Riverview Law has added former High Court judge Sir Oliver Popplewell to its chambers arm as an associate member of its mediation and arbitration team.

Popplewell, a door tenant at Brick Court Chambers, is joining the line-up of barristers associated with Riverview Chambers, the chambers arm of the fixed-price legal services business.

Like the existing 12 silks tied to the venture, Popplewell will remain a tenant of his existing set, from where he currently acts as an arbitrator and mediator specialising in employment and sporting disputes, as well as professional negligence and financial disputes.

Popplewell, who took silk in 1969, is well-known for his time as a High Court judge, a role he took up in 1983. He presided over high-profile cases such as the Jonathan Aitken and Mohamed al-Fayed libel actions. He was called to the Bar in 1951 and took silk in 1969, and is also a former President of the Employment Appeal Tribunal.

Popplewell said he had chosen to be associated with Riverview Chambers because it is "an exciting and forward-looking initiative" which will also help to develop his practice from Brick Court.

Riverview Law, in which DLA Piper has a minority ownership stake, is a new-look legal services venture offering a fixed-fee service, directing clients to its solicitor or chambers arms.

The business signed up 12 QCs for its February launch, including silks from sets including Outer Temple, 5 Paper Buildings, Temple Garden, 39 Essex Street, 1 Hare Court, 3 Pump Court and 11 South Square. The barristers remain tenants at their existing sets, with the Riverview Chambers membership functioning in a similar way to a door tenancy. However, they have all agreed to take on work on a fixed-fee basis.

The news comes after Riverview Chambers last week appointed a director of operations, with 3 Verulam Buildings practice manager Jeremy Hopkins taking on the role.