In the latest instalment of our #OfftheRecord series, Nick sits down with Sam Carter, Chief Executive and Director of Clerking at 33 Chancery Lane.
Since joining the Set around 15 months ago, Sam has driven a period of fast-paced and highly strategic growth, including a series of lateral hires, stronger international positioning, and major steps forward in the Middle East. With deep experience across several leading Sets, Sam discusses structure, expansion, international markets, credibility, cost pressures, AI, and what it really takes to build a modern Chambers.
Q: Sam, you’re the Chief Executive and Director of Clerking at 33 Chancery Lane. You’ve been in the role for around 15 months – what’s your remit, and what are you setting out to achieve?
“First and foremost, it’s unlocking the potential of the Set. The perception is that we a leading Chambers in financial wrongdoing and asset recovery, only but there’s much more to us. My remit is to push the set forward strategically – growing internally and upon what we have, diversifying practice areas, improving systems, and promoting chambers more proactively.
We’ve recruited to fill gaps across chambers but in particular civil work, which complements our core strengths, and that’s allowed us to step up externally. But equally, it’s about maintaining the Chambers’ DNA – the core culture – while driving towards our five-year strategic goals and financial targets. It’s been a really exciting project so far.”
Q: Your career has been a steady rise – how have your past positions prepared you for leading chambers today?
“This job is a relationships business. From day one, the focus has always been on how you address clients, how you build relationships, and how you present yourself. I’ve learned to be authentic – be yourself, be your own brand.
I’ve been lucky to work under some excellent leaders who gave me the freedom to try new things, develop ideas and learn at pace. If you want to do anything well, you’ve got to be obsessed with it – you need the hunger to learn and listen.
Working at different Chambers, in different areas of law and different markets, teaches you to adjust and thrive. The fundamentals do not change, but you do have to adapt your approach.”
Q: What does a typical week look like for you?
“I’m quite militant with my diary – I plan my week with a fine-tooth comb. I structure my days around all key aspects of my role ranging from Chambers matters such as recruitment, strategy, internal operations, and then barrister attention – making sure practices are healthy and properly supported.
There’s also client retention and account management: speaking to clients, keeping on top of trends, and understanding the market.
I plan ahead heavily, but of course, things come in unexpectedly. I make sure I have quieter periods – usually in the evenings – to catch up on emails. I always end each day by responding to everything, even if it’s just a holding email. I’m proactive internally and externally.
In terms of tools, I use my Lex diary and Outlook extensively. I set myself deadlines for every piece of work. If I don’t get something done, I move it and make sure it gets done. I run my week around those deadlines and core priorities.”
Q: Talk us through how you balance domestic practice growth with the international work you’re developing.
“There’s room to grow both domestically and internationally. The Set has more to offer than what meets the eye, and it’s about pushing those opportunities forward. The international strategy is long-term, and it’s aligned to where our clients are and where investment is moving.”
Q: How do you decide which international markets to prioritise?
“There are other jurisdictions we have an eye on, but it comes down to relationships: how strong are they, how saturated is that market, competition, and physical presence.
You’ve also got to consider the investment: the time, the money, the internal support. You can’t go into a new jurisdiction and expect to bring back a plane full of briefs on your first trip. It’s relationships first, and building trust takes time.”
Q: What are the biggest hurdles when entering a new jurisdiction?
“Credibility is key – especially in the Middle East. The opportunities are there, but it’s a trust-led environment. It’s a chicken-and-egg situation: you need credibility to get the work, but you need the work to build credibility.
You have to be given that first opportunity. And like any area of law, you can’t claim expertise until you’ve actually done the work. So credibility is massive.”
Q: How important is having a local presence – for example, a member based in Dubai?
“It’s a huge tick. If you’re based there, you’re committed, and clients and law firms see that. It makes the individual and the set more accessible. Clients get used to saying, ‘Let us know when you’re next over,’ but having someone on the ground removes that barrier.
Some Sets do not have a physical presence but still dominate certain jurisdictions, so there’s an argument both ways. But in my view, having someone on the ground gives you an edge. It opens doors.
Setting up physically is complicated. There’s no point in just having a virtual office with no presence. You need someone on the ground to showcase the Set.”
Q: Dubai Arbitration Week seems to get bigger every year. How do you plan and execute for something on that scale?
“It takes a lot of planning. You have to know what you want from the week: are you fact-finding, building connections, or understanding market trends? You need to scope out where you fit.
It’s a very busy week, so it’s hard to pin down firms. You have to plan your movements carefully to get the best airtime. And you have to go back – relationships take time. Going once every few years doesn’t work.”
Q: How do you turn something like Dubai Arbitration Week into real opportunities for chambers?
“It’s relationships. Particularly in the Middle East. If you go out once, disappear, and come back two years later, you’ve taken two steps back.
It’s about regular presence, keeping up relationships, and being clear about your messaging. You’ve got to understand your ‘in’ – construction, energy, litigation, fraud, banking – whatever it is that makes you distinct.
And you’ve got to know which firms are doing that work. You can cast the net wide and work out who’s most beneficial to you. Cases do the talking – it’s a small legal community, even though its Dubai.”
Q: Have you noticed shifts in the types of work coming out of Dubai and the wider region?
“Construction dominated for years – probably 75% of the work. That’s still the largest area, but energy is creeping in more. There’s also more fraud-related disputes, contractual disputes, asset movement issues, and of course crypto.
The diversity of practice areas is changing. Some clients say litigation is booming; others say arbitration. It depends on the firm and area of expertise. But the region is diversifying, which is why more sets are exploring it.”
Q: Where else do you see emerging as major jurisdictions in the next five to ten years?
“The Middle East for me is the standout and the Far East, particularly East and South East Aisa. It does depend on your area of expertise: Sets with offshore experience for example, will naturally look at Caribbean jurisdictions, amongst others of course.
KSA and also India is one to watch, especially with its links between Dubai and Singapore. But ultimately, you follow where the clients are and where the investment is.”
Q: Are clients becoming more sophisticated in how they instruct barristers?
“Definitely – like the UK. You’re not up against one other Barrister anymore; you’re up against three, four, five. Clients look at value for money. Some cases require the very best, and the client will pay for that, but there are many where cost is a key factor.
Clients are looking at what they get for their money and comparing Sets. The legal community is small – in Dubai or London – and word gets around if you’re seen as too expensive or, equally, too cheap. You want to be seen as providing quality with sensible, market-informed pricing.”
Q: What advice do you give to members who want to build an international practice?
“If you are having a practice review you need to think about whether the Set already have international connections you can be part of? If not, where could your practice add value – Jersey, the Caribbean, Dubai, Singapore?
You need to know your USP. What sets you apart? Then you decide which jurisdiction fits that.
You also need to be open to the conference circuit. There are conferences for every practice area globally. You need to do the research, understand the trends, and build an international business plan – just like you would for your domestic practice.
There are also chance meetings and cross-referrals, but thorough preparation is key.”
Q: How is technology — especially AI — affecting the work?
“AI is here. Law firms and Counsel are using it more and more because it saves a lot of time. From a Chambers perspective, it’s about data and content – how good is it and how you use it.
You’ve got to know your markets, know the numbers, know what clients expect. If you get that wrong, opportunities slip and perceptions shift. It’s not just pitching to the solicitor anymore – you’re pitching to the ultimate client, or the board.”
The Verdict
Sam Carter’s first 15 months at 33 Chancery Lane show exactly what happens when a Chambers brings in someone who understands both the tradition of clerking and the strategic demands of a modern, internationally focused set. His approach is unmistakably rooted in fundamentals – relationships, structure, credibility – but he couples that with a pace and ambition that are clearly reshaping the organisation.
What comes through most strongly is his commitment to unlocking potential. Sam is pushing the Set into new practice areas, strengthening its civil offering, tightening internal systems, and positioning members for greater visibility at home and abroad. Yet he’s equally protective of the Chambers’ core identity, making sure growth never comes at the expense of culture.
Strategically, his international focus is both measured and long-term. Whether in Dubai, Saudi, or further afield, his emphasis on trust, presence, and credibility reflects a realistic understanding of how cross-border work is won. He’s under no illusions: opportunities come from relationships, not quick wins – and 33 Chancery Lane is clearly investing with that in mind.
His working style speaks volumes, too. Highly structured, relentlessly proactive, and data-driven, he’s bringing an operational discipline that many Chambers aspire to but few truly embed. And with AI reshaping the sector and clients becoming increasingly cost-conscious, that clarity becomes a competitive advantage.
In short, Sam is steering 33 Chancery Lane with a blend of modern strategy and traditional clerking instinct. The set is diversifying, expanding, and strengthening its international footprint – all while keeping its feet firmly planted in the values that built its reputation. If the past 15 months are anything to go by, the next five years will be transformative.
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