Barclays’ much-vaunted legal team has followed its ambitious parent through a turbulent year. Michelle Madsen finds general counsel Mark Harding unbowed

Barclays’ legal team is coming to the end of one of the most eventful years in the bank’s 300-year history. From its prolonged attempt to acquire Dutch bank ABN Amro to sustained stock market speculation regarding the bank’s post-credit crunch liabilities, there has been barely a week in 2007 when Barclays has not hit the headlines.