IN REVIEW: DEFINING CULTURE IN A FIERCELY INDEPENDENT BARRISTERS’ CHAMBERS
- Chris Gamble
- Jun 9
- 2 min read
A leading commercial barristers’ chambers approached us with a forward-thinking brief: to define, protect and evolve their culture.
Already recognised as a high-performing and collegiate set, they were proud of the values that had shaped their success but they wanted to take a more deliberate approach to articulating and sustaining those values for the future.
Challenge
In an environment where individual independence is a cornerstone of success, how do you create shared cultural expectations that feel real and unifying?
Our programme had to surface what already worked, naming it clearly, and creating the conditions for it to thrive consistently.
Solution
Working closely with a cross-section of the organisation, including senior barristers and staff, we co-designed a multi-year culture programme. It was intentionally inclusive, collaborative and designed to reflect the voice of the chambers—not a top-down mandate.
We engaged colleagues in conversations exploring:
• The core principles that make this place special
• The barriers that sometimes get in the way
• What a strong, shared culture could look like in practice
From this work, we created a cultural charter that codified the expectations and principles the everyone could stand behind.
Impact
The process was widely embraced, with almost two-thirds of the organisation actively engaging in workshops or feedback. Because the work was built with—not for—the chambers, there was a strong sense of ownership and alignment throughout.
We’re now supporting the next stage of the journey: helping the team roll out the charter, translate it into policy and practice, and keeping the culture work alive in the months and years ahead.
To find out more about our culture consulting, training and leadership development, head to:
Or contact Chris Gamble
Comments