New Practice Areas for Chambers UK Bar 2023

The Chambers UK Bar team is excited to announce that we are opening submissions for three new practice areas, following in-depth conversations with the market.

Submissions to these sections will be accepted until 6 April 2022. Research will culminate in rankings appearing in the 2023 UK Bar guide.

Domestic regulatory work in the UK life sciences industries has been identified as a growth area by our interviewees. Pre-Brexit, the majority of litigation in this field would properly have been covered in our European Law table.

Leaving the regulatory jurisdiction of the EU has led to a rise in prominence and exposure to scrutiny for UK bodies such as the MHRA, FSA and HSE. Our life sciences section will focus on barristers work in domestic regulatory or licensing appeals concerning the manufacture, importation or marketing of drugs, medical devices, foods or chemicals.

The Bar's reputation for integrity makes the profession a natural choice to conduct independent investigations in a corporate or public context. We will aim to recognise those barristers most highly sought after for the forensic skills and leadership they bring to these sensitive matters. Work submitted is likely to range across a broad array of sectors including financial and legal services, the media, sport, education, healthcare, government and parliamentary affairs. Advisory work will be considered but the focus will be on those instructed to lead independent investigations or reviews.

Please note that this is distinct from our existing table covering Inquests and Public Inquiries. We assure submitting sets that no confidential or sensitive work will be published.

We have identified the potential for a spotlight table covering disputes over contested winnings or losses between betting companies and their customers, or third parties. This section will recognise expertise in civil litigation involving the gambling industry and requiring detailed knowledge of the Gambling Act and the regulatory framework. Such work is not currently catered for in our existing Licensing section.

Please get in touch with a member of the team below if you have any questions about these new sections or if you would like to suggest additional areas of research.