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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.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
Susie Griffin on the admin that keeps barristers from billable work
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how global events can influence the performance of pensions and ISAs, and why taking a long-term approach to investing is often the most effective strategy
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, discusses what family law professionals need to know about hallucinogens, from the main hallucinogenic drugs encountered in family proceedings, to their effects and the testing options available
Harmony Christian Ministries is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
By David Green
At the start of her term, Chair of the Bar 2026 Kirsty Brimelow KC set out a series of priorities for the year ahead. One of those priorities was children in the justice system
As the world becomes more digital, Barbara Vinagre Mota examines international research into the mental health consequences of judges’ exposure to graphic and immersive evidence, highlighting the importance of support systems
In an era of patient-centred care and growing concern over misconduct in medical settings, why do women still lack the right to choose women consultants for examination and treatment? Charles Davey investigates
Reviewed by Daniel Barnett
James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 September Rothko in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi until 23 August Reviewed by Stephen Cragg KC
