Magic Circle lawyer makes the Exchange

March 23, 2020

Magic circle lawyer Duncan Hedar has transferred to the Bar and joined Exchange Chambers.

Duncan joins Exchange Chambers from Linklaters where he was Managing Associate and Solicitor Advocate. He qualified as a solicitor at DLA Piper in 2014 before moving to Linklaters two years later. He specialises in commercial dispute resolution, with a focus on high-value and business critical commercial litigation and arbitration.

Commenting on his decision to join Exchange Chambers, initially as a probationary tenant, Duncan said:

“I am delighted to join Exchange Chambers.  The Set has an exceptional reputation across its practice areas, particularly in complex and high-value commercial, insolvency and public law work, which were the focus of my practice at Linklaters.  Given Exchange’s growing strength in these areas, there is no better place for me to begin my career at the Bar.”

Said Tom Handley, Chief Executive at Exchange Chambers:

“Duncan joins Chambers after a hugely impressive career to date with two of the world’s leading private practice law firms.

“Some of our most successful barristers are former solicitors who have transferred to the Bar.   We are looking forward to supporting Duncan in all areas of his practice as he builds a long and successful career with Chambers.”

Exchange Chambers member Steven Fennell is former private practice solicitor who transferred to the Bar. Steven specialises in commercial, financial and insolvency litigation and professional negligence and regulatory matters for the legal and accountancy professions.  He qualified as a solicitor in 1996, as an insolvency practitioner in 1999, and a solicitor advocate in 2013, before transferring to the Bar in 2014.

He commented:

“I decided to make the change to the Bar to allow me to spend more time doing what I enjoy and to get away from financial management and supervising a team.  I had been thinking about it for a few years before I made the move in 2014, and that’s the only regret I have – I should have done it earlier.

“When I made my move, I was looking for a barristers’ chambers which had experience of solicitors transferring to the Bar.  I already knew the clerks and many of the members of the commercial team at Exchange because I had been instructing them for years as a solicitor.  I knew that other former solicitors had moved there and built very successful practices.   The other members and the chambers management were incredibly supportive to me when I joined.”