Keating Chambers: The Podcast

This is the first in a series of podcasts coming this year, all recorded to celebrate 150 years of the Technology and Construction Court (TCC). In each episode, Keating barristers will chose one leading case from the TCC and review how it has faired over the years, including discussion of subsequent cases that have focused on it.

In this episode, Head of Chambers, Alexander Nissen KC, is joined by Jennie Wild and Emma Healiss to discuss the landmark judgment in RTS Flexible Systems Ltd v Molkerei Alois Muller GmbH & Co KG [2010]. This is a case about contract formation, which eventually went all the way up to the Supreme Court, with the Supreme Court commenting on the perils of starting work without agreeing the precise basis upon which the work is to be done.

Please note that this podcast does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such.

In this podcast, Keating barristers Lucy Garrett KC, James Thompson, Charlie Thompson, Jennie Wild and clerk Jade Clark discuss and myth-bust some of the common misconceptions about life at the Commercial Bar. With varied backgrounds, routes to the bar and experiences to date, they discuss the perception that the Bar can be an isolated place to practice law, finances, clerking and professional support in chambers, diversity, and family life, as well as some of the more specific aspects of construction law and building a practice at Keating Chambers. We hope this podcast will give prospective pupils a unique and honest insight into the world of commercial barristers, and lift the veil on some of the areas not often addressed elsewhere.

Please note that this podcast does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. 

Having recently announced the date of the Keating Chambers and London Pulse Netball Corporate Cup, this podcast explores our partnership with the club and how Pulse have been raising the profile of women’s sport. Marie Sparkes, our Head of BD and Marketing speaks to Sam Bird, CEO and Director of Netball at London Pulse, and Jennie Wild, one of our junior barristers at Keating Chambers. The three women discuss how netball has impacted their lives positively, the parallels between challenges faced in sport and in the law, and how the Corporate Cup will play an important role in funding Pulse’s community programme and ensuring access to netball for women and girls from diverse backgrounds.

To celebrate International Women’s Day and mark the “Break the Bias" theme, we are pleased to share our latest podcast episode with Gaynor Chambers and Jennie Wild. Gaynor and Jennie are joined by Mrs Justice Finola O’Farrell DBE whose career exemplifies the aims of the IWD movement and who has made the path to a gender equal world easier for all the women following behind. 

O’Farrell J guides us through her early years, university, family life, and professional career leading to her appointment as a High Court Judge, signposting these significant moments with songs and books that remind her of that time. She discusses challenges she has faced and offers advice to women considering a career at the Bar: "Have the courage to speak up in meetings and to challenge decisions, don't let fear silence you". 

What constitutes ‘Demolition’ under S74 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990? In this episode, Charlie Banner QC and John Steel discuss the Court of Appeal decision in Clin v Walter Lilly & Co. Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 136 which addressed that very question. The podcast seeks to contextualise the decision of the Court in the history of the litigation, the relevant planning statutes and the applicable case law, namely the House of Lords decision in Shimizu [1997] 1 WLR 168. The discussion features an analysis of the Court of Appeal’s decision and the submissions of the Parties before the Court. Please note that this podcast does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such.

Charlie Banner QC and David Gollancz review the cases on standing for judicial review in procurement, from Mass Energy in 1994 to Good Law Project in 2021, by way of Pergau Dam and Chandler. Please note that this podcast does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. A list of the cases and statutes referred to in this podcast can be found at: www.keatingchambers.com/resources/podcasts/

Following IP Completion Day on 31 December 2020, EU law no longer applies in the UK…except that it sort of does.  Simon Taylor and David Gollancz discuss the effect of the amended Regulations: why economic operators in the EU and the GPA have different rights (and what about Gibraltar?), which case law will apply when, can utilities still apply for exemption, and how will the playing field be levelled between the UK home nations? Please note that this podcast does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such.

To celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day and mark the “Choose to challenge” theme, we are pleased to share our latest podcast episode with Fionnuala McCredie QC and Lucy Garrett QC. Fionnuala and Lucy are joined by Sally Davies (Mayer Brown), Catherine Wolfenden (Osborne Clarke) and Rebecca Williams (Watson Farley & Williams) who are all long standing clients and friends of Keating Chambers, as well as being past recipients of The Lawyer’s “Hot 100” accolade. They each share career highlights, challenges they have overcome and amusing anecdotes and in doing so cover important topics such as mentoring, stereotypes, imposter syndrome and shared parental leave. It was a privilege to have an open conversation with these five women who are each contributing to the development of a gender equal world by challenging existing prejudices and reaching down and across to help other women reach their full potential.

Keating Chambers' barristers discuss the government’s Green Paper proposals for reform of public procurement legislation to help listeners navigate the issues. Low-value and in-flight cases to a generalist Tribunal or two tracks in the TCC?  Reforming the test for the automatic suspension: ditch the adequacy of damages test? Will we miss debrief letters when they’re gone?  And if maximum damages are 1.5 x bid costs, will anyone bother to challenge anyway?  With Sarah Hannaford QC and David Gollancz. Please note that this podcast does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such.

Keating Chambers' barristers discuss the government’s Green Paper proposals for reform of public procurement legislation to help listeners navigate the issues. How does the “publish early and publish all” approach sit with the government’s wish to impose the least burden on the public sector – or businesses?  Given how hard authorities find it to comply with FOI, EIR and GDPR, how will they manage open contracting? What actually is transparency and do the proposals promote it?  With Fionnuala McCredie QC and David Gollancz. Please note that this podcast does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such.