Links advocacy head Humphries fulfils ambition to launch litigation boutique

High-profile Linklaters disputes partner Mark Humphries is set to leave the firm to launch his own boutique.

Linklaters head of advocacy Humphries will leave the magic circle law firm this summer (31 July) to start his new firm - named Mark Humphries - on 1 September. He handed in his notice last year but has remained at the firm due to ongoing client work.

Although the boutique will be based in Bristol, Humphries will spend a significant amount of time in the City and is set to focus on international commercial litigation and arbitration.

Humphries will be offering to do his own advocacy work. In addition, he will be offering a number of funding options including third-party litigation funding, after the event insurance and conditional fee arrangements - in which he is willing to work on a no win, no fee basis in appropriate cases.

Humphries, who joined Linklaters in 1986 and became partner in 1993, was one of the first solicitors to be granted higher rights of audience following changes to the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. He was the first solicitor to appear in a contested action in the English Commercial Court and one of the first to appear in the Court of Appeal.

Most recently, Humphries has been advising energy giant Centrica on its £182m action against global consultancy group Accenture.

Humphries told Legal Week: "[It is] a long-held ambition to open my own specialist commercial dispute resolution practice. The new firm will offer a full commercial litigation, arbitration and advocacy service. It will employ innovative charging methods in appropriate cases and no charges will be made for travel time, either within the UK or overseas."

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