Welcome back to GRL Legal’s #ChambersInsider. The response to our inaugural newsletter has been overwhelming. As specialist recruiters for the Bar, we continue to share practical insights about the ever-changing world of Chambers, recruitment and operations.
Our team brings a unique and acute perspective, having held senior leadership positions within Chambers before moving into recruitment consultancy well over a decade ago. This blend of operational experience and recruitment expertise allows us to understand the nuances and challenges of Chambers life from both sides of the fence. After years of working closely with Chambers across the UK, we’ve gathered some interesting perspectives we know you’ll find valuable.
In this month’s #ChambersInsider:
- GRL Market Insights: Salaries and compensation (hot topic!), flexible Chambers winning the talent war, networking’s digital revival, job descriptions that work, and AI – promise or peril?
- Inside the Bar: Birmingham Bar Conference, record diversity mentoring, and the £22m AI legal bet
- #OfftheRecord: Head of Marketing at Essex Court Chambers, Phil Desmondez shares his insights
- #GRLrecruits: Recent placements and exciting opportunities with leading Chambers
GRL Market Insights
Salaries: Are Chambers ‘On the Money’?
As most Chambers have now finalised staff salary packages for the year ahead, we wanted to reflect on what has become an increasingly important area of our work.
- We’ve seen a marked improvement in Chambers being more transparent, starting salary conversations earlier, and proactively seeking external advice and support.
- There’s been a rise in the use of performance-and target-based bonus structures – some of which are substantial. However, many Chambers still find the discretionary elements of these schemes difficult to navigate.
- Significant discrepancies in compensation remain between Chambers with comparable roles, suggesting that some have fallen behind market trends.
- Flexibility is increasing, with more Chambers tailoring base salary and bonus structures to individual circumstances and risk profiles.
- Additional benefits are becoming more common – enhanced pension schemes, enhanced parental leave/pay, greater holiday allowances (especially important for those who undertake international travel), Wellbeing (EAP, Charity days), Private Health plan and other insurances – more bespoke packages are replacing the traditional ‘one size fits all’ model.
- There’s growing recognition that top talent is in high demand and the market is more competitive than ever – leading to higher salaries and KPI, and loyalty-linked bonuses are pretty standard.
- While fair compensation is crucial, it’s just one component of attracting and retaining exceptional people. Too often, good people are being offered enhanced packages only after they have been offered what they are worth elsewhere. Typically, that is far too late.
At GRL, we work closely with Management Committees, Heads of Chambers, and senior leaders, giving us a unique insight into market trends. We frequently provide independent advice, market overview, salary reviews and comprehensive benchmarking reports surveys to help our clients keep ahead of the game by making well-timed, informed decisions. Our reports are detailed, bespoke, and tailored for presentation at the senior leadership level.
Flexible Chambers: The Future of Talent Acquisition
Chambers embracing flexible working has gained a significant competitive advantage in attracting and retaining outstanding legal talent. The results are clear: these Chambers attract broader, more diverse candidate pools, whilst reflecting progressive thinking. There is evidence that productivity has increased and formal sick days are dramatically reduced compared to pre-hybrid levels. completing hiring processes more efficiently. They often select from multiple outstanding candidates per position.
The most progressive sets take structured approaches to flexibility, including taking account of team and individual needs. They create clear policies providing consistency while respecting practice area needs. Specific in-Chambers (“Banker”) days are designated for collaboration, training, and relationship building, preserving valuable face-to-face interaction, culture and building morale.
Technology is used most effectively for communication, regardless of location. Physical spaces are optimised to support collaborative work, thus creating environments that add real value.
Read Paul’s full review: Flexible Chambers Leading the Way in Legal Talent Acquisition
In-Person Event Attendance: Still Essential for Business Development
Despite the digital revolution, face-to-face networking remains undiminished. While Chambers increase online presence through podcasts, webinars, and blogs, in-person event attendance has become more important than ever.
In an increasingly digital world, genuine human connection stands out. Relationships forged at conferences, over lunch/coffee, trust built through shared industry experiences, and opportunities from spontaneous conversations cannot be replicated online. Chambers maintaining strong presence at key events consistently report better client relationships and more referral opportunities.
Successful Chambers deploy the full strength of their teams, are strategic about event attendance, choosing quality over quantity and ensuring representatives make meaningful connections.
Effective Job Descriptions “Candidate Brief”: Attracting Brilliant Candidates
Job descriptions merely explaining positions and listing requirements are outdated. Chambers winning the talent war provide comprehensive insights into what it’s actually like working there, showcasing ethos, values, and what candidates genuinely seek.
Chambers receiving the highest quality applications embrace transparency. Our advice for job descriptions:
- Describe the role and its responsibilities clearly.
- Explain what you’re seeking in terms of experience and skills.
- Describe your Chambers’ ethos, mission statement, and core values and who you are.
- Outline what you can offer candidates (salaries, benefits, allowances).
- Give genuine glimpses into your personality and culture.
Our advice is to always be clear, positive and offer a degree of flexibility – the best candidates will want autonomy to shape the role and its trajectory. Opportunity for personal and professional development remains a key factor in a decision to accept your offer. This transforms simple job postings into compelling invitations to join your team.
Tech & AI in Chambers: The Pros and Cons
AI and technology integration in Chambers is no longer ‘if’ but ‘when’ and ‘how.’ Companies like WilsonAI and Definely lead the charge, with adopting Chambers gaining significant competitive advantages.
Benefits include: enhanced efficiency through automation, improved decision-making via data insights, increased member engagement, improved service quality, cost reductions, enhanced security, and scalability.
Challenges are significant: algorithmic bias, inaccuracies and hallucinations, data security concerns, limited contextual understanding, professional responsibility infringement, and cybercrime risks require careful management.
Recent developments highlight promises and peril. The High Court warned lawyers about AI use after fake cases were cited in submissions. The Bar Council released new AI guidance for barristers, and the SRA approved Garfield.Law – the world’s first pure AI law firm.
The key is responsible implementation. Chambers approaching AI strategically with proper safeguards position themselves for success; those ignoring these technologies risk being left behind.
Inside the Bar
The Bar Conference 2025
The Bar Conference took place 7th June 2025 in Birmingham, bringing together the profession’s most influential voices. Topics covered included law reform, careers, family law, criminal practice, the self-employed Bar, Young Bar, Rule of Law, and access to justice.
Attendees heard from keynote speakers, including the Lady Chief Justice and Chair of the Bar, participating in sessions exploring the justice system’s current state, statistical reasoning in legal practice, and evolving Bar culture.
We were delighted to have been lanyard sponsors for this prestigious event for the second year running, reinforcing our commitment to supporting the Bar’s development.
Mentoring Scheme for Underrepresented Aspiring Commercial Barristers
COMBAR launched this year’s mentorship scheme for underrepresented groups, with a record 26 leading commercial Chambers involved. The programme offers around 250 aspiring barristers up to five one-to-one mentoring sessions with barristers from leading commercial sets.
Alexander Gunning KC, COMBAR chair, commented: “Diversity promotion at the Commercial Bar continues as one of COMBAR’s core aims. The Commercial Bar must recruit from the most talented future practitioners, particularly those from traditionally under-represented backgrounds.”
This represents a significant step toward more inclusive commercial practice pathways.
Legal Aid Authority Cyber Attack: Chambers Rally Support
Two months after the Legal Aid Agency’s major cyber breach in May 2025, the crisis continues to impact legal practitioners nationwide. With LAA digital services disrupted and contingency measures ongoing, many firms and Chambers face mounting financial pressures from delayed payments.
The legal community has responded with remarkable solidarity. Forward-thinking Chambers are establishing innovative “fighting funds” – no-questions-asked support schemes offering emergency financial assistance to struggling members. These provide immediate relief with flexible repayment terms, demonstrating how the profession protects its own.
While Chambers and its Members continue pressing the LAA for service restoration (we understand this is looking like August), these initiatives demonstrate professional resilience.
Instalment 2: #OffTheRecord
Pulling back the curtain on Chambers life through the eyes of those who know it best.
We’re excited to launch our new interview series, where we’ll be sitting down with the people who make Chambers tick. In our second instalment of the series, we have an exclusive interview with Phil Desmondez, Head of Marketing at Essex Court Chambers. With over two decades in the legal sector, Phil brings unique insight into the evolving landscape of Chambers marketing sharing insights on:
- His journey from Junior Clerk to Head of Marketing at the Magic Circle Set, Essex Court Chambers
- Creating the iconic “pink dot” rebrand for Cornerstone Barristers, despite initial resistance
- Balancing traditional networking with modern digital marketing strategies
- The challenges of encouraging Barrister participation in marketing efforts
- How COVID-19 transformed legal marketing and the rise of AI in the sector
Read Nick’s candid conversation with Phil in our #OfftheRecord interview here.
Want to share your Chambers story? Whether it’s about operational transformation, overcoming hurdles, or pioneering new approaches, we want to hear from you. Connect with us to be featured in #OffTheRecord.
#GRLrecruits: Current Opportunities
Your next career move could be just a click away. Here are our hand-picked positions with Leading Barristers’ Chambers:
- Director of Practice and Business Development – Drystone Chambers (London)
- Chief Executive – St John’s Chambers (Bristol)
- Marketing and Business Development Manager (Leeds/Newcastle)
We’re proud to have recently completed several significant placements across the legal sector. Our recent successful processes include:
- Chief Operating Officer – Common Law Chambers (their first-ever COO)
- Director of Client Services – Bar Council
- Director of Clerking – Multi-Disciplinary Chambers
Recent Articles
Missed our latest insights? Catch up on our latest thought pieces and industry analysis.
- Flexible Chambers: Leading the Way in Legal Talent Acquisition
- AI in Recruitment: Capabilities and Impact
- The Evolving Role of CEOs in Barristers’ Chambers
Here’s the link to all our recent articles – https://grllegal.com/insights-events/
Subscribe to our #ChambersInsider newsletter for insider tips on Chambers careers, expert advice on attracting and retaining top talent, recruitment insights for those exploring opportunities outside Chambers, breaking industry news, and exciting collaborations with familiar faces from across the Bar. We promise to keep it relevant, practical, and jargon-free.
If you’re looking to hire for your team, seeking a new position yourself or would be interested in business consultancy services, please reach out to one of our team.
Nick Rees Paul Reece Matt Curness
Connect with us: GRL Legal | www.grllegal.com | X
