About Us

We are one of the UK’s leading sets of barristers’ chambers acting and advising in a wide variety of commercial disputes both domestically and overseas.

Established more than 70 years ago we have developed a strong reputation in all areas of commercial law including banking, commercial fraud, commercial chancery, insurance, offshore litigation, construction and energy, professional discipline, professional negligence, costs and sports law. We also have expertise in public and human rights law. Historically, the preeminent set for professional negligence and costs work, chambers has been involved in many of the landmark legal cases of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Our work has also become increasingly international. We have strong ties with overseas markets and we are recognised as a home to considerable expertise in commercial, insurance, and investor-state arbitration as well public international law and human rights.

We have nearly 90 members (of whom 33 are King’s Counsel) practising as self-employed barristers at 4 New Square Chambers, as well as a number of highly respected arbitrators and mediators.

As barristers we appear as advocates for our clients before courts, arbitrators, and other tribunals. This involves not only the preparation and delivery of written and oral submissions and cross-examination, but also the provision of practical, commercial advice and important preparatory work at all stages of disputes.

We are accustomed to working with large teams of lawyers or alongside lawyers and other professionals qualified in other jurisdictions, and have members admitted on a permanent or case-specific basis to the local Bar, or with rights of audience, in many overseas jurisdictions.

Our members regularly appear before courts and arbitral tribunals worldwide, as well as at all levels in this country – from the County Court to the Supreme Court (and including in every civil division of the High Court).

A number of former members of chambers have gone on to hold high judicial office in both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

  • The Rt Hon Lady Justice Carr DBE was appointed as the first ever Lady Chief Justice on 1st October 2023. Sue served as a Lady Justice of the Court of Appeal since 2020 and was Head of Chambers at 4 New Square Chambers in 2012/2013.  She was chair of the Bar Standards Board Conduct Committee between 2008 and 2010, before becoming Complaints Commissioner to the International Criminal Court in the Hague. In June 2013, Sue was appointed a High Court Judge and assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division. She was a member of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal between 2014 and 2016 and a Presiding Judge of the Midland Circuit from 2016 until 2019.
  • The Rt Hon Lord Justice Stuart-Smith has served as a Lord Justice of the Court of Appeal since 2020. Jeremy was Head of Chambers at 4 New Square Chambers between 2009 and 2012. He was appointed a Recorder in 1996, a Deputy High Court Judge in 2004, and a High Court Judge (Queen’s Bench Division) in 2012. He was a Presiding Judge for the South Eastern Circuit from 2014 until 2018.
  • Sir Rupert Jackson served as a Lord Justice of the Court of Appeal between 2008 and 2018.  He was appointed to the High Court in 1999. He served as judge in charge of the Technology and Construction Court from 2004 until 2007.  After sitting as a judge for some 20 years, Sir Rupert re-joined 4 New Square Chambers as an arbitrator in March 2018 and has since sat on numerous international arbitration tribunals.
  • The late Lord Toulson was appointed Justice of the Supreme Court in April 2013. He retired in September 2016 but continued to serve on the Supreme Court’s Supplementary Panel. Between 2002 and 2006, Lord Toulson was Chairman of the Law Commission of England and Wales, after which he was appointed to the Court of Appeal. He also served on the Judicial Appointments Commission for England and Wales.
  • The late Sir Ralph Gibson was appointed as a Lord Justice of the Court of Appeal from 1985 to 1994 and chairman of the Law Commission from 1981 to 1985.

Sir Rupert Jackson is an Honorary Professor in the UCL Faculty of Law and an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge.

Jonathan Worboys is a Visiting Lecturer in public international law at King’s College London.

A number of leading legal texts are or have been written by current and former members of chambers:

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‘Without doubt, one of the best Chambers in England & Wales, unrivalled in the experience and abilities of its barristers’

Legal 500

If you would like to know more or have a question please talk to our clerks

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