Ali Malek QC appointed head of 3VB as set raises pupillage award to £60,000

Malek takes over from joint heads of chambers Christopher Symons QC and John Jarvis QC, who have led the set for 11 years. They both remain with the set in full-time practice.

Malek said: “This is an exciting time to be elected head of a set that’s making great progress on so many levels and continually earning its reputation as a leading commercial set.

“Chambers has been brilliantly served by Christopher and John over the last 11 years and the progress and success we’ve enjoyed is proof of that. I look forward to continuing the work and am confident that we’ll enjoy future success.”

Meanwhile, as the war for talent at the bar wages on, 3VB has become the latest set to announce that it will be raising its pupillage award for 2011, upping its award by 41 per cent.

The set, which triggered the last chambers pay battle in 2006, has confirmed it will make awards of £60,000 to students beginning pupillage in October 2011, up from £42,500 in the previous year.

Pupillage secretary Adam Kramer said: “The rise is regrettable because it may be seen by some people as counter to the financial difficulties that law firms and other people have found themselves in recently. But we have to set rates that compete with other sets.”

That said, Kramer added: “The rise could make things more attractive to wider access applications because if students do secure a pupillage the money could go towards paying off their debts.”

The news comes after Four New Square announced it would be raising its pupillage award from its current £50,000 to £60,000 for its 2011-12 intake.

Elsewhere, Fountain Court has set its pupillage awards for both 2010-11 and 2011-12 intakes at £60,000.

In August, One Essex Court shocked the market by announcing that it would boost its pupillage award by 33 per cent from £45,000 to £60,000 for its October 2010 intake (6 August 2009).