Michael Mansfield QC has claimed that “at least three” chambers are in similar difficulties to his set, Tooks, which announced its dissolution last week. He expects the unnamed chambers to close in the coming months…
The claim, made in an interview over the weekend with The Independent, will prompt furious gossip within the Inns of Court as to the identity of the troubled sets.
Here is the relevant quote in full:
“There were closures before us and there are at least three other chambers I know of that are in equal trouble and are likely to go in the next few months.”
“Most barristers are having to pay over 20% of their income for the building they’re in, and the staffing that you need for a set-up that’s going to bring in an income is high. With costs rising in London it’s impossible,” he said.
The future, Mansfield reckons, is more remote working, with barristers sharing a small physical “hub” in the cities where they operate with facilities to conduct meetings. This model is apparently the basis for Mansfield Chambers, the Tooks replacement which Mansfield, 71, hopes to have up and running in the new year.