In this episode of Bar Student to Barrister we hear from Sam Grimley, ICCA Bar Course graduate, called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in 2025 and now a tenant at One Essex Court, a pre-eminent commercial set of barristers’ chambers in London, and The Lawyer Chambers of the Year 2025.
Sam had a very successful career in the music industry as a guitarist and keyboard player. In fact, he knew from the age of 6 that music was for him. He was a session musician at Ronnie Scott’s and worked with many artists including TomJones, Ed Sheeran and Jessie J.
As so often happens in life, he ultimately followed adifferent path which took him to the Bar, including taking a GDL, a BCL at the University of Oxford, completing the ICCA Bar Course and then pupillage, followed by tenancy, at One Essex Court.
Sam is now a barrister specialising in commercial, competition and intellectual property litigation, with a particular interest in media and entertainment disputes.
“… I’ve come from a completely different world. I mean aboutfive years ago I had never even heard of this world. So to be right in the beating heart of it now feels very strange, but I’m also utterly delighted.”
“… it’s doing a good job at whatever you're given and being personable and a good member of a team that really helps anyone in any industry.”
“ … get as much tailored advice as you can on your own performance, on your own strengths and weaknesses and take that on board, and try and improve off the back of it.”
“I'd say the headline thing that I had to learn was the importance of clarity and actually simplicity.”
“There is something extra that you get from an intense training process that is actually the product of the intensity. And the thing you get is confidence.”
And as Sam says, “Go for the run!” Listen on for exactlywhat this means.
This is Sam’s story to the Intellectual Property Bar.
Please follow/subscribe and we look forward to seeing youagain next Friday, with yet more helpful information and personal accounts to help and guide you on your journey to the Bar.
INFORMATION
Sam on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-grimley-47105224/
One Essex Court https://www.oeclaw.co.uk/
Sam’s Chambers’ website profile https://www.oeclaw.co.uk/barristers/profile/sam-grimley
The Pop Star and the Prophet (BBC Sounds) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b069xcys
CONTACT
Email: barstudent2barristerpodcast@gmail.com
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Website https://www.icca.ac.uk/icca-bar-course/bar-student-to-barrister-podcast/
INDEPENDENCE
Registration on the ICCA Bar Course confers no advantage inrelation to Inns’ scholarships or awards, Inns’ membership, Qualifying Sessions or Call to the Bar. For more information see the Policyon Independence between the Inns of Court and the ICCA.
COPYRIGHT
Inns of Court Collegeof Advocacy (part of the COIC) © 2025. All rights reserved.