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A barristers' chambers in Birmingham has joined forces with a counterpart in the South East to form a new venture.

Cornwall Street Barristers and Maidstone Chambers have come together to create a new 17-member set under the name of Cornwall Street South which will offer a mix of family, crime and civil expertise.

The move creates a team supported by Cornwall Street Barristers' Birmingham office offering advice, representation and support to solicitors and their clients not only on the Midland Circuit but now also on the South Eastern Circuit.

Those members based in Oxford and Maidstone will form Cornwall Street South and will focus on service provision in those and surrounding areas.

Cornwall Street Barristers chief executive James Farmer said: "We're delighted that the talented members of Maidstone have chosen to join forces with us here at Cornwall Street.

"It's been truly amazing to have been in a position to support members through these challenging times with both financial and non-financial measures in place to alleviate the pressures created by the unprecedented circumstances created by covid-19.

"This is a very exciting time for chambers and we intend to steadily grow our income and recruit additional barristers over the next five years to further consolidate our position, especially on the Midlands and South Eastern Circuits."

Acting head of Maidstone Chambers Trevor Wright added: "This is a really positive move for Maidstone's members and staff as it allows us to benefit from the greater resources and support available to us from the wider Cornwall Street team.

"Our members will now be able to access an improved infrastructure which will in turn enable us to further strengthen our presence on the South Eastern Circuit and deliver greater exposure to more and different types of work both in the Midlands and in the Central Courts."