Neil Calver QC

Described by Legal 500 (2009) as "One of the go-to silks of his generation", and by Chambers & Partners (2010) as "one of the best junior silks at the Bar", Neil Calver is an extremely versatile advocate. Chambers and Partners state in their 2011 Guide that "Sources are full of praise for his "intellectually sound analysis and extremely impressive advocacy."

Neil took a double first class honours degree in Law from Christ's College, Cambridge University in 1986, and was then called to the Bar in 1987. He began his practice at the well-known public and EU chambers at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square, London. In his first seven years at the Bar he became one of the leading juniors in European and Public Law and appeared on several occasions during that period before the House of Lords. In particular, Neil played a prominent role in the well-known “Sunday trading” EU litigation, successfully acting as the advocate for local authorities before the Court of Appeal, House of Lords and European Court of Justice in just his first three years of practice at the Bar.

Neil Calver joined Brick Court Chambers from 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square in 1994 and swiftly developed a practice in Insurance and Reinsurance Law, such that in the year that he took Silk (2006) he was nominated as Chambers and Partners’ Insurance and Reinsurance Barrister of the Year. Chambers and Partners describe him as a barrister with a “fantastic legal brain” and “the ability to run rings round the other side”.

Since taking Silk in 2006, Neil Calver's practice has continued to flourish. Whilst he has extensive experience as a Commercial Litigation advocate, he is instructed in a variety of different specialist fields, including in particular Insurance and Reinsurance, Banking law, International Arbitration, Aviation law, EU and Public Law and Sports and Media law. 

He recently represented the successful reinsurer-appellants (AGF) in the landmark case of WASA and AGF v. Lexington [2009] UKHL 40, being the last case determined by the House of Lords (before the establishment of the new Supreme Court).

The Wasa and AGF v Lexington case was the 6^th time that Neil has appeared as an advocate in the House of Lords, the other occasions being: Heaton v Axa Equity and Law [2002] 2 AC 329 (the leading authority on concurrent contractual causes of action); Council of City of Stoke-on-Trent v B&Q Plc [1993] AC 900 (the leading case on the free movement of goods provisions of the EU Treaty); Kirklees MBC v Wickes [1993] AC 227 (a Public Law case on when a public authority will be required to give a cross-undertaking in damages as the price of enforcing the Criminal Law); Norwich CC v B&Q [1993] AC 900 (2^nd hearing); Hughes v Doncaster MBC [1991] 1 AC 382.

Neil is used to acting in high profile litigation, and has also in recent years acted at trial for a number of the most successful popular musicians of the day, including acting for Sir Elton John in his Professional Negligence action against PricewaterhouseCoopers and Michael Bolton in his copyright infringement dispute with EMI.

Neil Calver frequently sits as an Arbitrator (as well as acting separately as an advocate) in all types of international arbitration. He also frequently acts as an expert on English Law in foreign jurisdictions.

In September 2009 Neil was appointed one of 70 Recorders (Crime, SE Circuit) out of 1,000 applicants for the post.