Historically, London has been regarded as the primary location for barristers seeking to carve out a successful legal career. However, in a growing shift, many are choosing to relocate to Northern sets. Nick Murphy did just that in 2024, moving from a London chambers to New Park Court Chambers, which has offices in Leeds and Newcastle. Nick explains his motivations, the outcomes of moving to New Park Court Chambers, and why a thriving practice is not synonymous with London.

Why did you decide to move to New Park Court Chambers?

I started to reflect on what we were actually getting out of living in London. My wife and I had such busy, stressful jobs that we didn’t have the time or energy to engage with what London had to offer; instead, we were coming back to our relatively small flat to recharge at home before heading back out into the madness. We decided there had to be more to life, so I looked at what could offer us a better work-life balance. New Park Court Chambers is a prestigious set with a strong reputation for criminal work, but located in the regions, which seemed the perfect combination.

Was it an easy process moving sets?

Surprisingly, it was. I can’t say I wasn’t a bit nervous about moving sets, since there’s an element of the unknown to it, but it is much more common than it used to be. Both chambers were really helpful with the transition, and New Park Court Chambers has a strong admin team that helped me get set up quickly.

Tell me about your practice, and has it changed since moving to New Park Court Chambers?

For the first 10 years, I did exclusively criminal defence work. Now that I have moved to New Park Court Chambers, I’m also prosecuting, which has been really interesting, as I’ve learned what goes on behind the CPS curtain. I think seeing both sides of the spectrum has benefited my practice. This area is a hub for national and regional law firms, so I continue to receive high-quality cases. I have been winding down some of my London work as there is plenty up here, but the fast train is only two hours, meaning I can still be prepped and in the London courts by 9 am.

What about your life outside of court?

We now have space, both in the place we call home and around us. We live in a village (with the mandatory pub and shop) and have been welcomed by the local community. I’ve learned to drive, not a necessity when the tube was the go-to form of transportation, and we’re getting a dog. We still go to the theatre, galleries, and eat in quality restaurants, but we also have both the Yorkshire Moors and the Yorkshire Dales on our doorstep, so we spend a lot more time in the fresh air.

Would you recommend moving to a set like New Park Court Chambers to other counsel?

Absolutely. If you want a more relaxed pace of life and having 30 trendy coffee shops on your doorstep is not a priority (if in doubt, they do have coffee up North, your local flat white vendors are just narrowed down to a dozen or so).

I loved my time at my previous chambers and am grateful for everything I learned there – this move wasn’t about leaving something bad, but about finding what worked better for my life outside of court. I, probably like all barristers, had an inherent paranoia that I might move sets and the phone would never ring again. But that’s just it, an irrational fear of change. I have been welcomed up North and have never been so busy. And remember, the work pays the same whether you are in Newcastle or Southwark; your pound just goes a lot further up here.