Message from the Chair

Welcome to Combar’s website.

Combar is the specialist Bar association for commercial barristers advising the international business community.  We represent over 1,600 commercial barristers and 38 member sets providing specialist advice, advocacy and mediation services in relation to commercial law for businesses, individuals and other organisations.  Much of the work of Combar’s members is done in London, one of the world’s leading dispute resolution centres, but Combar’s members often act in dispute resolution processes in all forms – litigation, arbitration and mediation – taking place all over the world.

I hope that you will find our website useful.  Amongst other things, you will find extensive information about the work of Combar and its members, important upcoming events (including events celebrating the 125th anniversary of the English Commercial Court) and Combar’s international work.

Combar is committed to Equality and Diversity and is actively pursuing a number of initiatives to ensure that exceptional individuals can progress and succeed at the Commercial bar, regardless of background or personal circumstances: click here for more information. Consistently with this, Combar is actively working to encourage exceptional students from all and any backgrounds to apply for a career at the English Commercial bar, and any students interested in finding out more about becoming a commercial barrister should click here.

Combar is also committed to supporting its members, assisting them with their professional education, helping them to develop their practices and promoting their wellbeing. To that end this year, Combar is launching a mentoring scheme (the details of which will shortly be available). Combar also offers ongoing professional education through its monthly and annual lectures on key issues in commercial law, which are provided by leading commercial practitioners, academics and senior members of the judiciary.

Despite the difficult circumstances caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Combar’s members continue actively to advise and act for clients.  Combar’s members have remote working mechanisms in place and London’s Commercial Court remains operational and is holding hearings remotely whenever possible.  Further information about protocols for remote Court hearing protocols and other related matters can be found here.

If you would like to learn more about Combar’s work, or have any queries, please contact Combar’s administration team here.

Sonia Tolaney QC, Chair of Combar