2 King’s Bench Walk is delighted to announce the election of Matthew Farmer and Russell Pyne to become the new joint Heads of Chambers. They take office with immediate effect.
Matthew and Russell are both extremely experienced practitioners, in London and on the Western Circuit, who continue to be in demand in their traditional heartland and in the West Midlands, Chambers has grown. They take over from Sally Howes QC.
In a letter to all barrister and staff at 2KBW, Matthew and Russell said: –
“We would like to thank Sally Howes QC for her leadership of Chambers. She became Head on William Mousley QC’s elevation to the Circuit Bench, and at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic…she has provided great guidance and support both during the unsettling times of lockdowns and thereafter. As a Senior Queen’s Counsel, and a recognised leader in her fields, we can all be very grateful that she took the helm at such a difficult time. She has decided now to stand down as Head of Chambers, but remains firmly committed to supporting the leadership, and Members of Chambers, wherever she can. She will remain a busy leading practitioner in her fields of expertise. We are most grateful to her.”
The letter also stressed Matthew and Russell’s commitment to 2KBW’s common law roots – balancing the criminal work it is renowned for both prosecuting and defending with its extensive civil, family, immigration and other work.
Originally a London, and Western Circuit based chambers, 2KBW, which has an annexe in Portsmouth, now sends its 74 barristers to a wide range of locations in England. It merged with 1 Inner Temple Lane in 2017, to offer a wide range of specialities.
Matthew and Russell both specialise in criminal law, appearing in cases involving homicide, drugs, kidnapping, serious fraud, serious sexual offences and violence.