Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
UK Bar
Commercial Dispute Resolution - London (Bar)
Strengths
He is a top silk who is laser-focused on winning.
Joe Smouha is a strategic genius. He is who you want to run big-ticket litigation, because he is so strong on strategy and he understands what judges want, so he can persuade them.
Joe is very industrious and committed. He also has a great reputation, which is a benefit before judges.
Joe Smouha is absolutely fantastic. He is an incredibly good advocate; he always sounds persuasive.
Banking & Finance - London (Bar)
Individual Editorial
Joe Smouha KC is a highly accomplished banking silk with additional expertise in the civil fraud arena. He handles a wide range of financial disputes for major banks and is an accomplished advocate in international arbitrations. Active both domestically and internationally, he has appeared in courts in the BVI and the Cayman Islands.
Strengths
Joe is one of the very best trial advocates. That is his absolute skill. He masters the detail and is an extraordinarily good tactician when it comes to trial.
Joe is fabulously excellent at heavy, complex and difficult trials.
He has a huge amount of experience, is very strategic and is someone you want in your corner when you've got a really complicated dispute.
Art and Cultural Property Law - London (Bar)
Individual Editorial
Joe Smouha KC of Essex Court Chambers has a superb reputation for his work as a commercial silk, including on art-related matters concerning authenticity, title and commissions.
Strengths
Joe has done a lot of high-end art work. He is just very bright, very focused and succinct, and he is a brilliant advocate. He is marvellous.
Joe Smouha is bright and fast. He maximises everyone's time, and that is the hallmark of a top commercial lawyer. He is very good in court.
Joe Smouha is a superstar. He is great in court, he is known well and everyone respects him. He is clever, he is articulate, he is a fantastic advocate and he knows the area really well.
Fraud: Civil - London (Bar)
Individual Editorial
Joe Smouha KC is a skilled commercial silk who champions clients' interests in domestic and international courtroom trials and arbitrations. He acts for a broad range of both claimants and defendants in significant fraud matters that often have international elements.
Strengths
He is formidable.
Joe is exceptionally bright. He is on another level.
Joe is very decisive and energetic. He is knowledgeable.
Joe is fast, sharp and has a lot of power and speed. He will take no prisoners in court. He is incredibly smart, and his brain is always ticking and coming up with ideas.
International Arbitration: General Commercial & Insurance - London (Bar)
Individual Editorial
Joe Smouha KC is widely considered to be one of the strongest practitioners at the International Arbitration Bar due to his extensive experience in handling notable commercial disputes under a number of prominent arbitral institutions including the ICC and LCIA. He also takes appointments as a commercial arbitrator. His advocacy experience includes court appearances in the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
Strengths
He is able to handle anything that crosses his desk with ease.
International Arbitration: Arbitrators - London (Bar)
Individual Editorial
Joe Smouha KC is a highly reputed international arbitrator, appointed in ad hoc arbitrations, as well as under principal arbitral bodies such as the ICC, the LCIA and ICSID. He specialises in hearing commercial disputes and has notable experience acting in arbitrations seated in London and Geneva.
Strengths
Joe Smouha is extremely able and has a good grasp of cases.
Chancery: Commercial - London (Bar)
Strengths
Joe is very commercial in what he does and very smooth in court.
Joe is a very good cross-examiner. He comes across as hugely authoritative in the courtroom.
Joe is well regarded and works really hard.
Offshore - All Circuits
Individual Editorial
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.
Strengths
He is a very smooth advocate and unflappable.
Joe Smouha has a huge amount of offshore experience.