The Best Lawyers in Australia 2026 – 25 barristers recognised across 22 practice areas

Published on the 17th of April 2025, The Best Lawyers in Australia 2026 recognises the Best Lawyers by peer review. Categorised by city and then practice area, the process is designed to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical and legal practice area.

Twenty-five barristers practicing from Level Twenty Seven Chambers are recognised in The Best Lawyers in Australia, 2026 Edition. The list of those individuals is detailed below.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

• Roger Traves KC
• Damian Clothier KC
• Paul McQuade KC
• Rob Anderson KC
• Scott McLeod KC
• Matthew Jones KC
• Stewart Webster KC
• Michael Trim

Bet-the-Company Litigation

• Shane Doyle KC
• Damian Clothier KC

Class Action Litigation

• Shane Monks

Commercial Law

• Shane Doyle KC
• Roger Traves KC
• Damian Clothier KC
• Rob Anderson KC
• David Chesterman KC
• Matthew Jones KC
• Matthew Hickey OAM KC
• Michael May
• Claire Schneider 

Competition Law

• Shane Doyle KC
• Michael May
• Claire Schneider 

Construction/Infrastructure Law

• Shane Doyle KC
• Matthew Hickey OAM KC
• Michael Trim
• James Green
• Claire Schneider
• Sam McCarthy 
• Bianca Kabel

Constitutional Law

• Scott Mcleod KC

Defamation and Media Law

• Rob Anderson KC
• Matthew Wilkinson
• Rachel De Luchi

Insolvency and Reorganisation Law

• Damian Clothier KC
• Paul McQuade KC
• David Chesterman KC
• Matthew Jones KC
• Christopher Johnstone KC
• Matthew Hickey OAM KC
• Stewart Webster KC
• Mark Eade

International Arbitration

• Shane Doyle KC
• Shane Monks
• Michael Trim

Insurance Law

• Roger Traves KC
• Kristi Riedel 

Legal Malpractice Litigation

• Kristi Riedel 

Litigation

• Shane Doyle KC
• Damian Clothier KC
• Rob Anderson KC
• Matthew Jones KC
• Christopher Johnstone KC
• Matthew Hickey OAM KC
• Stewart Webster KC
• Michael Trim
• Michael May
• Bianca Kabel 

Medical Negligence

• Kristi Riedel 

Oil and Gas

• Shane Doyle KC
• Damian Clothier KC

Personal Injury Litigation

• Kristi Riedel 

Planning and Environmental Law

• Roger Traves KC
• John Ware

Professional Malpractice Litigation

• Matthew Hickey OAM KC
• Sam McCarthy 

Public Law

• Scott McLeod KC
• Matthew Hickey OAM KC
• Matthew Wilkinson

Sports Law

• Christopher Johnstone KC

Tax Law

• Mark Robertson KC
• Florence Chen
• Michael May

Trusts and Estates

• Mark Robertson KC

The press release from Best Lawyers with further details about the 2026 Edition and research process is available here.

Practitioners with the highest overall feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region are awarded the title “Lawyer of the Year”.

Shane Doyle KC – International Arbitration

Damian Clothier KC – Alterative Dispute Resolution

Scott McLeod KC – Public Law

Claire Schneider – Competition Law