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The number of barristers is likely to grow to 100 by the end of 2006 with major developments
planned in London (they have just taken over the premises at 199 Strand) the North West and
North East. Given that barristers have to be earning at least £100,000 a year to be accepted,
this is quite an achievement and there is a waiting list to join. Clerksroom has also focussed on
the growing demand for alternative dispute resolution and, as the first Accredited Mediation
Provider under the Civil Mediation Council's regime, it offers 440 mediators and 170 arbitrators.
The physical presence is provided by a 6,000 square foot new-build premises based in
Taunton, by the M5, occupied by 15 clerks and a fee and administration staff. Services are
available over the telephone and through the Internet - anywhere in the world. For example,
barristers can access their diaries at any time and from anywhere, as well as case information
and full financial records. There is also an extensive online library.
Barristers are clerked at a flat rate of 10% of fees collected subject to a minimum standing
order of £500 + VAT per calendar month. There are no other costs, no politics and no chambers
meetings! Clerksroom carries out marketing for barristers but they stress that, ultimately,
barristers are free standing, self employed professionals responsible for developing their own
practices. There is however a web presence with full cv for each barrister and an individual
email address.
Software is provided by leading Bar supplier Meridian Law and standards of Data Protection
and confidentiality have been checked by the Bar Council. The IT is managed by Mountain
Software and the software is web enabled so Counsel can log into their diary, cases, aged debt,
payment summaries etc. via a simple Internet connection.
Counsel work from home. The clerks (at Taunton) manage all incoming telephone calls,
incoming faxes, email, DX and post. Briefs are entered onto the network and forwarded to
Counsel's home DX boxes. Faxes, emails and non-urgent messages are dealt with by the staff
or forwarded to Counsel via email as appropriate. Telephone enquiries that require a response
from Counsel are transferred directly to Counsel's home or mobile telephone from the
switchboard. Cheques are banked directly into Counsel's bank account. Members sign a
Service Level Agreement prior to joining.
Joint heads of chambers are Jonathan Dingle and Harry Hodgkin, the former a personal injury
specialist and the latter a High Court commercial property barrister.
But the chambers is very real: the Taunton headquarters incorporates a mediation centre
opened by Lord Browne-Wilkinson in 2004 and state of the art wireless and other technology
for those using the conference rooms. It connects to the web by fibre optic cables and there is
a control centre feel about the main clerks room with its clocks telling the time from Hong Kong
to Toronto - as well as in Somerset (although perhaps you need to subtract a decade in the
latter case...). This will be replicated in other parts of the country shortly, offering local facilities
to members and (as importantly) clients and solicitors.
This method of working appeals to many barristers with families and the technology provided,
which includes phone call forwarding and internet calling, makes it completely achievable. The
use of fax to email numbers, and scanners, allows us to scan in briefs and papers and have
them on counsel's desktop seconds later wherever they are in the world. For example, we have
one senior member who has turned round urgent Particulars of Claim from the beach in
Barbados while on holiday using the system. The only thing he dreads is the greater use of
video conferencing which will give his location away!
Is all this too impersonal? We do not think so. As well as email and phone contacts, there is a
strong social element with evenings and dinners arranged, especially in London, and while it
cannot entirely replace the face-around- the-door that traditional chambers offer, it is clear that
the use of technology offers strong support for counsel. That said, we do not take pupils
anymore (last time out, we were overwhelmed by over 1,000 applications - how could we
properly staff that, and then justify paying pupils?) and we do not take junior members of the
Bar until they have established practises.
We believe we have a successful formula, a happy team and a strong clerking base. Is this the
future of the Bar? Not for everyone, but as silks like Robin de Wilde, Michael Powers and Tony
Bueno have shown, it is one that many at all levels think is a happy way to enjoy the best
profession.
Email dingle@clerksroom.com.
Back to Contents.
Clerksroom - how does it work?
Clerksroom (www.clerksroom.com) is a virtual chambers but it has a very real physical
presence as well. It started in 2001 and now administers the practices of 65 barristers
specialising in privately paid civil law, particularly in private client civil work, family & children,
local government and employment law. Over 50,000 sets of instructions have been received
in five years.
By Delia Venables and Jonathan Dingle
Jonathan Dingle writes:
Is Clerksroom a virtual chambers? It does not have traditional paper diaries or rooms for its
members, it does not have chambers committee meetings and there is certainly no tea at four.
All the data is stored remotely on servers through Mountain software and can be accessed on
any computer, anywhere in the world given a few protocol phrases, passwords and key log on
plug-ins. It also operates 24/7 and provides access to a virtual library.