Wilberforce Chambers sweeps the board at Bar Awards

5/10/2007

Leading barristers set Wilberforce Chambers swept the boards at the Chambers and Partners Bar Awards 2007 last night, picking up awards for Chancery Set of the Year and Real Estate Silk of the Year.

The set won the collective award for Chancery Set of the Year for the second time in three years, confirming the set's reputation for legal creativity and excellence in advocacy. The judging panel praised Wilberforce Chambers' "slick operation and first-class members [who] continue to keep it at the forefront of the field" and the "dazzling intellectual firepower, strong advocacy and unparalleled experience [which] allow this set to provide the highest quality advice and an appealing personal service." High profile instructions on Charman v Charman, Equitable Life, and the inquest into the death of Lady Diana were acknowledged as significant achievements over the past year.

Jonathan Seitler QC picked up an individual award for Real Estate Silk of the Year. The award recognises Seitler's considerable success over the past year in disputes arising from commercial property contracts, in particular commercial leases. Jonathan was described by the judging panel as an "excellent fighter and a first-class tactician" and praised for the "development of an enviable mediation practice". This year he was in the team which acted for the successful party in the House of Lords case Riverside Housing Association Ltd v White.

Jules Sher QC, Head of Chambers at Wilberforce Chambers, said today:

"This is fantastic news for the whole set, from the silks right through the clerks and administrative team. It serves as testament to the set's innovative approach of recruiting established practitioners with a diverse range of legal backgrounds, thus helping us to cultivate a reputation for innovation. We feel that we continue to lead the way in Chancery work, and to have recognition of this fact from your own peer group is a great honour."

Jonathan Seitler QC said today:

"I am deeply honoured by this award, and would like to thank all the clerks and administrative staff without whose help we would be unable to supply our clients with the top quality service they so richly deserve. My only regret is that I was unable to collect the award in person because of the Jewish holidays!"

The awards were held last night in London's Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, and were hosted by Chambers and Partners, whose legal directories are widely recognised as an ‘industry bible'.

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Notes to editors:

(1) About Wilberforce Chambers

At the forefront of the emergence of Commercial Chancery as a distinct practice area, Wilberforce Chambers continues to lead the field in this area as well as simultaneously maintaining a specialism in Pensions law and many other areas allied to Chancery work ever since.

Whilst all members of Chambers practice within the Chancery Division, most also have considerable experience of other courts and tribunals. Regularly appearing in the Appellate Courts, the Commercial Court, the Administrative Court, the Lands Tribunal and the County Courts some member of Chambers also have experience of public inquiries and of handling criminal cases.

This diversity reflects the innovative approach to recruitment which has put an emphasis on excellence in advocacy and legal creativity before a narrow view of what constitutes a chancery practitioner.

Because of this innovative approach, established practitioners have been drawn to Chambers from leading Commercial and Common law sets, from leading Property and Planning sets and from the Intellectual Property departments of major City firms.

Completing this, the Clerks Room and Support Staff at Wilberforce Chambers are regarded by many clients as the best team in the country for their responsive approach.