UK Bar London (Bar) Financial Services

3 Verulam Buildings maintains a dominant position in the market with clients commending the lawyers' "broad depth of expertise across its financial services advisory practice" and "excellent strength in depth". Members of chambers are keenly sought after for sophisticated, high-stakes regulatory concerns, and act for a prestigious client base including major banks, brokerages and private equity firms, as well as the regulatory bodies themselves. Recently, members have acted in Assurant v FOS, high-profile judicial review proceedings.

Blackstone Chambers wins praise as a "pre-eminent set for financial services matters." Its formidable offering rests on the recognised regulatory expertise of its barristers, of whom several are considered counsel of choice for regulatory bodies both in the UK and internationally. Its members are also frequently instructed by major financial institutions on diverse and often highly significant mandates. Over the past 12 months, members of chambers have appeared in FCA v Sir Christopher Gent Final Notice, a case concerned with a breach of the Market Abuse Regulation.

Fountain Court Chambers enjoys an established reputation as a powerhouse for financial services litigation. Members of the set are widely lauded for their capabilities across such diverse concerns as investigations, enforcement proceedings, challenges to sanctions and civil actions, and routinely act for both regulators and some of the most prominent regulated firms. A source notes the Set has a "well-deserved reputation for dealing with difficult areas of law and regulation." Members successfully defended the former CEO of Redcentric in claims brought by the FCA in relation to making false and misleading statements - the first ever prosecution under Section 89 of the Financial Services Act 2012.

4 Stone Buildings attracts high praise from market sources for the high calibre of its barristers. Members of the set are sought out for both contentious and purely advisory work by major financial institutions as well as associated individuals. They offer extensive experience representing clients in regulatory investigations and high-profile litigation, as well as appearing before disciplinary tribunals. The set is also noted for its complementary strengths in the arenas of commercial chancery and banking litigation. Members have recently acted on Autonomy Corporation v Michael Lynch, a high-profile matter relating to the first securities claim under Section 90/90A of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

4 Pump Court is a well-respected set whose members offer a range of expertise in regulatory matters. This expertise is frequently called upon by the FCA on significant enforcement actions, as well as by financial institutions on regulatory challenges and civil proceedings, both in the UK and offshore. Of late, the set has been instructed to represent over 3,000 investors in relation to the collapse of the Woodford fund.