Trinity Chambers, operating from premises in Newcastle upon Tyne, Middlesbrough, and Leeds is an established yet progressive set covering a wide range of practice areas supported by an experienced and approachable clerking team.
The set: Trinity Chambers, established in 1954, is one of the leading sets of barristers chambers in the North of England. This reputation has been built on a strategic programme of rolling investment in technology, staff and facilities. Trinitys sites are each located close to the court centres. The premises in Newcastle, at the historic Custom House, provide state of the art facilities, including video link, extensive conferencing rooms and seminar facilities along with the Chambers at Leeds and Middlesbrough. The barristers provide an ongoing rolling programme of CPD training events. Many of Trinitys members sit as deputy district judges and Crown Court recorders. Trinity barristers deal with instructions and hearings across the UK, acting for a wide range of clients including solicitorsâ firms, in-house counsel, insurers, blue chip companies, local authorities, police authorities and NHS trusts.
Types of work undertaken:
Administrative and public: complex judicial review, including public procurement, regulatory, immigration, planning, prison law, education, housing and licensing.
Alternative Dispute Resolution: In certain circumstances Court proceedings can be avoided, saving significant costs and time.There are two major components to Trinity’s ADR offering - access to fully qualified family arbitrators and barristers who are trained in family mediation and civil and commercial mediation.
Agriculture: wide range of agricultural-related cases including tenancies, common agricultural policy issues, livestock, conservation, trusts.
Business & Commercial Litigation:The Group acts for a wide range of business organisations, SMEs, professionals, partnerships, Government departments, Local Authorities, solicitors and individuals and have appeared in cases at all levels from the specialist tribunals, County Court, High Court, the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Trinity’s barristers offer experience across the full breadth of business, commercial property, restructuring, procurement, insurance, construction, company and professional negligence issues.
Civil Liberties and Human Rights: Trinity Chambers' Civil Liberties and Human Rights barristers are a diverse multidisciplinary team with experience and knowledge in all of the key areas of practice that affect and impact on the civil liberties and human rights of individuals, organisations and communities. The balance in the team is reflected in its broad spread of instructions received from both Claimant and Defendants alike for what are often urgent Human Rights related Judicial Review proceedings.
Consumer & Professional Negligence: Consumer Law Members of Trinity's Business & Property Group act for consumers and businesses across the range of consumer rights and mis-selling cases. Barristers in the group have dealt with issues including consumer credit, financial products, investments, insurance, cavity wall insulation, solar panels and energy contracts.Individuals in the team have been involved in novel cases and are able to provide advice and drafting in individual cases or addressing generic issues on a commercial basis.Professional Negligence: Trinity’s barristers have expertise across the range of professional negligence cases and can act in cases involving accountants, engineers, solicitors, barristers, construction professionals, financial advisers and professionals, surveyors, insurance professionals, brokers, IT professionals and others. The Group brings particular expertise to bear where it overlaps with underlying legal issues in other areas.
Members act for claimants and defendants and can act in cases where there are disputes with insurers.
Members of the group regularly speak across the breadth of topical legal issues and particular issues which require training. In house training can be arranged and the group regularly runs seminars to lawyers at all levels of experience.
Court of Protection & Adult Care:
Trinity's Court of Protection and Adult Care barristers deal with all aspects of the Mental Health Act 1983 and Mental Capacity Act 2005 including issues surrounding treatment and detention, vulnerable adults and deprivation of liberty.
The group provide a wide range of representation in the First and Upper Tier Tribunals (Mental Health) as well as in cases involving the Court of Protection and capacity matters. In addition, the specialist barristers deal with Judicial Review proceedings arising from mental health-related issues.
Mental health law frequently crosses over with many of the other practice areas which Trinity deals with such as care proceedings, crime, coroners’ inquests, immigration, civil liberties, human rights, administrative law and employment.
As well as representing individuals, barristers in the team also act on behalf of Local Authorities and NHS Trusts, sometimes on an emergency basis.
Costs: Several of the barristers in Trinity Chambers’ Costs group sit as Deputy District Judges and therefore deal with contentious costs issues on a regular basis.
Barristers in the team can advise on as well as represent parties at hearings covering costs budgeting and provisional assessments. The Costs barristers are familiar with all aspects of the civil costs regime including procedures for Costs and Case Management Conferences (CCMCs), allocation, limits on evidence, disclosure of reports, provision of draft directions, use of counsel, proportionality, costs budgeting and general case management, all in the context of the Overriding Objective. Trinity’s Costs team has experience of dealing with cases from the County and Magistrates Court, the High Court and Crown Court, appellate courts and the Senior Courts Costs Office.
Crime: Led by King's Counsel Toby Hedworth K.C. and Caroline Goodwin K.C., and with over 30 juniors, Trinity’s Criminal barristers have an exemplary reputation for both prosecution and defence legal advice and advocacy in all courts, including the Court of Appeal, Crown Court, Magistrates’ Court and Courts Martial.
Whilst the group’s geographic focus is in Newcastle, Teesside, Leeds and Durham, barristers from the group are instructed by solicitor clients from across the North Eastern, Northern Circuits and beyond.
Members of Trinity Chambers are instructed in cases across the spectrum of criminal offences including murder, manslaughter, terrorism, gangland shootings, sexual offences, drugs conspiracies, cybercrime, fraud, money laundering and driving offences.
The team boasts several Grade 4 CPS prosecutors, dealing with the most complex and serious prosecution cases, some of whom are also part-time members of the Judiciary. Members of the team are specialist Rape and Serious Sexual offences prosecutors as well as CPS Fraud specialists. The team also has a wide range of experience advising and prosecuting on behalf of Local Authorities. Barristers in the group also receive instructions relating to Private Prosecutions.
Education: Trinity's Education Law Barristers are regularly instructed by solicitors acting for Local Authorities, independent schools, colleges, academies, universities, pupils, students, parents and other interested parties.
The team deal with appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) also known as SEND, as well as in Upper Tribunal Appeals. These often complex cases, involve the effective assimilation of expert reports including those from Educational Psychologists, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Speech and Language Therapy etc. It is also essential that appeals are handled sensitively and respectfully given the emotive issues involved and the challenging needs that children may face, together with the wider impact those have on the wider family and carers.
Chambers' Education Law barristers deal with admissions appeals, including representing Local Authorities, private schools and parents, in cases regarding oversubscribed schools across the North East.
Electroninc Disclosure: Electronic disclosure and eDiscovery is relevant to almost all legal disciplines. The global electronic disclosure market was valued at $17 billion in 2024 and is one of the fastest growing areas within the legal sphere.
Managed well and using the right blend of technology, process and people, electronic disclosure offers significant tactical advantages to savvy litigants.
Led by Damian Murphy, one of the most experienced barristers in the field of electronic disclosure and former head of eDiscovery for EMEA and APAC at UBS, Trinity Chambers offers advice and representation on all aspects of electronic disclosure/eDiscovery.
Employment: Trinity Chambers' highly regarded team of employment barristers are regularly sought out for unfair dismissal, whistle-blowing and equal pay cases, as well as the full scope of discrimination claims, appearing on behalf of both employers and employees.
With one of the largest practice groups in the North of England, barristers from the employment law team are instructed by solicitors from across the UK acting for Trade Unions, Local Authorities, Police Authorities, NHS Trusts and Blue Chip companies, as well as SME’s and partnerships.
The barristers advise and appear at all stages of employment law disputes including providing pre-litigation advice and representation in relation to disciplinary proceedings. They attend case management discussions, provide representation at Employment Tribunal proceedings as well as settling proceedings and notices of appeal. The team has substantial experience of appearing before the Employment Appeal Tribunal and, in some instances, the Court of Appeal.
Family: Matrimonial finance:Based in Chambers in Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Leeds, Trinity Chambers' Family Group has extensive experience in Financial Remedy proceedings following divorce, separation and civil partnership dissolution.
Barristers in the team frequently provide representation in matters involving limited companies, partnerships, company directors, military personnel, farming and agricultural businesses. Members of the group have been instructed by a number of high-profile clients including actors, celebrities and athletes. The team deal with complex hidden asset cases often involving international jurisdictional issues and challenging forensic accounting evidence.
The team are also regularly instructed in disputes involving cohabiting unmarried couples, including cases where the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TOLATA) applies. In addition, barristers in the matrimonial finance and property team advise on inheritance issues following divorce or the breakdown of a civil partnership, including the application of the Inheritance (Provision for Family & Dependents) Act 1975.
Trinity’s members advise and represent clients at every stage of the Financial Remedy process from the First Directions Appointment (FDA) to the Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) and Final Hearing.
Family: Children: The Trinity Family Law group, based in Chambers in Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Leeds, is one of the largest in the North of England. Trinity offers a broad range of expertise and experience supported by a dedicated clerking team. All aspects of family law are covered, at all levels of court. The group deal with public and private law proceedings including child care, forced marriage and domestic violence.
Members of the group represent individuals, Guardians and Local Authorities. Lay clients are represented with vigour, realism and compassion. Professional clients are valued, and the group recognises the importance of a prompt response, continuity of counsel and good communication with solicitors at all times. Barristers in Trinity's Family team have considerable expertise in representing parents and children in Private Children Law matters. Many barristers practice exclusively in this area and the group also has extensive experience of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and includes members who are qualified Mediators and Arbitrators.
Immigration: Trinity Chambers has the only specialist immigration practice group of barristers in the North East of England. Barristers in the group also receive instructions from solicitors from further afield and have developed a niche practice in private as well as publicly funded immigration matters.
Trinity’s Immigration barristers regularly attend the Immigration Appeal Tribunal at the Newcastle Civil and Family Courts and Tribunal Centre as well as hearings across England. The Immigration team covers all levels of representation, from the Asylum & Immigration Tribunal to the Special Immigration Appeal Commission and up to Judicial Review and Court of Appeal proceedings.
Inheritance, Contentious Probate & Trusts: Probate and estate issues are often difficult and sensitive problems involving family. All aspects of contentious probate are dealt with by barristers in the group including Inheritance Act claims, validity of wills, capacity and undue influence. Trinity’s barristers are able to deal with property and inheritance issues as well as estates involving businesses.
Members of the Group have particular experience of Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claims acting for dependents and also on behalf of estates. They deal with issues relating to Lasting Powers of Attorney, Enduring Powers of Attorney and the role of Deputies.
Chambers’ members have experience across the range of trust issues whether involving a trust instrument and administration, implied or constructive trust situations and trusts of land.
Inquests: Trinity’s Inquest barristers are instructed by both bereaved families and other interested persons such as NHS trusts, the Police and local authorities, in addition to private companies, trade unions and insurers. Trinity’s barristers can handle with meticulous care and skill all pre-inquest stages, including pre-inquest reviews, disclosure, expert evidence and witnesses. The team has a wealth of Human Rights expertise and regularly advise on the engagement of Article 2 and appear in jury inquests.
Insolvency & Resutructuring: Insolvency in all of its forms presents unique challenges for the insolvent person, their creditors and related businesses. Barristers in the group act for companies, directors, debtors, individuals in contentious and non-contentious personal and corporate insolvency proceedings to achieve effective outcomes.
Trinity's team of Insolvency and Restructuring barristers act in relation to administrations, receiverships, liquidations, bankruptcy and voluntary arrangements, dealing with advisory as well as litigation matters across a wide range of sectors, including internationally. The team work closely with solicitors, inhouse legal teams and counsel, insolvency practitioners, accountants and business turnaround experts.
International & Offshore: Kings Counsel and barristers in the group have experience of dealing with matters across a range of practice areas and jurisdictions for private clients, corporates, and Governments through referrals, direct instruction and working with overseas law firms and chambers. Our members have also arbitrated and mediated international disputes.
Trinity Chambers’ international and offshore work covers alternative dispute resolution, commercial litigation, trusts, corporate fraud. criminal, complex matrimonial finance and children cases. The team also deals with injunctive relief and interlocutory applications including freezing, disclosure, search and seizure orders.
The team has experience of complex overseas criminal related proceedings, including extradition, white collar crime, human trafficking, Court Martial and historical prosecutions. Members of the team deal with international regulatory matters, including financial services regulation and professional disciplinary proceedings.
Licensing: Members of the team have experience of advising on a wide range of issues relating to the licensing of legal/medicinal cannabis, industrial hemp, and cannabidiol (CBD) related products, including enforcement, advertising, storage, distribution and importation (including condemnation proceedings) and the application of the Exempt Product Criteria. This includes investigations and enforcement proceedings brought against hemp and CBD related businesses including manufacturers, retailers and distributors.
Through this ever-shifting landscape, Trinity’s licensing barristers provide direction with a wealth of highly specialised expertise and experience. The Licensing Group is home to some of the most well known licensing advocates in the North of England, and has a practice of national scope receiving instructions from solicitors and in house counsel from across England and Wales.
Personal injury and clinical negligence: The personal injury barristers frequently act as an outsourced legal service to volume referrers dealing with infant approvals and other applications as part of ongoing proceedings. They have extensive road traffic accident experience including credit hire claims. The team deal with employers’ liability claims, including industrial disease, slipping and tripping claims. The cases are predominantly funded by conditional fee agreement and legal expenses insurance.
Barristers in the personal injury team also deal with Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority claims.
The group act on behalf of individuals, Trade Unions, legal departments of commercial organisations, Local Authorities, NHS Trusts, medical and dental defence organisations and insurers.
Planning : All aspects of planning are dealt with, ranging from major public inquiries and recovered jurisdiction appeals, to drafting Section 106 legal agreements.
Trinity's planning barristers act for a wide range of sectors including property developers, public authorities, house builders and individuals. The team has experience of both prosecuting and defending planning contraventions in the Magistrates and Crown Courts as well as appearing in the Administrative Court on Judicial Review matters.
In addition, Trinity’s barristers have experience of providing representation and advice on environmental law issues including waste management, installations, regulatory challenges and renewable energy such as wind farms and biomass plants.
Private Prosecution: Crime and cybercrime is a growing challenge for businesses, individuals, insurers, and regulatory bodies. As traditional prosecuting bodies such as the Police, Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office are facing increasing demands on the resources they can deploy due to financial cutbacks and austerity measures, private prosecutions are a viable alternative.
Trinity's Private Prosecutions barristers can assist with a wide range of private prosecution cases, including those involving Cybercrime, Fraud, Assaults and Sexual Offences and Regulatory bodies.
Members of the team, including Silks, Toby Hedworth K.C. and Caroline Goodwin K.C. sit as Recorders and are experienced Crown Court prosecution advocates, several are also Grade 4 CPS Prosecution Prosecutors.
The team provides private criminal prosecution services to a wide range of clients, including insurers, accountants, business advisors, business owners, finance directors and individuals.
The private prosecution barristers deal with case preparation, disclosure and advocacy in the Magistrates, Crown Court and Appellate Courts. They can also advise on the range of appropriate sentences following trial, including compensation orders, confiscation orders and recovery of costs. Further details regarding the private prosecution services offered can be found at Crime Prosecutors.
Property: Barristers in Trinity’s Property group are specialists in real property issues with experience across a wide range of real property disputes, including restrictive covenants, boundaries, easements, shared ownership and adverse possession claims.
The group is able to deal with disputes relating to property finance including mortgages, guarantees and property related taxation and insolvency, along with issues over title including registered and unregistered land.
Barristers in the group deal with all aspects of commercial landlord and tenant matters including possession claims, service charge disputes, rent reviews, lease renewals, dilapidations, assignment and termination of leases.
Barristers in the Property team are well versed in dealing with issues arising out of private property disputes, between private landlords and tenants and regularly act for both providing advisory, drafting and advocacy services. Their expertise is widespread and assisted by specialisms in the social housing field. The team deal with a wide range of private rented sector disputes including possession proceedings, rent repayment orders, deposit, service charges and other leasehold disputes, unlawful eviction, harassment, disrepair and fitness for human habitation claims.
Regulatory, Disciplinary, Environmental, Health & Safety: Trinity Chambers' Regulatory group is made up of highly experienced tribunal advocates who adopt a forensic approach to the issues having frequently acted on behalf of both individuals and public bodies in such proceedings. The group also benefits from including King's Counsel - Toby Hedworth K.C. and Caroline Goodwin K.C.
The Regulatory barristers have defended and prosecuted hearings involving HM Revenue and Customs, Trading Standards, Health and Safety Executive, UK Border Agency, Civil Aviation Authority, food safety, marine safety, environmental protection and data protection. The Regulatory barristers deal with private prosecutions/injunctions for a wide range of commercial organisations, including retailers, regulatory bodies and charities.
Members of the Regulatory team also deal with civil fraud, including mortgage fraud and other aspects of white collar financial crime.
Given the breadth of experienced practitioners within Trinity, expertise is also available to deal with Judicial Review and other public law matters arising from Regulatory proceedings.
Social Housing: Trinity Chambers is home to some of the leading specialist Housing barristers on the North Eastern Circuit. Members of the team are ranked in both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500.
The team regularly appear in courts and tribunals at all levels and are often at the forefront of key legal developments in this ever-evolving and technically challenging area.
Barristers in the Social Housing team act for local authorities, housing association and other social landlords, private landlords, tenants and applicants on all aspects of housing law.
Members of the team are also specialists in related areas including property law, leasehold disputes, welfare benefits, social care, local government, immigration, Human Rights, discrimination, capacity and Court of Protection and are able to provide a complete service to clients on all aspects of their case.
Members of Chambers have been instrumental in advising local government and public bodies on matters of strategy, policy and procedure in housing and other related areas.
Sports Law:
Sports Law spans several areas of expertise within Trinity and the broad spread of expertise in Chambers means that all areas of sports law are very well catered for. From civil and employment through to governance, regulatory and criminal, the areas which are covered include contractual and financial disputes, insolvency and restructuring, employment, discrimination, company and commercial, intellectual property, immigration, licensing, sponsorship, disorderly behaviour, anti-doping, match/spot-fixing, professional discipline, misfeasance, safeguarding, child protection, and health and safety.
Trinity’s Sports Law K.C.s and barristers provide discrete, prompt and pragmatic expert legal advice and advocacy to sports clubs and organisations, managers, sports officials, commercial partners, agents, intermediaries, sponsors, individual players and athletes, governing bodies, sports associations and unions, from grass roots through to professional.
As well as extensive Court experience, Trinity’s Sports Law King’s Counsel and barristers deal with and sit on mediations, arbitrations and a range of sporting tribunals governed and regulated by national governing bodies, such as the Football Association, English Football League, Rugby Football Union, British Boxing Board of Control, British Showjumping and UK Anti-Doping.
