7 King's Bench hires former Linklaters man as set director

Premier commercial set 7 King's Bench Walk has taken on Linklaters & Alliance's former director of finance.

It becomes the second leading commercial set to reject the traditional senior clerk management system, adopting a City law firm approach instead.

Robin Landon, who spent nine years at the magic circle firm, is the set's first chambers director. He has held several senior finance posts including a spell as group chief accountant of Standard Chartered.

Apart from Ric Martin, chambers director at Fountain Court, all the magic circle sets are still managed by traditional senior clerks.

But there is a growing trend to appoint chambers directors or chief executive's as the bar desperately tries to introduce a corporate culture and infrastructure.

Some of these appointments have been viewed as simply overblown titles for administrators or practice managers who do not hold any real decision-making powers.

At 7 King's Bench Walk, ranked on the periphery of the magic circle of commercial chambers, Landon will have overall responsibility for all aspects of management and administration, except clerking.

Bernie Hyatt will continue as senior clerk at the chambers but will cede the business development and management roles fulfilled by his counterparts at magic circle sets One Essex Court, Essex Court and Brick Court Chambers.



Adrian Hamilton QC, the leading commercial and shipping and maritime practitioner and former head of chambers at 7 King's Bench Walk, is retiring as an advocate. However, Hamilton who has been at the set for 50 years will continue to practise, concentrating on advisory work, arbitration and mediation.