Newly merged chambers 11 Bolt Court and 7 Stone Buildings are poised to expand further by poaching almost an entire set.
It is thought that 15 tenants and the senior clerk of provincial set Northampton Chambers are in negotiations with the London set, which will leave Northampton Chambers with only 4 tenants.
The move would give the new chambers, still without a name, nearly 60 tenants and a presence in Northampton to challenge rival London set 36 Bedford Row.
The vast bulk of Northampton’s work would then be serviced by two London-based chambers.
Chambers director at 11 Bolt Court John Lister confirms negotiations are taking place but refuses to comment on the details.
When 11 Bolt Court and 7 Stone Buildings merged earlier this month (The Lawyer, 11 October) the chairman of the set’s management committee, Simon Randle, hinted at imminent expansion.
