And we are back.........

 After a while away from Blogging, and being reminded by an email that I had not used this account for some time, and for fear of losing the account forever, and therefore some history of Chambers People along the way, I have written this page!

Chambers People was started by me in 2002 following a difficult summer, when I was made redundant when the chambers I was then in split. I was at the time the Chambers Director and Senior Clerk. 

In the background at the time there were serious family health issues going on, and the loss of my mother-in-law after a long illness just added to a difficult time.

I started Chambers People Limited in October 2002 and was quickly hired by various clients for both Business Development work and Staff Recruitment projects. 

The work developed rapidly and before long Chambers People was established as the (then) only provider of staff recruitment services to chambers in England and Wales.

Now, over 20 years later, we have a group of professional consultants who are providing help to barristers, barristers chambers, and law firms here and abroad.

Chambers Fees Service uses a team of freelance individual fees clerks who are located around the country, to provide outsourced fees billing and collection services.

And we still provide a range of training sessions to Clerks and Barristers as required on a range of topics -from Public Access to Business Development and Practice Management.

Martin Poulter

November 2023

 

Chambers People Noticeboard

Chambers People provides staff recruitment and advisory services to barristers' chambers. Our main website is www.chamberspeople.co.uk

Bar Conference Saturday 4th November 2006

Robin and Gill Butchard at the Bar Conference on Saturday. Chambers People shared a stand with Butchard Associates which was visited by many of the 400+ delegates to the conference at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Delegates included many Heads of Chambers, members of the Bar, and of the IBC Management Committee. Chambers People has launched Chambers Training, which brings together the expertise of several consultants including Martin Poulter, Gill Butchard, Martin Griffiths, Jonathan and Jackie Maskew, and Steve Bradley (of Chambers Technology Support Ltd). Each of the consultants offer individual staff training for chambers staff, in specific areas of knowledge. The consultants are all fully commited to raising the standards of clerking in chambers by increased staff training. For those chambers that cannot afford to let their staff attend regular BTec courses, or even spare time for one clerk to train another during the working day, Chambers Training offers the opportunity for staff to be trained on a one-to-one basis by a competent trainer. Training sessions can be arranged to fit round the clerks' normal duties. The trainers have all had long experience gained in senior posts in chambers, and therefore able to relate the training given to the individual, based on considerable personal experience. Further details available on request from Chambers People. 

Faces from the past!

This photo was taken 8th December 1991, at a rugby game between the Clerks v The Bar. The observant will recognise several current Senior Clerks among the team, including, Martin Smith, Simon Slattery, Declan Redmond, Steve Francis, together with Jay Fullilove, Gary Oliver, and Dylan Wendleken. I am reliably informed by Mark Watson, that this was taken at the Springfield Sports Ground in Stamford Hill, North London - the home of Harringay Rugby Club.

"Silk's" Day 2006

This picture was taken yesterday outside the Lords. Beats arriving in a limo......

IBC Ball 2006 - Friday 6th October

The first, and hopefully, not the last, IBC Ball was held on Friday 6th October at The Brewery in London, and was well attended by barristers' clerks from all over the country.
There was good food, wine, and conversation throughout the evening.
Jason Housden of Tooks Court Chambers narrated the "horse race" during the evening. Declan Redmond announced the raffle prizes. The money raised by the raffle was for the Great Ormond Street Hospital (amount unknown at the time of writing this). Michael Goodridge (9 Gough Square) seemed to clean up on the main prizes, while David Goddard several secured prizes, including a stylish kettle! As you can see from some of the following pictures, a good time was had by all!
Emma Makepeace and the rest of the organising committee did an excellent job, and are to be congratulated.

IBC Ball 2006

The Chairman, Declan Redmond, crooning. The observant will notice that the microphone is actually a Wilberforce Chambers pen.....

IBC Ball 2006

Emma Makepeace (25 Bedford Row) and Cheri Tidiman (Devereux Chambers) on dance floor......

IBC Ball 2006

Robert Woods (7 New Square) in full swing! 

IBC Ball 2006

Miss Pegg and Mr O'Dowd at the ball..... 

IBC Ball 2006

David Goddard (former Chair IBC) and Amanda Illing (Practice Manager, Matrix Chambers) 

Mike Hannibal and Michael Clark

The two Michael's at the IBC Ball. Michael Clark, 2 Field Court, and Mike Hannibal, Erskine Chambers. 

Congratulations to our candidates!

Chambers People congratulates those candidates that have recently been appointed in various chambers including Crown Office Chambers (Senior Managing Clerk), 36 Bedford Row (Senior Clerk), 6 King's Bench Walk (Fees Clerk), Assize Court Chambers, Bristol, and No 5 Fountain Court - Bristol office (Practice Manager). Names of the successful candidates will appear here as soon as final terms agreed.

Rob Bryant will be moving from Bridewell Chambers to Keating Chambers shortly.

3 Fountain Court, Birmingham, recently closed their doors, which has led to Jonathan Maskew and his staff being displaced. This is a terrible shame - Jonathan is a respected clerk, and has been an active member of the IBC Management Committee.

Clerking vacancies at Blackstone Chambers, Atkin Chambers, and Devereux Chambers are currently outstanding, while Junior Clerk vacancies are available at 25 Bedford Row, Pump Court Tax Chambers, 11 Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn, and 39 Essex Street, Temple. Further details available from Chambers People.