Neil Maton

Name: Neil Maton
Employer: Pallant Chambers
University: Oxford Brookes University
Subject: law
Graduated: 2000

Why Chichester?

I did my pupillage at an excellent London common law set but knew that I did not want to stay in London for the rest of my career. I was always exhausted: the travelling involved in a common law pupillage was gruelling. I visited Chichester on a number of occasions and found it to be a very civilized and beautiful city. It has a lovely pace of life and is close to the sea. In professional terms, I was attracted by the high quality of work. The large and high-street firms provide instructions as well as many of the south’s local authorities. Chichester is ideally located between Brighton and Portsmouth enabling me to easily build a practice in two busy courts as well as the court in Chichester that is five minutes’ walk from chambers. Furthermore, I have found that I have been able to build good, strong relationships with instructing solicitors quite early on.

At work

Pallant Chambers is a common law set; my preferred areas are family and civil law. My hours seem much better than my contemporaries in London whilst (I am told by my clerks) my fee income appears to be comparable or better. If I’m working in chambers, I’ll normally arrive around 9.00 am or so. I try to leave before 5.00 pm to miss the traffic, although sometimes it can obviously be much later. Living only 15 minutes from chambers enables me to work from home sometimes, with the ability to drop in if necessary.

At play

There are a number of good quality bars, pubs and restaurants. Chichester Festival Theatre hosts a wide selection of plays and performances and Pallant House Gallery, directly opposite chambers, houses one of the best collections of 20th century British art in the country.

Itinerary

Take a tour of the cathedral, walk round the city walls and explore the harbour. Visit Goodwood House or travel a few miles south to go to the beach.

USP

Chichester is beautiful, civilized and clean. It’s also close to the beach for any unexpected free time!