High Court barristers in London.
Counsel for high value commercial, chancery and civil fraud litigation in the Rolls Building and the Royal Courts of Justice, instructed directly or through your solicitor.
The High Court in London hears the most substantial civil litigation in the jurisdiction. The Business and Property Courts sit in the Rolls Building on Fetter Lane, covering the Commercial Court, the Chancery Division, the Technology and Construction Court and the Insolvency and Companies List, while the King's Bench Division and the appellate courts sit at the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand.
Clerk&Counsel introduces independent barristers, regulated by the Bar Standards Board, who appear across those courts. We match each case to counsel with the right year of call, the right sector experience and genuine availability for the dates in the order, and we agree every fee in writing before work begins.
High Court litigation is unforgiving of drift. Directions carry real consequences, costs budgets bind, and relief from sanctions is not lightly granted. Having counsel involved at the pleading and case management stage, rather than only for trial, is usually the cheapest way to keep a claim on the rails.
We act on urgent work as well as planned litigation. Applications for freezing injunctions, search orders, interim declarations and injunctive relief frequently need counsel in front of a judge within days, and we can normally identify available counsel the same working day.
Work our counsel take on in London.
- Commercial claims: breach of contract, warranty and indemnity, agency and distribution disputes.
- Civil fraud, deceit, conspiracy, dishonest assistance and asset tracing.
- Freezing injunctions, search orders and other urgent interim relief.
- Chancery claims: trusts, estates, partnership, property and fiduciary duty.
- Shareholder and unfair prejudice petitions and director duty claims.
- Insolvency: winding up petitions, administration applications and antecedent transaction claims.
- Professional negligence claims against solicitors, accountants, surveyors and financial advisers.
- Costs budgeting, security for costs, detailed assessment and enforcement of judgments.
Where London cases are heard.
Claims are issued in the Business and Property Courts at the Rolls Building or in the King's Bench Division at the Royal Courts of Justice, depending on subject matter. Interim applications, urgent out of hours applications and appeals to the Court of Appeal are heard at the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand.
- Business and Property Courts, Rolls Building, Fetter Lane
- Commercial Court and Chancery Division
- King's Bench Division, Royal Courts of Justice
- Insolvency and Companies List
- Court of Appeal, Civil Division
Merits first, then strategy.
These disputes are document heavy and often personal, whether the argument is about an estate, a trust, a family home or a former business partner. The most valuable first step is usually a written advice on merits, evidence and realistic value. That advice tells you whether to fight, negotiate or step away, and it is far cheaper to learn that on paper than in a courtroom.
From there counsel can draft the letter before claim, particulars of claim or defence, advise on interim applications, and represent you at mediation, case management hearings and trial. Where urgent relief is needed to protect an asset or preserve evidence, we can normally move within days rather than weeks.
The courts expect parties to consider mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution, and refusing to engage can carry a costs penalty. Counsel can advise on when to make an offer, how to structure it and whether a mediator should be brought in, and our panel also includes mediators who take instructions in commercial, civil and inheritance disputes.
Written fixed fees, agreed before work begins.
Everything is quoted in writing before counsel starts. Advice, drafting and conference work are fixed against the papers. Hearings are quoted as a brief fee plus refreshers, so you know the cost of the day before the day arrives. For larger matters the instruction can be staged, taking advice on merits first, then on quantum, then on settlement, so you commit as the case develops rather than paying for a trial brief at the outset.
It is free to send an enquiry. If you choose to instruct through us, a Clerk&Counsel service fee of up to £150 applies depending on urgency, and it is shown separately from counsel's professional fee before you decide.
Instructing counsel in London.
- Send a short outline of the dispute, the parties and any deadline or hearing date.
- We check conflicts and identify counsel with the right call, experience and availability.
- You receive counsel options with a written fee quote for the stage you need.
- Papers go to counsel, who advises, drafts or attends the hearing as instructed.
- Further stages are quoted separately, so there is no open ended commitment.
Specialist areas within this practice.
Tell us about your London case.
Send a short outline of the assets, the parties and what has gone wrong. We will come back with counsel options, a written fee basis and a realistic first step.
Common questions.
When does a claim belong in the High Court rather than the County Court?
Money claims generally need to exceed £100,000, and personal injury claims £50,000, before the High Court is available, but value is not the only test. Complexity, the importance of the issues, the remedies sought and the need for a specialist judge all matter. Claims for injunctions, freezing orders, civil fraud and substantial trust or company disputes are commonly issued in the High Court regardless of headline value.
Can I instruct a barrister in London without a solicitor?
Yes. Many of the barristers we introduce accept Public Access instructions, which means you can instruct counsel directly for advice, drafting, negotiation and hearings. Where the case needs heavy disclosure, witness handling or court issue work, a solicitor may still be sensible, and some panel members hold a litigation extension allowing them to conduct litigation themselves. We will tell you which structure fits your case before you commit to anything.
How much does counsel cost for a case in London?
Fees depend on seniority, complexity, the length of the hearing and how much preparation is needed. Written advice and drafting are quoted as fixed fees against the papers. Hearings are quoted as a brief fee plus refreshers for each additional day. Clerk&Counsel's service fee of up to £150 depending on urgency is shown separately from counsel's professional fee before you decide whether to proceed.
Will my case be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice?
Usually, if the parties, the assets or the events have a connection with London. Regional issue is often quicker and cheaper than London, and judges sitting in the regional Business and Property Courts hear the same class of work. Counsel will advise on forum, track and likely timetable before anything is issued, because those choices drive both cost and strategy.
How quickly can counsel be instructed?
For urgent matters such as an injunction, a caveat, a freezing order or a listed hearing with short notice, we can usually identify available counsel the same working day and have papers with them within twenty four hours. For advisory work the usual turnaround for a written advice is seven to fourteen days from receipt of a complete set of papers.