Andrew Onslow KC KC > Chambers of Ewan McQuater KC and David Quest KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
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Andrew Onslow KC KC
Position
Andrew Onslow KC specialises in commercial litigation, banking and financial services, fraud, professional negligence and arbitration. He was leading Counsel for claimants in the multibillion pound claim against RBS, Fred Goodwin and others arising from RBS’s 2008 £12bn Rights Issue. He acted for the Defendants in ENRC v Gerrard & Dechert LLP (Judgment May 2022: [2022]EWHC 1138 (Comm)); in SKAT v Solo Capital Partners (acting for lead defendants in US$2bn claim by Danish tax authorities, alleging cum-ex dividend fraud); and in a claim for hundreds of millions of pounds against Clydesdale Bank and its parent company, National Australia Bank. He has also been involved in a number of FSMA s.90A claims; successful at trial and on appeal in Byers v Saudi National Bank (formerly Samba Financial Group), and in two appeals to the Court of Appeal (Libyan Investment Authority v King (acting for LIA) in claim for fraud in relation to Maple Cross hotel development, and Strategic Technology Pts Ltd v Procurement Bureau of the Republic of China (acting for the appellant Taiwan), now the leading case on enforcement of a foreign judgment under Administration of Justice Act 1920). He was Counsel for the SFO in civil/commercial aspects of R v Barclays (2008 capital raising), R v Hayes (LIBOR), R v Bittar (EURIBOR).
Andrew is also renowned for art disputes, appearing for the auction house in two of the leading cases this century (Thomson v Christie’s (trial and appeal 2004 and 2005); Thwaytes v Sotheby’s (trial 2014, judgment 2015).
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Art and cultural property
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Andrew Onslow KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘His assessment of the merits of a case is always right. He has an ability to see long into the future of a case and predict what will happen. He is an excellent go-to when you need to decide if what will be a hugely complex and expensive case should be pursued.’
Members of 3 Verulam Buildings continue to be involved in a number of high-profile cases and are considered ‘sector specialists’ within the art and cultural property sector. Andrew Onslow KC recently acted as sole counsel for Lord and Lady Wemyss in Wemyss v Simon C Dickinson Ltd, a case concerning alleged professional negligence against an art dealer concerning the sale of a Le Bénédicité painting by Jean Simeon Chardin. Angharad Start has also been very active in this practice area, and is currently representing Dmitry Rybolovlev in his long-running case against Sotheby’s concerning an alleged secret profit by Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier.
London Bar > Group litigation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3Andrew Onslow KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Andrew is the consummate silk – exceptionally bright, sharp-witted, at once simultaneously across the detail and big picture strategy, and a delight to work with.’
With its focus in the group litigation space on matters crossing over with the set’s financial litigation expertise, 3 Verulam Buildings is described by clients as ‘go-to set for banking and group litigation matters‘. Andrew Onslow KC is representing hundreds of former customers in proceedings against Clydesdale Bank and its parent company National Australia Bank, while Jonathan Nash KC is instructed to represent the lead claimant group against the Ingenious group and their financial advisors in a multi-party case alleging misrepresentation and negligent advice in regard to the tax treatment of a number of film production partnerships. Nash KC is also representing a group of investors in a high value Section 90 and Section 90a Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 claim for losses arising from the decline in the share price of Barclays Bank plc following the discovery of misconduct in its New York ‘dark pool’ trading operation.
London Bar > International arbitration: counsel
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3Andrew Onslow KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Great. Absolutely brilliant.’
London Bar > Fraud: civil
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Andrew Onslow KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Andrew is a ferocious advocate and highly effective cross-examiner. He is also an incredible court room strategist that knows how to manage long and complex trials to maximum effect.’
London Bar > Banking and finance (including consumer credit)
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Andrew Onslow KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Hugely experienced and greatly respected. He commends great respect in the court room and his advocacy is exceptional. Always able to see the points to press and those to concede.’
London Bar > Professional negligence
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Andrew Onslow KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Incredibly easy to work with and understands what the clients want. Tremendous presence in court. Manages his team really well.’
3 Verulam Buildings has a strong specialism in commercial related professional negligence claims. Andrew Onslow KC acts for the claimants in a case where hundreds of former customers of Clydesdale Bank have sued Clydesdale and its parent company, National Australia Bank, for fraud and negligence, alleging that they were misled about their liability to pay swap breakage costs to Clydesdale on early termination or restructuring of business loans. Additionally, Ali Malek KC currently acts for one of the defendants, ED&F Mann Capital Markets Limited, on a £1.5 billion claim brought by the Danish Customs and Tax Administration, which claims professional negligence and negligence concerning allegedly fraudulent application for the refund of dividend withholding tax – the matter is against the backdrop of the dispute between SKAT and Solo Capital Partners, concerning what is alleged by the Danish authorities to be a “cum-ex” fraud.