I started out as a junior clerk in 1984. I was halfway through my A-levels when one of the school governors—a barrister—suggested clerking as a career. At the time, I didn’t have a clue what that really meant, but I went along for an interview and, well, that was the beginning.

Back then, there were no computers, no internet, and the Chambers ledger was still written by hand. You got promoted if you were allowed to write in it! I joined 10 Old Square, working with a set of Chancery barristers including Owen Swingland QC, Jack Hames QC and Leolin Price QC. We had 25 juniors in Chambers. It was busy, traditional, and a real eye-opener.

After four years, I moved to 7 New Square, led by Sir John Vinelott QC. I was their first junior clerk and stayed for eight years, learning how to manage diaries, build relationships, and get to grips with developing barristers’ practices. Then came five years at 1 Serjeants’ Inn, a top Planning set under Lionel Read QC, before I took on the role of senior clerk at Fourteen, where I spent sixteen rewarding years.

Eventually, Tony McDaid asked me to head up the London office of No5 Chambers. I joined as Director of Clerking (London) and stayed for eight years, building a great team and working through all the challenges and opportunities that come with running a modern set.

Over the years, the profession has changed enormously. When I started, it was largely male and white, with privilege very much baked into the system. Now, I look around and see a far more diverse, inclusive Bar. We have fantastic women in all areas of Chambers—barristers, marketing teams, finance, regulation—you name it.

There’s been a big cultural shift too. I remember when Public Access first came in and many thought it would be the end of the Bar as we knew it. It wasn’t. It just opened new doors. We’re now surrounded by regulation—EDI, practice management reports, fair allocation—all of which are part of the fabric of what we do. And rightly so.

Clerks today are not just diary managers; we’re business people. The old “barrow boy” image of clerks in the 70s and 80s has long gone. It’s a serious profession that demands commercial awareness, people skills, and the ability to juggle it all with calm and humour.

If someone asked me what advice I’d give to a new clerk, I’d say this: you’re joining a world steeped in tradition but also moving fast. Legal services in the UK have grown massively in the last 20 years, and we’re now seen as world leaders.

Be ready to work hard. You need to be a people person—it’s all about communication. Yes, we all use email constantly, but face-to-face conversations still matter more than anything. Get to know people. Build relationships. Be decent. And be curious—there’s so much more to Chambers these days than just clerking. There are brilliant careers in marketing, regulation, finance, and administration.

If you stick with it, you’ll find the rewards aren’t just financial—they’re about the people you meet, the cases you’re involved in, and the pride of helping someone rise from pupil to KC or even judge.

Right now, there’s a lot of work being done by the Bar Council, the IBC, and the LPMA around bullying and harassment in our profession. Lady Harman is leading a group to tackle this head-on, and I genuinely hope it leads to long-lasting, positive change. This isn’t just a legal sector problem—every profession faces it—but ours is finally looking it in the eye, and that’s encouraging.

There’ve been a few standout moments in my career, but one that always makes me smile is when we were involved in a case with Cubby Broccoli—yes, the James Bond producer. One of my silks was instructed on a legal issue related to a Bond film, and we were flown by helicopter to Jersey for a conference at his house. I was still quite young, and being greeted by several Bond girls on arrival was... memorable!

Then there was the case about a nuclear waste site in the Cumbrian mountains—fascinating and very contentious. And the dispute over an island in the Indian Ocean made entirely of guano, and who owned the mining rights. Clerking really does take you to the strangest and most unexpected places.

The best part of this job is being close to the action. Watching some of the country’s most important cases unfold. Building trust with barristers to the point where you feel like you're part of their success. Seeing someone join as a nervous pupil and years later take silk—or be appointed to the bench—is incredibly satisfying.

You also get to spend time in the Inns of Court—working and sometimes dining in places where Shakespeare first performed Twelfth Night. There’s history, beauty, and a real sense of being part of something special.

And nowadays, clerks travel more, represent Chambers abroad, and attend high-profile events. We're also increasingly recognised by insurers, funders, and other legal businesses. They see our skills—relationship building, commercial awareness, people management—and they want them.