks are united by a shared vision of delivering a client service that is focused on absolute excellence, assuring clients of strategic and vigorous representation that gets to the heart of the case, and the minds of judges and juries.
Legal publications describe chambers as follows:
“Mountford Chambers is an extremely skilled set offering impeccable service and a group of counsel who are intelligent and legally astute. They are always on hand to offer assistance and are proactive in their approach with the courts.”
“Mountford has great strength in depth. The juniors are particularly good. They are a go-to set for all criminal cases.”
“Mountford Chambers offers a great range of counsel from junior to senior.”
(Legal 500, 2025)
“Mountford Chambers is well-versed in general crime cases, offering a “great selection of counsel” to handle the full complement of briefs, including murder, manslaughter and serious sexual offences cases. Barristers at the set have experience on both the defence and prosecution sides, and are thoroughly au fait with appellate work.”
“Mountford Chambers is well regarded for its “vastly knowledgeable, qualified and experienced individuals” who act on cases involving allegations of tax evasion, fraud and money laundering. Members are regularly instructed to represent their clients in Serious Fraud Office, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and HMRC investigations, and count several bankers, accountants and brokers among their enviable client base.”
(Chambers & Partners, 2025)
