Clerk retires after half century

A LONG-STANDING senior clerk who joined his first set of chambers at the age of 14, at the end of World War II, has announced his retirement.

Gordon Breadmore has stood down as senior clerk from Gray's Inn Chambers, the specialist family set led by Brian Jubb.

Breadmore started out at the libel chambers 1 Brick Court before moving to 2 Paper Buildings, where he was clerk for 30 years.

In 1989 he played a pivotal role in setting up Gray's Inn Chambers when a group of civil practitioners split from Paper Buildings.

According to Breadmore, whose wife Jacky also works at the set, the profession is in the midst of the most profound changes he has seen in his working life.

"Chambers are getting larger and practice managers are coming in," he said. "I think it's partly a good thing, but I do think that the personal touch is being lost. Some chambers are getting so big that some of the barristers probably won't even know each other."

Breadmore plans to spend a year providing administrative back-up and support to the new senior clerk, Paul Clinnick.