Alice Mayhew KC has taken over from Andrew Burns KC as head of chambers at Devereux Chambers as the London set celebrates the recruitment of fellow employment silk Claire Darwin KC from Matrix Chambers.
Called in 2001 and a silk from 2022, Mayhew is a specialist in complex employment litigation and advisory work, particularly involving discrimination, equal pay, whistleblowing, employment rights and breach of contract claims.
She appears at all levels of tribunal and court and has a broad client base, including airlines, banks, local authorities, media, telecoms and police forces as well as senior executives.
She joins the likes of Helen Davies KC at Brick Court, Sonia Tolaney at One Essex Court, Jane Mulcahey KC at Blackstone Chambers and Rachel Crasnow KC at Cloisters, among other top women barristers leading, or co-leading, their sets.
In her new role, Mayhew will work closely with commercial specialist Shaen Catherwood, who has taken over from tax and employment silk Akash Nawbatt KC as chair of the supervision committee, and chambers director Glenn Billenness.
“Devereux is in fantastic shape, in large part due to the invaluable and tireless work of Andrew Burns KC and Akash Nawbatt KC over the last five years,” she said.
Her appointment to lead the set has coincided with the news that Claire Darwin KC will join Devereux after 18 years at Matrix, bolstering a key area of work at the set, which is particularly well known for its work in tax, employment, discrimination and complex personal injuries litigation.
The 2023 silk, who is dual-qualified in England and Wales and Ireland, wrote on LinkedIn: “I’m looking forward to contributing to the continued success of Devereux’s highly regarded employment law and industrial relations practice.”
Mayhew added: “Claire has an exceptional reputation at the employment bar, with expertise in discrimination and employment law. She is a superb advocate and is well regarded by clients and solicitors alike. She is a perfect addition to Devereux.”
Burns, whose five-year tenure as head of chambers ended in January, was generous with his thanks to members, clients and staff, saying it had been an honour to work first under the late Tim Brennan KC and then Nawbatt in their roles as chair of the set’s supervision committee.
Brennan died in 2023, a year after the death of the set’s chambers director, Michael ‘Vince’ Plant.
It fell to Burns and Nawbatt to steer the set through that period, and to appoint Billenness as the new chambers director.
Although there were no silk appointments from the set this year, Marika Lemos and David Bedenham were appointed King’s Counsel last year.
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