The Legal 500

Established in 1892, 3PB is one of the longest established and largest sets in England with over 145 members, including 10 silks. Based in London, Bournemouth, Bristol, Oxford and Winchester, its members are committed to delivering the highest quality of advisory and advocacy service to its clients. 3PB is a successful and approachable set and provides a comprehensive professional legal service supported by a first-class clerking team. The head of chambers is Richard Tyson.

The set: Chambers operates as one set from its five well equipped locations. Technology enables it to function as a single unit, regardless of geography. Each centre is staffed by experienced and friendly clerking teams who are pleased to advise clients as to the most suitable counsel for a particular case, as well as discuss fees and provide estimates for anticipated work. Chambers’ size and geographical spread have a number of advantages for clients: its members undertake a very wide range of legal work and conferences can be arranged at a geographically convenient centre. Video conferencing is available at each location. The set is fully accredited by The Bar Council to provide CPD courses and has been awarded IiP status and Quality Mark.

Types of work undertaken: The commercial and business law groups’ members provide advisory and advocacy services in a broad spectrum of commercial law. This includes both domestic and internationally based disputes, involving contentious and non-contentious matters. The groups are regularly instructed by insurers, as members are able to offer industry specific expertise. The group members also accept instructions that are funded privately, publicly and tinder CFAs, when appropriate.

The criminal law group is one of chambers’ largest practice groups, including 10 leading QCs. Members have the highest expertise in all areas of criminal law, acting for defendants and all the prosecution agencies at the highest level. Its members undertake publicly funded work.

The employment group provides expertise across all areas of contentious and non-contentious work, including all forms of discrimination. Jack Mitchell, group head, is a renowned practitioner in the area of whistleblowing and is co-author of the leading textbook Whistleblowing – Law and Practice.

The family law group provides expertise in every aspect of public/private childcare law and all forms of financial proceedings. Members of the group operate in every level of court, ranging from the Family Proceedings Court to the Family Division of the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

The personal injury and medical negligence group conducts cases at every level, from the simplest to the most complex, high-value claims. Clients include both claimants and defendants and instructions are also received from unions, legal expense insurers and private clients. In appropriate cases, members will accept instructions under CFA.

Members of the property and Chancery group undertake work in all areas of law concerning the ownership, occupation and use of land, as well as traditional Chancery law. The group are also able to offer a wide range of services with regard to ADR, including acting and advising in arbitrations and mediations.

Public and regulatory law is of ever-increasing importance and crosses the boundary between civil and criminal law. Members of this group provide real expertise across a wide range of legal fields in this area, including consumer protection, education and recovery of proceeds of crime. Group leader Mark Sutherland Williams is co-author of the leading authority Proceeds of Crime, published by the Oxford University Press. Counsel also undertake police work, including defending police officers on criminal charges and advising and representing members of the force in disciplinary hearings or pension appeals matters.

In recent years 3PB has developed an enviable reputation for expert advice and assistance in asset forfeiture related matters. Members of the group have been instructed in a number of main cases in the field, including the House of Lords cases of Capewell (receiver’s fees); Islam (value of drugs); and Briggs-Price (ECHR in confiscation). Other cases in which the team have been involved include Sivaraman (the effect of May, Jennings); Lexi Holdings (third-party creditors); Wright (Financial Report Orders); and Telli (certificate of inadequacy). Nearly all of the leading panel receivers and government agencies instruct chambers, together with well known specialist defence firms. The head of the group is Mark Sutherland Williams.

3PB’s technology and construction team has significant experience in all of the dispute resolution formats encountered on modern construction and engineering projects, including advisory and drafting work, litigation and all aspects of adjudication, arbitration and mediation (ADR). Members are instructed by clients in all areas of the building and engineering sector, both in the UK and overseas.

Chambers is a specialist provider of alternative dispute resolution. There are 45 fully trained mediation advocates with experience over a wide range of practice areas and levels of claim, offering a bespoke service to clients.

Chambers’ website provides more detailed information concerning members and other areas of law in which it specialises.

Other offices: Bournemouth, Bristol, Oxford, Winchester