What Cloister does

Cloisters is a London-based barristers' chambers located at Elm Court, Temple, regulated by the Bar Standards Board. It is a private, member-owned chambers with no parent company or external investor; the bench comprises 10 Queen's Counsel (silks) and at least 12 juniors — the highest junior count in Who's Who Legal's 2022 Labour Employment and Immigration category — operating across employment law, equality and discrimination, human rights, clinical negligence, commercial law, personal injury, professional discipline, public/administrative law, and international law.\n\nThe chambers operates a dual distribution model: traditional instructions via solicitors and a direct-access service (Cloisters Direct) that allows individuals, employers, and SMEs with HR functions to instruct barristers without engaging a solicitor. It also runs a specialist Technology and AI Practice providing legal analysis on AI regulation, facial recognition, and algorithmic discrimination to government departments (DCMS, DSIT), regulators (Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation), the TUC, and international bodies (Council of Europe, Equinet, UN), alongside an international sports practice covering bodies, clubs, and athletes including the PFA and Premier League clubs.\n\nRevenue is generated through legal services fees (hourly and fixed), Conditional Fee Agreements (no-win-no-fee), publicly funded legal aid work, and insurance or trade-union backed matters; fees range from approximately £500 for a small-claim personal injury day-trial to £20,000 per tribunal day for a silk. Go-to-market relies on legal-directory rankings (Legal 500, Chambers & Partners), thought-leadership content, and industry associations rather than paid marketing.

Name

Cloister

Legal name

Cloisters

Website

https://cloisters.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cloisters is a London barristers' chambers specialising in employment, equality, human rights, AI/technology, and sports law, serving employees, employers, sports bodies, and government departments through both direct-access (Cloisters Direct) and traditional solicitor instructions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG)

Keywords

• Barristers chambers
• Employment law services
• Equality discrimination law
• Human rights law
• Sports entertainment law

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Barristers charge fees for legal representation, advice, and advocacy services. Fees are calculated based on case complexity, barrister experience level (junior, senior junior, or QC/silk), and stage of case. Fixed fees are offered where possible for predictability.
2. Conditional Fee Agreements (CFA): In some circumstances, cases are taken under Conditional Fee Agreements (no win no fee arrangements).
3. Public Funding/Legal Aid: Cloisters accepts publicly funded cases where legal aid is available.
4. Insurance/Trade Union Backed Cases: Work covered by insurance policies or trade union backing is accepted, with payment typically received at case conclusion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cloisters is a London-based barristers' chambers providing specialist legal representation and advocacy across employment, equality and discrimination, human rights, technology/AI, sports, clinical negligence, personal injury, commercial, international, and public/administrative law. The chambers offers a direct access service (Cloisters Direct) allowing individuals and companies to instruct barristers without engaging a solicitor, alongside traditional solicitor-led instructions managed by a clerks team.

Product overview

Cloisters is a leading barristers' chambers based at Elm Court, Temple, London, offering legal services through its members across multiple practice areas. The chambers provides a direct access service (Cloisters Direct) enabling clients to instruct barristers directly without solicitor involvement. Core service areas include Employment Law, Equality and Discrimination, Technology and AI Practice, Sport and Entertainment Law, Human Rights Law, Clinical Negligence, Commercial Law, Personal Injury, International Law, Professional Discipline, and Public and Administrative Law. Cloisters is particularly recognized for its technology and AI practice examining the legal implications of artificial intelligence, facial recognition technology, and algorithmic discrimination, and has produced influential policy papers for the TUC, Equinet, and international bodies including contributions to AI regulation proposals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cloisters Direct: Public access service allowing members of the public to instruct barristers directly without a solicitor

Products and services

• Cloisters Direct Direct access service allowing members of the public and companies to instruct Cloisters barristers directly without engaging a solicitor, providing cost-effective legal representation particularly suited for employment tribunal cases, personal injury claims, and commercial disputes.
• Employment Law Services Legal representation and advisory services covering unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, discrimination claims, whistleblowing, and employment tribunal appearances for both employees and employers.
• Equality and Discrimination Services Legal expertise in all aspects of equality law including race and sex discrimination, disability, gender, differences in sex development (DSD), and positive action in employment and service delivery contexts.
• Technology and AI Practice Specialist legal work examining the interplay between artificial intelligence, technology, equality, human rights, employment law and data protection, working with businesses, unions, individuals and policymakers on AI governance, facial recognition technology, and algorithmic discrimination.
• Sport and Entertainment Law Legal services for sporting bodies, clubs, teams and individuals covering equality issues, discrimination claims, human rights, employment disputes, regulatory matters, and commercial agreements in sport and media.
• Human Rights Law Legal representation in human rights matters before UK courts, European Court of Human Rights, and international tribunals, including cases involving Article 8 privacy rights, freedom of expression, and discrimination.
• Clinical Negligence Legal representation in clinical negligence claims.
• Commercial Law Legal services for commercial disputes and matters.
• Personal Injury Legal representation and advisory services for personal injury claims.
• International Law Legal services involving international law matters and cross-border disputes.
• Professional Discipline Legal representation in professional discipline proceedings.
• Public and Administrative Law Legal representation in public and administrative law matters including judicial review challenges.
• Arbitration and Mediation Alternative dispute resolution services including arbitration and mediation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Caster Semenya won case before Grand Chamber of European Court of Human Rights (July 2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Bar Pro Bono UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCloisters works closely with the Bar Pro Bono Unit, an organization providing legal advice and representation to those who could not otherwise afford it. All Cloisters barristers undertake pro bono work through this partnership.
• Free Representation Unit (FRU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity providing legal advice, case preparation and advocacy for those who could not otherwise afford legal representation. Cloisters barristers collaborate with FRU on pro bono cases.
• Centre for Data Ethics and InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded Cloisters barristers to create a bespoke training programme for UK regulators on non-discrimination in AI across sectors from employment law to commerce to criminal justice.
• Council of EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded Cloisters barristers to create a bespoke training programme for UK regulators on AI and non-discrimination principles.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Old Square Chambers: A leading London barristers' chambers with a core focus on employment, discrimination, and human rights law — directly comparable to Cloisters on practice mix, client base, and London market positioning.
• Littleton Chambers: A leading Temple chambers with strength in employment, commercial, and professional discipline — directly comparable on employment law overlap and chambers scale.
• Matrix Chambers: A leading London set specialising in human rights, public law, employment, and discrimination with significant ECtHR and international forum work — directly comparable on the human rights and high-profile public law overlap.
• Garden Court Chambers: A leading London set with a strong employment, discrimination, housing, and public law practice — comparable on employment, discrimination, and human rights work, with similar social justice orientation.
• 11KBW: A leading employment and discrimination barristers' chambers in London/Temple — one of Cloisters' closest direct competitors in employment tribunal and equality law work.
• Henderson Chambers: A Temple-based set with employment, professional discipline, and commercial work — comparable on employment and professional discipline practice areas.
• Outer Temple Chambers: A London chambers with a comparable mix of employment, personal injury, commercial, and clinical negligence work — overlapping with Cloisters on several non-employment practice areas.
• Doughty Street Chambers: A leading London set known for human rights, public law, employment, and discrimination work, with similar pro bono and international forum profile to Cloisters.

Broad incumbents

• Essex Court Chambers: A larger, internationally recognised London set; while primarily commercial/arbitration focused, it covers adjacent commercial and public law work that overlaps with Cloisters' commercial and international practice.
• 39 Essex Chambers: A large London chambers with broad coverage including public, employment, and human rights work — comparable on employment/public law overlap, with a wider overall portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cloisterslaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cloisters-chambers-1-pump-court-temple-london-ec4y-7aa

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cloister