Rival poaches 24 Old Buildings barrister

Specialist tax set 24 Old Buildings has lost one of its most respected barristers to Pump Court Tax Chambers.

The arrival of Julian Ghosh, a leading senior junior tax specialist, is a coup for GR BrettenQC's 24 Old Buildings.

The set is already rated alongside Gray's Inn Tax Chambers as the premier corporate tax set. Ghosh says: "I confirm that I moved to Pump Court Tax Chambers as a pure career move, which is reinforced by the fact that I was a pupil here."

His exit, after five years with 24 Old Buildings, will be a blow to the set which, with nine tenants is only half the size of its main rivals.

Two months ago the set recruited Eversheds' former head of tax Reg Nock, who left the law firm in a storm of acrimony five months earlier.

Ghosh says the two events are not connected. "I have certainly no animosity towards anyone at 24 Old Buildings - quite the opposite. I hold all of the members of chambers there in the highest personal and professional regard. They continue to be an excellent set of chambers," he says.

Ghosh is a specialist in corporate tax, structured finance and banking, M&A, EU and international tax, VAT and customs duties.

24 Old Buildings refuses to comment on his departure.