One Brick Court, the long established set of specialist media law barristers has announced today that it is to dissolve, with effect from 24 June 2019. The set has explained that the dissolution is due to “recent unexpected departures and a retirement“.
At the same time, another specialist media law set, 5RB has announced that Andrew Caldecott QC and six of his colleagues from One Brick Court will be joining them later in the year. Those six members are Jane Phillips, Aidan Eardley, Kate Wilson, Jonathan Scherbel-Ball, Clara Hamer and Ben Gallop.
Doughty Street Chambers has also announced that former One Brick Court members Heather Rogers QC, Caroline Addy, and Claire Overman will be joining them from 1 May 2019.
No announcements have been made about the other current members of One Brick Court although it is said that “Details will be announced shortly“.
One Brick Court has a long and distinguished history as a “defamation” and, more recently, “media and communictions” law set. It goes back more than a 130 years to the publiciation of “Principles And Practice Of The Law Of Libel And Slander: With Suggestions On The Conduct Of A Civil Action, Forms And Precedents, And All Statutes Bearing On The Subject” by Sir Hugh Fraser in the 1880s.
In recent times, the set has produced a number of distinguished “libel judges”, including Sir Brian Neill, Sir David Hirst, Sir David Eady and current Court of Appeal judge, Lady Justice Sharp.
With 19 members, One Brick Court, was a small, traditional, set of barristers chambers which was well regarded in the marketplace. Its dissolution is the end of an era and will be a cause of great sadness among media lawyers.
Reblogged this on The Privacy Perspective and commented:
Sad news indeed from the media law Bar, One Brick Court has announced its closure. Our best wishes are with members of Chambers and our greatest respect its distinguished reputation over 130 years of practice.