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Latest News:
- Draft LOI to Experts: 2nd revise re DNA
26-02-2008
25-10-2007
Latest Articles:
- Pensions in Ancillary Relief
05-03-2008
- Draft Letters of Instruction to Experts
26-02-2008
Latest Seminars:
07-04-2008
24-10-2007
About us
About 4 Brick Court
Set up in the mid 1970's by David Medhurst, today the Chambers of Miss Janet Mitchell occupy two floors in a historic building in the Middle Temple. The Royal Courts of Justice, the Principal Registry, and the Inner London and City Family Proceedings Court are all within easy reach.
Chambers' Principal Objectives
- To provide an excellent legal service to its professional and lay clients
- To pursue its clients' interests vigorously without losing sight of the need to be objective
- To be professional, competent and sympathetic in its dealings with all clients
- To achieve Quality Mark status reflecting the importance placed on the quality of service we seek to provide.
- To promote equal opportunities and non discrimination in the acceptance of work, the carrying out of work and all dealing with clients, staff and others
We are a medium sized set of Chambers practising predominantly in all aspects of family work. Some tenants also practise in the areas of Immigration, Crime and Civil Law in addition to our main specialism.
The Family Team comprises of over 30 practising barristers. We offer services across the whole range of family work with practitioners at differing levels of seniority. Chambers is renowned for its work in child care as well as in private law children work and ancillary relief. We offer services from highly skilled specialists who have extensive experience in the complexities of cases involving non-accidental injuries, sexual abuse, shaken baby injuries, Munchausen by Proxy, sudden infant death, parents with mental health issues, wardship, abduction, adoption, residence and contact. Areas of work covered also include Family Law Act injunctions, TLATA cases, child maintenance, Public Interest Immunity/disclosure applications (primarily for local authorities in both criminal and family proceedings) and Protection from Harassment Act claims. Our Team also has an established reputation in matrimonial property and finance, including experience in big money cases, issues of enforcement, foreign assets, applications to reinstate ancillary relief claims, applications for worldwide injunctions and appeals.
Advocacy and advisory work (both written and by telephone) is undertaken for solicitors nationwide. Other professional clients include local authorities and prosecution authorities. Direct Professional Instructions are also accepted.
All Barristers are committed to observe the Bar Council Code of Conduct
Equal Opportunities
Chambers is committed to the implementation and promotion of equal opportunities and to compliance with the Bar Council's Equality Code. All persons coming into contact with Chambers are treated on merit and are not discriminated against on the grounds of their age, ethnic or national origin, nationality, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, religion or political persuasion.
Facilities
Chambers has two conference rooms available at our centrally located premises. Our barristers are also able to attend conferences at client premises.
Chambers is fully committed to the use of information technology and e-communication, including email and telephone-conferencing to promote the accessibility of its barristers to clients throughout the UK. Tenants have access to an excellent updated library (paper and electronic).
We are also equipped to cater for clients with disabilities in that Chambers provides for full disabled access to our building.
Pupillage
These Chambers have a deserved reputation as one of the friendliest sets in which to do pupillage. Chambers are keen to attract candidates from all backgrounds. Our pupils are the future and great importance is attached to pupillage training. Members aim to be approachable and supportive of pupils, allow them to develop as individual practitioners. Our pupil supervisors are committed to providing quality tuition. Their aim is to nurture professional relationships to assist you with your future career at the Bar. The current award for pupils is a £12,000 mixed grant and guaranteed income for the duration of the 12 months of pupillage. Past pupils have enjoyed a busy second six months, being in court on 3 days out of 5. Chambers usually take on two funded pupils annually, to start in October, through the OLPAS application system. We operate an equal opportunities recruitment policy. Our recruitment methods prevent any discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or age. If you are interested in a mini-pupillage, please write to our Practice Manager, Neil Monro, for an application form.
Quality Standards
A document setting out chambers' quality standards can be found on the articles page:
(http://www.4bc.co.uk/articles.html).
Direct Access
Barristers can now be instructed directly by members of the public. However there are still some restrictions n the type and methods of work that can be done on this basis.
Not all barristers in 4 Brick Court accept work directly from member of the public.
Restrictions
Barristers are restricted by the Bar Council from doing certain types of work for clients who instruct them directly.
Barristers may not:-
a. Do any immigration or asylum work directly for clients.
b. Act as a supervisor for the purposes of section 84(2) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
c. Undertake the management administration or general conduct of the client's affairs.
d. Conduct correspondence with an opposing party (but a barrister may draft letters for the client to send, and may also negotiate with the other side on the client's behalf either on the telephone, in formal meetings or as part of alternative dispute resolution).
e. Instruct expert witnesses directly (but a barrister may recommend an expert witness and draft instructions for the expert).
f. "Conduct" litigation or inter-partes work including for example issuing proceedings or applications in proceedings, going on the record in court proceedings, signing statements of truth, serving lists of documents (but a barrister can advise as to these matters, provide and draft the documents, and can do court work closely connected with an "advocacy" role, such as preparing written arguments and documentation for the court, and liaising and negotiating directly with the other side).
g. Take any proof of evidence in any criminal case (but a barrister can take a proof of evidence in a civil case).
h. Organise the investigation and collection of evidence for court (but a barrister can advise and guide the client or others to do this work).
i. Attend at a police station without a solicitor to advise a suspect or interviewee as to the handling and conduct of police interviews.
j. Hold any client money or security.
k. Apply on behalf of the client for public funding.
Barristers are only allowed to do the following criminal work for clients who instruct them directly:-
a. Advising or drafting where criminal proceedings have not yet started;
b. Appeals to the High Court by way of case stated by a Magistrates Court or the Crown Court;
c. Appeals against sentence to the Crown Court not involving a
d. Appeals to the Court of Appeal not involving new evidence;
e. Appeals to the House of Lords or Privy Council;
f. Cases before the European Court of Human Rights;
g. Cases before the European Court.
In addition to e-g above, barristers are only allowed to do the following family work for clients who instruct them directly:-
a. Advising or drafting where family proceedings have not yet started;
b. Appeals to the Child Support Appeal Tribunal or hearings before the Child Support Commissioners;
c. Appeals from the magistrates to the High Court by way of case stated;
d. Appeals to the Court of Appeal not involving new evidence.