As a chambers we are continually monitoring the coronavirus outbreak, receiving daily advice from Public Health England (PHE), the Bar Council and considering what contingency measures we may need to put in place should the situation escalate. We obviously hope that such measures will not prove necessary. However we are determined to do all we can to ensure a continuous service to all of our clients with their welfare and that of our barristers and staff at the forefront of our minds.

We have already increased the level of our daily office cleaning and hand sanitiser, cleaning wipes, paper towels and soap are available in all the relevant areas of chambers. In addition we have now put in place a number of measures in case they become needed in the coming weeks. These are as follows:

• All our barristers are able to work remotely
• Conferences may be held via telephone or Skype and we can arrange access to video conferencing as necessary. If there is a need to rearrange conferences presently due to take place in chambers so that they can take place in this way please contact us.
• Using the above technology we are able to conduct a substantial amount of our non-court work in this way including the holding of mediations, private FDRs and RTMs remotely (whether from chambers or off-site)
• Our operating systems can all be accessed remotely, including our administration and telephone system
• In the unlikely event that we have to close one or more of our buildings, procedures have been put in place to ensure calls will be answered by our clerking team.
• The mobile phone numbers of our most senior clerks are:
  • Tony Atkins, Senior Clerk: 07515 334454
  • Tony George, Senior Criminal Clerk: 07711 459096
  • Jonathan Cue, Senior Civil Clerk: 07515 334470
  • Sean Gentleman, Senior Family Clerk:  07411 970188

By putting in place these contingency measures we intend to continue offering as normal a service as possible throughout the duration of this unprecedented epidemic; and by working together we are confident we can find solutions to any problems arising, thereby reducing as far as possible any impact on our professional and lay clients and minimising risks to health.