Serle Court Chambers has lured back commercial silk Jonathan Adkin QC from Fountain Court Chambers, just seven months after he left the New Square set.
Fountain brought Adkin in as part of a major boost to its commercial practice, hiring seven senior barristers last July.
The set also launched a corporate crime practice on the back of the recruitment drive – the first elite commercial set to do so – thanks to the hire of Nicholas Medcroft from Wilberforce and Robin Barclay and Eleanor Davison from Outer Temple. The crime team is led by Richard Lissack QC, who moved over from Outer Temple a few months earlier.
Adkin was one of two QCs to join Fountain Court last July, which also hired Stuart Ritchie QC from Littleton at the same time.
Adkin’s major casework includes the Berezovsky v Abramovich case and the Madoff litigation.
On his return to chambers, Serle Court chief executive John Petrie said: “We are thrilled that Jonathan has decided to return to Serle Court, demonstrating our ability to attract and retain the very best talent at the commercial and Chancery bar. Jonathan was a very popular member of chambers and is welcomed back with open arms.”
Adkin is the second senior silk to do such a U-turn in the last 12 months – a move that is more commonly seen in the solicitors’ profession. Last March 3 Verulam Buildings’ Adrian Beltrami QC revealed he was moving to One Essex Court alongside Sonia Tolaney QC and two juniors. He then reversed his decision – despite having publicly moved all his files to his new chambers – and has remained at his old set.
Fountain Court most recently brought in Anneliese Day QC from 4 New Square in December. Day was named The Lawyer’s Barrister of the Year at The Lawyer Awards 2014.
