New era begins as Atlantic and Oriel Chambers merge to form Hundred Court Chambers.
Two of Liverpool’s oldest and most respected barristers’ chambers, both of which work across the UK, have merged to create Hundred Court Chambers, a move its joint heads of chambers say will significantly enhance services to clients, while creating ‘immense opportunities’ for its members and staff.
The merger between Atlantic Chambers and Oriel Chambers will see the newly-formed Hundred Court operate from a fully-refurbished ground floor premises at Exchange Station in Liverpool, opposite Liverpool’s Civil and Family Court. Previously, Atlantic Chambers was on Cook Street, while Oriel Chambers operated from Water Street.
The merger will bring together 79 members, 20 employees and two pupils under one roof, with four new pupils set to join later in 2025. As part of the merger, the highly rated clerking teams from both chambers will be brought together into a single unit.
The name Hundred Court Chambers gets its inspiration from the medieval ‘hundred court’, once held in Allerton, Liverpool. Before courthouses existed, these courts are believed to have convened in open-air settings, offering a place forgathering, deliberation and fair judgment.
Atlantic Chambers was originally established in 1939 as Melville Kennan’s Chambers. It became Castle Street Chambers before rebranding to Atlantic Chambers in 2003.
It has long been recognised as a leading multidisciplinary barristers’ set, with national expertise in chancery, commercial, civil litigation, clinical negligence, crime, family, employment and inquests. Atlantic has a number of barristers who are recognised in The Legal 500 UK Bar rankings as leaders in their fields.
The set has a distinguished history with past members including Sir Brian Leveson, former President of the Queen’s Bench Division, Lord Justice Edis, the newly appointed Vice-President of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division and, until recently, Senior Presiding Judge, and Mrs Justice Knowles, one of the current Presiding Judges of the Northern Circuit. Its current judges include also HHJ Natalie Cuddy, HHJ Horne, DJ Neil Downey and DJ Philip Emery.
Oriel Chambers was established in 1965 and has built a strong reputation as a leading barristers’ set on the Northern Circuit, acting for clients including the Crown Office, local authorities, global insurers and national law firms. Its members are frequently recognised in The Legal 500 for their excellence across multiple areas of civil and family law.
Past members of Oriel include HHJ Stannard, former Official Referee (Technology and Construction Court Judge) of Liverpool; HHJ Trigger (Civil Judge); HHJ Norman Wright (Criminal Judge); HHJ Brandon (Family Judge); DJ John Baldwin (Regional Costs Judge); DJ Lindsay Clarke; and DJ Shirley Hennessy.
Charles Prior, joint head of chambers at Hundred Court Chambers, said:“From our first discussions it was clear that we shared a strong alignment in values, culture and ambition, and in a relatively short period of time, we felt that there was a huge opportunity to come together.
“Each set has worked tirelessly to build formidable reputations not only in the North West but throughout the UK. By joining together, we can bring together an even broader range of expertise and specialism, delivering significantly enhanced services and supporting our clients on the most complex of matters.
“The coming together marks the beginning of a new era, one that will open up immense career opportunities not only for our existing members and staff, but also for new barristers looking to join us on this exciting new venture.”
Paul Brant, joint head of chambers at Hundred Court Chambers, said: “The new name reflects our heritage and vision. With deep local roots and a foundation of strength and integrity, Hundred Court Chambers is well positioned for an exciting future.
“Our new offices at Exchange Station are also symbolic. This proud, historic building has been transformed into a modern business hub, reflecting our forward-looking mindset. Located close to the courts, it’s the perfect setting to mark this new era for the chambers.
“The merger enhances our collective excellence and operational capabilities, enabling us to better meet the evolving demands of all our clients in a fast-moving market for legal services.
“While mergers are often complex, this process has been seamless, which is testament to the cultural alignment across both teams.”
Hundred Court Chambers new website will be live in summer 2025. Visit www.hundredcourt.co.uk for further information.
