Contract disputes, shareholder disputes, debt recovery, insolvency, professional negligence. Get clear, efficient advice from a Direct Access barrister, without paying for two sets of legal fees.
Tell us about your matter and we will match you with specialist Direct Access barristers. There is no charge to enquire.
We will be in touch shortly. If your matter is urgent, please call 020 3771 9301.
MyBarrister connects business owners and directors with specialist Direct Access barristers who handle commercial disputes every day. You get senior advocacy and advice, on efficient terms, without the cost and delay of going through a solicitor first.
Direct Access, sometimes called Public Access, is a Bar Standards Board scheme that lets businesses and individuals instruct a barrister directly. You do not need to engage a solicitor first.
Barristers are specialist advocates and advisers. In commercial law, that means counsel who spend their working lives on contract disputes, shareholder and director disputes, insolvency, and business debt recovery. Many are King's Counsel or senior juniors with substantial experience in the Business and Property Courts.
Through MyBarrister you can engage a barrister for a single piece of work, such as an early merits opinion, drafting a letter before action, negotiating a settlement, or representing your business at a hearing. You agree the scope and the fee with your chosen barrister in writing before any chargeable work begins.
A straightforward, efficient route to expert advice, with no pressure and no charge to enquire.
Complete the short form above with a few details. There is no charge to enquire and no obligation to instruct.
We introduce you to commercial barristers whose specialism and experience suit your situation. You see their credentials before deciding.
You agree the scope of work and the fee with your chosen barrister in writing, then they get to work on your case.
Commercial law covers a wide range of business disputes. The barristers listed on MyBarrister cover the full picture, from a straightforward debt claim to complex, multi-party litigation.
Advice and representation on disputed terms, non-performance, termination and damages claims arising from commercial agreements.
Unfair prejudice petitions, derivative claims, breach of directors' duties, and disputes between shareholders over the running of a company.
Recovering unpaid invoices and business debts, statutory demands, winding-up petitions and enforcement of judgments.
Advice on administration, liquidation, company voluntary arrangements, director conduct and creditor claims in insolvency proceedings.
Disputes between business partners over profit shares, dissolution, breach of partnership agreements and LLP member disputes.
Claims against accountants, surveyors, financial advisers and other professionals for a failure to meet the required standard of care.
Disputes over building contracts, delay and defects claims, payment disputes and adjudication under the Construction Act.
Trade mark, copyright, design right and confidential information disputes affecting your business and its products.
General advice on commercial agreements, terms of business, company governance and day-to-day legal risk for your business.
Commercial disputes cost your business time and money. MyBarrister keeps the route to expert help short, transparent and within your control.
The barristers we introduce you to are full-time commercial law practitioners with significant experience of business disputes. No generalists, no juniors learning on your case.
Commercial barristers will usually quote a fixed fee for defined pieces of work, or an hourly rate for ongoing advisory matters. You know the cost before any chargeable work starts.
Direct Access means you instruct the barrister directly. You are not paying a solicitor to instruct counsel on your behalf, which can substantially reduce overall cost.
Every barrister listed on MyBarrister is regulated by the Bar Standards Board and carries professional indemnity insurance through the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund.
You choose the barrister and the scope of work. You can instruct for one piece of advice, a single hearing, or your whole case. No long retainers tying your business in.
MyBarrister has been helping clients connect with specialist counsel for more than a decade, with introductions made across the full range of commercial and business matters.
See the full panel of commercial barristers on MyBarrister, with their chambers, year of call, areas of focus and direct access status.
Common questions about Direct Access, fees, court representation and how to get started.
Yes. Under the Bar Standards Board's Public Access scheme, businesses and business owners can instruct a Direct Access barrister directly, without going through a solicitor first.
This route is well suited to businesses who want senior advocacy and advice without paying for two sets of legal fees. Bear in mind that barristers cannot conduct litigation in the same way a solicitor can, so for document-heavy litigation you may still need a solicitor for parts of the process, such as formal service of documents and ongoing case management.
Commercial barristers often quote a fixed fee for defined pieces of work, such as an early merits opinion, drafting a letter before action, or representing you at a hearing.
Hourly rates are also common, particularly for ongoing advisory work. You agree the fee with your chosen barrister in writing before any chargeable work begins, so you know the cost up front.
It often is, because you avoid paying a solicitor to instruct counsel on your behalf. You deal with the barrister directly, so you pay one set of legal fees rather than two.
For matters that involve extensive correspondence, disclosure or case management, a solicitor may still be needed for parts of the process alongside your barrister.
A commercial barrister can advise and represent you on:
Most enquiries are responded to within one working day. If your matter is urgent, for example a limitation deadline, a winding-up petition, or an urgent injunction, please call us on 020 3771 9301 and we will prioritise the introduction.
Yes. Your enquiry is treated in strict confidence. Information you share is used only to introduce you to suitable barristers. Our handling of personal and business information is set out in our Privacy Policy. Once you formally instruct a barrister, legal professional privilege applies to communications between you and counsel.
Yes. The barristers listed on MyBarrister practise across England and Wales, with members in London, the South East, the South West, the Midlands, the North West, the North East, Yorkshire and Wales.
Many accept instructions remotely by video conference for advice, and travel for hearings. Commercial law in Scotland and Northern Ireland operates under separate regimes, and we will tell you if your matter is best handled by counsel in those jurisdictions.
Yes. All barristers listed on MyBarrister are regulated by the Bar Standards Board and hold a current practising certificate. Each is also authorised under the Public Access scheme to accept instructions directly from members of the public and from businesses.
Every practising barrister carries professional indemnity insurance through the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund.
One of our team will contact you, usually within one working day, to understand your matter in a little more detail. We will then introduce you by email to one or more specialist commercial barristers whose experience fits your situation. You decide whom to instruct, and the barrister agrees the scope and fee with you in writing before any chargeable work starts.
Yes. We introduce you to barristers who specialise in your area of commercial law and whose experience matches your matter. You decide whom to instruct. You can also browse the directory and request a specific barrister by name.
A short summary of your situation is enough to start. Useful details include:
Please do not share confidential documents until you have engaged a barrister formally.
Yes. Direct Access barristers can represent companies at all levels of court, from the County Court and Business and Property Courts through to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Often, yes, at least for parts of the process. A company, unlike an individual, generally cannot represent itself in court and normally needs a solicitor or barrister of record to conduct the litigation, including formal service of documents and case management.
A Direct Access barrister can still provide the advocacy and strategic advice, working alongside a solicitor engaged for the procedural conduct of the case, or in some circumstances under the Bar's Licensed Access scheme. We will be upfront with you about whether this applies to your matter.
No. There is no charge to enquire through MyBarrister and no obligation to instruct. Any fees are agreed directly between you and the barrister you choose, in writing, before any chargeable work starts.
Solicitors usually handle the day-to-day conduct of a case: correspondence, disclosure and managing the file. Barristers are specialist advocates and advisers, traditionally engaged to give opinions on the merits and to represent clients in court.
Under Direct Access, you can instruct a barrister for the parts of the work that need specialist input without engaging a solicitor first. For longer or more document-heavy cases, the two roles can also be combined.
Tell us about your matter and we will introduce you to specialist Direct Access barristers who can help. There is no charge to enquire.
