Rule of Law and International Trade and Development is a new grouping within Blackstone Chambers which offers a somewhat different product from conventional advice and dispute-resolution.

It focuses on matters which require a proactive approach, often outside of conventional dispute-resolution. 

The topics involved include constitutional and institutional design; the structures and procedures of regulation; the negotiation of trade and other agreements; techniques of implementation and enforcement of law; alternative dispute-resolution, and techniques to achieve policy goals. 

The skills offered include designing policies and institutions, drafting constitutions and legislation, training, advising, monitoring trials and the enforcement of legislation and evaluating the enforcement and effectiveness of law.

The issues engaged often involves skill-sets that are broader than pure law and thus the need for inter-disciplinary teams, both in terms of expertise outside of law (such as accountancy, economics and development), but also within law (particularly the combination of public, private and international law). 

The work covers both the public and private sectors, in the UK and internationally.  

Areas of expertise include: 

  • Democratic governance (institutional design, constitutional and legislative drafting,  standards in public life)
  • Rights protection (equality and anti-discrimination, migration and asylum, human rights monitoring and business and human rights)
  • Security sector reform and access to justice (designing dispute resolution mechanisms, designing models and standards of legal aid, trial monitoring, police and prison reform)
  • International trade and investment (the drafting and negotiation of trade agreements; the resolution of disputes relating to trade and investment)
  • Tax and anti-corruption (taxation policy, enforcement and dispute resolution, tackling corruption and cross-border crime and sanctions work)
  • Regulation (in areas including financial services, competition policy, environmental issues and media and free speech)

Rule of Law & ITD barristers

King's Counsel

+44 (0)207 5831770

Clerks

Staff