Joe Townsend
Practice Director and Centre Manager
Email Address: [email protected]
Telephone: 020 7583 8055
Joe Townsend started his clerking career in 2008 and joined 3PB in 2014 having previously worked in two other London sets of chambers. Joe is a Practice Director for 3PB's Construction and Engineering team and is also the Centre Manager of the London office in the Inner Temple.
Joe works closely with fellow clerks David Fielder and Matthew Scanlan in managing and developing the members' practices across all levels of seniority for the Commercial, Construction and Property teams.
In his spare time, Joe is manager and chairman for a local football team which he co-founded in 2015 and is also a Charlton Athletic season ticket holder.
Joe is a member of the Institute of Barristers’ Clerks and has completed the BTEC Advanced Award in Chambers Administration. He is a member of the Society of Construction Law.
- The Legal 500 - Included Clerk 2026
Recommendations
"Joe Townsend, Practice Director, is part of the reason I like 3PB, I can send an email and get a reply within the hour."
Chambers and Partners 2026
"Joe Townsend, senior practice manager, is the model clerk. Easy to get a hold of, charming, diligent, fair with fees - everything to make the engagement with chambers easy and enjoyable."
Chambers and Partners 2025
'The 3PB clerks are always exceptionally helpful and readily available. In the civil team, the formidable David Fielder leads the team and delivers an excellent service for clients, and is supported by the particularly capable Joe Townsend - who delivers an exceptional service.'
'The service is quite frankly outstanding. Often within minutes of sending initial details of a matter, I will have received an email or text message with details of an appropriate barrister. Worth a special mention are David Fielder, Joe Townsend and Matthew Scanlan for their excellent service.
Legal 500 UK Bar 2026
'Joe Townsend is an excellent clerk - always helpful and trying to accommodate the client's needs and perfectly matching up the counsel to an instruction.'
'Matt Scanlan and Joe Townsend are helpful.'
'The clerks are very strong. Joe Townsend, in particular, stands out for providing very responsive service.'
'The clerks are quick to respond. They do all that they can to assist in instructing solicitors. Joe Townsend and Matt Scanlan stand out for their appetite to please clients and instructing solicitors and the lengths they will go to assist.'
Legal 500 UK Bar 2025
‘3PB has a strong team of clerks, particularly Joe Townsend.’
Legal 500 UK Bar 2024
‘Joe Townsend is a go-to, easy to engage and quick to respond clerk.’
Legal 500 UK Bar 2023
‘The clerks are very helpful and prompt at dealing with enquiries, particularly Joe Townsend whom I have dealt with over the years.’
Legal 500 UK 2022
‘Joe Townsend is very approachable.’
Legal 500 UK 2022