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  1. Commercial litigation – Leading Sets
  2. Commercial litigation – Leading Silks
  3. Commercial litigation – New Silks
  4. Commercial litigation – Leading Juniors

Commercial litigation – Leading Silks

Commercial litigation – Leading Juniors

Leading commercial super set Brick Court Chambers fields ‘many stars’, including Mark Hapgood QC, who has ‘a wealth of experience’ and ‘goes out of his way to help and be available even on short notice’; and Mark Howard QC, who is ‘exceptionally clever and able to digest complex and detailed cases with ease’. ‘Superb strategist’ Neil Calver QC is ‘quick to spot issues’, and Simon Salzedo QC ‘has made a seamless transition into silk’ thanks to his ‘extraordinarily broad practice expertise, excellent judgement calls and strong rapport with clients’. Roger Masefield ‘develops a complete understanding of the factual issues that surpasses even that of the client who has lived through the matter’. The ‘sharp, quick, responsive and incisive’ Colin West has ‘a deep knowledge of jurisdictional issues and is at home dealing with complex cases’.

One Essex Court boasts some of the Bar’s leading silks and is a breeding ground for future stars. Laurence Rabinowitz QC is ‘about the best in the business’ and is representing Boris Berezovsky in his high-profile dispute with Roman Abramovich. Lord Grabiner QC ‘shows no sign of slowing down or losing his hunger for a fight’, and Ian Glick QC is ‘an incredibly motivated cross-examiner who gets on top of every detail’. The ‘excellent, understated and very sensible’ Rhodri Davies QC has recently been in the limelight through his representation of News International in the Leveson Inquiry. Anthony de Garr Robinson QC is ‘an exceptional advocate and draftsman’ who is ‘incredibly clever, tactically savvy and a real team player’. ‘The epitome of what a senior junior should be’, Orlando Gledhill is praised for his ‘first-rate drafting skills’ and ‘brilliant legal analysis’. Steven Elliott has ‘an unbelievable grasp of detail which translates into maximising the client’s case’.

Essex Court Chambers’ clerks are ‘always incredibly responsive and will go out of their way to assist’. Joe Smouha QC is ‘smooth as marble’, and Andrew Hochhauser QC is ‘a natural choice where a very robust approach is called for’. David Foxton QC has ‘an unflappable style and irresistible charm’, and Vernon Flynn QC ‘engages in effortless dialogue with the court, deflecting every negative element of a case to the other side of the courtroom’. ‘Two steps ahead at all times’, David Mildon QC is ‘an impressive advocate and deservedly commands respect’. Edward Brown’s ‘quiet and gentle’ style is ‘the verbal honey trap for the unsuspecting judge’, and Paul Key is ‘one of the most incisive and insightful juniors at the Bar’.

At Fountain Court Chambers, Michael Brindle QC remains one of the pre-eminent figures at the Bar, as indicated by his work on the Lehman Brothers administration, and his representation of the family trust of Vincent Tchenguiz in its £800m case against Kaupthing Bank. The ‘clever, commercial and highly approachable’ David Railton QC is ‘an extremely experienced senior silk with fantastic judgement’. Bankim Thanki QC is ‘a master of the detail who gives clear, no-nonsense advice that is right on the mark’. The ‘robust, user-friendly’ Jeffrey Chapman QC is ‘quick, concise and commercial’. Among the juniors, Patrick Goodall is rated for his ‘potent mix of commerciality and digestible legal advice’.

At 3 Verulam Buildings, the ‘extremely experienced’ Ali Malek QC ‘cuts straight to the issue’ and provides ‘very wise counsel’. Adrian Beltrami QC is ‘on his way to being one of the leading QCs at the commercial Bar’, and Stephen Phillips QC is ‘one of the cleverest men at the Bar, with a tremendous killer instinct’. Paul Lowenstein QC’s ‘commitment to his cases is matched by his wonderful sense of humour and team-playing perspective’. The ‘super-clever and incredibly user-friendly’ Sonia Tolaney QC and ‘utterly charming’ David Head are also recommended. Matthew Parker’s ‘written work and advocacy are both at a very high level indeed’, and Michael Lazarus is ‘top drawer, always sharp and insightful, but with his feet on the ground’.

At Blackstone Chambers, Barbara Dohmann QC is ‘a superb and fearless trial lawyer backed up by an encyclopaedic knowledge of the papers’. The ‘commanding and reassuring’ Ian Mill QC is recommended ‘for big cases where you need a fighter who stands his ground’. Thomas Beazley QC is ‘very clever and extremely good, not just on detail but also on strategy’. Pushpinder Saini QC is ‘a top silk’ who provides ‘clear, concise advice and has a willingness to argue difficult points robustly’. The ‘extraordinarily able’ Andrew Hunter QC has ‘particular strength in law relating to injunctions’. Tom Weisselberg is ‘a truly excellent junior and advocate’.

Barristers at 20 Essex Street are highly recommended for their expertise in major international disputes. The ‘hardworking’ Iain Milligan QC is ‘one of the very top barristers at the commercial Bar’. Andrew Baker QC is ‘a tough opponent who pulls no punches and defends his clients with remarkable charm and courtesy’. The very popular Duncan Matthews QC is praised for his ‘robust intellect’, and Timothy Young QC is ‘the maestro; what he doesn ’t know about commercial law isn’t worth knowing’. Malcolm Jarvis is ‘very well versed in conflict of law situations, and is a very bright and capable barrister with excellent client skills and superb response times’.

7 King’s Bench Walk’s background in shipping and insurance matters is complemented by several very strong commercial litigation barristers. Jonathan Gaisman QC is ‘among the best and brightest; he has incredible focus and is a highly skilled advocate’. The ‘very effective’ Gavin Kealey QC has been involved in Masri v CCC, one of the largest contempt actions in the Commercial Court. James Brocklebank is ‘clever, diligent and easy to get along with. The fact that he is usually tied up on long cases is a testament to his popularity’.

Clients consistently find the ‘strength and depth’ at Maitland Chambers ‘very impressive’. The ‘combative’ and ‘brave’ Anthony Trace QC is ‘one of the great cross-examiners and advocates at the Bar’. Richard Morgan QC is ‘a recent silk but performs as if he has been a QC for a decade or more’. Thomas Grant has ‘great court presence and client skills’, and James Aldridge is ‘an excellent trial lawyer with persuasive advocacy skills and excellent cross-examination technique’.

Serle Court’s Alan Boyle QC is ‘among the highest echelons of leading silks dealing with highly complex cross-border disputes’. Patrick Talbot QC is ‘an excellent silk’ with ’ a good courtroom style’, and the ‘remarkably able’ Nicholas Lavender QC has ‘the capacity to swiftly analyse and advise in relation to complex issues without missing a beat’. Jonathan Adkin ‘possesses an exceptionally high degree of technical knowledge’.

Barristers at New Square Chambers ‘have always been quick to respond, provide good coverage and offer value for money’. The highly regarded Stephen Smith QC is currently involved in the JSC BTA Bank trials. ‘A tremendous asset to the team’, Simon Adamyk is praised for his ‘forensic attention to detail and thorough, rigorous approach’; and Nigel Hood is ‘an outstanding senior junior who is great in cross-examinations’.

At 4 Pump Court, Nigel Tozzi QC is ‘very good on his feet’, and Michael Douglas QC is ‘brilliant at getting to the core points and presenting complicated arguments with clarity and punch’. The ‘client-friendly’ Alexander Hickey ‘thinks quickly on his feet’.

Quadrant Chambers’ strong commercial practice complements its top-notch expertise in shipping and commodities. Simon Rainey QC is ‘a bright and able advocate’ whose practice now extends beyond commodities and into general commercial disputes. Among the juniors, Yash Kulkarni is considered ‘a good advocate’ with ‘great confidence’.

South Square is best known for insolvency work, but its barristers also have a strong grounding in general commercial disputes. The ‘truly brilliant’ Antony Zacaroli QC is very well regarded in this field. Ben Valentin’s ‘efficiency at producing economical, extremely well-structured and thought-out drafts are a real asset’. Jeremy Goldring is ‘set for stardom; as well as being thoroughly intellectual, he is a calm, polished advocate’.

11 Stone Buildings’ barristers have ‘a refreshing approachability and make a good team’. Alan Gourgey QC is ‘ideal for fast-paced litigation, being both very experienced in injunction cases and very quick at producing excellent written submissions’. Lexa Hilliard QC is ‘an exceptional advocate, with great skill at cross-examination: definitely someone who will battle the client’s corner’. Tim Penny provides ‘excellent advice and maintains a very good grip on factually complex claims’.

Wilberforce Chambers’ broad-based offering spans traditional Chancery and banking disputes, as well as fraud and general commercial litigation. John Wardell QC is noted for his ‘outstanding legal and intellectual abilities’. Among the juniors, Nikki Singla has ‘a good manner with clients and will fight his client’s corner in the most challenging of circumstances’.

‘Commerciality is the watchword’ for the barristers at Enterprise Chambers. Bernard Weatherill QC’s ‘drafting is excellent and he works extremely well as part of a team’. James Barker is ‘an excellent advocate’ with ‘a great work ethic, returning advice and assistance promptly’. ‘One of the outstanding juniors of the Chancery Bar’, Geoffrey Zelin ‘has proven himself to be a top-class performer’ against QCs.

Erskine Chambers is an undisputed heavyweight for company law and is highly recommended for general commercial matters. Richard Snowden QC enjoys a very strong following, and Nigel Dougherty is ‘a thorough strategist, with in-depth knowledge of company law’.

At Littleton Chambers, Clive Freedman QC is ‘particularly good at exploring the ramifications of both factual submissions and legal arguments’. Charles Samek QC has ‘excellent analytical skills and is a formidable orator in court’. The ‘phenomenally talented yet incredibly modest’ Stuart Ritchie QC has ‘the acumen to be one of the stars of the Bar’.

XXIV Old Buildings is recommended for offshore commercial disputes. Alan Steinfeld QC brings ‘great intellectual force and creativity to difficult legal issues’, and Francis Tregear QC is ‘extremely effective, steely and persuasive’. Elspeth Talbot Rice QC is ‘tenacious and thorough, but not afraid to give clients a straight view of how she sees the merits of a case’. The ‘excellent, very user-friendly and knowledgeable’ Alexander Pelling is a popular choice among the juniors.

At Radcliffe Chambers, Keith Rowley QC has ‘a very sharp intellect and builds a very strong rapport with clients’. Shantanu Majumdar’s ‘command of limitation issues is magisterial’, and William Moffett is ‘a truly outstanding trial advocate’ who is ‘very reliable and always delivers when he says he will’.

4 Stone Buildings’ Robert Miles QC has an excellent reputation and has been involved in several major cases, including BTA v Ablyazov. Jonathan Crow QC is currently involved in Rusal v Corbiere, the a dispute between Oleg Deripaska and Vladimir Putin in relation to Norilsk. New silk Richard Hill QC is highly rated, while leading juinors include Paul Greenwood.

There are a number of well-regarded juniors under 10 years’ call, including: Tim Akkouh at New Square Chambers; Simon Atrill at Fountain Court Chambers; David Davies at Essex Court Chambers; Fred Hobson and Tony Singla at Brick Court Chambers; Sebastian Isaac and Conall Patton at One Essex Court; Ciaran Keller at Maitland Chambers; Adam Kramer and James Macdonald at 3 Verulam Buildings; George Spalton at Four New Square; and Robert Weekes at Blackstone Chambers.

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Legal Developments in London Bar for Commercial litigation

  • Supreme Court provides guidance 
on forum conveniens and piercing the corporate veil


    Macfarlanes LLP currently authors the Litigation & Dispute Resolution section of The In-House Lawyer magazine. For more information and articles from this author click here . This article considers the Supreme Court decision in VTB Capital plc v Nutritek International Corp & or s [2013]. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the case is that it casts doubt on the notion that the Court has the power to pierce the corporate veil. The Supreme Court also held that, even if the power to pierce the corporate veil does exist, it does not enable a claimant to hold parties that control a company jointly and severally liable under contracts entered into by that company. 

    - Macfarlanes

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