Name: Michael Edenborough QC Chambers: Serle Court Location: London University: University of Cambridge Degree: MA Natural Sciences
It is becoming increasingly important for budding barristers to show what they can bring to a case. Michael says: “It is a brutal, but good, discipline to sit down and consider whether you have added substantive value to the case – this might be by thinking of the killer point, or amending a sentence that materially adds to the document’s clarity, or altered the submissions in a way that anticipates and neutralises a potential, but as yet inchoate, attack – or whether you have just added some questionable commas (as one of my less illustrious leaders once did).” Meanwhile, having an interesting CV is also crucial: “Don’t be a clone. It’s important that you have other qualities as well as the required intellectual ability and capability for hard work. For example, music, drama, sporting activities and charity work.” That said, Michael explains that is not enough simply to express an interest in these activities: “If you have an interest in reading, it’s important not just to state that you like reading books but that, for example, you attend a book club where you criticise books each month.” Charity work is highly valued, so long as it is genuine, as it shows a sense of moral purpose, which some sets like Serle Court consider important. Michael, himself, nearly always has a least one pro bono publico case on the go at any one time. Finally, before setting out on the path to pupillage in an IP set, a prospective pupil must be able to identify why they want to be a barrister and “why IP in particular?” To get to this stage, Michael encourages candidates to “gain relevant experience (both negative and positive) to help justify their answers to those two questions.”
generous and we guarantee a new tenant’s income for the first two years of practice. However, a lot of indisputably good people, who would otherwise be good barristerial candidates, are perfectly sensibly saying that the financial risk is too highas the junior Bar is commonly adversely affected by poor cash flow.” Extending this point, Michael emphasises the diversity issues at the Bar and the overdue changes required to address them. Referencing the work that Serle Court is undertaking in this area Michael says: “We are not perfect, but we are travelling in the right direction and making a conscious effort to do so. So chambers has an Equality, Diversity and Wellbeing Committee that reviews all of chambers’ policies in order to promote these objectives in every aspect of chambers’ management. Recently, we appointed Elizabeth Jones QC as head of chambers.” While covid-19 will continue to affect the Bar going forward, Michael explains that Brexit’s impact on IP law will also be interesting to watch: “A lot of our work was heavily influenced (and still is to a great degree) by the Court of Justice. I currently have four instructions to the General Court, but when those cases come to an end, along with the other current cases in which UK lawyers are appearing, then the influence of the UK upon EU jurisprudence will end. That will affect the evolution of the law in both the UK and the EU. Be more than just a clone To become a top barrister in IP law, it is critical for candidates to have not only the “raw intellectual ability, as the law is complex and the technology can be very advanced”, but also “commercial awareness” – a skill that is essential for all aspiring lawyers – “coupled with a strategic oversight to advance the clients’ cases in the best way possible”. Michael adds: “You must work hard and produce work that adds value.”
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