Client service is extremely important at Fountain Court, and we strive to continually achieve excellence in this respect. Crucial to achieving excellence is our clerking team, which is led by Alex Taylor, one of the most highly regarded senior clerks in the industry. Alex is supported by two Deputy Senior Clerks, Katie Szewczyk and Sian Huckett, as well as Helen Griffiths, Fountain Court’s Head of Business Development & Marketing. Client service is a significant part of this core team’s role, both in terms of setting strategies and guiding the rest of the team, and in relation to their individual day-to-day activities.

‘Value add’ services to clients

Our service to clients extends to hosting or participating in training sessions and educational events including over 50 technical sessions to law firms and industry associations, delivered since January 2023. The Fountain Court Academy was launched in 2023 and has included a seminar on the impact of Artificial Intelligence in Dispute Resolution (featuring as speakers the former Head of UK Government Office for AI, a partner from Allen & Overy, the Chair of the Competition Appeal Tribunal and an international advisor on AI ethics); and a workshop on the art of leadership (hosted by a former magic circle partner and leadership coach).

The Fountain Court Podcast has also continued to provide clients with legal news and analysis in specific areas, as well as non-technical interviews with highly respected individuals from the industry. Episodes released in 2023 have included an interview with Lady Justice Carr (as she then was) to mark International Women’s Day; a two-part episode focusing on lessons learned from defending substantial claims in the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal; a discussion on the topic of unlawful means conspiracy in civil fraud; an audio recording of a webinar on the Supreme Court decision in Philipp v Barclays, delivered by the all-Fountain Court team that represented the bank; a session on ESG risks and disputes; and a discussion around topical issues in the field of aviation litigation. Our episodes have featured over 30 contributors in 2023 alone, including external speakers from law firms such as Allen & Overy, Clyde & Co, Kingsley Napley, Norton Rose Fulbright, Signature Litigation and Slaughter & May.

In response to feedback, we have also sought to demystify the role of a clerk for some – particularly international – clients, by way of an episode of The Fountain Court Podcast featuring an interview with Alex Taylor by the actor Neil Stuke, and by way of a training session entitled ‘The role of a clerk’ designed to educate law firms on a clerk’s position and how best to work together, to achieve the desired outcome for the client.

Client service internationally

When it comes to client service, our high standards continue outside of the UK, whether this is through the delivery of training sessions, presentations and seminars for law firms, in-house counsel or educational institutions, or through the sponsorship of, and participation in, flagship events. We also continue to host our annual Christopher Bathurst essay competition, supported by the Singapore Academy of Law, which has become an established fixture in the legal calendar for Singaporean lawyers under the age of 30. The annual prize-giving typically follows an educational webinar with the 2023 topic being ‘Arbitrability: Can Jurisdictions Police the Public Policy of Other Jurisdictions?’.