Lincoln's Inn remains the first port of call for chancery work in the South. The sets most mentioned for traditional chancery are Wilberforce Chambers, Henry Harrod's set at 5 Stone Buildings, Lord Goodhart QC's 3 New Square and 11 New Square headed by Peter Crampin QC. Other sets include 13 Old Square headed by Michael Lyndon-Stanford QC.

The list of barristers is not exhaustive, but is based on the subjective recommendations of leading chancery and commercial litigation practitioners.

At Wilberforce Chambers, set head Edward Nugee QC continues to impress. He is "both a good litigation lawyer and a good lawyer, and very good tactically". Nicholas Warren QC stands out as receiving numerous recommendations, as does Terence Etherton QC who is "a straight down the middle property man with a thorough grasp of his subject and underrated because he is so easy to deal with. He is also a wonderful advocate, and very persuasive, and it is an advantage (though it shouldn't be) that judges like him".

Robert Ham QC is also good if you want a "nice clear bullish opinion". Jules Sher QC is also highly recommended as "a very able advocate", and Nicholas Warren QC "gives very sound advice, is intellectual and good on opinions". John Martin QC also rates a mention, as does David Lowe QC. New silk Brian Green QC who was "the most brilliant junior" before he took silk and is now "more expensive and more difficult to instruct", which was inevitable. A more earthy recommendation was that Green is "bloody good".

At 5 Stone Buildings, Michael Hart QC stands out, as does Mark Herbert QC who is "very effective with rock-solid drafting. As a leader, you know you can get a settled document". At Michael Lyndon-Stanford QC's set at 13 Old Square, Christopher McCall QC is rated for his practicality.

Set head at 11 New Square, Peter Crampin QC is "a former solicitor, so he knows where solicitors are coming from and is good for traditional chancery such as conveyancing and settlements. He is a good advocate, and I imagine he would also be comforting in solicitors negligence cases". At the same set Sonia Proudman QC is "impressive, has a very sound approach to cases".

Set head at 3 New Square Lord Goodhart QC is "a very good trust lawyer, and is also commercial". In the more specialised area of charities, Hubert Picarda QC at the same set is also rated for his opinions while Francesca Quint QC at 11 Old Square is also recommended.

At 3 Stone Buildings, the Chancery Bar Association vice-chairman and head of chambers, Geoffrey Vos QC, is "very tenacious as an advocate, and pretty good in a hand-to-hand gladiatorial combat case".

At 4 Stone Buildings, Philip Heslop QC rates a mention and Robert Hildyard QC "obviously on the company side of chancery, is client-friendly, open to ideas, a great team player as well as being great to work with".

At 7 Stone Buildings, set head Charles Aldous QC is "superb a top name".

At 24 Old Buildings, set head Colin Brodie QC stands out and Alan Steinfeld QC rates numerous recommendations for both international offshore trusts and company law cases.

At 9 Old Square, Chancery Bar Association chairman, Nicholas Patten QC, is said to be "very commercial, and an excellent advocate basically, clients like him".

At 11 New Square, Peter Trevett QC is "extremely good not only excellent on practical tax advice, he is well worth a visit because he can give you schemes for other clients it's two for the price of one".

At Thirteen Old Square, set head Charles Sparrow QC, and Michael Briggs QC, are both mentioned.

On the tax side, Stephen Allcock QC and Kevin Prosser QC at Pump Court Tax Chambers are impressive, as is set head Andrew Thornhill QC.

On the intellectual property side, Kevin Garnett QC at 5 New Square is "a very good advocate, and an absolute master of his subject". At 12 New Square, John Mowbray QC is "the doyen of trust practitioners in Lincoln's Inn he has an aura of greatness, and is listened to with huge respect".

On the property side, at Falcon Chambers, Kim Lewison QC, Jonathan Brock QC and Jonathan Gaunt QC are the names that continue to rate numerous recommendations.

From the commercial side, Ian Geering QC and Ali Malek QC from 3 Verulam Buildings are rated, as is Anthony Grabiner QC at One Essex Court.