Return to Bar for firm's employment specialist

DIBB Lupton Broomhead employment barrister Anthony Korn has quit the firm to go back to the Bar.

Korn, who leaves at the end of January, joins two-year-old Holborn set Barnards Inn Chambers. He will retain his role as course director of Dibbs' employment law training arm but will work independently.

"I feel that having worked for two firms of solicitors, Paisner & Co and Dibb Lupton Broomhead, I have had an experience which many other barristers don't have," said Korn.

"Now I have an opportunity to go back to the Bar and specialise in employment law."

Paul Nicholls, who last week stood down as Dibbs' head of human resources to concentrate on his role as Manchester managing partner, said Korn had made it clear from the outset that he intended to return to the Bar.

"Anthony has never converted to the solicitors' side of the profession," said Nicholls.

"He joined us because he knew we could give him a breadth of experience and quality of client base and that working with us would enable him to devote most of his time to advocacy work."

Korn said that while he had been "tempted" to stay with Dibbs, "the relationship of a barrister working for a solicitor's firm under the present rules is that you will only have status within that firm and the ability to progress if you convert".

He said he chose his new chambers because it would allow him to maintain a senior role in employment law.

"Barnards Inn seemed a progressive place. I'm coming in as head of their employment law unit which I wouldn't have been able to do in any of the traditional chambers."

Barnards Inn's head of chambers Timothy Bowles said Korn had a "high profile and outstanding reputation" in the field of employment.

"When these chambers were established less than two years ago the idea was to grow slowly and to attract people of outstanding ability. Anthony is clearly one of those people."