Practice Manager (1978) in London

Devereux Chambers is a leading civil and commercial set with recognised strength in employment, commercial litigation, tax, personal injury, and clinical negligence. Members are known for high-quality advocacy, technical excellence, and practical, client-focused advice, acting for major law firms, government bodies, insurers, and corporate clients across all senior courts and tribunals. Chambers combines a modern, forward-thinking approach with a supportive, collaborative culture and a highly regarded clerking team that provides strong professional and commercial support.

The Practice Manager is responsible for the practice management and development of a team of barristers of varying seniority.

2–3 years' experience as a Practice Manager, including responsibility for managing and leading a team.

The prime focus of this role is practice and client development. The successful candidate will be expected to take a leading role in the day-to-day affairs of the clerks' room and ensure the efficient and structured running of the relevant team(s) of barristers. The Practice Manager will liaise on a regular basis with clerking colleagues, reporting to the Director of Clerking and Deputy Director of Clerking, and working closely with all members and support staff. The Practice Manager will be responsible for the Deputy Practice Manager and Assistant Practice Manager in their team, including their training and mentoring.

• Take a leading role within the clerks' room to deliver a superior level of service based on the principle of 'right first time, every time.'
• Demonstrate the confidence and resilience to operate effectively in a high-profile organisation.
• Act in a professional manner to build personal gravitas and credibility.
• Demonstrate excellent and specialist knowledge of each member of their team's practice and clients and a good knowledge of other members' practices and clients.
• Keep abreast of developments and trends within the legal world and the Bar (including new acts, changes in regulations, and movements among our client base) and especially within the Practice Manager's team, and the potential impact on clerking services.

• With the Director and Deputy Director of Clerking and Business Development, holding one practice development meeting per year with members of the relevant team to review the members' current practice.
• Undertaking strategic planning and development in accordance with the outcome of practice discussions.
• Conducting periodic reviews to monitor progress and adapt agreed strategy as required.
• Agreeing marketing plans, financial targets and reviewing the short-, medium- and long-term direction for the practice.
• Ensuring that decisions arising from practice discussions are recorded and communicated in a timely and appropriate fashion.
• Ensuring agreed actions are implemented and feedback is acted upon.
• Being sympathetic to members preferred working practices, with a view to work life balance.

• Participating in marketing and business development initiatives, including contributing to and attending events with clients, sometimes out of normal hours.
• Assisting the Director of Clerking in identifying new business opportunities and enhancing relationships with existing clients, including extending relationships to new members.

• Ensuring effective cross-selling of members and implementing Chamber's policies relating to the fair, appropriate and effective distribution of new business opportunities.
• Developing and maintaining professional relationships with current and potential professional clients of the barristers in their team.
• Recording all work opportunity information on the case management software.
• Reporting to the Chambers Director any trends or issues that need addressing.

• Acting as primary point of contact for internal and external clients, dealing with enquiries relating to members of the team.
• Daily responsibility for the allocation of work, and diary management for relevant barristers.
• Advising solicitors and other clients/prospective clients on appropriate Counsel, their availability, and the fee rates applicable to relevant barristers.
• Responding to queries or requests for information by clients in an efficient, professional and courteous manner.
• Negotiating fees, including stage payments or tranche structures and settlement fees, pricing and billing of work.
• Providing guidance and assistance to other members of the clerking team on fees.
• Taking responsibility for the diary and case management system, and managing/updating data in relation to diary dates, case records, fee data, tasks, contact details and other related data.
• Taking responsibility for liaising with the courts, clients and other barristers' clerks for fixing dates as appropriate, and to record and maintain up to date records of such negotiations.
• Taking responsibility for notifying barristers in their relevant team(s) [and solicitors] of listing information.
• Recording listing information on the diary and case management system.
• Liaising as appropriate, internally and externally, to organise conferences and meetings on behalf of members.
• Checking the diary for forward planning – next day, next week, next month etc.
• Reviewing correspondence and briefs received into Chambers to note, record and follow-up requests for advice, or other documents/information and maintain records of such information.
• Liaising daily with clients and barristers to inform both parties (as appropriate) of commitments, availability, the progress of cases, to relay other relevant information, to ensure the timely delivery of papers and to follow-up on correspondence.
• Ensuring that Chambers' processes, protocols and procedures are adhered to effectively and efficiently, to deliver a superior level of service to members.
• Undertaking such other duties as directed by the Director and/or Deputy Director of Clerking and Business Development, to ensure the smooth and efficient running of Chambers.
• Maintaining excellent communication and providing appropriate support and cover for other teams, particularly in the absence of colleagues.
• Reporting problems or complaints immediately to the Director/Deputy Director of Clerking, to establish the appropriate course of action.
• Acting in a manner commensurate with an ethos of 'continuous improvement' in the service experience of internal and external clients.

• Taking direct line-management responsibility for the Deputy and Assistant Practice Manager in the team, and any other assigned clerks.
• Allocating tasks to junior clerks, appropriate to their level of skill and experience.
• In conjunction with the Director and Deputy Director of Clerking, taking responsibility for the on-going performance management of the Deputy and Assistant Practice Managers, including setting priorities, objectives, monitoring progress, providing feedback and taking action to ensure individual performance at the highest level.
• Maintaining good working relationships, with barristers and colleagues at Devereux Chambers, and with professional clients, officers of the courts and staff and barristers in other sets.

All applicants are requested to complete an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion form, available here. Closing date Friday 24th April 2026. For all enquiries please contact: ABC Partnership - 0203 890 8190 – enquiries@abcllp.com. To apply for this role please email a comprehensive CV and covering letter to Sam Biggerstaff – sam@abcllp.com & Hudson Brewer - hudson@abcllp.com. All third-party applications will be forwarded to ABC Partnership Ltd. ABC are committed to equality and to fostering diversity in our profession. We will treat everyone equally and irrespective of their age, background, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity status, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Please advise us in advance of the interview if you have any access needs (including those arising from neurodiversity) and/or require reasonable adjustments for the interview so that we can make appropriate arrangements.