Pictured above: Kevin Hegarty QC

Kevin Hegarty QC has succeeded James Burbidge QC as Head of St Philips Chambers.

James Burbidge QC has completed his three year term of office as head after successfully leading St Philips Chambers.

The 164 barristers at Birmingham based St Philips Chambers elected Kevin Hegarty QC as the new Head of Chambers this week. He will lead the chambers alongside two newly elected deputies Andrew Lockhart QC and Lawrence Messling.

Mr Hegarty was called to the Bar in 1982 and took silk in 2010. He is one of the Midlands most prominent criminal and regulatory silks and regularly prosecutes and defends in some of the regions most serious and complex trials.

Mr Hegarty said: "I am honoured that my fellow members have elected me as Head of Chambers, it is a privilege but also a great responsibility. James Burbidge QC has been a terrific Head of Chambers with many great qualities which he has brought to bear over the last three years.

"The legal marketplace has gone through some immense changes over the past two years and is set to change even further with the introduction of the Legal Services Act and cuts in public expenditure.

"Barristers, like solicitors, have to change the way they work and are taking a more commercial approach to business operations.  Whilst St Philips remains one of the largest multi-disciplinary sets in the UK, St Philips is very fortunate in the strength of expertise which it is able to offer in the legal market."

Chris Owen, Chief Executive of St Philips Chambers said: "I know everyone at chambers wishes to extend our thanks and praise to James Burbidge QC for his hard work and efforts in leading chambers over the past three years and the fact that St Philips remain one of the leading sets in the country is testimony to his dedication.

"I am delighted Kevin has been appointed as head of chambers and I am very much looking forward to working alongside him during the next three years, building upon the success of the past and taking us into a confident future.

"This has been a great first half of the year for St Philips, many of our barristers have worked on some landmark cases and we have seen three barristers appointed to the rank of Queens' Counsel."