{{short description|Offices used by barristers}} {{for|the use of chambers by judges|Judge's chambers}} {{globalize|date=October 2017}} {{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} [[File:Doughty Street Chambers 04.JPG|thumb|right|[[Doughty Street Chambers]], a set of barristers' chambers in England]] In [[law]], a '''barrister's chambers''' or '''barristers' chambers''' are the rooms used by a [[barrister]] or a group of barristers. The singular refers to the use by a [[sole practitioner]] whereas the plural refers to a group of barristers who, while acting as sole practitioners, share costs and expenses for office overheads.
== Description ==
In [[England and Wales]], New Zealand, Australia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong, ''chambers'' may refer to the office premises used by a barrister or to a group of barristers, especially in the [[Inns of Court]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.venables.co.uk/bar.htm |title=Barristers' Chambers in England and Wales |publisher=Legal Resources in UK and Ireland |access-date=4 October 2011 |author=Venables, Delia |archive-date=15 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915141945/http://www.venables.co.uk/bar.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> In these jurisdictions, barristers are forbidden from forming or becoming partners in [[law firm]]s (though they may be employed by them) and (except for those employed by a law firm or by a government agency) are theoretically all solo practitioners. However, to share costs and expenses, barristers typically operate fraternally with each other as [[unincorporated association]]s known as "chambers".
The term "chambers" is used to refer both to the physical premises where the barristers' set conduct most of their work from, as well as the 'set' or unincorporated association itself.
Chambers typically have office spaces for the barristers to work from, conference rooms with infrastructure to conduct video conferencing for a large audience, printing and photocopying sections, a substantially large and updated [[library]], and rooms for the barristers' and clients' dining and entertainment.
Most chambers have a staff to look after administrative matters, including a fully-fledged kitchen and dining hall to serve up meals and refreshments. The transactional side of chambers are administered by [[barristers' clerk]]s who receive cases from [[solicitor]]s and agree on matters such as fees on behalf of their employers; they then provide case details to the barristers and conduct office management for them.<ref name="Griffiths-Baker">{{cite book |title=Serving Two Masters: Conflicts of Interest in the Modern Law Firm |last=Griffiths-Baker |first=Janine |pages=51–52 |chapter=The Modern Fiduciary: Conflicts in Other Professions |publisher=Hart |isbn=9781841132297 |year=2002 |location=Oregon, USA}}</ref> Some chambers specialise in particular areas of law. Members are known as tenants and may be dismissed only for gross misconduct.
There are chambers all over England and Wales; however, the largest concentration of them is in [[London]].<ref name="Griffiths-Baker"/> A report by the [[General Council of the Bar]] in 2006 showed that of the 355 practising chambers in the United Kingdom, 210 were based in London.<ref>{{cite book |title=Criminal Justice in England and the United States |pages=166 |last1=Herschel |first1=David |last2=Wakefield |first2=William |last3=Sasse |first3=Scott |publisher=Jones and Bartlett |location=Massachusetts, USA |year=2007 |isbn=9780763741129}}</ref>
In Hong Kong, the 133 chambers within the [[Special administrative regions of China|special administrative region]] are almost exclusively located in the [[Victoria, Hong Kong|City of Victoria]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://barlist.hkba.org/hkba/ChambersEN/Chambers.htm |title=Bar List |publisher=Hong Kong Bar Association |access-date=1 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122100845/http://barlist.hkba.org/hkba/ChambersEN/Chambers.htm |archive-date=22 January 2015 }}</ref> In Sri Lanka, counsels would maintain their chambers at their residence, which serve as their office and contain their personal library.{{cn|date=November 2025}}
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Law}}
[[Category:Barristers' chambers| ]] [[Category:English legal terminology]]