Record turnover for Exchange Chambers 2018/19

May 2, 2019

Exchange Chambers has announced record turnover of £33.1 million for the 2018/19 financial year – a rise of 7.5% on last year’s £30.8 million.

The barristers’ Chambers, described as a “Northern powerhouse” by the independent legal directories, has now set its sights on further expansion in Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds.

Said Tom Handley, Exchange Chambers’ CEO:

“It has been a very positive twelve months with all our departments performing strongly. The multi-disciplinary nature of Chambers is driving high quality instructions across the board.”

The size and resources of Exchange Chambers – which has 185 barristers – is one of its standout features.

As one of the largest and most well-resourced sets in England and Wales, Exchange Chambers is regularly instructed on major national cases, flying the flag for the regional Bar.

By way of example, a  team of barristers from Exchange Chambers, instructed by SPG Law, recently secured a major victory by resisting an application by Slaughter and May to transfer the Fundão dam collapse class action litigation from Liverpool to London.

HHJ Eyre refused the Defendant’s application to transfer the proceedings that had been commenced in the Business & Property Courts in Liverpool to London, thereby reinforcing the principle that “no case is too big to be heard in Liverpool”, and that London has no greater claim to host large scale international litigation than Liverpool.

Exchange Chambers’ strong financial performance is also enabling the Set to invest in its future, with the launch of a pupillage academy and ongoing investment in technology. Exchange Chambers will take on 6 pupils in September 2020 covering crime, commercial and common law.  In recent years, Exchange Chambers has recruited 3 pupils every year.

Bill Braithwaite QC, Head of Exchange Chambers, said:

“Chambers’ strong financial performance positions us well for future growth.

“The launch of a pupillage academy – in effect, a national centre of excellence for aspiring barristers – marks our commitment to the next generation of talent.”