Unlike the Channel 4 series North Square the drama unfolding at the newly merged Zenith Chambers is likely to run and run, writes Michael Gerrard
Last year the heart of Leeds’ legal centre became the backdrop for the television series North Square, but the drama continued long after the cameras had stopped rolling at Park Square.
The city’s barrister community is coming to terms with its largest chambers merger and it has been an eventful affair.
Zenith Chambers was born on March 1, as a result of the marriage between full-service sets 10 Park Square and 9 Woodhouse Square. But even before the merger, four members of Woodhouse Square – senior junior John Muir, standing counsel for Customs & Excise, criminal expert Bryan Cox, PI/medical negligence junior Joanna Cross and Cox’s former pupil Alex Offer left for Park Court Chambers.
In recent weeks senior crime juniors Andrew Dallas, Martin Rudland and Peter Moulson have joined neighbours 6 Park Square, known as No6, and former colleague Felicity Davies has moved to Sovereign Chambers.
Lease negotiations meant it was two months before the remaining members of the set were able to join together under one roof at No 10. What others might view as setbacks are mere hiccups to the man at the centre of this merger, Zenith’s practice director Robin Butchard.
But Butchard has seen it all before, having been involved in two previous mergers in the last decade: the creation of the Temple’s 5 Pump Court in 1990 and the union that created Birmingham superset St Philip’s.
This is not the first time No 10 has attempted merger with a neighbour. Last year it was involved
in months of negotiations with family specialists
30 Park Square before proceedings were halted in April without explanation. Even a year later Butchard refuses to be drawn on the subject. Others are more forthcoming. Another clerk claims it foundered because it only had minority support at No 30.
No doubt because of this experience Butchard is determined that Zenith will succeed and he refuses to be disheartened by the early defections: “We were not totally surprised, because they had always made clear their views of the merger. As with St Philip’s it is inevitable yet regrettable that people leave.” Butchard himself left the Birmingham set not long after its merger, shortly after the merged St Philip’s introduced the chief executive model of management with the recruitment of Vincent Denham to oversee operations.
His words about the inevitability of departures are borne out by one of the recent leavers Andrew Dallas, who makes clear he left 10 Park Square after more than 20 years because he does not support the idea of merger in general.
He says: “If a set has a recruitment policy of taking on people one by one on merit, then you get a quality of product across the board, rather than the variable results you can get when two sets merge.” Butchard used to talk of such ‘organic growth’, the idea of sets building from within, but now believes that merger is a quicker way of reaching the critical mass necessary to offer the strength in depth across several practice areas.
Unsurprisingly, he takes his lead from the ideas of St Philip’s merger, which was formed three years ago through the union of Priory Chambers and 7 Fountain Court.
He says: “The principles are no different than those applied in Birmingham. We hope to provide specialist teams who can offer the required advice to clients here on their doorstep, so you do not have to go to London.”
But unlike St Philip’s, which is challenging fellow Birmingham set 5 Fountain Court for the position as England’s largest set – the latter having this year broken the three-figure barrier – Butchard claims to have no interest in developing Zenith as the superset of the north.
He also rejects the idea that despite his history, he was automatically set upon merger on arrival in Leeds in April 1999.
He says: “I did not come here to specifically deal with mergers. I came here to reorganise 10 Park Square and its administration. We are not looking to be the biggest set in England, we are looking to be the best set in Leeds.”
He believes that 9 Woodhouse Square, with its similar mix of disciplines, will prove to be the ideal partner for 10 Park Square and that any teething troubles will soon subside.
On the administrative side, the clerks’ room is integrated with Butchard, formerly 10 Park Square’s senior clerk as practice director with opposite number at Woodhouse Square, Samantha Ashford now his deputy.
Vultures are hovering elsewhere in the city. There is speculation as to who will be the next departure from Zenith and where they will be going.
“The merger has pushed many good quality people towards us,” one rival clerk boasts.
Others feel that the loss of a number of high-profile counsel so early on does not send out the right signals about a set that intended to be the city’s largest with 65 members.
But according to Butchard these departures will soon be replaced by other barristers. He says he has received several enquiries from barristers across the country.
He adds: “We are confident that everyone who is here is on board and committed to Zenith Chambers and its success.”
Whatever the outcome of the merger, it is clear that unlike the fictional North Square, this drama is set to run and run.
