Cherie Booth poised to launch new set

Sources say that Booth, currently a tenant at 4-5 Gray's Inn Square, and her prospective partners plan to launch a "new kind of legal practice" which will almost certainly see them take on the Government - particularly when the Human Rights Act is introduced in the autumn.

Among those understood to be joining Booth in her new venture is Ben Emmerson of Doughty Street Chambers who is currently representing the renegade MI6 agent, David Shayler.

Tim Owen, also of Doughty Street Chambers and Nicholas Blake QC of Two Garden Court are also said to be involved: both have acted in the past for high-profile cases against the Home Office and the police A statement on the proposed new venture will, according to our source, be released next week