Chancery: Commercial | UK Bar

4 Stone Buildings is an impressive chancery set, housing a strong bench of barristers at both senior and junior level who are well versed in high-profile and complex disputes. The team's expertise spans a wide range of areas, and its members routinely undertake cases involving financial services and banking, commercial contracts and insolvency law. Shareholder disputes are also a key area of strength for the team, drawing on the set's established expertise in company law. The set's barristers are regularly instructed in litigation arising in the oil and gas sector, and have experience of acting in both domestic and international matters. As testament to their skills, they have recently been involved in some major matters, including: Autonomy Corporation v Dr Michael Lynch; the “tuna bonds” litigation; and Barclays Bank Plc v Dylan & Ors and Barclays Bank Plc v Fresh Thinking Group & Ors, a series of related proceedings seeking the recovery from seven individual and corporate defendants of £14 million extracted from various company accounts at the bank.

David Goddard is the senior clerk.

Maitland Chambers offers significant expertise in banking and finance, insolvency and civil fraud claims, and has barristers with experience of handling both domestic and international litigation and arbitration. Recent cases of note include Barton v Morris, a leading Supreme Court case on the relationship between implied terms and unjust enrichment, and Ieremeieva (and another) v Estera (and others), a long-running international fraud case concerning a Ukrainian business empire. Other matters handled include Holmes v Coldplay, a contractual claim brought against the pop band Coldplay by its former manager.

John Wiggs is the senior clerk.

Serle Court is “a really top set home to some of the best people in the industry”. The set has an enviable bench of senior and junior barristers, and is regularly called upon to undertake the most complex cases in the market, such as Wong v Grand View, an USD18 billion case and the largest piece of litigation in Bermuda's history. Examples of recent work handled include Trina Solar, a Cayman Islands case concerning the de-listing of a Chinese controlled solar panel business from the New York Stock Exchange via the Cayman Islands merger provisions. Members of the set also appeared in MWB Management, a £25 million claim brought by MWB Management against its former directors for alleged breach of duty.

Nicholas Hockney and Daniel Wheeler are the practice directors.

An impressive set, noted for its expertise in complex commercial chancery litigation arising in the UK and across several international and offshore jurisdictions. The team is regularly instructed in company, insolvency and civil fraud disputes, and offers considerable strength when undertaking complex commercial litigation involving elements of pensions, trusts and property law. Members are instructed in high-profile matters of the greatest complexity, including BTA Bank v Ablyazov, and Steenbok & Anr v Formal Holdings & Ors, widely reported as South Africa’s largest ever private sector accounting fraud scandal, which led to the near collapse of Steinhoff International Holdings NV. The set was also involved in Mitchell v Al Jaber, a USD3 billion breach of fiduciary duties claim arising out of the liquidation of a company sitting within the MBI group.  

3 Verulam Buildings is particularly well regarded for its handling of commercial chancery litigation involving complex elements of banking and financial services law. Members are also well versed in civil fraud and insolvency disputes, and are regularly called upon to appear in major litigation arising in several international and offshore jurisdictions. Cases of note include FDIC-R v Barclays Bank, a high-value breach of competition law and breach of fraudulent misrepresentation matter, and Harrington & Charles Trading Co v Jatin Mehta, a USD1 billion commercial fraud claim.

Stephen Penson and Stuart Pullum are joint senior practice managers.

Erskine Chambers is well regarded for its expertise spanning a wide range of commercial chancery matters, and its strong bench of barristers is routinely instructed in high-profile cases. Members are experienced in the handling of complex commercial litigation, including difficult insolvency, banking and financial services, company and civil fraud disputes. Over the years, the set has been involved in many of the leading cases before the Chancery and Commercial courts, including ENRC v Dechert LLP & The Director of the SFO, a claim arising out of Dechert's and the SFO’s conduct in relation to an investigation into ENRC. Members of the set have also appeared in ClientEarth v Shell plc, a derivative claim brought by an activist shareholder, alleging breaches of duty by Shell’s directors relating to their management of the risks associated with climate change.

Phil Reeves is the senior clerk.

This set's barristers are noted for their expert handling of complex and high-profile commercial chancery disputes, with the team offering significant strength in civil fraud and banking litigation. The team receives regular instructions to handle cases in offshore jurisdictions, and frequently undertakes complex shareholder disputes involving the Far East and the CIS. Regularly instructed on both sides of major commercial chancery disputes, barristers here have been involved in some of the most celebrated cases of recent years, including the USD5 billion NMC Healthcare PLC & Ors v Dr Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty & Ors proceedings, the Supreme Court case of El-Husseiny and another (Appellants) v Invest Bank PSC, and the USD2 billion oil and gas contracts case of Crescent Petroleum v National Iranian Oil Company.

Joe Ferrigno is the senior clerk.

In addition to offering significant strength in insolvency law, South Square is also highly regarded for its expertise in a wide range of commercial chancery disputes. The team is well versed in the handling of both contentious and non-contentious matters. Members are regularly called upon to act in claims brought against accountants and professional service firms, and in complex cases involving derivatives and securitisation transactions, among other commercial matters. The team is known for its expert handling of both domestic and international disputes. Recent examples include Avanti Communications, a dispute concerning the characterisation of security interests granted in accordance with LMA market precedents. Members also handled matters arising out of the collapse of Greensill Bank, and in Galapagos Bidco SARL v Kebekus, litigation arising out of the complex restructuring of Galapagos, a Luxembourg incorporated industrial group.

Dylan Playfoot is the senior clerk.

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. Members have appeared in Volpi v Delanson Services Ltd and Volpi v Volpi, perhaps the first major litigation concerning a trust arbitration anywhere worldwide, and a case that raised issues of the fundamental limitations on the arbitration of trust disputes. 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 Invest Bank v El Husseini, the leading case on Section 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986.

Paul Horsfield leads the clerking team.

An impressive set, noted for its expertise in high-value commercial litigation as well as complex insolvency, company and property matters. The team is particularly well regarded for its handling of shareholder disputes, and its members are regularly instructed in both domestic and international matters. Recent cases handled by the set include Hotel Portfolio II UK Ltd v SMA, a matter arising out of a commercial fraud valued at £220 million deriving from the sale of 37 Thistle Group hotels. Members also appeared in Hamilton v Barrow, Barrow and Welsh, a five-day multi-track trial arising from an alleged “Ponzi” scheme, and Clearcourse v Jethwa, a multimillion-pound dispute over a share sale agreement.

Michael Ireland is the senior clerk.

New Square Chambers handles commercial chancery disputes arising both in the UK and in several offshore jurisdictions. Areas of strength for the team include complex contractual disputes, insolvencies, shareholder disputes and high-value commercial fraud claims. The team is well versed in shareholder and partnership disputes. Members have experience of appearing before the highest courts in the UK and other jurisdictions. They have recently been involved in such cases as Ammar Al Assam and nine others v Dimitrios Tsouvelekakis, a multimillion-dollar international dispute regarding international investment companies, where they appeared on behalf of clients based in the Middle East, Panama and the BVI. Individuals here also acted in Kazzaz v Standard Chartered Trust (Guernsey) Ltd, an appeal raising issues of general importance on the scope and content of the duties of bank trust companies.

Michelle Greene is the senior clerk.

Radcliffe Chambers is an impressive set with noted expertise in commercial chancery matters. Instructing solicitors are quick to praise its insolvency offering, while its strong bench of barristers also offers considerable strength in high-stakes banking, civil fraud and securities matters. International disputes concerning commercial trusts are a further key area for the team. Recent matters handled include Al-Jaber & Ors v Mitchell, a claim for USD134 million brought against an Arab Sheikh, and Garden House Software Limited v Marsh & others, a multimillion-pound claim arising from the assignment of intellectual property rights and software to foreign entities.

John Clark is Head of Clerking.

Selborne Chambers is a well-regarded set offering significant expertise in commercial chancery litigation. Its members are regularly instructed in civil fraud, company, partnership and general commercial disputes, as well as complex trusts and property cases. Recent cases include BHS Group Limited (in liquidation) and ors v (1) Dominic Chappell (2) Lennart Henningson (3) Dominic Chandler (4) Keith Smith, a high-profile wrongful trading case that came about after major retail chain BHS went into liquidation. Members also tackled Ultramarine v Sunsail, a long-running dispute in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court concerning a diving concession at a beach resort, which was said to have been unlawfully terminated.

Paul Bunting and Darren Madle are the senior clerks.