Aviation

Akhil Shah KC is an in-demand silk who enjoys a reputation for providing clients with well-considered, first-rate legal counsel. Clients appreciate his cerebral and professional demeanour, which he applies to a multitude of aviation cases, including those relating to regulatory and commercial disputes. His expertise ranges from leasing matters to contentious insolvency-related issues.

"Measured, thoughtful and a man with great commercial judgement, he has an unparalleled understanding of the aviation industry. His responsiveness and charisma make him a highly effective advocate."

"Akhil adopts an understated approach, but underneath that he's like a stealth bomb. He has the ability to see through a massive amount of material and be come in with a comment that matters."

"Akhil is extremely forensic and very user-friendly."

Bankim Thanki KC is a formidable, heavily in-demand barrister, who is regularly instructed in considerable transactional, commercial and regulatory matters in domestic and international jurisdictions. As well as handling heavyweight contractual disputes, he provides cutting-edge advice to airlines on a raft of regulatory matters.

"A very measured and persuasive advocate, who's highly effective in cross-examination and very good with clients. He deals with all queries easily and quickly, and treats his juniors well."

"He is bright, calm and strategic. His ability to read judges and discern which direction they're minded to go in is impressive and really sets him apart."

David Murray has substantial experience in aviation-related insurance, regulatory and commercial matters, and represents a wide range of clients including reinsurers, airlines and airports.

"David is a class act. Fantastic in every way, he's responsive, easy to deal with, organised and very methodical. Everything he has to say is always relevant."

Giles Robertson undertakes contractual and financial disputes for prominent commercial and private airlines. His work includes cases with highly technical aspects.

"Giles Robertson conjures up the most sophisticated arguments and looks at everything prismatically."

"Giles is exceptionally bright and really thinks about all angles of the case, before coming up with creative and constructive ideas. His drafting is first class."

Michael McLaren KC is held in high regard by clients and peers alike for his effective advocacy. His practice has a noteworthy commercial edge, with leasing disputes a specialism,but he also regularly acts in matters regarding regulatory issues. He additionally operates in cases arising from headline-grabbing air accidents, employing notablemulti-jurisdictional expertise.

"Michael has a good manner with clients and provides sound, commercial advice."

Rosalind Phelps KC is a prominentsilkwho hasa flourishing aviation practice. She is well regarded for her proficiency in matters of particular technical complexity, and regularly handles cases in the financial, commercial and regulatory spheres. She represents airlines in high-value leasing and contractual disputes, and also acts for airports, aviation finance parties and regulatory bodies.

"Rosalind is a fantastic team player with a can-do attitude, who has no airs and graces. She is very good with the clients as she's measured, reassuring and not one to shoot from the hip."

Alexander Milner KC is an experienced barrister with an excellent ability to effectively handle multi-jurisdictional matters. In his multifaceted aviation practice he acts in claims arising from leasing and breach of contract,and hasa strong client base among lessors and airlines.

"Alexander is very practical and commercially minded. He is very well versed in dealing with international clients and able to make obscure issues understandable to them."

Deborah Horowitz is a thoroughly respected aviation junior who regularly works with leading silks in this area. Her work involves aircraft leasing dispute and force majeure issues arising from COVID-19. Horowitz holds a doctorate in finance law from the University of Oxford and brings this knowledge to bear in aircraft finance-related matters.

"Deborah is very bright, hardworking and excellent at the paperwork."

James Cutress KC is an accomplished practitioner whose diverse caseload sees him appearing in intricate cases relating to leasing, damages and financing disputes. His matters are often international in scope.

"James Cutress is brilliant with clients. He really rolls his sleeves up and gets stuck in with instructing solicitors. He also brings a wonderful commercial touch to his cases."

"James is very responsive and strategic. He slices through large amounts of disparate information with his razor sharp intellect and comes up with clear commercial solutions."

John Taylor KC operates a broad practice of which aviation represents a substantial part. He applies his vast commercial expertise to matters concerning aircraft leasing, sales and product liability. He tackles a myriad of complex issues arising out of contested lease terminations and regularly handles both high-value aviation litigation and arbitration.

"Absorbs huge amounts of evidence very quickly, and drafts concise pleadings."

Niamh Cleary is a respected junior barrister handling a range of commercial disputes. She handles leasing and travel litigation and is regularly selected by airlines and instructing solicitors to advise on insurance disputes.

"Niamh has wisdom way beyond her years of call, is immensely hard working and is someone that clients love. She really pulls the drains up when required to do so, and covers all the angles of a case."

"Niamh is very intelligent, extremely hardworking, indefatigable and quite courageous in arguing complex points with difficult clients. She is a real asset to the team."

Nicolas Damnjanovic has appeared in a number of leading aviation cases. His varied practice has seen him involved in matters ranging from aircraft leasing to the regulatory framework governing air safety and maintenance. No stranger to the appeal courts, he's acted in important cases such as Lipton v BA City Flyer, a matter concerning crew member illness that was a leading case on the approach to retained EU legislation.

"Nicolas is really clever. He grapples with complex problems very well and breaks them down into manageable chunks."

"An insightful junior, whose written work is superb. He's a really good barrister who is going places."

James Duffy is a regular in substantial commercial aviation disputes, who acts for a client base composed of various industry bodies in sophisticated and high-profile cases in the regulatory and insurance spheres.

"James is the most logical and pragmatic barrister. He has an incredible ability to present a solution in a way that appears obvious, when ten minutes before it seemed unsolvable."