2 Mitre Court head joins exodus

2 Mitre Court Buildings, in its day the foremost planning chambers in England, has lost another two silks.

Its head, Guy Roots QC, and leading silk Michael Humphries QC are to join rival set 2 Harcourt Buildings.

This leaves just one full time silk, Matthew Horton QC. Three years ago it boasted many of the finest names at the planning bar. They included silks Michael Fitzgerald QC, David Widdicombe QC, Lord Silsoe QC, Gerald Moriarty QC, Anthony Anderson QC and Neil King QC. Most have since retired and the set has never fully recovered.

The set does also retain Stephen Sauvain QC, although half his practice is in Manchester where he has a tenancy with 40 King Street.

Also leaving for Robin Purchas QC’s 2 Harcourt Buildings are 2 Mitre Court’s most senior juniors, Robert Fookes and Richard Glover.