Chambers (law)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A judge's chambers - often just called Chambers - is the office of a judge. In the broader practice of law, chambers refers to the court room where motions related to matter of procedure are heard.

Additionally, in Britain, Chambers can refer to the rooms used by a barrister or group of barristers, especially in the Inns of Court. Barristers are not employed in a law firm but associate fraternally with each other, sharing out the burden of costs, in a set of chambers. They are each legally considered self-employed. Chambers are administered by Clerks (law), who receive cases from Solicitors, agreeing on behalf of their barristers, on fees and suchlike. Barristers are then the given details of their cases by the Clerks.

Since they are self-employed, Barristers may either base themselves in chambers, like most lawyers, or otherwise.

"Only prostitutes and lawyers may enter a judge's chambers."
This is attributed to Christine Keeler a prostitute of the sixties who caused a scandal when it was discovered that she had both the British War Minister and a Russian diplomat as clients.

[edit] External links

• [1] An example of an older, more traditional set with offices established in several regions.
• [2] Example of a more modern type, set in Chancery Lane, London.
• [3] The internet has changed the face of the traditional bar. Here is a fully decentered set of chambers.