Robin Somerville

I am a barrister with a very different and valuable background from other lawyers. Prior to qualifying in law, I was a money market trader in the City of London before setting up, growing and successfully selling three technology start-up businesses. As well as practising law, I chair the board of an educational establishment and am non-exec and audit chair of a large NHS organisation that commissions over £500 million of healthcare services for over 369,000 patients. For over 13 years I was an equity holding director of one of the UK’s leading online price comparison sites. This has given me particular expertise in insolvency, general commercial, technology, professional and general regulation, employment and road traffic law. I assist by advising and representing parties, helping them settle their differences consensually or by deciding the outcome for them. As a barrister, arbitrator, mediator, ombudsman, investigator, regulatory panel chair and tribunal panel member of various kinds I have sat on or been involved in over 1,000 cases spanning more than 16 years. My inclusive professional style focuses on problem solving, finding solutions to issues and disputes by consensus wherever possible to avoid court based determination unless no practical alternative remains to enforce parties' rights