Department profile
XXIV Old Buildings

Chancery: Commercial

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)


XXIV Old Buildings

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chancery: Commercial - London (Bar)

Band 2

Band 2


What the Team is Known For

XXIV Old Buildings is highly regarded for its expertise in complex cases arising in offshore jurisdictions. The set's members undertake a wide range of commercial chancery matters and are frequently instructed in high-value commercial litigation, especially civil fraud and insolvency disputes. The team is also well versed in commercial matters involving elements of professional negligence, trusts and partnership law, drawing on the set's established strengths in these areas. A source reports: "their word is trusted by the judges and courts they address". Members have appeared in Mitchell v Al Jaber, a major breach of fiduciary duties claim raising novel points for quantifying equitable compensation. They also acted in Ivanishvili v Credit Suisse Life (Bermuda), a matter concerning a USD1 billion claim linked to an alleged rogue trader investment fraud, and Public Institution for Social Security v Al-Rajaan and others, a particularly high-value fraud case arising from alleged bribery of the claimant's former director general. Paul Horsfield leads the clerking team.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The clerking team is a well-oiled machine.

    Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • The clerks' room is as talented in its field as the counsel are in theirs. Deputy senior clerk Perry Brown and senior practice manager Lyndon Tiller do exceptional work.

    Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • The clerks are responsive and helpful.

    Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Band 1Edward Cumming
    Band 1Edward Cumming

    Edward Cumming

    • Ed is creative and pushes for the best results for the client. He is a wonderful advocate who is technically brilliant.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Ed is a forceful and clear advocate.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Ed is very strategic in his approach. He is one of the leading silks for trusts disputes.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Ed offers a great mix of commercial nous and pure intellect.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Ed is very quick on his feet. He is charismatic and has an energy about him that is really delightful to witness.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Elspeth Talbot Rice
    Band 1Elspeth Talbot Rice

    Elspeth Talbot Rice

    • Elspeth is a delight to work with.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Elspeth is astute and has gravitas. She really is formidable.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • For gloves-off trust and commercial litigation, she is one of a relatively small number you go to. Elspeth is a force of nature.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Andrew Holden
    Band 2Andrew Holden

    Andrew Holden

    • Andrew has an encyclopedic understanding of trusts litigation. Far more than a safe pair of hands, he excels at identifying the commercial direction the case needs to go.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Andrew is lovely to deal with, easy to contact, good with clients and highly articulate. In terms of drafting, he at the top of the game.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Daniel Warents
    Band 2Daniel Warents

    Daniel Warents

    • Daniel is a real team player loved by clients. He is incredibly clever and often thinks outside the box in order to achieve a client's objectives.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Daniel is an absolute all-rounder who produces excellent written work and advocacy, and is very thorough. He sifts through complex detail and comes up with innovative arguments.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Daniel is as intellectually rigorous and as fearless on large and complex matters as he is on smaller disputes. He's unafraid to go toe to toe with KCs at any level in the court system.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Daniel Warents is very sharp-witted and easy to work with.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Daniel's ability to master facts and his encyclopaedic knowledge are second to none; he's an absolute brain-box.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Francis Tregear
    Band 3Francis Tregear

    Francis Tregear

    • Francis is extremely talented and extremely calm. He has lots of experience in cross-border matters.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Francis is one of the wonders of the Bar and is the team member everyone wants. He combines his command of the law and mastery of the facts with an ability to assuage clients' fears.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Stephen Moverley Smith
    Band 3Stephen Moverley Smith

    Stephen Moverley Smith

    • Stephen is very able, very commercial and very good with clients. He's bright, responsive and someone who handles difficulties in cases extremely well.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Adam Cloherty
    Band 4Adam Cloherty

    Adam Cloherty

    • Adam Cloherty KC has a real understanding of commercial work.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Adam is very accessible and picks up the key points very quickly. He really knows what the end client will find useful and where things will go.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Adam Cloherty is really very smart, technically very thoughtful and really good-natured. He loves being part of the team and is a pleasure to work with.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Bajul Shah
    Band 4Bajul Shah

    Bajul Shah

    • Bajul Shah is clearly knowledgeable on difficult law and procedure. He provides helpful, on-point robust opinions.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Bajul really knows his stuff. Gently spoken and not a crash-bang advocate, he has his own hugely effective style. He's a wonderful member of the team.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Bajul Shah is not afraid to provide confident views of the merits of the case – his analysis of matters is always very good.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4David Brownbill
    Band 4David Brownbill

    David Brownbill

    • David rolls his sleeves up and is an excellent advocate. He is very hard-working, and you want him on your side.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Stuart Adair
    Band 4Stuart Adair

    Stuart Adair

    • Hard-working and good on his feet, Stuart is argumentative at the right times. He is a busy barrister, but always does his best to be available.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Stuart is a really good advocate as he's very honest and credible. He has a lovely court manner about him and takes points robustly when the occasion calls for it.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Timothy Sherwin
    Band 4Timothy Sherwin

    Timothy Sherwin

    • Timothy is absolutely brilliant. He is frighteningly intelligent, with endless energy. On a complex and messy case, he brought a lot of value. He was not just following the leader.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Timothy knuckles down and knows every aspect of the case. He's very easy to work with. He presents very nicely. When he appeared at the hearing, people were listening. He has a great energy about him.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Timothy has the versatility. He's really responsive and easy to work with. He's busy, but he finds the time to discuss matters, and he is very hands-on.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Tim punches well above his weight. He is excellent on all fronts with clients and members of my team. He thinks outside of the box. He's committed.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
  • New SilksHugh Miall
    New SilksHugh Miall

    Hugh Miall

    • Hugh has exceptional legal analysis and is a fluent, persuasive advocate.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Hugh is one of the first people I would consider to get help from at the Bar. Great at being very commercial, but also very personable and very human, he's got the full suit of skills.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar
    • Hugh is brilliant. Although hugely bright, he's a very accessible, normal man who is good on the communication front. Excellent, particularly on the paperwork; he's just great.

      Chancery: Commercial respondentUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at XXIV Old Buildings (12)

London (Bar)

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