Background:

English law is used all over the world for commercial contracts, and London remains the world’s favourite place for the resolution of legal disputes. But why is London so popular, and what do we need to do to keep it that way? Nick Vineall KC, Chair of the Bar of England and Wales and an experienced commercial litigator and arbitrator, explains the advantages of London as a venue for litigating or arbitrating commercial disputes, and the role played by the Commercial Court, the London arbitral institutions, and the expertise offered by commercial lawyers in solicitors’ firms and at the Bar. Looking to the future how do we continue to attract the brightest to the professions and what can we do to maintain London’s global reputation for swift, reliable and truly independent dispute resolution?

Speaker:

Nick Vineall KC is Chair of the Bar and a barrister and arbitrator practising from 4 Pump Court Chambers. Nick has represented clients in the UK Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and High Court, and has extensive experience of ICC, LCIA and LMAA arbitrations, both in London and abroad.

Until taking up his post as Chair of the Bar Nick was Joint Head of Chambers at 4 Pump Court and sat as a Deputy High Court Judge in the King’s Bench Division, including the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) and Commercial Court. He is also a Bencher at Middle Temple. Nick was educated at RGS Guildford, Christ’s College Cambridge, and the University of Pittsburgh where he was a Harkness Fellow. Chair of the Young Bar in 1994, Nick began professional life as a general common lawyer at 12 KBW, but since 1998 has practised from 4 Pump Court where he has a broadly based commercial and construction practice.

He is interested in education and served on the Inns of Court School of Law (ICSL) and has been a school governor at Waverley School in Peckham and at the RGS in Guildford. He served as a councillor in the London Borough of Southwark for four years (2006-10). He enjoys singing and is an enthusiastic but poor player of tennis and squash.