Legal Personality

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Joint Senior Clerk, 7KBW 

7KBW is a leading set of chambers with experts specialising in the full breadth of commercial law. 

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Silk, 2 Bedford Row 

2 Bedford Row is one of the country’s leading criminal and regulatory sets specialising in high profile fraud and murder cases, health and safety and professional disciplinary proceedings. 

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Barrister, Thomas Bingham Chambers 

Thomas Bingham Chambers is a newly formed common law set specialising in civil litigation, crime, family and regulatory matters. 

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Senior Clerk, 20 Essex Street 

20 Essex Street is a leading international set of commercial barristers’ chambers in London and Singapore specialising in international arbitration, commercial, EU, competition, insolvency and public international law disputes. 

What have been some of the highlights of your career?
I am fortunate there have been more than a few. Being appointed Joint Senior Clerk here in ’96 was a proud day. I started clerking in ’76 in what is now Henderson Chambers for 8 years, then spent 4 years at Blackstone Chambers. I’ve been at 20 Essex Street since ’88. I was elected Chairman of the IBC in March this year, although it should be noted I was unopposed. However, my proudest moment is undoubtedly being instrumental in setting up the UK’s first fully staffed and full-time international chambers in Maxwell Chambers, Singapore in October 2009; I had been working on this behind the scenes since 2007. Meeting representatives from MinLaw and the AG’s Department in Singapore was great fun and a real eye-opener in discussing and planning with them for the future and how to succeed. That initiative has been a great success for 20 Essex Street. 

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Head of Chambers, Mansfield Chambers 

Mansfield Chambers is a new chambers whose publicly funded practitioners defend the civil and human rights of individuals and groups of people 

What have been some of the highlights of your career?
The cases that have had national interest and importance, primarily those that have taken on the system and brought about seismic change. One example is the Stephen Lawrence case. The Macpherson Report made 77 recommendations for change in the Met. These changes were far reaching. And what Mrs Lawrence, now Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, has done is to show that ordinary individuals could ask all the right questions, and get a lot of them answered. She also periodically summoned the political leaders and police to meetings to ask them what they had done – in effect to hold them to account. 

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Senior Clerk, 2KBW 

2KBW is one of the Western Circuit’s leading sets with chambers in London and Portsmouth, specialising in crime, family and civil law. 

You have played an integral part in re-invigorating the profile of your set. How is your chambers reacting to changes at the Criminal Bar?
I started my career at 2KBW in 1988 when chambers was one of a very few successful common law Western Circuit sets. I returned to chambers at the beginning of 2012. From the outset it was clear that chambers had largely veered away from the areas of Family and Civil law and I wanted to focus on returning the set to its “common law” roots. 

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Head of chambers of 37 Park Square Chambers, Leeds. 

37 Park Square Chambers is a leading North Eastern Circuit set, specialising in the core areas of family law, criminal and civil common law. 

You are one of a few elite female QCs at the Bar, and in a further select of female heads of chambers. Do you feel the Bar is improving in supporting women through the profession?
I was fortunate enough to come to the Bar at a time when the real trailblazers had paved the way for female practitioners like myself. Lorna Cole, who was the first female barrister on the North Eastern Circuit, was a real inspiration for many of us who came after her. When she joined circuit she had to eat her meal separate from the men and completely alone in the entrance hall to the venue! Hearing stories like that provided real inspiration for me. 

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Chief Executive Officer, Parklane Plowden 

Parklane Plowden is a large set of chambers in Leeds and Newcastle, comprising over 80 members and specialising in four key practice areas: Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence; Family; Employment and Chancery & Commercial. 

Job title: Silk and Head of the Criminal Team 

New Park Court Chambers is a large and well-established set of Chambers comprising 94 barristers in Leeds and Newcastle, including 9 QCs, specialising in criminal, civil and family law.  

You are described in the leading directories as ‘an ascending star’, and were described in The Times  in connection with the Suarz/Evra case as one of the country’s leading criminal lawyers. What do you credit your success to?
Hard work and good luck. In the five years before I took silk I was fortunate to be led by a number of exceptional QCs. In particular, I was led by Robert Smith QC in a series of long cases of considerable complexity and importance. Of all of the advocates I have encountered, he has the highest standards and I learnt a great deal from him. This period was effectively a second pupillage and set me on course for my own career in silk. 

Job title: Head of Chambers at 4 Paper Buildings 

4PB is the largest family law set in England, with 70 members of which 12 are Silks, offering advice and advocacy in all areas of family law.  

You are one of four Silks listed as a ‘star individual’ at the Children Bar. What do you credit your success to?
One of only 3 actually as the 4th - Stephen Cobb QC - is now Cobb J. But seriously this is a difficult question to start the interview with. It is probably best to ask others but I guess it is down to a combination of things: the ability and desire to work really hard and not cut corners, emotional intelligence, good communication, approachability, confidence in giving a clear opinion and reliability. I’ve also had great clerks and solicitors throughout my career who have given me amazing chances. Lastly, a fair dose of good fortune in making the right and important decisions at the right time.