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Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading sets
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading silks
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – 2016 silks
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – 2017 silks
Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading juniors

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading sets

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading silks

1
- Stephen Auld QC - One Essex Court ‘A very smooth and persuasive advocate, who is good at cutting through knotty issues.’
- Adrian Beltrami QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He has great intellect, analysis, temperament, and ability to work as a member of a team.’
- Michael Brindle QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Unparalleled experience in the banking market.’
- Raymond Cox QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Fantastic, and a lovely man to work with.’
- Robin Dicker QC - South Square ‘An excellent advocate, who is really bright and prepares incredibly well for trial.’
- Richard Handyside QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Super-bright, articulate and a very good advocate, particularly at the appellate level.’
- Mark Hapgood QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Absolutely brilliant; a recognised leader in banking litigation.’
- Mark Howard QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘One of the very best.’
- Tim Lord QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Very commercial and dogged with a great strategic approach.’
- Ali Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘An authoritative figure, who can be relied on for perceptive and no-nonsense advice.’
- Laurence Rabinowitz QC - One Essex Court ‘He has gravitas, but is also charming and listens to even the most junior associates.’
- David Railton QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A very smooth advocate, who always has the ear of the court.’
- Bankim Thanki QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He has a really great courtroom style and judges trust him.’
- Sonia Tolaney QC - One Essex Court ‘Quite simply brilliant at her job, while also being a pleasure to work with.’
- Daniel Toledano QC - One Essex Court ‘A class act, who picks up facts and legal arguments very quickly.’
- Malcolm Waters QC - Radcliffe Chambers ‘He shows excellent depth of understanding and appreciation of context.’
- David Wolfson QC - One Essex Court ‘A brilliant advocate, who is engaging with clients and the legal team alike.’
- Antony Zacaroli QC - South Square ‘An excellent advocate, whom clients have huge confidence in; he delivers clear and unambiguous advice.’
2
- Richard Coleman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A world expert in mis-selling matters and a first choice for investment or hedging product cases.’
- David Foxton QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘A legal rock star with cutting-edge intellect; he is a delight to work with.’
- Ewan McQuater QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A strong and highly numerate lawyer, who is a heavyweight in banking disputes.’
- Robert Miles QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Outstanding in every way.’
- Andrew Mitchell QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He has a vice-like grip on the issues and is excellent to work with.’
- Jonathan Nash QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Deserves his star status.’
- Andrew Onslow QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A counsel with superb judgement; he is well respected by judges and peers alike.’
- Craig Orr QC - One Essex Court ‘Super-organised and very much a details man, who is not afraid to delve in.’
- David Quest QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very personable and clever, and a delight to work with.’
- Richard Salter QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘One of the best and most respected practitioners at the Bar in this area.’
- William Trower QC - South Square ‘One of the top choices for work of this type.’
3
- David Blayney QC - Serle Court ‘The consummate professional with a strong intellect.’
- Jeffrey Chapman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘His advocacy is first class: compelling, convincing and assured.’
- Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘The breadth of his practice enhances rather than dilutes his command of banking disputes.’
- Derrick Dale QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He has a deep specialism in banking and finance accompanied with a supportive and valuable eye for detail.’
- Rhodri Davies QC - One Essex Court ‘An extremely user-friendly, fabulous advocate, who adopts a no-nonsense approach and is a pleasure to deal with.’
- Anthony de Garr Robinson QC - One Essex Court ‘An enthusiastic battler, who has an excellent bedside manner with clients.’
- Dominic Dowley QC - Serle Court ‘He has an ability to get to the heart of the problem quickly.’
- Patrick Goodall QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A very persuasive advocate, who is technically excellent and also very user-friendly.’
- Jeremy Goldring QC - South Square ‘A pleasure to deal with and very strong on insolvency-related matters.’
- Lord Grabiner QC - One Essex Court ‘He has great force and presence in court and commands considerable respect.’
- Andrew Green QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘He is very good with clients, and can come up with a very practical and commercial solution to most cases.’
- Matthew Hardwick QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Technically excellent and great to work with.’
- Timothy Howe QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is very responsive and easy to work with, and always gets on top of the detail.’
- Barry Isaacs QC - South Square ‘Strong numeracy skills and a willingness to grapple with esoteric legal and financial issues.’
- John Jarvis QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Incredibly knowledgeable in the field of finance law.’
- Richard Lissack QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Close to pre-eminence at the intersection of civil and criminal liability in the banking field.
- Hodge Malek QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘A brilliant strategist.’
- Philip Marshall QC - Serle Court ‘An immensely sharp barrister.’
- Paul McGrath QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘A go-to silk for fraud disputes arising from banking insolvencies.’
- Simon Salzedo QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘An exceptional performer and a completely safe pair of hands for heavy financial cases.’
- Joe Smouha QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘A supreme advocate and an absolute joy to work with.’
- Nigel Tozzi QC - 4 Pump Court ‘A great advocate and good value for money.’
4
- Michael Blair QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He provides clear and commercial advice, and has outstanding instinct for client needs.’
- Michael Bowes QC - Outer Temple Chambers ‘He has deep experience and credibility.’
- Alain Choo Choy QC - One Essex Court ‘A charming advocate, who can woo the most difficult of judges.’
- Paul Downes QC - 2TG – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Evidently a good commercial lawyer, and a skillful advocate and tactician.’
- Clive Freedman QC - 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A very persuasive advocate, who commands respect from the court.’
- Jeffrey Gruder QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Very able intellectually and a very good legal adviser.’
- Richard Hill QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Clearly a star of the Bar with a great future ahead of him.’
- Richard Mawrey QC - Henderson Chambers ‘Excellent for consumer credit.’
- John Odgers QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A real thinker with excellent attention to detail and a good read of the court.’
- Guy Philipps QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Prepared to argue difficult points and gains the client’s trust.’
- Mark Phillips QC - South Square ‘Steeped in insolvency litigation for decades.’
- Patricia Robertson QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Highly recommended.’
- Akhil Shah QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Extremely responsive and willing to get his hands dirty in cases.’
- Tom Smith QC - South Square ’Simply excellent: the complete modern silk.’
- Ben Strong QC - One Essex Court ‘An up-and-coming silk.’
- Andrew Sutcliffe QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very impressive; he gets to grips with the issues quickly and is totally unflappable in court.’
5
- David Allison QC - South Square ‘Outstanding in court – impressive and compelling.’
- Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Particularly good at strategy in big-ticket disputes.’
- John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘A ferocious advocate who never gives up.’
- Jeremy Cousins QC - Radcliffe Chambers ‘A friendly and confident silk with outstanding knowledge.’
- Jonathan Davies-Jones QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Possibly the cleverest man at the Bar.’
- Jasbir Dhillon QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Meticulous; he will not leave a stone unturned in pursuing an argument.’
- Philip Edey QC - 20 Essex Street ‘A powerful advocate before tribunal and court.’
- Jonathan Gaisman QC - 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘At the very top of his game with huge experience at the highest level.’
- Javan Herberg QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘A real expert in the contentious regulatory field.’
- Stephen Houseman QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘Solid and responsive.’
- Andrew Hunter QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘An impressive tactician and superb trial advocate, who is very effective with witnesses.’
- Elizabeth Jones QC - Serle Court ‘The word excellent doesn’t do her justice; an outstanding silk in every respect.’
- Dominic Kendrick QC - 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A superstar without diva tantrums – a dream to work with.’
- Roger Masefield QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Unfailingly polite and a delight to work with.’
- Richard Millett QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘High class and excellent with clients.’
- Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A quality barrister.’
- Terence Mowschenson QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘He is charming with clients and speaks with incredible authority in court.’
- Benjamin Pilling QC - 4 Pump Court ‘Firm but measured with an instinctively good feel for difficult issues.’
- Pushpinder Saini QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘He has an excellent grasp of the issues and gives first-class legal advice.’
- Richard Slade QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘His drafting is strong and he is very easy to work with.’
- Michael Swainston QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘A leader that you wouldn’t want to see appearing on the other side.’
- John Taylor QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He a very calm and measured manner, which is impressive when appearing in court.’
- Adam Tolley QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘An excellent communicator, who is always very responsive, efficient and user-friendly.’
- Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very persuasive and effective at carrying the client through difficult cases.’

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – 2016 silks

1
- Daniel Bayfield QC - South Square ‘A young silk to watch – responsive, highly diligent and robustly commercial.’
- Richard Edwards QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘The most knowledgeable barrister in interest rate hedging disputes.’
- David Head QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He has good judgement and is calm in a crisis.’
- Brian Kennelly QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘An immensely talented barrister, who is great with clients and a delight to instruct.’
- Julian Kenny QC - 20 Essex Street ‘Highly rated for ISDA-related disputes.’
- David Mumford QC - Maitland Chambers ‘He is great to work with and always has time to consider your ideas.’
- Tim Penny QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Tremendous on cases with detail, he is very analytical and cuts to the bone of the case.’
- Rosalind Phelps QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Her assistance and advice throughout difficult cases is invaluable.’
- Thomas Plewman QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘Incisive and clear-thinking in his advice, both orally and on paper.’
- Toby Riley-Smith QC - Henderson Chambers ‘Hardworking and committed, the soul of courtesy.’
- Sudhanshu Swaroop QC - 20 Essex Street ‘A highly rated barrister.’
- Ben Valentin QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very popular with solicitors and clients.’

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – 2017 silks

1
- Richard Brent QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A very strong draftsman and very able advocate.’
- Hannah Brown QC - One Essex Court ‘She will take on anyone and will invariably come out on top.’
- James Counsell QC - Outer Temple Chambers ‘Exactly the sort of person you want to take you through a trial.’
- Orlando Gledhill QC - One Essex Court ‘A very good courtroom advocate, who is very strong technically.’
- Ben Jaffey QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘Excellent: practical, expert and quick.’
- Henry King QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is very user-friendly and has an impressive grasp of the detail.’
- Stephen Midwinter QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘A first-choice new silk, particularly on complex banking matters.’
- Adam Zellick QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Extremely personable, very bright and suitably commercial.’

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) – Leading juniors

1
- Simon Atrill - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A first-class banking junior and sage adviser.’
- Simon Hattan - Serle Court ‘He has a “never-say-die” attitude and must be knocking on the door of silk.’
- Peter De Verneuil Smith - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A star, who is very punchy with his intellect and advice.’
- William Edwards - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A standout junior and a very clever advocate.’
- Laura John - Fountain Court Chambers ‘She provides commercial and pragmatic advice – you would want her in your corner.’
- Edmund King - Essex Court Chambers ‘A very strong, responsive and user-friendly lawyer, who gives clear, practical advice.’
- Adam Kramer - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A senior-junior superstar – one of the most talented banking juniors at the commercial Bar.’
- Matthew Parker - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A very bright and able barrister.’
- Conall Patton - One Essex Court ‘An exceptionally good and strategic junior.’
2
- Marianne Butler - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very bright and responsive and an absolute pleasure to work with.’
- Stewart Chirnside - 2TG – 2 Temple Gardens ‘He has courtroom gravitas well beyond his years and he is an even match for many silks.’
- Edward Cumming - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Unbelievably hardworking and responsive, one of the best senior juniors.’
- James Duffy - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is confident and assertive in court and knows how to focus on the key issues.’
- Jamie Goldsmith - One Essex Court ‘An excellent barrister.’
- William Hibbert - Henderson Chambers ‘Highly recommended.’
- Louise Hutton - Maitland Chambers ‘A super-responsive barrister.’
- Sebastian Isaac - One Essex Court ‘Very much a go-to senior junior for complex banking and finance disputes.’
- Farhaz Khan - Outer Temple Chambers ‘He has a very bright future.’
- Michael Lazarus - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Brings vast experience and perspective to large-scale cases.’
- Iain MacDonald - Gough Square Chambers ‘Easy to deal with.’
- James MacDonald - One Essex Court ‘Sensible, commercial, bright and phenomenally hardworking.’
- Nicholas Medcroft - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A go-to senior junior for financial crime and a great team player.’
- Elizabeth Ovey - Radcliffe Chambers ‘An excellent advocate in the higher courts.’
- Fred Philpott - Gough Square Chambers ‘Very down to earth and approachable.’
- Simon Popplewell - Gough Square Chambers ‘An excellent advocate and extremely knowledgeable on consumer credit legislation.’
- Scott Ralston - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Personifies calm competence and has a sharp analytical mind.’
- Stephen Robins - South Square ‘Great energy, commitment and imagination.’
- Sharif Shivji - 4 Stone Buildings ‘Love him when he is for you, hate him when he is against you.’
- David Simpson - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Outstanding.’
- Julia Smith - Henderson Chambers ‘She provides clear and strong advice, and understands the needs of commercial clients.’
- James Willan - Essex Court Chambers ‘A first-choice junior for difficult jurisdiction issues, who is going to be a superstar in time.’
- Ian Wilson - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Excellent on his feet and when drafting; he understands the key commercial issues.’
- Nik Yeo - Fountain Court Chambers ‘First rate: very user-friendly and pays close attention to the detail.’
3
- Rupert Allen - Fountain Court Chambers ‘He is extremely clever, clear and confident, and has a good grasp of the commercial issues.’
- Oliver Assersohn - Outer Temple Chambers ‘Highly rated for banking and financial services disputes.’
- Ruth Bala - Gough Square Chambers ‘Responsive, detailed and happy to explain things in a way that is accessible to the client.’
- James Barnard - 1 Essex Court ‘There is simply nothing that he does not know about banking.’
- Michael D’Arcy - One Essex Court ‘He has a very good brain and is extremely hardworking.’
- David Davies - Essex Court Chambers ‘A very impressive junior, who inspires confidence.’
- Andrew De Mestre - 4 Stone Buildings ‘He has a phenomenal memory and is good on his feet.’
- Laurence Emmett - One Essex Court ‘A silk in waiting, who is very user-friendly.’
- Mark Fell - Radcliffe Chambers ‘His work is thoroughly researched and of a consistently high standard.’
- Andrew Fulton - 20 Essex Street ‘Very practical and user-friendly.’
- Alex Hall Taylor - 4 New Square ‘A super operator, who is very user friendly.’
- Fred Hobson - Brick Court Chambers ‘Calm and measured in his approach, showing excellent judgement.’
- Ciaran Keller - Essex Court Chambers ‘An outstanding barrister and a pleasure to work with.’
- James McClelland - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Extremely bright.’
- Alexander Milner - Fountain Court Chambers ‘A confident and very measured advocate.’
- Deepak Nambisan - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Super-responsive, bright and utterly charming.’
- Stephen Neville - Gough Square Chambers ‘He has a brain the size of Mars, and is still extremely approachable and personable.’
- Luke Pearce - 20 Essex Street ‘Incredibly responsive, very conscientious and extremely thorough.’
- Richard Perkoff - Littleton Chambers ‘Extremely reliable and very good value given his seniority and experience.’
- Jonathan Mark Phillips - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A good analyst and confident advocate with a strong background in financial services.’
- Sandy Phipps - One Essex Court ‘Very approachable, happy to assist, user-friendly and responsive.’
- Fionn Pilbrow - Brick Court Chambers ‘Good at building rapport with the judge.’
- Rajesh Pillai - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A personable, strong lawyer, who is not afraid to take a difficult point.’
- Alexander Polley - One Essex Court ‘A great team player, who absorbs and digests very large amount of information effortlessly.’
- James Ross - Gough Square Chambers ‘Very knowledgeable and user-friendly.’
- Emily Saunderson - 2TG – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Technically outstanding, with a very sound grasp of copious quantities of fine detail.’
- Paul Sinclair - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Friendly and easy to work with, his turnaround times are particularly impressive.’
- Tony Singla - Brick Court Chambers ‘A very impressive individual and a good draftsman.’
- Andrew Thomas - Brick Court Chambers ‘A very thorough adviser, who is strategically adept in presenting difficult arguments to court.’
- Henry Warwick - Henderson Chambers ‘A very thorough and safe pair of hands.’
4
- Sarah Abram - Brick Court Chambers ‘Highly recommended for banking disputes.’
- Tom Asquith - 4 New Square ‘Commercial, clever, a great advocate, and good at finding persuasive slants.’
- Chris Boardman - Radcliffe Chambers ‘A problem solver, who is user-friendly and impressive on his feet,.’
- Nazeer Chowdhury - Henderson Chambers ‘Highly recommended for consumer finance.’
- Charlotte Eborall - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Her pleadings and paperwork are particularly good.’
- Richard Eschwege - Brick Court Chambers ‘An outstanding junior, who, even by commercial Bar standards, works phenomenally hard.’
- Richard Fisher - South Square ‘Highly experienced in banking insolvency work.’
- Henry Forbes Smith - One Essex Court ‘Digests large volumes of documents very quickly to identify areas of relevance.’
- Christopher Harris - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘An excellent advocate, both on paper and on his feet.’
- Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘He gets on top of the documents very well, and is very calm in court.’
- Liisa Lahti - Quadrant Chambers ‘Very knowledgeable, thoughtful, creative and dynamic – a developing star of the Bar.’
- Edward Levey - Fountain Court Chambers ‘User-friendly and easy to work with.’
- Sophie Mallinckrodt - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very clever and good with clients.’
- Alec McCluskey - Maitland Chambers ‘Always on the top of his game and excellent at dealing with every type of client.’
- Craig Morrison - Brick Court Chambers ‘Super-hardworking, lightning-efficient and very user-friendly.’
- David Murray - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very clever, responsive; he will take a view and clients like him.’
- Sam Neaman - Littleton Chambers ‘Always provides a thorough analysis.’
- Tamara Oppenheimer - Fountain Court Chambers ‘Extremely user-friendly and not afraid to roll up her sleeves and provide pragmatic views.’
- Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘His advocacy is first-rate and his grasp of the facts is fantastic.’
- Robert Purves - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He provides creative and commercial solutions, and is personable and approachable.’
- Dennis Rosenthal - Henderson Chambers ‘He has a thorough, technical and practical knowledge of consumer credit.’
- Nehali Shah - One Essex Court ‘A 21st century barrister, who is very bright and inspires confidence.’
- James Sheehan - Essex Court Chambers ‘He has a very bright future ahead of him and quickly grasps difficult points.’
- Adam Sher - Fountain Court Chambers ‘First-rate with a big following among city firms.’
- Marcus Staff - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He has very good legal analysis and is excellent at finding the best way to pitch a case.’
- Joseph Sullivan - 2TG – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Absolutely terrific; he is very clever and thorough, and an absolute delight to work with.’
- Emily Wood - Essex Court Chambers ‘A first-rate junior, who is highly responsive.’

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3 Verulam Buildings is ‘one of the top banking sets’ with ‘some fantastically capable and experienced practitioners to choose from’, including several top-ranked senior juniors. Members acted for the claimants and defendants in Banco Santander Totta v Portuguese transport companies, the first case on the Financial List, and law firms also note the impressive performance of the clerking team juggling the demands of the 13 members acting for different groups in the RBS rights issue litigation.

Fountain Court Chambers is ‘a go-to set for banking and finance’ that ‘delivers an excellent service’; members are ‘almost uniformly excellent’ and ‘very accommodating in a wide range of scenarios’. Aside from traditional banking disputes, the set has recruited in overlapping areas such as civil and criminal fraud, where Richard Lissack QC is very well regarded. Counsel have been involved in several key disputes including McGraw-Hill v Deutsche Apotheker and others (the ratings agency litigation), and Property Alliance Group v RBS.

One Essex Court consistently provides ‘excellent service and support’, and has a ‘wide range of practitioners covering all levels, allowing the structuring of strong and efficient teams with relevant expertise’. Members have recently been involved in a range of key cases, including the RBS rights issue litigation, Dexia Crediop v Province of Brescia, and Libyan Investment Authority v Société Générale.

‘A go-to set for the biggest, most complex work’, Brick Court Chambers is ‘experienced at addressing contractual and banking claims’, and is ‘highly recommended’ by solicitors. Counsel regularly act for banks and claimants in a range of disputes, with several going to the highest court level, such as the CoCo bonds expedited Supreme Court hearing for Lloyds Banking Group. Several members were also involved in Property Alliance Group v RBS in the Financial List.

Essex Court Chambers is a ‘high-grade set, with a very strong bench of QCs and juniors’. It benefits from a strong overlapping fraud practice, where silks such as Paul McGrath QC hold sway. Recent highlights for the set include the Libor test cases Property Alliance Group v RBS and Hockin v RBS, both on behalf of RBS, as well as the Lehman Brothers Waterfall Part C dispute and Barclays Bank v UniCredit.

South Square is an ‘excellent’ chambers that provides a ‘courteous, friendly and smooth service’. While insolvency takes up the lion’s share of the work, members also have expertise in some of the most complex banking issues the market has to offer. Representative matters include the Lehman Brothers Waterfall I and II applications, BNY Mellon Corporate Trustee services v LBG Capital and Primeo Fund v HSBC.

Banking law is a key area for 4 Stone Buildings, which also excels in related practices such as insolvency and fraud. Members have appeared in some of the market’s largest disputes of recent times, including Libyan Investment Authority v Goldman Sachs International, BNY Mellon Corporate Trustee services v LBG Capital, and Deutsche Bank and others v Unitech.

20 Essex Street boasts several highly rated silks and juniors who are regular favourites for major cases. Key highlights include Philip Edey QC’s role in Libyan Investment Authority v Goldman Sachs International, while Luke Pearce represented Lloyds and Investec investors in the RBS rights issue litigation.

Blackstone Chambers is considered by many to be the first choice for regulatory disputes, often involving the FCA, but members also get their fair share of straight banking disputes, such as Libyan Investment Authority v Société Générale. Another key case was R (Holmcroft Properties) v KPMG LLP and others, concerning the role of skilled persons in relation to a redress scheme for the mis-selling of financial products.

‘A solid set with a good variety of consumer credit counsel’, Gough Square Chambers has a strong reputation for advisory work and retail banking law, and members are often directly instructed by banks’ in-house departments. On the litigation front, representative matters include Aura Finance v Balsam, and Brookman v Welcome Finance.

With a top-notch reputation for consumer credit, members of Henderson Chambers handle a wide variety of contentious and non-contentious work for a range of clients, including the UK’s five largest retail banks, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), payday lenders and various government departments.

With ‘strength in depth, including bright juniors’, Maitland Chambers has a mix of Chancery and commercial barristers steeped in complex banking, insolvency and fraud-related issues.

Radcliffe Chambers has a ‘great set of barristers’, including those who continue to ‘make a name for themselves’ after joining from the now-defunct 11 Stone Buildings. Members handle a range of contentious and non-contentious commercial and regulatory matters on behalf of banks, building societies, hedge funds, investors and customers.

Serle Court has a strong reputation for banking disputes, with four members heavily involved in the RBS rights issue litigation. The set is also commended for its expertise in related offshore and fraud work.

XXIV Old Buildings has ‘quality running through it’, and is a popular choice for funds thanks to being ‘one of the leading sets for offshore disputes’. Highlight cases include the epic Al Sadik v Investcorp Bank, which is the longest trial to be heard in the Cayman Islands.

4 Pump Court continues to make a good name for itself, with members involved in several mis-selling cases and disputes involving the ISDA Master Agreement. Solicitors appreciate that ‘the clerks only recommend the right barristers for the right cases’.

7 King’s Bench Walk has ‘sound experience in banking law coupled with specific expertise in trade finance, which gives it an edge for certain types of disputes’. Members also regularly handle mis-selling, swaps and derivatives claims.

Outer Temple Chambers delivers ‘an impressive service’ through ‘helpful and accommodating clerking’. The set is especially noted for its expertise in white-collar crime and civil fraud related matters.

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Press releases

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Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

CHALLENGING WITNESS CREDIBILITY

The SFO has been criticised for its use of an expert witness in trials. Aziz Rahman examines how the SFO can be challenged over its use of such witnesses.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
HEALTH AND SAFETY: THE CORPORATE IMPLICATIONS

Syedur Rahman and Nicola Sharp consider how companies can minimise the problems that can be posed by health and safety prosecutions.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
AUTOMATION AND MONEY LAUNDERING

Aziz Rahman explains how automation can bring its own risks of money laundering – and how they can be reduced.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
INCREASED INSOLVENCY POWERS

Ben Ticehurst explains the new powers at the Insolvency Service’s disposal – and what those in business need to do to ensure they do not fall foul of them.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
MANAGING THE PROBLEM OF BRIBERY IN HIGH-RISK COUNTRIES

Aziz Rahman considers the corruption problems energy and resources companies have encountered and assesses how they can be minimised.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
THE SERIOUS FRAUD OFFICE: WAYS TO DEAL WITH IT

Aziz Rahman explains how to respond to a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation in order to secure the best outcome.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
MAKING SURE YOU DO ENOUGH TO PREVENT MONEY LAUNDERING

With money laundering coming under ever-closer scrutiny, Aziz Rahman explains why you need to make sure your preventative measures are good enough.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
EMISSIONS TESTING AND FRAUD

Porsche is the latest car maker to be investigated over emissions test fraud. Syedur Rahman and Nicola Sharp explain the wide-ranging effects of workplace fraud and the way to eradicate it.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
FRC INVESTIGATIONS

The Financial Reporting Council appears to be taking a tougher stance. Aziz Rahman explains what auditors must do to avoid falling fall of it.

- Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
Cayman Islands Introduces Beneficial Ownership Register

The Cayman Islands government has now introduced legislative changes which will require relevant companies (“Relevant Companies”) to prepare and maintain a register of beneficial owners (the “Register of Beneficial Owners ”).

- Stuarts, Walker Hersant Humphries Attorneys-At-Law

Press Releases in the UK

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

Pitmans crowned as top firm for trainee work/life balance

Pitmans has been awarded winner of the best work/life balance in the 2016 Lex 100 - a survey that is recognised as the most comprehensive valuation of training opportunities at law firms across the UK.

- Pitmans LLP

Gender Pay Gaps: The Latest Reporting Requirements

On average, male employees are paid more than female employees. In 2015, men working full-time were paid approximately 9.4% more than women working full-time. As a result, the government is working to introduce measures with the aim of reducing this gap.

- Pitmans LLP

Pitmans acts on Westcoast’s acquisition of Art Systems Holdings Ltd

Pitmans LLP has acted on behalf of its longstanding client, Westcoast (Holdings) Limited on its acquisition of Art Systems Holdings Limited.

- Pitmans LLP

Insolvency Update: Changes that take effect from April 2016

The Department of Justice has issued a practice direction in connection with the new insolvency express trials pilot.

- Pitmans LLP

The Apprenticeship Levy

Following last year’s autumn statement, HMRC has now published draft legislation which introduces the proposed new apprenticeship levy. The levy will have effect from 6 April 2017.

- Pitmans LLP

Coutinho -v- Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Ltd Judgment 29 April 2016

SOUTHAMPTON -- LV=, represented by Pitmans LLP, have won a case involving a fraudulent household insurance claim worth almost £50,000.

- Pitmans LLP

Pitmans promotes two Partners

Pitmans today announced that Oliver Kelly (corporate) and Matt Heyworth (private client) will become partners as of 1 May 2016.

- Pitmans LLP

Pitmans advised the acquirer and the management team on the £12M MBO of Westfield Medical

The management team were backed by Maven Capital Partners with PNC providing debt facilities.

- Pitmans LLP

Supreme Court ruling will lead to increase in business rates

Many businesses will be liable for increased business rates following last year’s Supreme Court ruling in Woolway (Valuation Officer) v Mazars LLP.

- Pitmans LLP

Pitmans advises Premier Marina Ltd on Noss Marina Acquisition

Pitmans has advised Premier Marinas Limited on its acquisition of Noss Marina, which is just outside Dartmouth, from the Administrators Duff & Phelps.

- Pitmans LLP

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