Ben Nolan KC 

The retirement of a true Circuit Heavyweight

Having graced the Bar for almost 55 years Ben Nolan KC has decided to retire, quietly.

Ben’s natural modesty belies his stellar career as a junior and then in Silk. He has been a Recorder, Deputy High Court Judge and is a Master of the Bench at Middle Temple. 

He enjoyed an outstanding common law practice as a junior and Queen’s Counsel at 38 Park Square, Leeds and then Mercury Chambers. That success continued when he joined Broad Chare Chambers on the Quayside, became Head of Chambers after Paddy Cosgrove QC and then the senior Silk at Dere Street. Ben has also held active door tenancies in London and at Kenworthy’s Chambers in Manchester.

In his remarkable 34 years in Silk Ben has demonstrated tremendous versatility, leading in civil and criminal cases including niche areas of international crime, fraud, food safety, infant deaths, gangland killings, and many headline cases of our time at first instance and in the Court of Appeal. His practice and reputation has been nationwide and he can truly be described as “A Circuit Heavyweight”. 

As importantly, all those who have worked with Ben know he is a gentleman, generous and kind. Over five decades a countless number of his colleagues at the Bar and on the Bench have benefited from his guidance and support, as have so very many others who have been able to rely upon his advice, advocacy and judgment to achieve justice. 

Everyone in Chambers wishes Ben and Ali a very happy retirement together. 

John Elvidge KC