What the Directories Say

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings remains a pre-eminent set with an excellent reputation in the City, noted for its expert handling of banking and finance matters.

The set houses an extensive range of market-leading practitioners, who are skilled at tackling diverse contentious and non-contentious financial matters.

Barristers here are frequently instructed to act both for and against multinational banks in cases of the utmost complexity and market profile.

Members of the set are also proficient at dealing with claims concerning civil fraud, professional negligence and the mis-selling of financial products.

“3 Verulam Buildings is first-class.” Another source says that the barristers are “very good, very commercial and very experienced in banking and finance.”

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings “remains one of the best sets for banking litigation”, praised for its strength-in-depth from top silks down to baby juniors.

“3VB is an excellent set – one of the best in this area.”

“3VB has excellent strength in depth. I’ve used this chambers for many years and have always been impressed with the quality of Counsel (juniors through to seniors).”

“3VB is a set that my colleagues and I probably turn to more than any other both now and, in my case, the last 30 years. They are a very strong set in financial services but have also established a very strong offering in a broader range of disciplines. Over the years they have recruited numerous former solicitors who have spent a few years in leading City firms. This means that a lot of their people have hands on experience of the very different role of a solicitor.”

“Very strong set for banking and commercial litigation generally. Strong individuals right the way from the junior, mid-junior, senior-junior, up to QC.”

“3VB have been for many years one of our “go-to” sets for our more complex cases. High quality counsel are available at all levels (silk, senior junior and junior). They are invariably very responsive to training requests and are now a regular feature of our internal training programme. Highly recommended.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings’ market-leading reputation arises out of its involvement in headline-grabbing commercial cases.

With a deep bench of highly ranked individuals, the set boasts some of the strongest practitioners in the market.

“This is a very well-established set that has done a good job in building its bench strength – it has some real stars.”

In response to the pandemic the set developed several series of client webinars covering the practicalities of litigation under COVID-19 restrictions and practice area-specific topics.

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings houses a strong bench of senior and junior barristers who are praised for their expert handling of complex and high-value fraud work.

The barristers are adept at representing corporations and high net worth individuals in fraud disputes stemming from allegations of bribery, conspiracy and misappropriation.

Recent work handled by the set includes PrivatBank v Kolomoisky & Others, a substantial fraud claim brought by a large Ukrainian bank against two former shareholders, alleging the misappropriation of USD2.6 billion from the bank.

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings is praised for its ‘considerable strength and depth of talent in the civil fraud area’.

Combined with their acknowledged strengths in  banking and financial services matters, the members provide a compelling mix of expertise in complex financial fraud claims as well as broader international disputes

“3VB is an excellent set. All Counsel have great expertise, from pupils to QCs. The juniors are particularly excellent.”

“3VB is an excellent set for commercial litigation, including civil fraud matters. I have worked with, and against, several barristers from the set and they have been of a high calibre. The clerks are good too.”

“3VB is a favourite set. It combines excellent counsel with superb clerking.”

“A number of excellent practitioners who punch above their call.”

“Top of the range set with strength in depth amongst its leaders and juniors. Our go to set for complex financial fraud work and urgent matters.“

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings is particularly well regarded for its handling of commercial chancery litigation involving complex elements of banking and financial services law.

Members are also well versed in civil fraud and insolvency disputes, and are regularly called upon to appear in major litigation arising in several international and offshore jurisdictions.

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

Senior and junior members are regularly instructed on some of the largest commercial disputes to hit the London and international courts and tribunals.

“3VB are one of my go to sets for commercial work. They have real strength in depth and numerous members of Chambers are a class act.”

“High-quality throughout, easy to work with and adaptable, flexible barristers. A go-to set.”

“Huge strength in depth of expertise and availability of counsel. An impressive offering.”

“Huge strength-in-depth. My preferred set on complex and/or high-end litigation.”

“3VB remains the top set for commercial litigation and in our view international arbitration given their strong international roster of associate members. They remain the set of choice of us as firm when its comes to complex litigation dispute or when an opinion is required on commercial law matters.”

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

“A very diverse set with some outstanding counsel’, 3 Verulam Buildings is ‘undoubtedly a leading set for energy work where technical excellence combines with understanding to guide clients through every stage.”

Best known for banking and commercial litigation, it is active in contract disputes and investment treaty arbitrations involving the energy sector, as well as cases concerning the operation of oil and gas fields and pipelines.

“I have yet to run into any area where 3VB does not have someone who can assist. They are my first choice in the UK.”

“A very diverse set with some outstanding counsel.”

“By instructing a top set like 3VB we expect the best and we got it. Technical excellence combines with understanding to guide us through every stage of a worryingly complex process. We felt reassured and supported at every stage. 3VB would be our first-choice chambers for any relevant future disputes, especially complex international claims.”

“In my view, 3VB is undoubtedly a leading set for energy work. I am aware that they handle a lot of energy arbitrations and litigations and it shows in the ease with which they are able to get across complex energy-related facts.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings maintains a dominant position in the market for its impressive financial services practice.

Members of chambers are keenly sought after for sophisticated, high-stakes regulatory concerns, and act for a prestigious client base including major banks, brokerages and private equity firms, as well as the regulatory bodies themselves.

“They can provide the depth of experience in these areas. We trust them as a set of chambers.”

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings is ‘an excellent financial services set, with strength at all levels’.

The chambers is home to a team which regularly acts for and against the regulators, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and is adept at handling contentious and advisory matters.

‘”3VB is an excellent financial services set with strength at all levels.”

“Huge strength in depth of expertise and availability of counsel. An impressive offering.”

“We are always well served by the team at 3VB. They are readily able to give us a choice of suitable people for a wide range of cases.”

“3VB is our set of choice. They offer remarkable strength in depth which means that availability is never an issue. This also allows for the instruction of barristers which are suitable for a particular matter. This is incredibly helpful when it comes to the issue of costs, which is always front and centre of a client’s mind.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings’ members are regularly instructed in diverse matters including breaches of contract and online fraud claims, and frequently bring to bear additional regulatory expertise in matters relating to cryptocurrency or data protection.

The set’s clients include well-known IT providers as well as large commercial clients, particularly those in the financial services sector.

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings has a growing expertise in restructuring and insolvency matters, drawing on the set’s established strengths in banking and finance, civil fraud and general commercial litigation.

The set is well regarded for its handling of contentious commercial insolvencies, and its tenants are regularly called upon to act for insolvency practitioners in high-value, cross-border recovery actions.

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings has its strengths and reputation in financial services but now marries that with the expertise of a number of commercial insolvency barristers.

“They are a very strong set in financial services but have also established a very strong offering in a broader range of disciplines.”

“A quality set, through and through.”

“Always responsive, communicative and helpful.”

“3VB is a go-to set for complex finance disputes.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings leans on its expertise in banking and finance to handle a broad array of insurance and reinsurance matters arising from the sector.

Has “a solid presence in the insurance market.”

Members of the set adeptly handle professional indemnity, credit risk, D&O and construction-related disputes, both domestic and international in nature.

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

Fielding “several members who specialise in insurance and reinsurance disputes”, 3 Verulam Buildings’ leading barristers were recently instructed in claims under a wide variety of insurance policies, including securities claims under D&O Polices, mis-selling, cladding (and other construction policy-related claims), Covid-19 matters, and several reinsurance disputes.

“Excellent set in these areas.”

“Always experienced good service generally from this set of chambers.”

“Provides a good overall service, with several members who specialise in insurance and reinsurance disputes, while others have an in-depth knowledge of insurance regulation.”

“Very good set of chambers with exceptional members, who are experienced well beyond their years – undeniable strength in depth.”

“Our experience of these chambers has been very positive indeed.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022): General Commercial & Insurance

3 Verulam Buildings has a well-established reputation in international arbitration, with notable depth in commercial disputes.

The set is steeped in a long history of top-quality appointments in the financial services sector, often acting in arbitrations relating to shareholder disputes, as well as arbitration award enforcements.

Its barristers also demonstrate expertise in energy and development-related disputes for clients across the Middle East, Europe and Africa, frequently conducted under the rules of the LCIA, the ICC, SIAC and UNCITRAL.

Members offer additional strength to clients in investor-state disputes, acting in complex and high-value ICSID arbitrations.

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022): Arbitrators

3 Verulam Buildings’ impressive push into the international arbitration market isn’t limited to the counsel side.

The set has an increasingly strong stable of full time and part time arbitrators who command considerable respect in the market.

“3VB has done an incredible job in joining highly experienced arbitrators and arbitration counsel and, as a result, has formed a very strong arbitration team.”

“They deserve their reputation as one of the very best commercial sets in London.”

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022): Counsel

3 Verulam Buildings is now firmly ensconced among the leading sets in London for international arbitration and is considered by some to be ‘the leading set of chambers for international investment arbitration disputes’.

“3VB is very strong in arbitration with a deep bench of practitioners we have involved in our arbitration matters.”

“3VB has a deep arbitration bench which is why we gravitate to them for arbitration matters.”

“3VB are exceptionally strong and well clerked.”

“3VB has great strength in depth and high-quality barristers at all levels. It is particularly strong on public international law where it has some of the leading individuals at the junior, mid and senior levels.”

“By instructing a top set like 3VB we expect the best and we got it. Technical excellence combines with understanding to guide us through every stage of a worryingly complex process. We felt reassured and supported at every stage. 3VB would be our first-choice chambers for any relevant future disputes, especially complex international claims.”

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

In the art world, members of 3 Verulam Buildings act for defendant and claimant auction houses, dealers, and sellers involved in high-profile disputes.

“They are a very strong commercial set generally.”

“Highly competent and able.”

“The chambers has a very strong presence in banking, fraud. and commercial litigation. I would trust all of their barristers to give excellent advice.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings offers noteworthy expertise across a range of offshore work including trusts, insolvency, civil fraud, restructuring and commercial cases.

Its barristers are experienced in appearing in high-value disputes, and members are frequently called before the courts in the Caribbean, the Channel Islands, Dubai and Hong Kong.

“The set stands out for its responsiveness.”

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

Praised by one client for “growing and improving all the time”, 3 Verulam Buildings had another strong year of offshore work.

“3VB has great strength in depth, especially amongst the juniors, and is one of the go-to sets.”

“Great set; experienced barristers at varying levels of seniority.”

“They have an enviable roster of both leading and junior counsel.”

“Growing presence as a leading set in the offshore market.”

“A quality set, through and through.”

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

An “increasing force in POCA work and asset forfeiture”, the set at 3 Verulam Buildings specialises in acting for government agencies involved in civil recovery procedures.

“3VB is an increasing force in POCA work and asset forfeiture, with a number of its barristers gaining experience in the area, including Andrew Onslow QC. They have a good clerking team too.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings houses counsel who are experienced in a range of professional negligence disputes.

Its barristers offer deep expertise when handling insurance-related claims as well as those alleging negligence on the part of solicitors.

They have additional skill in claims arising out of negligent tax and investment fund advice.

“They have an impressive range of barristers with expertise in complex commercial matters, especially international litigation.”

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

Viewed as “a class act”, 3 Verulam Buildings is “a very strong set in financial services”.

Members have “great talent” in handling professional negligence claims in the financial arena, and report an uptick in auditors’ negligence claims.

“An excellent set, with tremendous strength in depth.”

“Good range of high-quality barristers.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

3VB possesses strong credentials in investor-versus-state arbitration.

The set handles an impressive roster of high-value disputes on behalf of sovereign states and investors across the world, including in the Middle East, Africa and East Asia.

Barristers here are highly adept at acting before a range of international courts and arbitral institutions including the ICC and ICSID.

The Legal 500 UK Bar (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings is now a well-established presence in the field of public international law.

The set’s credentials are especially strong at the junior end, where it fields several members with enviable track records in investment treaty arbitrations.

“The set of barristers are very well organised.”

“Top class.”

The Legal 500 (EMEA) (2022)

3 Verulam Buildings continues to be a well-regarded set for banking and finance disputes, as part of a broader commercial disputes offering taking it to free zones and international arbitration in the Middle East.

The Legal 500 (Asia Pacific) (2022)

The ‘very strong set‘ 3 Verulam Buildings is particularly strong for commercial disputes involving the financial services sector.

‘3VB are fortunate to have a wealth of talent of door tenants from across different jurisdictions to help bolster their international profile particularly in international arbitration.‘

‘A very strong set. I have instructed several barristers from 3VB over the years for financial services, commercial and fraud-related litigation. I have recently found their seminars on fraud very interesting.’