Client Service Set of the Year

Chambers are delighted to have been awarded Client Service Set of the Year for 2018 by Chambers & Partners.

25 Bedford Row was the first set of chambers  to be awarded the  distinguished accreditation, the “Bar Mark” in 1999, the  quality services endorsement  from the Bar Council at that time. We now have nearly 20 years of exemplary service under our belt.

Their service provision has catapulted the set into the top tier of criminal barristers chambers.   Their members  have been carefully selected for a long time, based on their quality and  diversity,  and the primary goal was obtaining the work that accurately reflected the level of their expertise and capability. The progression  of 25 Bedford Row has been steadily navigated  by Guy Williams  and  has been  achieved by a closely managed  growth strategy. The quality of work and current income level is appreciated by the set as a true reflection of the work undertaken during the past 20 years.

Guy Williams is widely respected as one of the most outstanding criminal clerks. He runs his experienced  clerking team extremely well,  allowing his close team  to share the strategic decisions and giving them the freedom to develop the areas best suited to their attributes.  Emma Makepeace is commercially driven, efficient and extremely personable, Alfie Lee is effective, knowledgeable and client focused. 

The strength of the set is the breadth of their client base, necessary to support the competing needs of their barristers. In serious  crime, chambers work for High Street firms and in financial and regulatory matters, 25 Bedford Row work for  top tier and commercial city firms.  Both Barristers and Clerks create professional relationships with depth,  which is testament to their approachable, accessible nature and their integrity.

Clerks are realistic about availability and communicative about potential clashes and issues that arise. They offer transparency with fees, applying a formulaic structure with flexibility to suit different client needs.

Chambers offer direct lay client  assistance, the clerks are known to take  time to consider the needs of each lay client. Their experience and ability to adapt and communicate have ensured direct access enquiries are an important route for clients seeking the best advice & assistance with their case.

Barristers are renowned for their client driven, pro –active service  and accessibility.

The quality of counsel and the support offered, both internally and externally, at 25 Bedford Row,  is why this set is recognised as excelling in all areas relating to client service.

Chambers & Partners 2019 stated :-

"Those familiar with 25 Bedford Row are highly complimentary of the “outstanding work ethic“ displayed at every level of chambers and indicates that this is particularly evident among the clerks, who will “go out of their way to ensure that you are offered the best level of service.” Senior Clerk Guy Williams and Deputy Senior Clerk Emma Makepeace are said to provide “the best clerking London has to offer,” fostering an atmosphere that is “professional and effortlessly efficient.” The set’s specialism in criminal defence means the clerks are well aware of the financial complexities inherent to any instruction, with Makepeace singled out in particular for her “knack of providing sensible, detailed and comprehensive fee estimates that make it far easier to advise clients of the likely cost.” The team’s commitment to providing reliable service to clients during difficult circumstances is also noted by one source who says: “The clerks ensure that the barrister doesn’t let the client down,” while another interviewee adds: “They offer a personal service and value your client as much as you do.” As one commentator terms it: “The Clerks room at 25 Bedford Row is like a finely tuned engine at the heart of this incredible set.”