Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds-based Exchange Chambers has appointed Will Waldron KC as its new Head of Chambers.

Will Waldron KC will be assisted by three deputies for his initial three-year term – Ben Myers KC, Giles Maynard-Connor KC and Chris Barnes KC.

Will takes on the role from Bill Braithwaite KC.  Bill has served as Head of Exchange Chambers for around 30 years, making him one of the longest serving leaders across the entire legal sector.  Under Bill’s guidance, Exchange has grown from a small single-site Liverpool-based set to a full-service Northern powerhouse with over 200 barristers in Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds.

A leader in the field of serious personal injury, Will Waldron KC was called to the Bar in 1986 and took silk in 2006.  He is a Bencher of Gray’s Inn, was Chair of Northern Circuit Advocacy Training (2010 – 2020), was Deputy Chair of the internationally renowned Advocacy Training Council, and in 2016 was appointed as Deputy Governor of its successor, the prestigious Inns of Court College of Advocacy. He has over 20 years’ experience of teaching advocacy skills to young barristers and is an assessor of advocacy trainers.  Will is a long-standing member of Exchange Chambers’ Management Board.

Commenting on his elevation to Head of Chambers, Will Waldron KC said:

“Bill Braithwaite KC has been Head of Exchange Chambers for over a quarter of a century.   His leadership has played a massive part in our success.  Bill had a clear vision for the development of chambers and he set about turning that vision into a reality and establishing Exchange as one of the leading chambers in the country.  He was, and remains, a force to be reckoned with on every level.”

Added Will:

“I see it as a privilege and an honour to take over as Head of Chambers.

“I am looking forward to working closely with our Chief Executive and Chambers Directors; my three outstanding Deputies; the members of the Board and the numerous committees; and the membership and staff more widely.  I am hugely excited about what we can continue to achieve.”

Bill Braithwaite KC said:

“It is a pleasure to pass the baton on to Will.  He is hugely passionate about Exchange and is widely admired by our membership.

“I started my involvement with the management of Chambers about 40 years ago.   We were 15-strong then with one small office in Liverpool, but even so long ago it was obvious to me that the profession would need to up-date significantly simply to stay alive and relevant; that conviction has driven us forward for all the years since then, and has informed our strategy.

   “I am leaving the role with Chambers in a really good place; well-managed, strong financially, and well resourced. Those are the foundations of a really good business; one which will be able to maximise opportunities if and when they arise.”

Jonathan I’Anson, Chief Executive at Exchange Chambers, said:

“Bill has been the driving force for our organisation through a period of huge change. His tenure has been an extraordinary success and he leaves a fantastic legacy.   From a personal perspective he has provided great support in my role as Chief Executive.”

Added Jonathan:

“While it is the end of an era, I am looking forward to working closely with Will as our new Head of Chambers.

“Will brings an abundance of great qualities to the role and is hugely respected by everyone at Exchange and in the wider legal sector.”

About Exchange Chambers

Exchange Chambers is one of the of the largest barristers’ Chambers in England and Wales with over 200 barristers and offices in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds.