About John Stenhouse
Background
Born in the USA 1962.
Educated at Blessed Edward Jones Roman Catholic High School, North Wales, and Kelsterton College, where he obtained 3 A Grades at A Level (English, History and Law). John graduated in 1985 from the University of Wales LLB (Hons).
Called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn 1986.
John is an Accredited Mediator, having obtained full certification and accreditation by Regent's University London (School of Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology) in 2010. He has taken part in numerous mediations both as Party Counsel and as Mediator. John is also a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts (FRSA).
Midland and Oxford Circuit
John has practised at the Bar since 1986 and enjoys a varied and interesting civil practice across a number of practice areas. He has successfully represented both claimants and defendants at trial and on appeals. His experience crosses through county courts, the High Court, Court of Appeal and the House of Lords. A number of his cases have been reported in the law reports. John deals with cases at all track levels, but is mainly involved in Fast Track and Multi-Track matters. His cases often involve complex factual and legal issues, and many of his cases have involved high value claims and counterclaims. Some of his cases have attracted the interest of practitioners and legal commentators. He practises mainly on the Midland and Oxford Circuit but is happy to go wherever his cases take him.
He was a tenant of 6 Fountain Court Chambers in Birmingham from 1986 (where he completed his pupillage with Alastair McCreath, now HH Judge McCreath) until 2005 when he decided to practise as a sole practising barrister. Those chambers no longer exist. He likes to work closely with solicitors who instruct him, emphasising the need for close team-work between barrister, solicitor and lay client in order to achieve the best commercial outcome. He is well known for his meticulous preparation and eye for detail, his dislike of pomposity, and his ability to communicate well with clients from all walks of life. His practice mottos are “never take anything for granted” and “the devil is in the detail”.
John is authorised to accept and undertake Direct Public Access work within his areas of practice. This means that any member of the public with a legal problem of any kind of the sort that he deals with can contact him under Direct Access for advice, assistance and legal representation without the need for a solicitor to be involved. He practises from 'Nightingale Chambers' (rather unimaginatively named after his house, from where he practises!). For further information about John's Direct Access work click on "Direct Public Access" or go to www.directaccess-barrister.co.uk.
Because he practises entirely by himself from his home, with no clerks or secretaries to support, and with no expensive buildings or offices to pay for and maintain, his fee structure is highly competitive for his experience and Year of Call and he is able to reflect his much lower practice costs in his fee structures and charges. He is happy to work on fixed fees or hourly rates or a mixture of both.
