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3PB's rapid expansion into the Birmingham market has been further bolstered by the hire of deputy director James Parks from rival No5 Chambers.

Mr Parks joins the new Birmingham office of 3PB (3 Paper Buildings), the fourth largest set in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ, which was founded in Temple, London in 1832, as practice director.

Mr Parks worked with No5 Chambers for 19 years, playing a key role in the practice management and development of its commercial and chancery, employment, personal injury and clinical negligence groups.

He is the latest recruit to 3PB's new Birmingham office which began last September with the hiring of highly regarded silk Liz McGrath QC, together with a team of five other barristers from St Philips Chambers and practice director Ian Charlton.

3PB has since recruited two former West Midlands solicitor-barristers: Birmingham City Council senior in-house lawyer Matiss Krumins and contested probate and matrimonial specialist Graham Stott.

Mr Parks said: "I am really looking forward to this new challenge, working with ambitious barristers and staff to create an exceptional new office in Birmingham.

"This is an ideal time to be joining 3PB as there is a real demand from solicitors and businesses to use first-class barristers at specialist multi-disciplinary chambers nationally."

Chambers chief executive Simon Astill said: "James is a terrific recruit for 3PB as we seek to double the size of our operations in Birmingham and Oxford from 30 barristers based from these offices to 60 over the next 12 months.