3VB recruits former High Court judge to build up arbitration expertise

Retired High Court judge Sir Peter Cresswell has been snapped up by commercial set 3 Verulam Buildings (3VB) as an arbitrator.

Cresswell, who sat as a judge in the Queen's Bench Division from 1991, joined the set last Monday (14 January).

Cresswell, who was called to the bar in 1966 and took silk in 1983, will build an arbitration and mediation practice.

His hire came after the set ramped up its arbitration practice with the appointment of Denton Wilde Sapte senior lawyer Sophie Nappert two months ago (The Lawyer, 26 November 2007).

3VB senior practice manager Nicholas Hill said the set was delighted that Cresswell, who started his judicial rise in 1984 as an assistant recorder, was joining the chambers."[Cresswell] will bolster the existing team of both members and associates who sit as arbitrators in this important and expanding area for chambers," added Hill.

Cresswell is the set's third hire in two months. The most recent was ex-Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer insolvency head Sandy Shandro (www.the lawyer.com, 6 December 2007).