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I secured pupillage and tenancy in a mixed common law set, which allowed me to gain experience in a variety of areas, namely family, immigration, Court of Protection and public inquiries. In my early years of practice, I became increasingly drawn to children law and Court of Protection work, so it was a natural next step to look to join a specialist family law set.
My advice to anyone scoping out new chambers is to consider the opponents you have been against in court. Do they impress you? Do they have the skills and expertise that you would want to learn, as well as associate with, by virtue of being in the same set? What are they like out of court? For me, it is important to belong to a set where the environment is truly collegiate, friendly and supportive. I gauged this from pre-hearing discussions at court with opponents and attending events where I would speak to members. I also had informal conversations with barristers from chambers of interest. From this research I felt 4PB would be a good fit for me.
Another motivation was to have a greater opportunity to be instructed on complex cases in emerging areas and on issues of public importance. I have already been led on such cases, and am expanding my network of instructing solicitors, thereby elevating my practice further.
Another priority was to move to a set that would support me in building a practice focused on my interests. My experience working in other areas has been hugely helpful in family and Court of Protection cases which overlap. I have particular specialisms in honour-based abuse, namely female genital mutilation and forced marriage, as well as working with deaf clients and I am in the process of undertaking BSL qualifications. The clerking team have indeed diligently kept these in mind when allocating work and used their network to further my work in these areas, and more widely.
Moving chambers can feel daunting. However, it need not be. As with any move, do as much due diligence as possible, both formal and informal, to understand which chambers will be the best fit for you – and you for them. Moving chambers is an opportunity to grow your practice further, learning from and working with new colleagues in an environment which suits you and your priorities.
I secured pupillage and tenancy in a mixed common law set, which allowed me to gain experience in a variety of areas, namely family, immigration, Court of Protection and public inquiries. In my early years of practice, I became increasingly drawn to children law and Court of Protection work, so it was a natural next step to look to join a specialist family law set.
My advice to anyone scoping out new chambers is to consider the opponents you have been against in court. Do they impress you? Do they have the skills and expertise that you would want to learn, as well as associate with, by virtue of being in the same set? What are they like out of court? For me, it is important to belong to a set where the environment is truly collegiate, friendly and supportive. I gauged this from pre-hearing discussions at court with opponents and attending events where I would speak to members. I also had informal conversations with barristers from chambers of interest. From this research I felt 4PB would be a good fit for me.
Another motivation was to have a greater opportunity to be instructed on complex cases in emerging areas and on issues of public importance. I have already been led on such cases, and am expanding my network of instructing solicitors, thereby elevating my practice further.
Another priority was to move to a set that would support me in building a practice focused on my interests. My experience working in other areas has been hugely helpful in family and Court of Protection cases which overlap. I have particular specialisms in honour-based abuse, namely female genital mutilation and forced marriage, as well as working with deaf clients and I am in the process of undertaking BSL qualifications. The clerking team have indeed diligently kept these in mind when allocating work and used their network to further my work in these areas, and more widely.
Moving chambers can feel daunting. However, it need not be. As with any move, do as much due diligence as possible, both formal and informal, to understand which chambers will be the best fit for you – and you for them. Moving chambers is an opportunity to grow your practice further, learning from and working with new colleagues in an environment which suits you and your priorities.
Update from the Chair of the Bar
By David Green
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, examines the forensic science underpinning hair drug testing, its evidential scope and limitations, and why it remains the gold standard for evidencing patterns of drug use in family proceedings
Unlocking your aged debt to fund your tax in one easy step. By Philip N Bristow
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, discusses the upcoming changes to pensions and Inheritance Tax and the potential impact on your financial future
Save the Children UK is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
The Chief Legal Officer to the Metropolitan Police, barrister Brett Welch, tells Anthony Inglese CB about his mission and the work to turn the Met around
Barrister apprenticeships – shortly to provide the fourth pathway to the Bar – are an ideal opportunity to support local talent and ‘grow your own’, say Tim Coulson and Dr Jane Dennehy
Born from a grievance, their research project grew into a book and is now challenging the status quo. Emma Price and Emma-Louise Fenelon reveal the key findings – and the critical next steps
Grok around and find out – or not? Mariya Peykova investigates the nudification scandal, what the law has to say about sexually explicit deepfakes, and whether stronger regulation is needed
Oliver Lewis spotlights an overlooked yet rapidly evolving area of law – coercive and controlling behaviour within care contexts
