All at 5 Stone Buildings wish Barbara Rich well on her retirement from practice

After thirty-five years as a member of chambers, Barbara Rich has retired from practice.

Barbara joined chambers in 1991 following pupillage six months of which was spent at 2 New Square (featured in A Fish called Wanda) shortly before chambers address moved to 5 Stone Buildings. Over the following three and a half decades she has been an integral part of chambers, combining a distinguished traditional Chancery practice with work in the Court of Protection as that jurisdiction developed into one of the principal strengths of the set.

Barbara was instructed in many significant cases across Chambers’ areas of practice. She appeared in the landmark proprietary estoppel decision of Jennings v Rice [2002] WTLR 367, a case that continues to shape this area of the law.  One member of chambers recalls of his own pupillage that Barbara was always in the Court of Appeal. Following the coming into force of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, Barbara was also involved in the triumvirate of the early and influential Court of Protection authorities, Re P [2010] Ch 33, Re G (TJ) [2011] WTLR 231 and Re M [2011] 1 WLR 344, which cases helped establish the developing jurisprudence of the new statutory framework and the best interests test.

Barbara (as well as doing the right thing) has always brought a distinctive perspective to life at the Bar. Before coming to the law she read English at Cambridge (Emmanuel College). Anyone who has heard Barbara in Court or lecture or read one of her essays will have noted her exceptional gift for clarity of expression in the English language.  Also always evident in her work has been her careful scholarship, independence of mind, integrity and sound judgment and commitment to Garamond font, coupled with an understanding that legal disputes are, ultimately, about people and families.  Barbara would often bring a feminist perspective to our work and was touched by the interest of the extraordinary lives of ordinary people.

As a result, Barbara was also an exceptional mediator, able to cross-examine your client hard enough to know how badly the client would dissolve in the box in Court but lightly enough to retain the client’s confidence and trust.

Her excellent qualities earned Barbara the affection and respect of colleagues, especially her former pupils, clients and solicitors alike. As Head of Chamber Penelope Reed KC remarked at Barbara’s retirement drinks, Barbara has benefited chambers with her kindness, including but not limited to, the vital post Court debrief.  While we shall all miss her in chambers, we are delighted that she will now have more time to devote to her writing, photography and swimming.

Everyone at 5 Stone Buildings thanks Barbara for her immense contribution to chambers over the past thirty-five years and wishes her every happiness in her retirement.