×
Chris Buttler
MEET:

Chris Buttler KC

"An absolute powerhouse of an advocate"; "a truly exceptional advocate"; “He is a force of nature”

Chambers & Partners (2023) and Legal 500 (2023)
Called: 2004
Silk: 2021

Chris practises in all areas of public and human rights law and is ranked as a leading silk in those fields. Chambers & Partners 2022 says “He is exceptional. His presentation is clear and excellent”, “His advice is always extremely clear and he always delivers in court”. Chris is on the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Panel.

The bulk of his practice is judicial review and claims under the Human Rights Act 1998, in the UK and in offshore jurisdictions. He has experience of a wide range of subject matters, including professional regulation, taxation, pensions, mental health and mental capacityhealth careeducation, planning and environmental challenges, equality, and immigration and asylum. For example, he recently acted in leading cases on the detention of victims of torture, criminal injuries compensation, safeguarding victims of human trafficking, the detention of children and the rights of unmarried partners to public sector pensions.

MA in Geography, Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, First Class Honours, 2000

MPhil in International Development, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, 2002

(Dissertation on the legality of trade sanctions in international environmental treaties)

Diploma in Law, City University, 2003

Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law, 2004

Research Award, Economic & Social Research Council, 2000

Princess Royal Scholarship, Inner Temple, 2003

Chris is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. In order to provide legal services to his clients, including advice and representation services, Chris needs to collect and hold personal data. This includes his client’s personal data and the personal data of others who feature in the matter upon which he is instructed. To read Chris’ privacy notice in full, please see here.

Chris is regulated by the Bar Standards Board and accepts instructions under Standard Contractual Terms. To find out more information on this and the way we work at Matrix, including our fee transparency statement, please see our see our service standards

DIRECTORY RECOMMENDATIONS

"Chris is smart and he grasps matters immediately." "Chris is able to ensure success, he is brilliant in his drafting and equally brilliant on his feet: he knows what will capture the court." "Chris is economical but effective in his drafting."

Chambers & Partners, 2024, Administrative & Public Law

"A stellar advocate. He has an impressive ability to make complex arguments punchy and accessible."

Legal 500, 2024, Administrative Law and Human Rights

"Absolutely phenomenal; my go-to for anything complicated that requires an astute leader. His advocacy is absolutely brilliant: very sharp, polished, clear and to the point. He is really good at identifying clear-cut legal points."

Chambers & Partners, 2024, Civil Liberties & Human Rights

"Chris is exceptional. He really knows his stuff." "Chris is crystal-clear in oral and written submissions. He is good at cutting through complexity and good at making it seem simple."

Chambers & Partners, 2024, Community Care

"Chris brings impressive clarity to complex arguments. He can cut through complex areas such as social welfare law and distil key issues impressively."

Legal 500, 2024, Court of Protection and Community Care

"A really clever lawyer who is very hard-working and always gives 110% for his clients." "He has a phenomenal output of work. As silk, has the skills to think on his feet and he has a very effortless approach." "He has a nice analytical style of advocacy."

Chambers & Partners, 2024, Immigration

"Chris is a stellar advocate. He is crystal clear in his oral submissions and has an impressive ability to make complex arguments punchy and accessible."

Legal 500, 2024, Immigration (Including Business Immigration)

"A powerful advocate; great at stripping a case back to the points that will win." "He is excellent and provides very commercial, nuanced advice." "He has a mastery of legal detail and he's always realistic in his submissions."

Chambers & Partner, 2023, Administrative & Public Law

"Chris is a truly exceptional advocate, delivering outstanding work and outcomes for clients." "He is a force of nature."

Chambers & Partner, 2023, Civil Liberties & Human Rights

"Chris is an absolute powerhouse." "His drafting is impeccable and his legal arguments are creative and effective."

Chambers & Partner, 2023, Community Care

"He is absolutely phenomenal." "He does wonderful work on trafficking. I have the greatest of respect for him." "An absolute powerhouse of an advocate."

Chambers & Partner, 2023, Immigration

"He works extremely hard and is very creative. Judges really like him. His advocacy is very impressive."

Legal 500, 2022, Immigration2023

"Chris is excellent on his feet. He is very good at strategic thinking and is really powerful in court."

Legal 500, 2022, Immigration (Including Business Immigration)

"His advocacy is brilliant. He commands the respect of the Court and never loses the confidence of his instructing team."

Legal 500, 2022, Administrative & Public Law (Including Elections)

"He's very pragmatic and clear in his advice and is able to support it with strong legal analysis." "He can take complex issues and break them down, which works very well with the judges."

Chambers & Partners, 2022, Administrative & Public Law

"A very clever and smooth advocate." "Chris is an outstanding silk and powerful advocate."

Chambers & Partners, 2022, Community Care

"He is exceptional. His presentation is clear and excellent." "His advice is always extremely clear and he always delivers in court. He makes a very strong case for his clients."

Chambers & Partner, 2022, Immigration

"He’s head and shoulders above everyone else. I like everything about him – his drafting is impeccable, he’s ferocious in court, and he turns cases around with his advocacy."

"An extremely good lawyer with superb mastery of judicial review. He is extremely responsive and adaptable and able to work within a team."

Chambers & Partners, 2021

"Renowned junior counsel with a strong track record of appearing in high-profile judicial reviews."

"He is incredibly bright and brilliant on his feet."

Chambers & Partners 2020

"A brilliant advocate, who is incredibly bright and lovely to deal with."

"He is very determined, very tenacious and very committed to his cases."

"He is very good, very thoughtful and comes up with points that make you stop and think as an opponent."

Chambers & Partners 2019

"Exceptionally bright barrister who is decisive and clear in his advice and arguments. He instils confidence."

"Tactically shrewd and well-liked by the court."

"A brilliant advocate, who is incredibly bright and lovely to deal with."

Chambers & Partners 2018
Matrix Chambers
24 HOUR ASSISTANCE
+44 (0)20 7404 3447
Chris Buttler
Called: 2004
|
Silk: 2021

"An absolute powerhouse of an advocate"; "a truly exceptional advocate"; “He is a force of nature”

Chambers & Partners (2023) and Legal 500 (2023)

MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE

  • Commercial Law
  • Education Law
  • Environmental Law and Natural Resources
  • Immigration, Asylum and Free Movement
  • Civil Liberties and Human Rights
  • Public Law
  • Public Law: Information, Data and Privacy
  • Police, Inquests and Prison
  • Health and Social Care (including welfare benefits)
  • Commercial Public Law
  • Private International Law
  • Equality and Discrimination Law

Chris Buttler KC

Contact Chris: chrisbuttler@matrixlaw.co.uk | +44 (0)20 7404 3447

Contact Chris's Practice Team (Team X): TeamX@matrixlaw.co.uk


Chris practises in all areas of public and human rights law and is ranked as a leading silk in those fields. Chambers & Partners 2022 says “He is exceptional. His presentation is clear and excellent”, “His advice is always extremely clear and he always delivers in court”. Chris is on the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Panel.

The bulk of his practice is judicial review and claims under the Human Rights Act 1998, in the UK and in offshore jurisdictions. He has experience of a wide range of subject matters, including professional regulation, taxation, pensions, mental health and mental capacityhealth careeducation, planning and environmental challenges, equality, and immigration and asylum. For example, he recently acted in leading cases on the detention of victims of torture, criminal injuries compensation, safeguarding victims of human trafficking, the detention of children and the rights of unmarried partners to public sector pensions.

Education

MA in Geography, Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, First Class Honours, 2000

MPhil in International Development, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, 2002

(Dissertation on the legality of trade sanctions in international environmental treaties)

Diploma in Law, City University, 2003

Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law, 2004

Scholarships

Research Award, Economic & Social Research Council, 2000

Princess Royal Scholarship, Inner Temple, 2003


Chris's Privacy Notice

Chris is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. In order to provide legal services to his clients, including advice and representation services, Chris needs to collect and hold personal data. This includes his client’s personal data and the personal data of others who feature in the matter upon which he is instructed. To read Chris’ privacy notice in full, please see here.


DIRECTORY RECOMMENDATIONS

"Chris is smart and he grasps matters immediately." "Chris is able to ensure success, he is brilliant in his drafting and equally brilliant on his feet: he knows what will capture the court." "Chris is economical but effective in his drafting."

Chambers & Partners, 2024, Administrative & Public Law

"A stellar advocate. He has an impressive ability to make complex arguments punchy and accessible."

Legal 500, 2024, Administrative Law and Human Rights

"Absolutely phenomenal; my go-to for anything complicated that requires an astute leader. His advocacy is absolutely brilliant: very sharp, polished, clear and to the point. He is really good at identifying clear-cut legal points."

Chambers & Partners, 2024, Civil Liberties & Human Rights

"Chris is exceptional. He really knows his stuff." "Chris is crystal-clear in oral and written submissions. He is good at cutting through complexity and good at making it seem simple."

Chambers & Partners, 2024, Community Care

"Chris brings impressive clarity to complex arguments. He can cut through complex areas such as social welfare law and distil key issues impressively."

Legal 500, 2024, Court of Protection and Community Care

"A really clever lawyer who is very hard-working and always gives 110% for his clients." "He has a phenomenal output of work. As silk, has the skills to think on his feet and he has a very effortless approach." "He has a nice analytical style of advocacy."

Chambers & Partners, 2024, Immigration

"Chris is a stellar advocate. He is crystal clear in his oral submissions and has an impressive ability to make complex arguments punchy and accessible."

Legal 500, 2024, Immigration (Including Business Immigration)

"A powerful advocate; great at stripping a case back to the points that will win." "He is excellent and provides very commercial, nuanced advice." "He has a mastery of legal detail and he's always realistic in his submissions."

Chambers & Partner, 2023, Administrative & Public Law

"Chris is a truly exceptional advocate, delivering outstanding work and outcomes for clients." "He is a force of nature."

Chambers & Partner, 2023, Civil Liberties & Human Rights

"Chris is an absolute powerhouse." "His drafting is impeccable and his legal arguments are creative and effective."

Chambers & Partner, 2023, Community Care

"He is absolutely phenomenal." "He does wonderful work on trafficking. I have the greatest of respect for him." "An absolute powerhouse of an advocate."

Chambers & Partner, 2023, Immigration

"He works extremely hard and is very creative. Judges really like him. His advocacy is very impressive."

Legal 500, 2022, Immigration2023

"Chris is excellent on his feet. He is very good at strategic thinking and is really powerful in court."

Legal 500, 2022, Immigration (Including Business Immigration)

"His advocacy is brilliant. He commands the respect of the Court and never loses the confidence of his instructing team."

Legal 500, 2022, Administrative & Public Law (Including Elections)

"He's very pragmatic and clear in his advice and is able to support it with strong legal analysis." "He can take complex issues and break them down, which works very well with the judges."

Chambers & Partners, 2022, Administrative & Public Law

"A very clever and smooth advocate." "Chris is an outstanding silk and powerful advocate."

Chambers & Partners, 2022, Community Care

"He is exceptional. His presentation is clear and excellent." "His advice is always extremely clear and he always delivers in court. He makes a very strong case for his clients."

Chambers & Partner, 2022, Immigration

"He’s head and shoulders above everyone else. I like everything about him – his drafting is impeccable, he’s ferocious in court, and he turns cases around with his advocacy."

"An extremely good lawyer with superb mastery of judicial review. He is extremely responsive and adaptable and able to work within a team."

Chambers & Partners, 2021

"Renowned junior counsel with a strong track record of appearing in high-profile judicial reviews."

"He is incredibly bright and brilliant on his feet."

Chambers & Partners 2020

"A brilliant advocate, who is incredibly bright and lovely to deal with."

"He is very determined, very tenacious and very committed to his cases."

"He is very good, very thoughtful and comes up with points that make you stop and think as an opponent."

Chambers & Partners 2019

"Exceptionally bright barrister who is decisive and clear in his advice and arguments. He instils confidence."

"Tactically shrewd and well-liked by the court."

"A brilliant advocate, who is incredibly bright and lovely to deal with."

Chambers & Partners 2018