At Nine St John Street we pride ourselves on creating an environment that helps our Members practice thrive. All too often this happens 'behind the scenes' however from time to time the success of our Members is recognised by some of the leading Legal publications in the world. One such example is the Legal 500 'Rising Stars'. Rising stars at the Bar are defined as barristers between four and eight years’ call who are seen as up-and-coming members of the Bar in their respective practice areas by clients and peers alike. They will already be instructed in high-profile, complex, and high-value contentious and non-contentious matters, working with and opposite more experienced leading counsel. We are so proud that four of our Members have received this prestigious accolade. All too often, it is left at that. We felt it would be of interest to look behind the award at the individual and their road to where they are.
First up is Jamie Hill a Member of 6 years call. A compassionate Personal Injury practitioner at the Legal 500 comments "Jamie's work is detailed and prompt, he is approachable, friendly and capable of maintaining a robust position in a professional capacity. Drafts are well written and it is evident that he puts a lot of time and effort into conducting research as part of his drafting process." Today we take a few moments to dig behind the awards to get to know Jamie.
1 - What made you choose law as a career?
It was always something that appealed to me. I cannot explain why I found the subject area so fascinating. As a child, I used to enjoy books and television programmes featuring the law or policing. During the summer holiday before I started college, I used to attend the local Magistrates' Court to gain insight as to how the law was applied. I don't think this question can be answered using logic or reasoning - for me law just always felt as though it was the right way to go. Law suits my personality.
2 - Why did you move into your chosen practice area?
I initially wanted to be a criminal barrister, hence the interest with the Magistrates' Court. However, aged 19, I was involved in a serious road traffic collision. Whilst there were criminal proceedings, and the other driver was ultimately imprisoned, what I found most interesting was the personal injury claim. To my surprise, I found the mathematics involved in the Schedule of Loss very engaging and would ask detailed questions about why certain multipliers and multiplicands had been used. I also developed a true understanding for how important personal injury claims are for those genuinely injured.
3 - Why did you choose Nine St John Street as the place to develop your practice?
Nine St John Street is a very well-regarded set of chambers, both in Manchester and more widely. When I was studying the bar course in Manchester, it was a set I spent a lot of time researching and engaging with to ensure my application for pupillage was as good as it could be. Since accepting an offer of tenancy, my practice has developed rapidly. The clerks have relationships with all the major insurers and work closely with the barristers to identify opportunities for career development. The bottom line is there is an abundance of high-quality work in chambers, which means everyone here has the opportunity to succeed here.
4 - What does the future hold for you?
It is difficult to know. I did not expect to be listed in the Legal 500 2023 as the only rising star for personal injury on the Northern Circuit. I am incredibly proud to have been recognised and grateful to my instructing solicitors for taking the time to provide such positive feedback. I want to focus on continuing to grow my practice and ensuring I provide a quality service to all my clients. It is a privilege to do this job and I feel a profound obligation to ensure I do it well.
Full details of Jamie's career to date can be found here.
To instruct Jamie or to discuss a Personal Injury matter please contact Joe Gibson, Practice Manager on Joe.Gibson@9SJS.com or 0161 955 5161.