FAQs

Most of our instructions come from solicitors, patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys and in-house lawyers. We also accept instructions from foreign lawyers and other professionals.

Yes. Some of our barristers are able to accept instructions from members of the public. Please telephone our clerks to discuss the nature of the instructions, and to help you choose a suitable barrister. Some further general guidance on “Public Access” is available from the Bar Council. Please note that in some circumstances you might be advised to instruct a solicitor.

Our clerks are always happy to discuss which barristers will be suitable for a particular case. This will often depend upon the area of law involved, the complexity and the commercial value of the dispute. Please have a look at our list of members for further information about their experience.

We are happy to accept instructions by post, fax or email. We suggest that you telephone our clerks to discuss availability of particular barristers before sending the instructions. If you do not receive a prompt response from us please telephone to confirm that your instructions have been received.

During normal office hours (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 7pm) please telephone our clerks on: 020 7404 0404. Outside normal office hours (e.g. at the weekend or on a Bank holiday), please contact our clerks on: 07801 629 162.

The three main areas of work are advisory, drafting, and advocacy. All our barristers have appeared before a number of courts and tribunals. Our barristers undertake both contentious and non-contentious work.

Barristers are not permitted to accept some instructions, such as to conduct litigation or to gather evidence. To discuss a particular case please telephone our clerks. Some general guidance is available from the Bar Council’s website at www.barcouncil.org.uk.

 

• High Courts of Justice (Patents Court, Chancery Division, Commercial Court, Technology and Construction Court)
• Appeals to the Court of Appeal and House of Lords
• Patents County Court (and other County Courts)
• Patent Office
• Trade Mark Registry
• European Patent Office (EPO, Munich)
• Community Trade Marks Office (OHIM, Alicante)
• Community Designs Office (OHIM, Alicante)
• Appeals to the OHIM Boards of Appeal, to the Court of First Instance (CFI) and to the European Court of Justice (ECJ)
• Copyright Tribunal
• Our barristers are also instructed to appear in arbitrations and mediations. In addition, some of our barristers are instructed as act as arbitrators and mediators.

Our barristers are also instructed to appear in arbitrations and mediations. In addition, some of our barristers are instructed as act as arbitrators and mediators.

Some work is done on an hourly rate and some work is done for a fixed fee. The rates take into account the seniority of the barrister and the complexity, type and value of the work. Hourly rates for our “juniors” range from £75 to £300. Hourly rates for our QCs start at about £350. Please telephone our clerks for an estimate or to negotiate a fixed fee.

Some of our barristers are prepared to accept instructions under a Conditional Fee Arrangement, but some types of work are less suitable for CFAs than others. We suggest that you discuss this on the telephone with our clerks.

Our barristers specialise in the following areas:

• Intellectual Property Law (the full range of IP law including patents, trade marks, copyright, designs and confidential information)
• Information Technology Law (the full range of IT law including procurement, outsourcing, and disputes)
• Entertainment and Media Law (performers rights, privacy, and contractual disputes in the music, film and sports industry)
• Chancery / Commercial Law (commercial chancery, insolvency, property law, and succession)
• ADR (Mediation, Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution)

 

Disabled access to our chambers is relatively difficult. Please try to notify us in advance so that suitable arrangements can be made.

Chancery Lane (Central Line), Holborn (Picadilly and Central Lines) and Temple (District and Circle Lines) are all within 5 – 10 minutes walk. Click here for a map showing our location.

There is car parking in Lincoln’s Inn at a cost of about £5 per hour.

The nearest hotels are the Waldorf, the Savoy, the Howard, the Strand Palace, the Renaissance Chancery Court, the Tower and the Connaught Rooms.

Fax, email and other administrative facilities are available on request. Laptops can be connected to the internet