Banker to head King Street set

Leading Manchester set 8 King Street has appointed a former managing director of a bank as its first chambers director.

Hugh Baird, previously managing director of Frizzell Bank, has been hired to head up the management and strategic development of the set.

His experience includes four years as a banking consultant advising on business re-engineering and litigation and eight years as credit and banking director at Provincial Bank.

Baird, 47, will be involved in marketing, business control and management and financial management at the chambers.

He wants to see the set grow and develop its corporate identity and has already overseen the expansion of the set's business unit, with the hiring of four new tenants.

Simon Vaughan, Graham Bailey, Karim Sabry and Andrew Clark have all joined from the troubled Manchester House Chambers.

8 King Street has a strong reputation in business law, particularly in arbitration, personal injury and family law.

Head of chambers is Keith Armitage QC and tenants include former Bar Council chairman and commercial fraud expert John Rowe QC, and chairman of the bar's international relations committee Gerard McDermott QC.