I
Instructing Me Directly
You do not need to go through a solicitor to instruct me. I am registered with the Bar Standards Board to accept instructions directly from members of the public, companies, governments and other organisations under the Public Access scheme. I am also authorised to conduct litigation, which means that where a case is suitable I can run it from beginning to end: advising, drafting, issuing and serving proceedings, corresponding with the other side and the court, and appearing at the hearing.
For many clients this is simply the more efficient way to work. You deal with the advocate who will present your case from the first conversation, without the duplication of cost and effort that comes with passing a file between two sets of lawyers. For others, a solicitor remains the better choice, and I will tell you so at the outset.
II
Who Can Instruct Me?
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Individuals, whether based in the United Kingdom, the Gulf or elsewhere, and whether the matter concerns English law, international law or proceedings abroad.
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Companies and private organisations, including through in-house counsel or a director.
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States, government ministries and public bodies, on advisory mandates, treaty and investment disputes, and contentious matters before national and international fora.
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NGOs, victims’ groups and civil society organisations pursuing accountability, human rights or sanctions-related work.
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Lawyers outside England and Wales, who may instruct me directly as professional clients on matters before English courts, international courts and tribunals, or arbitral bodies.
III
Conducting Litigation
Barristers do not ordinarily conduct litigation. That work, which covers issuing proceedings, serving documents, filing with the court and taking the formal procedural steps in a case, is usually the solicitor’s function. Barristers may only undertake it if they hold specific authorisation from the Bar Standards Board.
Because I hold that authorisation, I can act for you across the full life of a case rather than only at its advocacy stages. Depending on the matter, this may include:
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advising on merits, strategy, jurisdiction and procedure;
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pre-action correspondence and protocol letters;
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drafting, issuing and serving claims, applications, appeals and judicial review proceedings;
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dealing with the court and the other parties on your behalf;
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preparing witness statements, instructing experts and assembling bundles;
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negotiation, mediation and settlement; and
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representation at interim and final hearings.
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Where a case requires a larger team, extensive document review or resources beyond those I can provide, I work alongside solicitors and colleagues, and will recommend that structure where it serves you better.
IV
Is Your Case Suitable
Public Access works well where the issues are clearly defined, the documents are manageable and the client is able to engage with the process. It is particularly well suited to specialist advice, appeals, judicial review, INTERPOL and extradition matters, sanctions challenges and discrete stages of complex disputes.
It is less suitable where a case involves very heavy disclosure, urgent and continuous evidence gathering, or a client who would struggle to manage their side of the relationship. Before accepting instructions I will consider whether it is in your interests, and in the interests of justice, to proceed on a Public Access basis. If it is not, I will explain why and help you find the right route, which may include instructing a solicitor alongside me.
V
How It Works
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Initial enquiry. Contact my clerks with a short outline of the matter, the parties involved and any deadlines. Please do not send detailed documents until conflicts have been checked.
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Conflict and suitability check. I confirm whether I am free to act and whether the case is suitable for direct instruction.
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Client care letter. Before any work begins you will receive a letter setting out precisely what I will and will not do, the fee or fee basis, and how the work will be carried out. The terms are agreed in writing.
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Identity and anti-money laundering checks. As a regulated professional I am required to verify the identity of my clients and, in some cases, the source of funds.
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The work. I keep you informed throughout, and you will know at each stage what the next step is and who is responsible for it.
VI
Fees
Fees are agreed in advance and confirmed in writing. Depending on the work, I may charge a fixed fee for a defined piece of work, an hourly rate, or a staged fee for each phase of a case. Court fees, expert fees, translation and travel are additional and will be identified in advance wherever possible.
Under the Bar Standards Board’s rules I cannot hold client money. Fees are therefore paid for work agreed, rather than held on account, and disbursements are paid directly to the relevant third party.
VII
International Clients
Much of my practice is international. I regularly act for clients based outside the United Kingdom, including through my presence in Dubai, and I am able to take instructions remotely and in person. Public Access applies equally to foreign clients and to matters with a foreign dimension, whether the forum is the High Court in London, an international court or tribunal, an arbitral institution or a domestic court abroad where I can advise or appear alongside local counsel.
VIII
Regulatory Information
I am a barrister regulated by the Bar Standards Board. Before instructing me directly, you may find it helpful to read the Bar Standards Board’s guidance for clients on how the Public Access scheme works:
BSB Public Access Guidance for Lay Clients
Details of my complaints procedure, and of your right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman, are available on the [Complaints] page. You can also check my registration on the Bar Standards Board’s Barristers’ Register.