Pump Court Chambers

Christopher Veal

Call: 2022

  • LL.B Law – University of Exeter
  • LLM – University of London
  • BPC – University of Law
  • FsC – Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
  • ADRL
  • Property Bar Association
  • Bar Human Rights Committee
  • The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
  • Inquest Lawyers Group
  • ComBar
  • Hiking, tennis, swimming, running and cycling
  • Learning Spanish
  • Travelling, having visited 6 out of the 7 continents

Instructing Christopher Veal

Would you like to know more?

If you require help or advice please contact our clerking team.

Call +44 (0)20 7353 0711 or email clerks@pumpcourtchambers.com.

Christopher Veal is a civil and regulatory barrister with a strong foundation in advocacy and a developing practice across business and commercial disputes (including civil fraud and professional negligence matters), property law, regulatory and disciplinary proceedings, and inquests and inquiries.

Prior to joining Pump Court Chambers, Christopher completed pupillage and practised at a leading criminal, regulatory and public law set, where he appeared in over 200 hearings in the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts. That experience has given him a high level of confidence in court, together with a disciplined and pragmatic approach to litigation. Alongside his advocacy practice, Christopher has undertaken substantial advisory and drafting work.

Before coming to the Bar, Christopher served as a Legal Officer in the Royal Navy, advising at command level on regulatory and compliance matters, armed forces discipline, public and international law issues, and a wide range of everyday contractual and administrative disputes affecting service personnel and operational units. That role required clear, proportionate and timely advice in complex and high-pressure environments, often involving overlapping legal regimes and significant operational consequences.

Christopher also practised as a self-employed Legal Executive, running his own caseload of civil recovery, property and leasehold disputes, including county court advocacy, pleadings, enforcement and direct client advice. This background gives him a strong understanding of civil procedure, commercial realities and the practical needs of instructing solicitors.

Christopher has particular experience in business rates disputes, regulatory and disciplinary matters, and inquests, including Article 2 cases and work arising from public inquiries. He is known for clear written advice, focused advocacy and a calm, professional manner with clients. He welcomes instructions at all stages of proceedings and is happy to be involved from an early advisory stage through to trial or final hearing.

Legal Services

Christopher undertakes public law work with a particular focus on matters intersecting with regulatory proceedings, inquests and local authority decision-making. He advises on procedural fairness, disclosure obligations, jurisdiction, statutory interpretation and proportionality, and has experience assisting on matters arising from public inquiries and decisions of public bodies. His work frequently involves analysing the lawfulness of administrative decisions within complex statutory frameworks and advising on appropriate remedies.

Christopher is well suited to acting in alternative dispute resolution, including civil mediation and commercial settlement negotiations. He has experience advising parties in advance of mediation on liability, quantum and costs exposure, and assisting in identifying the key issues in dispute. His measured and pragmatic approach enables him to support parties in exploring realistic settlement options, both within formal mediation processes and through without-prejudice negotiations.

Christopher is developing a practice in building and construction disputes and welcomes instructions in this area. He is particularly interested in disputes arising from commercial and residential construction projects, including contractual issues, payment disputes and claims relating to defective works.

Christopher acts in a wide range of business and commercial disputes, including contractual claims, civil recovery, insolvency matters and business rates litigation. His insolvency work includes advising on both corporate and personal insolvency issues, including statutory demands, winding-up and bankruptcy proceedings, and disputes arising in the context of administration and liquidation.

Christopher’s commercial practice further includes matters involving allegations of misrepresentation, dishonest conduct and asset recovery, as well as disputes arising from alleged professional negligence, particularly where such claims overlap with commercial relationships, property transactions or regulatory issues. He regularly advises on early-stage strategy, limitation, pleading and procedural options, with a focus on managing risk, controlling costs and achieving commercially sensible outcomes.

Christopher accepts instructions in inheritance and probate disputes, including claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, proprietary estoppel, rectification of wills and disputes concerning the administration of estates. His background in property litigation provides a strong foundation for Trusts of Land claims and estate-related property disputes, and he is comfortable advising on both contentious and procedural issues arising in probate litigation.

Christopher has a growing inquests and inquiries practice and has assisted on a range of matters including Article 2 inquests, including the inquest in the death of Gunner Beck, and work arising from public inquiries, including the COVID-19 inquiry. He advises on disclosure, evidential issues, scope and procedural fairness, and regularly works with public authorities, healthcare providers and bereaved families in sensitive cases. He is experienced in supporting senior counsel and is comfortable undertaking advocacy and advisory work in the Coroners’ Court.

Christopher advises and appears in property-related disputes, including landlord and tenant matters, leasehold disputes, civil recovery linked to property interests and enforcement proceedings. His earlier practice as a Legal Executive involved managing property disputes from issue through to resolution, giving him practical insight into pleadings, case strategy and proportionate case management in both contested and negotiated outcomes.

Christopher undertakes regulatory and disciplinary work across a range of sectors, including professional discipline and health and safety matters. He advises on evidential issues, disclosure, procedural fairness and strategy in regulatory investigations and proceedings. His background in quasi-criminal work and service discipline informs a careful, structured approach to regulatory cases requiring close attention to compliance, proportionality and risk.

Christopher accepts instructions in sports-related disputes and regulatory matters, including disciplinary proceedings, governance issues and contractual disputes within sporting organisations. He has experience representing elite athletes, including acting for a world championship boxer, and is familiar with the regulatory, contractual and reputational issues that can arise at the highest levels of professional sport. He advises athletes, clubs and governing bodies on regulatory compliance, disciplinary processes and dispute resolution, and is well placed to assist in resolving sports-related disputes through both formal proceedings and alternative dispute resolution.

Christopher accepts instructions in personal injury matters.  He is particularly interested in employer’s liability and public liability claims, including accidents at work, workplace systems failures, construction-related injuries and slips, trips and falls. He advises on liability, causation and quantum, and is comfortable conducting trials and case management hearings.

His experience in regulatory and health and safety contexts, together with his work in inquests and disciplinary proceedings, enables him to approach personal injury claims involving compliance failures or parallel investigations with clarity and confidence. He welcomes instructions at all stages of proceedings and is available for both advisory work and advocacy.

“Heralding a new era of corporate accountability: Changes to the rules around failure to prevent corporate fraud have now changed – but to what effect” Published in the October / November 2025 issue of HRMC Enquiries, Investigations & Powers Directory.

  • LL.B Law – University of Exeter
  • LLM – University of London
  • BPC – University of Law
  • FsC – Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
  • ADRL
  • Property Bar Association
  • Bar Human Rights Committee
  • The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
  • Inquest Lawyers Group
  • ComBar
  • Hiking, tennis, swimming, running and cycling
  • Learning Spanish
  • Travelling, having visited 6 out of the 7 continents

Instructing Christopher Veal

Would you like to know more?

If you require help or advice please contact our clerking team.

Call +44 (0)20 7353 0711 or email clerks@pumpcourtchambers.com.

Home

Shortlist Builder

Close

Select the legal services that you would like to download or add to the shortlist

Download Add to shortlist
Shortlist close
Title Type CV Email

Remove All

Download

Click here to email this list.