Current Vacancies
We are recruiting energetic, experienced and able prospective tenants at all Junior levels in the fields of Clinical Negligence, Tax, Professional Discipline, Personal Injury/Abuse, Inquests/Inquiries, and Public Law, due to the high volume of work from leading Claimant and Defendant firms. We currently have 27 Silks and 46 Juniors in London, and we strive to provide a happy and mutually supportive working environment. Legal Cheek regularly shortlist us for ‘Best Chambers for Social Life’ at their annual awards and members are highly recommended by the legal directories.
Members benefit from clerking which, according to Chambers UK Bar Guide 2022; “…is second to none. They are excellent, responsive, extremely personable and nothing is too much trouble.”
“1 Crown Office Row is a first-rate set of chambers and, in my view, the best set in London.” The Legal 500 2022
Application letters with a full CV should be addressed to the Head of our Tenancy Committee, Margaret Bowron KC. If you would prefer an informal chat before applying, our Senior Clerk, Matthew Phipps, would be pleased to hold an informal confidential discussion.
Equality & Diversity
All recruitment of tenants, from whatever source, is conducted in a way to be fully compliant with the terms of our Equality & Diversity Policy.
Tenancy Recruitment For Pupils
The procedures we follow for considering tenancy for our pupils is set out in the pupillage section of this site.
Tenancy Recruitment: Experienced Practitioners
We have a Tenant Recruitment Committee (TRC) chaired by Margaret Bowron KC. The Committee’s role is to arrange for tenant recruitment in accordance with recruitment goals established by Chambers as a whole and to respond to unsolicited applications for tenancy from experienced practitioners.
All applications for tenancy should be addressed to Margaret Bowron KC, who will inform the Head of Chambers of all applications received and will be responsible for ensuring that the applications are considered fully in accordance with the procedures set out below. All applications, whether in response to an advertisement or otherwise, should comprise a covering letter and a full CV (including the names of at least two referees, at least one of whom should be able to vouch first hand for the advocacy skills of the applicant). Referees will NOT be contacted without the prior permission of the applicant.
Advertised Vacancies
If we have a specific vacancy for an experienced practitioner, we shall advertise that fact in Counsel Magazine and, as may be appropriate, in any other legal or trade journal and/or the national press. The advertisement will set a clear deadline for applications and will expressly refer to Chambers Equality & Diversity Code and the intention to comply with its provisions.
The TRC will consider all applications received and will recommend to the Management Committee which of the applicants should be taken to the next stage and be interviewed. The Recruitment Procedures below will apply.
Unsolicited Approaches
Unsolicited applications should be addressed to Margaret Bowron KC who will initially assess with other members of the TRC (and in confidential consultation with others as necessary) whether the application is sufficiently strong to take forward bearing in mind the business objectives of Chambers and the level of the candidate’s skills and experience. If the TRC declines an application at this stage, its decision is reported to the Chambers Management Committee and the applicant will be so informed without delay.
If the TRC considers that the application is worthy of further consideration, it reports that fact to the Management Committee and consults in confidence those Members of Chambers who would be most interested in the recruitment eg other Members of a similar seniority and practising in the same areas of law. If the consensus remains positive then the following Recruitment Procedures will apply.
Recruitment Procedures
Once it has been agreed that an applicant should be interviewed (whether the application was in response to an advertisement or was unsolicited), the following procedures will apply.
A preliminary interview will be conducted by as many members of the TRC as are available together with such other Member or Members of Chambers as are considered necessary having regard to the area of practice of the applicant. The application may, at this stage, be declined or a recommendation made that it proceed to the next step.
If the conclusion remains positive, the applicant will then be asked to meet the Chambers Director and Senior Clerk to discuss their applications. At this stage, financial records of receipts, fees billed and aged debt for the last two years together with related diary information regarding cases and clients will be disclosed to the Head of the TRC and to the Chambers Director and Senior Clerk. That information will be treated with particular care so as to maintain its confidentiality as far as reasonably practicable.
Thereafter, the head of the TRC will liaise with the Head of Chambers, the Chambers Director and Senior Clerk and the members of the TRC to decide whether to recommend to the Management Committee that the application should proceed to the next stage. Applicants may also be requested to supply some examples of paperwork at this stage. Subject to the satisfactory conclusion to this stage, the process will enter its final phase.
Since the Constitution of Chambers provides for all Members to have a vote on the award of a tenancy, it is important for all Members to have the opportunity to meet an applicant for tenancy. All Members will be invited to meet the applicant either in another interview format or (depending on numbers) at a Reception in Chambers. At this stage, all Members necessarily will need to be informed of the applicant’s name and CV. They will be expected to maintain the same level of confidentiality about the application as will have been adhered to hitherto.
If feedback from this remains positive, then Margaret Bowron KC will request the applicant to provide references and seek permission to discuss the references, if necessary, with the referees.
The application will then be placed formally before a full Chambers Meeting at which a decision will be based upon an assessment of the applicant measured against the criteria set out below.
Criteria for the recruitment of tenants who are not pupils or third six months’ pupils:
- An analytical mind;
- Intellectual ability;
- An ability to express ideas clearly and persuasively, both in writing and orally;
- An ability to think under pressure;
- A commitment to hard work;
- An organised approach to work;
- A capacity to understand and to show understanding of the needs and problems of those for whom and with whom they work;
- Good interpersonal skills;
- Chambers’ resources and the fit with Chambers’ practice needs;
- Advocacy skills;
- A proven track record in their area or areas of practice.
