Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Offshore (Bar) - UK
What the Team is Known For
Essex Court Chambers offers substantial expertise in a variety of offshore commercial disputes including fraud, shareholder actions, contentious liquidations and complex civil fraud matters. Its barristers continue to act in some of the most high-profile and high-value offshore disputes, including such matters as Barclays Bank v Saad Investment Company and Cowan v Equis Special. When referencing the barristers, an instructing solicitor comments: "Nothing seems to faze Essex Court," going on to state the set has "huge depth of expertise across the board". Members have experience in several key offshore jurisdictions, including the Caribbean, the Channel Islands, Singapore and Dubai, and further jurisdictions such as Belize. One commentator says the set has an array of "top barristers" who do the "biggest offshore work".
Strengths
The clerks at Essex Court are very responsive and proactive.
The clerks are extremely responsive at all hours of the day and night when needed. The whole team is unsurprisingly amazing.
The clerks at Essex Court are very good and super efficient.
Senior clerk, Joe Ferrigno, is a very good clerk.
Notable practitioners
Paul McGrath KC often appears in, or advises on, high-value commercial claims and is also highly adept at international arbitration. His instructions frequently include substantial fraud cases with cross-border regulatory implications. His offshore practice includes work in the Cayman Islands and the BVI.
Definitely the go-to man for fraud cases. Paul is very knowledgeable and has an impressive work rate.
Paul McGrath is a very good advocate and has incredibly in-depth knowledge of fraud litigation.
Paul is a serious operator in offshore civil fraud cases. He's a heavyweight silk who can lead a team on a civil commercial fraud matter. Paul is at the top of the list.
Richard Millett KC boasts an excellent track record in commercial litigation and arbitration matters, and specialises in financial services and banking work. He is admitted to the Bars of the BVI and Anguilla, and is also called ad hoc to the Bars of the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Nevis, the Isle of Man and the Bahamas. Millett has significant experience acting in breach of trust proceedings and shareholder disputes.
Richard is first class. He's a brilliant advocate.
Richard is savvy and knowledgeable. He is great with the lawyers in the BVI. He is at the top of his game.
James Willan KC has been called to the Bar of the BVI, and is also admitted in the DIFC, the Isle of Man and the Cayman Islands. Willan is particularly adept at unfair prejudice claims. He is frequently involved in other commercial disputes such as fraud matters, and regularly acts for financial institutions.
Probably one of the most clever lawyers I've come across.
James is very clever and quick and he gets to the heart of complex issues.
Mr Willan is highly rated and skilled. He is one of the best silks I have ever worked with.
Joe Smouha KC has a wealth of experience in international commercial litigation. His offshore portfolio includes cases in the BVI, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. Smouha is an expert in fraud, money laundering and joint venture ownership disputes, to name but a few.
Joe fully deserves his reputation as a leader of the Bar.
One of the best advocates at the Bar - superb.
Joe is a class act, he's very, very good. He was brilliant and very strategic for things beyond England.
Stephen Houseman KC's offshore practice sees him acting on commercial law matters arising from shareholder disputes to winding-up proceedings. He is also held in high regard for his ability to handle large-scale asset tracing and fraud cases. He operates across several jurisdictions, including Singapore, Dubai, the Isle of Man and the Caribbean.
Stephen is a go-to for injunctions. His advocacy style is excellent; he just owns the room on procedural issues. His delivery is very good.
Stephen was excellent. He is a very accomplished advocate.
Ciaran Keller KC has been called to the Bar of the BVI and is a noted presence in other offshore jurisdictions, such as the Cayman Islands, the Isle of Man and Jersey. He is an expert in cases involving breach of trust, insolvency and freezing order proceedings, and has a strong client roster that includes a number of international financial corporations.
Ciaran is bright, responsive and sharp. He has experience, insight and is very incisive, which is helpful when you're under pressure.
Ciaran is everything you could ask for in counsel. He is super smart and hard-working, but also very practical and commercial, and focused on getting the right result for the client.
He's absolutely excellent, probably one of the best juniors working at the commercial Bar. Ciaran is super responsive, works well in a team, is extremely efficient and is very good on his feet.