Michael Goodridge

Michael Goodridge leads the Deka Chambers Clerking Team.

He is centrally involved in the management of Chambers, as well as building and maintaining relationships with our clients.

Under Michael’s leadership, Chambers has received a number of awards; most recently Michael won the Legal 500 Chief Executive / Director of Clerking of the Year 2020.

Michael was also named Practice Manager Of The Year at the 2016 Personal Injury Awards.

His experience in the law industry now spans more than 25 years, with a career which started at the Law Commission then progressed to his first clerking job at a leading common law set in Gray’s Inn, where he gained a valuable grounding in all legal disciplines.

Michael is a qualified member of the Institute of Barristers’ Clerks and has played an active part in the organisation for many years. He is particularly interested in education and further training for clerks. In 2009 he chaired the IBC Annual Conference.

Michael is recognised throughout the profession as an expert in the field of costs and conditional fees. His articles regularly appear in legal journals and he frequently contributes to training events run by organisations such as the Bar Council and APIL.

Michael has been instrumental in securing the recognition of Chambers as one of the country’s leading personal injury sets. His knowledge of the industry is second to none, leading him to be described individually by the legal directories as ‘the best in the business’ and as part of a clerking team characterised as both ‘superb’ and ‘ferocious’.

What Clients say:

“Solicitors in personal injury and medical negligence are highly dependant on finding the right barrister for the right case and often the key to that is a Senior Clerk that listens, understands the work they do and understands the people they work with and for. It’s safe to say Michael is outstanding in all aspects and holds everyone in his Set to the highest standards to ensure the best possible service for his solicitor clients and the injured parties themselves. He is someone who invites feedback, both positive and negative and is proactive (a dying skill) to finding solutions and resolutions even in the most difficult situations. Michael understands the demand on us all to work as a team and the give and take that comes with that which why I have trusted him and Deka Chambers for well over a decade and no doubt for many more ahead.” – Alex Brown, Partner, Dean Wilson LLP

“Deka Chambers are the stand-out claimant personal injury law chambers in the country. Michael Goodridge is the outstanding Director of chambers. Mike’s ability to find a solution to issues utilising his extensive range of KCs and junior barristers is second to none. He ensures we always have the right barrister for the case. He never ceases to impress, particularly on the extremely complex catastrophic injuries; going above and beyond in his service to us. This ethos is engrained in the entire set, and I have never been anything other than extremely pleased with the service I receive.” – Richard Harwood, Solicitor & Senior Technical Counsel, Minster Law