Brick Court Chambers

Zahra Al-Rikabi's Clerking Team

Senior Clerk

Paul Dennison

Paul Dennison

Paul joined Brick Court Chambers in 2007, having previously been at Blackstone Chambers for ten years. He was appointed Senior Clerk in August 2018.

Paul leads the clerking team with Tony Burgess, and oversees and strengthens members of chambers' practices. As well as this responsibility for individuals, Paul concentrates on business development with clients, and domestic and international marketing of chambers.

He is a member of chambers’ executive and marketing committees which oversee all aspects of chambers' business and strategic development.

Paul is a member of the Institute of Barristers’ Clerks and the International Bar Association.

Client feedback includes:

 "Paul Dennison is now the best clerk in the London market, and helps us and our clients wherever barristers happen to be and whenever we need them." L500 2023

"A strong clerking team, very responsive and user-friendly. Paul Dennison is a name to note." L500 2023

"The clerking team are always very helpful and efficient. Tony Burgess and Paul Dennison provide an excellent quality of service." L500 2023

"Paul Dennison and Tony Burgess lead a "strong clerking team which is very friendly". Admin & Public C&P 2021

"Joint senior clerk Paul Dennison is extremely quick to respond and very user-friendly." CDR C&P 2021 

"The clerking service is excellent and Paul Dennison, joint senior clerk, deserves praise." Energy C&P 2021

"Paul Dennison is first-class and really on top of his game." Fraud Civil C&P 2021

“Both Tony and Paul as head clerks do an excellent job – very commercial in their approach and always at the end of the phone.” L500 2021

"Always friendly and approachable at all levels of seniority. I have always been impressed by Paul Dennison." L500 2021

"Their clerks' room is headed by the brilliant Paul Dennison, who is always frank, helpful and thoroughly professional. They are very clear on fees and in my experience willing to be pragmatic to support the client." L500 2021

"First class service – Paul Dennison impresses with his responsiveness." L500 2021.

"Paul Dennison is at the top of his game. Commercial, knowledgeable and user-friendly. Pleasure to work with." L500 2021.

"Paul and Tony are first rate." L500 2021

For out of hours requests please contact Paul via his mobile phone: +44 (0)7930 532991

Deputy Senior Clerk

Luke Carvalho

Luke Carvalho

With a clerking career spanning over 25 years and having joined Brick Court Chambers in 2014, Luke has over two decades of experience of working in the most reputable chambers in the country.

Working closely with Paul, Tony and Jo, together with chambers various committees’, Luke plays a pivotal role with promoting chambers both domestically and overseas. Key responsibilities include business development, building long-lasting client relationships and the day-to-day management, development and success of both individual barristers’ practices and chambers as a whole.

Luke has previously been shortlisted for the Clerk of the Year award at The Legal 500 Bar Awards (2022) and for the Pro Bono (Advocate) Chambers’ Professional of the Year Award (2020 & 2024)

He has been a member of chambers' Equality and Diversity committee since 2018, with chambers winning The Legal 500 Diversity and Inclusion Set of the Year award 2024, and he is a member of the Institute of Barristers’ Clerks.

Client feedback

Luke is committed to providing a high quality service to clients and has received recognition from the legal directories for many years mirroring the same with praise including;

Chambers & Partners 2024

"The responsiveness is second to none and they are always willing to find solutions. Luke Carvalho, Deputy Senior clerk, is great to work with and can always be relied on to help at short notice and with difficult demands." Group Litigation

“Deputy Senior clerk Luke Carvalho is responsive commercial and pragmatic in his approach. He'll find you the right counsel for the case." Commercial Dispute

"Brick Court are really good, with a particular shout out to Luke Carvalho and Paul Dennison. They are really responsive, commercial and pragmatic in their approach, finding you the right counsel for the right case." Fraud: Civil

Legal 500 2024

"Luke is a standout presence in the clerks room."

Previous praise includes;

"Luke is exactly what you want in a clerk; responsive, knowledgeable - excellent all round."

“Luke is particularly easy to deal with and has world-class client care and understanding.”

“Luke is excellent – approachable, friendly, pragmatic, commercial, fast to respond.”

"We have in particular been impressed by the professionalism of and assistance provided by Luke."

“Luke is lovely to deal with, prompt to respond and practical in his approach.”

For out of hours requests please contact Luke via his mobile phone: +44 (0)7956 347 014

Practice Managers

Philip Wilkes

Philip began his clerking career in 2010, and has been at Brick Court Chambers since early 2015, becoming a practice manager in the summer of 2018. Philip has responsibility of managing the individual practices of barristers across all seniorities within chambers, and having an active role within chambers’ marketing and business development initiatives. In addition to this other key day-to-day responsibilities include advising clients as to the suitability and expertise of counsel, fee negotiation across all seniorities, and listing of cases in all divisions of chambers’ key practice areas.

Recent Chambers & Partners, and Legal 500 Client feedback includes:

“Phil Wilkes is extremely responsive and has an uncanny knack of finding a way to make things work, however awkward.”

“Philip Wilkes is great. He knows his business and delivers the best for you.”

"Phil Wilkes, practice manager, is great. Client service is very, very good."

"Impeccable – Philip Wilkes is incredibly helpful and proactive."’

"Very good clerking team. Phil Wilkes in particular is stand out."

"Philip Wilkes was incredibly helpful in both the initial selection of leading counsel and in arranging work throughout."

"Efficient, helpful and pragmatic – Phil Wilkes in particular shines."

"Philip Wilkes has been helpful throughout."

"Practice managers Phil Wilkes and James Knapp are both excellent."

"Clerks are impressive – Paul Dennison and Philip Wilkes are both excellent."

"The clerks are great. In particular, I am a big fan of Paul Dennison. Tony Burgess and Philip Wilkes are also great."

“The clerking is excellent. Practice manager Phil Wilkes is very helpful and prompt and Paul Dennison is super."

 

For out of hours requests please contact Philip via his mobile phone: +44 (0)7939 509873

James Knapp

James began his career in 2014 and joined Brick Court in 2016 as a junior clerk. He became Head Junior and subsequently progressed to Paul Dennison’s clerking team in 2018. His main responsibilities include; diary management, allocation of work, fee negotiation, and working alongside colleagues on chambers marketing and business development initiatives.

James has completed the IBC's BTEC Level 3 Advanced Award in Chambers Administration and previously sat as the Chair of the Career Development Committee of the IBC.

Client feedback includes (Legal 500 & Chambers and Partners):

"Practice managers Phil Wilkes and James Knapp are both excellent."

"James Knapp and Paul Dennison are good to deal with, and sensible in terms of fees."

"The clerking team, led by senior clerk Paul Dennison, is excellent - extremely knowledgeable and responsive. James Knapp, practice manager, is proactive and prompt."

"We've worked with Jo Francis, Sam Jones, Ben Rippengale, Tom Bennett, Hannah Rayner, James Knapp and Kate Trott, and they are all great to deal with. They are friendly, approachable, and highly responsive."

"James Knapp is always very responsive."