The Legal Cheek View
Part of the bar’s so-called Magic Circle, Fountain Court Chambers is about as elite as they come in the field of commercial law. The heavyweight set is made up of more than 100 barristers, of whom an impressive 45 are KCs. Home to some of the biggest brains in law, tenants at the set have appeared in some of the best-known cases amongst law students, including Caparo v Dickman and Bank Mellat v Her Majesty’s Treasury (No.2). The set’s pedigree is certainly impressive: revered ex-judge Tom Bingham passed through here en route to the Supreme Court, as did other big names from the past like Lord Leslie Scarman, Sir Mark Potter, and Sir Henry Brooke. To add even further calibre, former Supreme Court Justice Lord Wilson joined the set several years back as a door tenant. The set should certainly be high-up on any aspiring commercial barrister’s list.
Tenants at Fountain Court work across the spectrum of the commercial bar. Areas of practice include banking and finance, commercial dispute resolution, competition, insolvency and restructuring, and professional discipline. The set has also carved out a niche in white-collar crime, taking instructions in high-profile investigations such as the ‘London Whale’ (a trader losing a reported $6.2 billion for JPMorgan Chase & Co. in 2012) and LIBOR rigging scandals. Public law, particularly as it relates to business and regulation, is a growth area for the set. It’s not just domestic litigation that the set handles: mediation and arbitration are also key areas, as is work with an international element. In fact, Fountain Court has an office in Singapore! Members are regularly instructed in a variety of jurisdictions, including the Cayman Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, and Turks & Caicos.
The variety of the work available means that things are kept interesting for the tenants. They report that their cases are “Absolutely top-drawer, first-class, cutting-edge stuff. Cases are very often “the biggest” or “the first”, have a high public profile, or involve breaking new ground in the law. I can’t imagine more interesting work.” It is also safe to say that due to the high-profile and highly complex nature of much of the work, it remains intellectually stimulating for barristers at the set. As one junior puts it: “you have some of the finest minds at the bar to learn from”. One junior adds that “chambers now brings in leading sports work” which is “highly stimulating”.
Over the past year, exciting cases passing through its doors include Katherine Hardcastle representing the National Crime Agency in a case concerning allegations of modern slavery in cotton supply chains between the UK and China; John Taylor KC and Christopher Langley securing the dismissal of a financing fee in relation to YES Bank’s $2 billion FPO; John Mehrzad KC acting on behalf of British Gymnastics in an appeal overturning an initial case panel decision; Nik Yeo and Laurentia de Bruyn’s working on a crypto fraud claim; and Simon Atrill KC and Samuel Rabinowitz successfully acting for a Saudi Princess in a $40 million judgement against a former City law firm partner. Certainly, a lot of impressive and juicy stuff!
One junior at Fountain Court tells us: “there is a lot of high quality work to keep you busy if you want it, but ultimately it is up to everyone how much they take on”. As one insider describes it: “chambers prizes complete individual autonomy — which means you have total control about what work you do and don’t take on. Lots of members take a great deal of time off (either regularly or in more ad hoc ways). Others don’t, but that’s their choice. Some do things like working hard for a few years, and then taking it easier for a few years (e.g., when they have young children, or want to pursue outside interests like academic research). There is a lot of freedom.”
We hear that pupils are always told to go home by 6pm, which allows them plenty of time for a personal life outside of work, and colleagues are also said to be incredibly supportive of one another beyond pupillage. “There is a great supportive environment within the set, especially among the junior end,” one insider tells us. “The nicest bunch of people you could hope to work with” was another’s review.
Given that tenants get on so well, it is no surprise that there is a good social life at Fountain Court. Whether it be informal pub drinks after work on a Friday or more formal events organised by the set, barristers seem to enjoy spending time together. As one told LC, “lots of members and staff have made great friendships in chambers. There are also regular organised social events, like weekly tea, weekly lunch, sports teams, seasonal drinks, annual parties, etc.”
Chambers itself often provides the ideal setting for social gatherings. Located in the beautiful Fountain Court — which has a famous fountain that not only survived the Blitz but also a fire at the Inn — chambers has recently had a refurbishment and now boasts top quality facilities. We are told that everyone gets their own room — something described as a “rarity nowadays” — and some even have views of the ancient mulberry trees lining the Court. There’s also some “brilliant IT staff” on hand “who feed into decision-making at the highest level, but are also around to help with updates, printers, software glitches etc.” No mean feat when everyone is running a different IT setup!
For those interested in applying for pupillage at Fountain Court, they should make their application through the Pupillage Gateway. All applicants must have completed an assessed mini-pupillage at the set. Fountain Court looks for those with academic and intellectual ability, advocacy and communication skill, an ability to think and respond under pressure, potential to be a successful self-employed practitioner at the commercial bar, and an ability to get on with a range of people as well as determination, resilience and integrity. Those scoring highest on the Gateway application and during the assessed mini will be invited to an interview in front of a panel of seven barristers. The interview will consist of a problem question as well as more general questions. Four pupillages are typically offered per year, each with a generous award of £80,000.
For those who are successful, they can expect to spend their pupillage year with three different supervisors, allowing them to see a variety of practice areas — the first three and last three months are spent with the same supervisor who has “overall responsibility” for their pupil’s training; the remaining middle six months are spent with two other supervisors. Pupillages here have an emphasis on learning from supervisors, who are described by one insider as “absolutely terrific”. Learning is also “almost entirely on the job” which, in the words of one, “is the best possible training you can get”. We’re told the nature of the work also means that there’s a lot of responsibility for even very junior juniors. Pupils complete specific pieces of work for members and help to prepare pleadings and advices. They also accompany members to court and are discouraged from taking on work of their own until the tenancy decision is made, something which is not unusual at commercial sets.
Fountain Court is keen to stress that pupils come “from a range of backgrounds”, although educationally this seems to mean the occasional Cambridge rather than Oxford grad. However, the set has signed up to several initiatives to support those embarking on a career at the bar and it appears to take its commitment to equality and diversity seriously. Initiatives include Bridging the Bar’s mini-pupillage programme for those from underrepresented groups, and the commercial bar’s mentoring scheme.