Atkin Chambers emerged from a chambers specialising in parliamentary work in 1910s. During the 1930s/40s it developed two different strengths, construction and engineering law and planning and compensation law.

This work merged and by the 1970s and 80s construction and engineering predominated. In recent decades chambers has built on this core area, with further streams of expertise, Energy, Natural Resources and Utilities, IT and Telecommunications, Professional Negligence and Shipbuilding, Repair and Conversion.

This is recognised by a number of its alumni being appointed Judges of the Technology and Construction Court in London and its members being in demand as arbitrators in these fields. Increasingly, the work of members has taken them across the world and this success led to Atkin Chambers, as the first UK chambers, being awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the category of International Trade.

However, importantly, we are not and never have been a law firm. It remains a collection of self-employed barristers who compete against each other for recognition and success within the confines of the specialist chambers from which they practise.

Full copies of the history of Atkin Chambers are available through our practice management team.