Joe Smouha KC
About
Provided by Joe Smouha KC
Practice Areas
Joe Smouha KC is widely recognised as one of the leading silks at the Commercial Bar and as an advocate in international litigation and arbitration with recognised standing across multiple practice areas. He is joint Head of Essex Court Chambers.
Joe’s high-profile practice spans a vast array of fields in international and domestic commercial law. He appears regularly in the High Court and appellate courts of England and Wales, in international arbitrations globally, and in international commercial courts and offshore jurisdictions, including Singapore, Bermuda, the BVI and the Cayman Islands. He is regularly appointed as arbitrator in commercial and investment arbitrations, including ICC, LCIA, ICSID, SCC, UNCITRAL and ad hoc arbitrations.
In the leading legal directories, Joe is identified as one of 20 Stars at the Bar (Chambers and Partners UK Bar Guide 2023) and holds rankings across eight practice areas, including Star Individual or Band 1 rankings in Commercial Dispute Resolution and Litigation, International Arbitration (Counsel and Arbitrators), Banking & Finance, Civil Fraud, and Art & Cultural Property Law, with rankings in Chancery (Commercial), and Offshore. Joe was named the International Arbitration Silk of the Year at the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners Awards in October 2023. Joe is described as the “best of the best,” “An elite barrister – absolutely top-drawer.” “One of the true heavyweights of the current commercial bar” and “a top-flight advocate who gives impeccable client service.”
Chambers Review
UK Bar
Joe Smouha KC
Joe Smouha KC
A well-respected commercial silk who handles complex and high-value disputes in the art world, often in relation to contested ownership and title issues. He also handles cases in connection with art dealer commissions.
Joe Smouha KC
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.
Joe Smouha KC
Joe Smouha KC is a skilled commercial silk who champions clients' interests in domestic and international courtroom trials and arbitrations.
Joe Smouha KC
Joe Smouha KC of Essex Court Chambers 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.
Joe Smouha KC
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.
Joe Smouha KC
Joe Smouha KC
Joe Smouha KC has a wealth of experience in international commercial litigation. His offshore portfolio includes cases in the BVI and the Cayman Islands. Smouha is an expert in fraud, money laundering, and joint venture ownership disputes, to name but a few.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"He is very on top of the detail. Joe is inventive."
"He is a very smooth operator."
"Joe is technically and tactically superb, with a great feel for how points will play out before the court."
"He is brilliant at getting on top of detail. He is an affable, safe pair of hands with amazing judgement."
"Joe is absolutely first-class. He is very considered in his views."
"Lots of advocates have one style, but I really admire him because he's the opposite. He's extremely hard-working and versatile."
"He's a superb arbitration advocate; he carries the tribunal with him."
"He is an excellent and persuasive advocate, who quickly gets the measure of any tribunal."
"One of the stars of the Bar, he has great judgement and makes good tactical calls."
"He's very clever and no nonsense, and asks good questions."
"An exceptional arbitrator."
"Joe Smouha has a first rate brain."
"I highly rate Joe Smouha - he is a good silk and has a well-earned reputation."
"He has a good reputation in the offshore jurisdictions."
"A very effective advocate, who is excellent at getting the ear of the judge."
"A powerhouse silk, who is absolutely first-class. He is phenomenally intelligent and a brilliant strategist. Joe is a very charming individual and he just gets it. He takes complicated issues and presents them as the simplest issues in the world."
"Commercial, bright and nimble. He looks at all angles and takes a commercial view."
"He is very on top of the detail. Joe is inventive."
"He is a very smooth operator."
"Joe is technically and tactically superb, with a great feel for how points will play out before the court."
"He is brilliant at getting on top of detail. He is an affable, safe pair of hands with amazing judgement."
"Joe is absolutely first-class. He is very considered in his views."
"Lots of advocates have one style, but I really admire him because he's the opposite. He's extremely hard-working and versatile."
"He's a superb arbitration advocate; he carries the tribunal with him."
"He is an excellent and persuasive advocate, who quickly gets the measure of any tribunal."
"One of the stars of the Bar, he has great judgement and makes good tactical calls."
"He's very clever and no nonsense, and asks good questions."
"An exceptional arbitrator."
"Joe Smouha has a first rate brain."
"I highly rate Joe Smouha - he is a good silk and has a well-earned reputation."
"He has a good reputation in the offshore jurisdictions."
"A very effective advocate, who is excellent at getting the ear of the judge."
"A powerhouse silk, who is absolutely first-class. He is phenomenally intelligent and a brilliant strategist. Joe is a very charming individual and he just gets it. He takes complicated issues and presents them as the simplest issues in the world."
"Commercial, bright and nimble. He looks at all angles and takes a commercial view."
Discover other Barristers at
Essex Court Chambers
Silks (KC)
All Circuits
London (Bar)
