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Tooks Chambers to close
Last month, Tooks Chambers announced in a statement on its website that it is to dissolve at the end of the year:
‘It is with great regret that Tooks Chambers has decided to begin the process of dissolution. Tooks Chambers has a proud record of defending the rights of the under privileged and the oppressed. From its early days of defending miners and their communities during their year-long strike, consistently tackling miscarriages of justice such as the Birmingham Six and representing the family of Stephen Lawrence, to its current involvement in landmark cases such as the Hillsborough inquests and the AHK judicial review, members of chambers have sought to hold the state to account.
The dissolution of chambers is the direct result of government policies on legal aid. The public service we provide is dependent on public funding. Ninety per cent of our work is publicly funded. The government policies led by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling are cumulatively devastating the provision of legal services and threatening the rule of law.
Tooks Chambers will continue to accept briefs until we wind up our operations on 11 October 2013. Individual barristers will continue to practise and to represent their clients. They will be making arrangements for the continuation of their practices so that the interests of their clients will not be affected.
Tooks Chambers will not be formally dissolved until Friday 27 December 2013 so that we can ensure that all past work is billed and fees are collected.
Chambers has established a consistently high standard of professional service for nigh on 30 years in the field of human and civil rights. Its caring and vibrant ethos is renowned. The vulnerable, the wrongly accused and the disadvantaged have been at the core of our defence of social justice. Our achievements both collectively and individually in casework, training, seminars and campaigning have been well documented and recognised. This is reflected in our record of results, awards and rankings throughout this year.
Michael Mansfield QC and others are actively pursuing the possibility of reconfiguring resources in order to create a new and alternative working model based on an electronic hub and a compact physical space. This is particularly intended to support publicly funded practitioners who are committed to continuing the struggle for social justice both inside and outside the courts.’