Legal Business

Bar round-up: Essex Court and Outer Temple Chambers boost their ranks

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It’s been a good summer so far for Essex Court Chambers and Outer Temple Chambers, with Daniel Oudkerk QC recently moving from 11 King’s Bench Walk to Essex Court, while David Russell QC and Robin Barclay have joined Outer Temple.

Oudkerk QC took silk in 2010 and focuses on employment disputes and commercial work, having acted for the successful claimants in the landmark conspiracy and team poaching litigation Tullett Prebon v BGC, as well as for the Swiss IDB ContiCap in an Unfair Competition Act claim.

Referred to by The Legal 500 as ‘very client friendly’ (11KBW is ranked first tier in employment), Oudkerk has also previously been instructed by investment banks, Lloyd’s brokers, hedge funds and public bodies.

‘Employment litigation is becoming increasingly complex and like Daniel, many of our members have seen a shift to a wider application of employment dispute resolution into mainstream commercial disputes and litigation,’ said Essex Court’s senior clerk David Grief.

‘Daniel and his employment and commercial law practice will be a superb fit and a perceivable asset for Essex Court Chambers, its members and its collective reputation.’

And further enhancing Essex Court’s profile, Geraldine Andrews QC was appointed a Justice to the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court on 25 July, to take effect in October.

Meanwhile, Outer Temple welcomed Australian barrister David Russell QC (pictured) as a door tenant, while Robin Barclay has joined its commercial group from 2 Hare Court.

Originally a solicitor, the veteran Russell QC – who practises in the Middle East – was called to the Bar in 1977 and was admitted in Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and the Courts of the Dubai International Finance Centre. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in Australia in 1986 and has since acted for the Commonwealth and state governments.

Fellow addition Barclay is a specialist in broad financial & regulatory crime, particularly market abuse, insider dealing, serious fraud, corruption and corporate crime. He is currently acting for clients in the Operation Tabernula case – the largest insider trading investigation ever conducted by the FCA as well as the prolific Operation Saturn investigation in 2010.

Referred to as one of the ‘leading criminal fraud juniors in the country’ by The Legal 500, Barclay has also acting on a $1bn SFO-prosecuted real estate fraud, and is independent counsel in an international FCA investigation into market abuse.

sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk