Two Top Chambers Merge to Give Clients Greater Choice

Two of Exeter’s barristers’ chambers have announced today (4 June) that they are merging to create the largest chambers south of Bristol.

Rougemont and Southernhay Chambers will come formally together in July after nine months of strategic negotiations - creating a set of chambers that will rival its Bristol and London counterparts, in terms of size and expertise.

The enlarged chambers will boast 43 members and 15 associate members, as well as an eight-strong experienced clerking team. It will unveil its new name and branding next month.

Michael Berkley, head of Rougemont Chambers said: “We are delighted to announce our coming together with Southernhay and be able to provide our collective clients an increased breadth of offering. These combined Chambers will see us well-placed to meet the challenges of an increasingly demanding and sophisticated marketplace and give clients more choice and expertise outside of London.

“In the first instance the merger will have little or no impact on our clients’ day to day interactions – as they will continue to deal with the same experts, in the same offices using the same phone numbers.

Christopher Naish, head of Southernhay Chambers said: “We are excited about our future as an enlarged chambers. This merger will enable us to combine our specialist knowledge in civil, family and employment law, so our barristers can bring together new, larger teams and provide our clients with a bigger and better offering. What’s more, our expanded clerking team will give us greater flexibility and enable us to take on new clients looking to work with a team of highly skilled experts in the South West.

“We expect the merger to be attractive to experienced individuals looking to become members of our new chambers, so the merger will create exciting propositions for those considering a career move as well as existing and future clients.

“It’s still early days and we are now looking at the finer details of the merger, including branding and enhanced IT systems. We are looking forward to sharing these, and other details, with our clients and contacts next month.”

Robert Horsey, partner Ashfords LLP said: “Rougemont Chambers already has a lot to offer and this merger will put the new chambers in the top tier in the region.”