Clare Baker > Chambers of James Counsell KC and Keith Bryant KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Clare is an experienced junior specialising in financial services, banking, commercial and insurance law.

Clare has particular expertise in advising in relation to financial services regulatory issues and individual authorisations. Clare also acts in a wide range of financial services disputes. She has been instructed by both the Financial Services Authority (enforcement) and Financial Conduct Authority (GCD).

Clare advises on general commercial issues, including confidentiality and data protection, public procurement (including the operation of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015), compliance with various regulatory frameworks, and jurisdictional/cross-border issues. She also regularly advises on insurance law.

Prior to transferring to the Bar in 2007, Clare was a solicitor in Simmons & Simmons’ Finance and Insurance Litigation department and a hedge funds, prime brokerage and structured products lawyer at UBS Investment Bank. As a result she has an understanding of financial markets that is unusual at the Bar.

Clare has considerable experience of drafting pleadings, opinions and skeleton arguments and has appeared, both as an advocate and junior, in interlocutory matters and final hearings in the Privy Council, the High Court, county courts, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and employment tribunals.

Clare was educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge University (2:1 Law) and the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice (Distinction).