The Legal 500

Chambers of Robert Sterling

68 QUAY STREET, MANCHESTER, M3 3EJ, ENGLAND
Tel:
Work 0161 834 7000
Fax:
Fax 0161 834 2341
DX:
14350 MANCHESTER 1
Web:
www.stjameschambers.co.uk
Email:

This is a leading North of England Chancery, commercial and civil set with specialisms including insolvency, company law and directors’ disqualification, as well as professional negligence, construction, employment and personal injury.

The set: St James’s Chambers can trace its history back to 1836 when it was situated in St James Square, Manchester. It is regarded as the oldest specialist set in the provinces, with the current number being 35, half Chancery and commercial and half handling general civil matters. The last two decades have also seen a succession of appointments to the Bench from chambers.

Chambers offers high-quality individual expertise within a team environment. Its strength in depth enables it to provide a one-stop service to law firms and its flexible approach encourages the development of teamwork with solicitors.

Members are individually and collectively committed to continuing professional development as part of their approach to maintaining high standards of practice. They regularly provide Law Society accredited seminars and training, which can be tailor-made to meet clients’ specific needs. They also work with solicitors to develop their relationships with their clients through the joint presentation of seminars and workshops.

Robert Sterling is an arbitrator and Sarah Wheeldon is a qualified family mediator.

Developments in the past year include appointments to the General Dental Council and the TECBAR Adjudication panel.

Types of work undertaken: Members represent multinationals, small businesses and private individuals, professionals, insolvency practitioners, local authorities and public sector organisations. They are instructed by in-house solicitors and through direct access where permitted. They accept publicly- and privately-funded work, insurance-backed instructions and, where appropriate, conditional fee work. Members cover a wide range of courts and tribunals in the North West and beyond and are happy to travel for conferences at the convenience of the client or solicitor. They provide advocacy and advice at all levels of tribunal. Arbitration services and alternative dispute resolution are offered where litigation can be avoided. Chambers also provides a non-contentious drafting service.

Chancery expertise includes personal and corporate insolvency, company law including shareholders’ disputes, directors’ disqualification, tax, partnerships, charities, pensions, probate, wills and settlements and trusts, as well as family provision, intellectual property, equitable remedies, mortgages, commercial and residential landlord and tenancy matters and all aspects of property law, including restrictive covenants and easements. Commercial matters handled include professional negligence, banking, construction and building, contracts, consumer credit, sale of goods and restraint of trade. Civil expertise covers personal injury, including health and safety at work, employment, family law, civil liberties, human rights and immigration, as well as GMC disciplinary hearings and police disciplinary hearings.

To enhance the services that it provides chambers expects to expand at a controlled rate, probably by two tenants a year. It will maintain its policy of high-quality specialisation.

Above material supplied by St James's Chambers (Chambers of Robert Sterling).

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
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