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Terms of Service and Business

Service Standards

Kenworthy's Chambers are committed to delivering the highest standard of advocacy and service on a national level, working in partnership with clients. We strive to address the needs, concerns, and interests of the client and all our Clerks, Administrators and Barristers take pride in delivering a first-class, personable service.

A client care letter is delivered to clients at the booking stage of cases, that lays out the terms and conditions of business and timescales.

Feedback

We welcome comments on our performance and want to know if it meets your expectations.

If you are satisfied with our service, please complete our Feedback Form with your comments.

If you are unsatisfied with any aspect of our service, please contact our Practice Manager on 0161 832 4036, email [email protected], or alternatively download a full copy of our Complaints Procedure.

Instructing Kenworthy’s

Our Barristers are organised into practice groups covering all the main areas of law, including Administrative and Public Law, Business and Property, Civil Litigation and Costs, Court of Protection, Criminal Law, Education, Employment Law, Family and Finance, Immigration, Asylum and Nationality, Inquests, Regulatory and Professional Discipline, Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence.

Practice Manager Maria Rushworth directs the Clerks at Kenworthy's Chambers. Clerks use their experience and knowledge to handle enquiries and advise clients on the most suitable Barrister for their case.

Diary Bookings

Chambers operates a strict policy against double-booking. If a client requests a booking that conflicts with an existing diary entry, the existing entry will be disclosed, and the second booking will be accepted only with the client’s full consent.

The Clerks have excellent working relationships with all court staff and are usually able to ensure that hearings are fixed for the appropriate Barrister. If you wish to use a specific Barrister, a Clerk will inform you of their availability.

Every effort is made to accommodate hearings and avoid cases being returned. However, there are genuine occasions when a case may have to be returned to another Barrister - for example, when a case has overrun or listing changes have been made by the Court or the Judge. If a change of counsel is unavoidable the Clerk will suggest a suitable alternative Barrister and will keep you notified throughout.

Who Can Instruct Us?

Members of Kenworthy's Chambers are instructed by a wide variety of clients and entities. Our extensive experience includes instructions in all types of work from various legal professionals, including Solicitors, Barristers, and Accountants.

Other instructions may arise from an established relationship with a Barrister, recommendation by a client, or following discussion with one of the Clerking Team about who would be best placed to work on a matter.

Direct Public Access

Companies, businesses, and members of the public can now instruct Barristers directly for legal advice and representation without having to go through a Solicitor or intermediary professional first.

A large proportion of Kenworthy’s Barristers are qualified to accept Direct Public Access instructions having undertaken the appropriate training. Our Barristers can draft documents, give written advice and provide advocacy services in courts and tribunals.

Public Access was introduced to increase accessibility to the legal system and is part of a wider scheme to make it easier and more economical for the general public to access legal advice.

As of January 2014, Public Access rules also apply to instructions received from a lay foreign client or a lay client in England and Wales in relation to a foreign matter. The Bar Council website provides further information on Public Access Guidance for lay clients.

Licensed Access

Members of Kenworthy’s Chambers accept instructions via the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Scheme from professionals, such as Surveyors, Accountants, Engineers, and Planners, who have been granted a licence to instruct a Barrister directly.

Terms of Business

The Provision of Services Regulations 2009 includes important information on terms of business which took effect in January 2013 and were updated in 2018 to take account of the General Data Protection Regulation, then again in 2020 to refer to the Money Laundering Regulations. The following information on regulation, terms of business, and public funding is provided by members of Kenworthy’s Chambers to meet these legal obligations. For further information please see the Bar Council’s contractual terms on their Ethics and Practice Hub.

Regulation

Members of Chambers are individual self-employed Barristers, each of whom is regulated by the Bar Standards Board. Full details on Code of Conduct which regulates the professional behaviour and standards of all barristers can be found on the Bar Standards Board website.

All Kenworthy’s Barristers are members of the Bar Council of England and Wales - an organisation that provides representation, support, and services for Barristers.

Standard Terms with Solicitors and Other Authorised Persons

Our barristers accept instructions based on the Standard Contractual Terms for the Supply of Legal Services by Barristers to Authorised Persons.

Public Funding

Where services are provided under a public funding certificate or another statutory arrangement, then the Standard Contractual Terms 2012 will not apply. The relevant statutory provisions will govern the relationship between Barristers and their instructing Solicitors.

Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence

Where a standard CFA trade agreement exists between APIL (the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) and PIBA (Personal Injury Bar Association) in personal injury cases, then the latest agreement will generally govern the relationship between Barrister and Solicitor.

Public Access and Licensed Access

If you are not a Solicitor or other “authorised” person (one regulated by the Law Society or SRA), then Kenworthy’s Chambers’ default position is that the Barrister will provide services to you either under our standard Public Access agreement (if you are a member of the public) or under the standard Licensed Access agreements (which applies to members of professional bodies such as the Royal Town and Country Planning Association and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors).

For further information, lay clients can read the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme guidance or the Bar Council’s licensing terms.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

All Barristers in Chambers have professional indemnity insurance to a minimum level of £500,000. Many Barristers have additional indemnity insurance in excess of £500,000. Insurance cover is provided by Bar Mutual.