2 Harcourt boosts environmental with hire of 4 Breams' Kingsland

The set is headed formally by waste and minerals expert Gerard Ryan QC, who retired late last year. Robin Purchas QC has taken over as head, but Kingsland would be a likely future successor.
Kingsland's departure from 4 Breams comes as a further blow to the set following the loss of public and planning silk John Howell QC to Blackstone Chambers last year (The Lawyer, 5 March 2001). But senior clerk Stephen Graham is upbeat and said that the set continues to move "onwards and upwards".
"My view is that [2 Harcourt], having lost one or two big names themselves, needed to strengthen their environmental side," he said. "Lord Kingsland is a specialist and we wish him every success. He is a great friend."
Kingsland's move will help 2 Harcourt maintain its leading reputation for environmental work following Ryan's retirement. The set also boasts the environmental expertise of Charles George QC and juniors Robert McCracken and Greg Jones; but, including Kingsland, it now has only seven silks.