King approves appointment of 95 new King’s Counsel

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The King approved the appointment of 94 barristers and one solicitor as new King’s Counsel (KC) on Monday.

The KC title is one of the highest honours a lawyer can receive, and results in higher fees and more complex cases. Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk MP, who formally appointed the new KCs, explained in his speech that “the rank signifies the highest regard for legal ability, for diligence, for professionalism and for integrity”. This year, 283 people applied to become KC, and 65 men and 30 women were selected from this pool.

The application process includes a £2,520 application fee and a further appointment fee of £4,320 for those successful. However, applicants with low incomes (gross fees below £90,000) are entitled to concessionary fees.

Out of the cohort, Hussein Haeri was the only solicitor to be appointed. Haeri is a partner at Withers LLP, working in its international arbitration and public international law teams and co-heading its Middle East group.

Peter Wood, CEO of the Withers dispute resolution division, said: “I’m delighted that Hussein Haeri has been recommended for appointment as a KC. He’s been an outstanding advocate and leader of the firm’s international arbitration group for many years, contributing to our growing global reputation. We’re particularly proud that he’s the only solicitor advocate to receive the accolade this year. I couldn’t be happier for him.”