Goldsmith Building appoints chambers director

Goldsmith Building is putting its future in the hands of a solicitor after appointing a Barlow Lyde & Gilbert partner as chambers director.

Nigel Bamping, a litigation partner at Barlow Lyde, is leaving after 20 years to join the set on 17 April.

His appointment follows the departure of Goldsmith's highly-respected senior clerk Edith Robertson, chair of the Legal Practice Manager's Association, who left to become chambers director at Falcon Chambers.

Bamping admits the move from private practice to chambers is unusual but he says: "One thing I am keen to impress with the practice at the bar, is that it has to be run more like a business.

"It needs to be proactive on the practice development and management."

Commenting on his departure, Bamping says: "I had been doing a lot of professional indemnity work which I enjoyed, but I felt ready for something different."

The role of chambers director has now become commonplace at the bar and nearly all of the leading commercial sets employs such a person or a senior clerk who fulfils a strategic role in addition to traditional clerking duties.

Christopher Llewellyn-Jones QC, head of chambers at Goldsmith Buildings, says firms are experiencing a sea change in structure.

"These are times of change in all areas of legal practice and these chambers intend to respond to those challenges," he says.

He also says the set is looking to recruit at all levels throughout the chambers.