About Us

About Square 17

Square 17 is the chambers of Damian Warburton, a direct-access qualified barrister with BSB authorisation to conduct litigation. If your case is suitable for being conducted on a direct-access basis (about which you will be advised before any payment is requested), by instructing directly you get immediate access to the advice of a barrister, and a significant financial saving can be made by not needing to also instruct a firm of solicitors.

Cases are likely to be suitable for direct-access instruction where the client is capable and confident in undertaking the necessary interaction with the opposing party him/herself, whether with or without advice on that part of the case. For clients who cannot or prefer not to assume that responsibility, unusually for a barrister, Damian is authorised to conduct litigation. That allows him to do work that would ordinarily be done by a solicitor. For clients affected by this, further details are provided prior to instruction.

Each client can expect a careful consideration of the individual factors in their case, and advice that, while always frank and realistic, identifies the strengths that the evidence reveals, and a strategy that fits the client's specific needs and circumstances. We are mindful that there is often a difference between everything that can be done in a case, and what a client can afford to do, and where relevant, options will be presented that meet both of those needs.

Where a client's case is better met by having both a solicitor and counsel, we can suggest a range of solicitors with appropriate specialisms.

Advice and advocacy is provided by Damian Warburton. All clerking and administrative support is undertaken by Kelly Saavedra, who speaks native Portuguese and Spanish, and is fluent in Italian and English and is available to assist with interpretation in conference when necessary.

If an interpreter is required at a court hearing, the court will provide that.