Deka Chambers

Other headline cases this year show the breadth of work at Deka Chambers, including Matthew Chapman KC acting in the Liverpool fan crush at the Stade de France. In the first tier tribunal on special education needs, Susanna Bennett acted in an alleged discrimination claim brought by a sixth former. Laura Johnson KC and James Byrne secured a multi-million pound settlement for a young woman who suffered scalp and ear injuries when her ponytail became trapped in a factory drill — in a case involving 21(!) expert witnesses.

Meanwhile on the family side, Thomas Jones appeared for the government in a case where a Nigerian adoption was not recognised automatically by the UK, bringing up international family and human rights issues. Though one Deka barrister quipped that “as with all law, it can get a bit repetitive”, the general mood is extremely positive. The broad range of work on offer and the leading lawyers in these diverse fields means the briefs can cover niche or novel issues. “Every case throws up a challenge,” we were told by one rookie, while a colleague added, “there are numerous occasions where unusual legal points need to be raised.”

Given the wide remit on offer, training at Deka puts a lot of emphasis on balancing guidance with opportunity in the pupillage year. Like many common law sets, pupils get on their feet for the second six, offering daily opportunities for advocacy and building client relationships — but perhaps more importantly, exposing rookies to the realities of multispecialist practice. This is especially vital, given that new tenants are expected to continue a common law practice involving crime, family, and civil work for at least three years as a junior. However, given how diverse the cases coming in can be, one insider told us that even then “you can’t experience every different type of case in pupillage”, though added that “there are always members of chambers to ask for guidance” meaning you can pursue areas you want.

During the pupillage year, you will sit with three supervisors, for two months apiece. These rotating “seats” mean pupils will begin with a civil practitioner “who is likely to specialise in personal injury and/or clinical negligence”. The first seat emphasises written work, like advices and legal drafting, plus conferences — meaning a little less court work. Deka says the purpose here is “reviewing and teaching the drafting and advisory skills required to manage a civil practice”.

So far, so good, and in the second and third seats, pupils are assigned supervisors who specialise in criminal and family law. The focus in seats two and three is to prepare pupils for developing the skills to manage a court-heavy practice, “including analysis, preparation, witness handling and (of course!) advocacy” — of the oral sort. Alongside this, pupils work to an internal advocacy programme. This means each month, pupils are led by senior and junior members on recent (but “dead”) cases from the civil, criminal, and family practice areas where they can get feedback on their speaking and arguing.

In the practising second six months, pupils have a touchpoint fourth supervisor who is often a general common law practitioner and will be able to offer advice on the three main areas (civil, family, and crime). During the second six, pupils will also produce written work for their fourth supervisor and—as they had in the first six—will receive written and oral feedback to help them build their skillset and improve as they look towards tenancy.

Speaking of tenancy, during these busy six months pupils have another major task on their shoulders: to prepare an application containing an anonymised portfolio of your work, plus a covering letter to secure that sought after place as a Deka tenant. Applications, we’re told, are to be submitted about one month before the end of pupillage. That’s tough!

At Deka, they say, “tenancy is not automatic” but they zoom in on their good record of recruitment, noting a “programme of teaching and support”. The juniors at Deka we spoke to echoed this, with many praising the internal advocacy training as “first-rate” and “fantastic”. Besides “supportive supervisors” during pupillage, juniors who make tenancy can enjoy a mentoring scheme, plus additional in-house training for established practitioners. This includes “advice from external professionals”, one rookie explained, all aimed at providing members “with the information required to ensure success”.

It probably helps that members describe a “collegiate atmosphere”, with one mole saying they have colleagues “available and approachable either in person or via phone.” Deka is said to operate an open door policy for any other bits of advice or queries. It’s not just the barristers, either — with a clerking team who “support career aspirations”, presumably in more ways than just winning exciting briefs from just about every practice area across the bar. “All the teams within chambers are highly motivated to further their respective areas”, which means pupils and juniors alike can draw on a dynamic and exciting range in their colleagues.

Between their many courtrooms and cases, do Deka members socialise with one another? We were told they do: “Chambers are a friendly bunch” one junior says, “Thirsty Thursdays have proved a success. This is a once a month gathering in chambers where drinks are provided and there is an opportunity for all members to get to know each other in an informal setting.” These “Thirsty Thursdays” were much lauded across the board, being “a monthly event to socialise”. Given Thirsty Thursdays are chambers-wide, they exist on top of the “regular socials” for each of the teams — which presumably means you could end up with quite a busy social calendar if you stick to a broad-branch common law practice! Even then, life at the bar can be overwhelming. One very busy member said that whilst not socialising much themselves at the moment, they “understand that others are having a right-roaring time after work…”

That might make it seem like there is a risk of drowning under the workload, but most members assured us that is not the case — unless you choose it. “The job we do is a demanding one,” one realist confided in Legal Cheek, though they added that “the clerks are alive to the need for members to have sufficient respite. The clerking team are excellent. They have a good understanding that there is life outside of work and assist in managing members work commitments to ensure a healthy work/life balance.” Another insider chimed that “There’s never [a] complaint when you want some time off”. Indeed, one rookie said that given the clerking team’s “friendly” and “supportive” approach “there’s never a problem with speaking to them if the [work-life] balance is getting out of kilter.” For one tenant we spoke to who had “taken advantage of our active clerking [after] having suffered a personal tragedy” that “chambers was highly supportive and my work was fitted in around my circumstances”. That’s a huge positive.

With so many tenants and the need to entertain clients from all across the legal sector, number 5 Norwich Street serves Deka well. Originally the upscaled home for legacy set 9 Gough Square after a move in 2020, 5 Norwich Street offers a much more modern approach to chambers, being more reminiscent of a law firm, with balcony views that stretch out as far as Big Ben, according to one spy. Besides the usual conference rooms, lecture spaces, and “state of the art IT facilities”, the space boasts “A wonderful rooftop” and “a seventh floor terrace with views over the city”. Members highlighted the “inviting hot desk areas” and an “in-house expert who’s always willing to help” on IT issues — which we’re told are “dealt with promptly”. Though one barrister of more traditional stripes confided that “Something older would have been nice,” they still accepted that a set of over 100 lawyers and many staff means “we need a lot of space and it does the job”. And given all the spaces for entertaining, it’s hardly surprising that “Clients always comment on the amazing view!”

For aspiring barristers set on Deka Chambers, the set offers two pupillages with an award of £65,000 each. Half of the package is paid per month, whilst the rest represents guaranteed earnings in the practising second six. There is facility to draw down part of the award pre-pupillage, offered on a discretionary basis. Mitigating circumstances are taken into account.