Birmingham-based St Philips Chambers has seen a 37 per cent year on year growth in billings in the first half.

Figures were up from £7.5 million in the first six months of 2005 to just over £10.25 million in the same period this year.

It said the "exceptional performance" put the barristers' chambers well-ahead of its target to increase billings by 25 per cent during the year.

Double-digit growth was achieved in each of the three core disciplines of civil, family and crime.

Three new barristers joined the set in June, and there are plans to grow the team across all areas.

Jonathan Fox, chief executive, who was appointed at the beginning of the year, said: "This performance is the result of sheer hard work from our 150 barristers and a real focus on client care.

"As a set of chambers, we are unusual in fostering a culture of teamwork.

"We have invested significantly in new financial and IT systems, such as online billing, which give us a competitive edge. While leading law firms have these systems in place, barristers chambers have been slower to progress in this area.

"The stereotypical barrister comes out of court and goes straight into a wine bar.

"But while some of ours might go for a quick drink they then go home and put in their time sheet."

These are then checked and despatched. The idea is to make sure bills are sent out promptly and the money got back in timeously.

Mr Fox said: "St Philips is a forward-thinking set of chambers and our ethos is very much about doing things differently if it can effect positive change."

St Philips decided to move away from the traditional model of renting its space and bought its premises in Temple Row in 1999. Consequently, each of the barristers owns a stake in prime city-centre real estate.

The building is now worth around £4 million, with its value having increased fourfold.

Mr Fox continued: "I know there are those in the market that say this is an expensive place to be. This is just not the case and the figures more than stack up.

"We believe the opportunity to invest in Grade A office space in a rising property market is an attractive tangible benefit of being a member of St Philips."

Commenting on the future, he said: "Our three core teams are committed to working together to deliver a very focussed business plan, which will be beneficial to the chambers as a whole.

"During the last twelve months, we have been involved in a number of high profile cases and continue to attract high level work. However, there is still a job to be done in retaining work within the city. There is a lot of work being sent to London chambers that could be serviced to the same standard, but more cost effectively by our barristers in Birmingham. Gaining and retaining more of that work is our primary objective."

Mr Fox said the chambers was looking to encourage its barristers to go for higher earnings, but it was a personal decision. He said: "We look at an individual's work and their earnings.

"We then ask the question - are you happy with that?

"Many say they are but then we take a look at three-year trend analysis - we are setting individual income targets for barristers based on what they want to achieve themselves in earnings."

Mr Fox says that with the average St Philips member earning around £150,000 a year many junior barrister in London would be better off in Birmingham.

It recently was the only regional chambers at a London pupillage fair where potentially recruits had their eyes opened to how much those earnings could be plus the "dramatically different" quality of life in Birmingham.

Mr Fox says they are now getting applications from people who once would never have dreamed of applying to a Birmingham set of chambers.

And the type of applicant is changing.

He said: "Where the typical barrister was white and from Oxbridge, St Philips is keen to reflect its changing client base by bringing in those from ethnic backgrounds and graduates of some of the newer universities, some of whom were now providing 'very good quality candidates'.

Mr Fox said: "Birmingham is one of the best law universities in the country. The two biggest chambers in the country are in Birmingham - ourselves and No.5 Chambers."

It is the first time the firm has issued results.