Exchange Chambers supports launch of the Northern Business and Property Bar Association

May 20, 2024

The Northern Business and Property Bar Association (NBPBA) launched last week, hosting its inaugural conference at the Civil Justice Centre in Manchester, followed by dinner at the Radisson Edwardian, Manchester.

The hugely successful event included an insolvency seminar (chaired by Lord Justice Snowden with presentations from Giles Maynard-Connor KC, Head of the Business and Property department at Exchange Chambers and Matthew Maddison from Enterprise Chambers), a property seminar (chaired by Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster, Mr Justice Fancourt with presentations by Charles Holland from Trinity Chambers and Stephen Fletcher from Dere Street Chambers) and a commercial seminar (chaired by Mr Justice Waksman with presentations by Lesley Anderson KC from Kings Chambers and Gatehouse Chambers and Eleanor D’Arcy from Exchange Chambers).  The conference was followed by a dinner at the Radisson Edwardian in Manchester at which the chair of the NBPBA, Mark Harper KC of Kings Chambers, spoke on behalf of the NBPBA.

Both events were attended by approximately 80 barristers practising from Chambers across the North of England, as well as specialist Business and Property Court Judges from Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.

The NBPBA was established last year for barristers on the Northern and North Eastern Circuits who act for clients in the Business and Property Courts.  The establishment of the NBPBA followed the decision to merge into one association by members of the Northern Chancery Bar Association, the Northern Circuit Commercial Bar Association and the North Eastern Circuit Commercial Bar Association.

A number of barristers from Exchange Chambers are actively involved in the NBPBA and were instrumental in organising the inaugural conference and dinner, which is now set to become an annual event. Lisa Linklater KC is Vice-Chair of the NBPBA while Giles Maynard-Connor KC, Lawrence McDonald, Stephen Connolly, Carly Sandbach and Jodie Wildridge also sit on the committee.

Lisa Linklater KC, Vice-Chair of the NBPBA and barrister at Exchange Chambers, stated:

“I am delighted that the Northern Business and Property Bar Association has launched so successfully.  I am very honoured to have been appointed Vice-Chair of this association, working with Mark Harper KC as Chair and the rest of the committee, comprising barristers specialising in Business and Property Courts work from across the North of England.  The specialist Business and Property Bar in the North of England is forging ahead and going from strength to strength.  The NBPBA will support and accelerate that growth, building on the excellent work and leadership of the previous associations.”