Mr Ben Waistell > Chambers of Elspeth Talbot Rice KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Mr Ben Waistell

+44 (0)20 7691 2424 ben.waistell@xxiv.co.uk

Position

Ben joined Chambers in 2017 and has quickly developed a busy commercial and chancery practice spanning Chambers’ practice areas. He has particular experience in civil fraud and asset recovery exercises, international arbitration, commercial litigation (including aviation, telecoms, international sale of goods, media and energy), company law and shareholder disputes, financial services regulation and litigation, and contentious trusts and estates litigation.

A large proportion of Ben’s work has an international or offshore element and he has a particular interest in the jurisdictional and enforcement issues these raise. Ben has undertaken placements both in the global disputes team of an oil and gas major and the litigation team of a leading Jersey law firm. He has also been instructed to advise and/or act in relation to the DIFC, the Astana International Financial Centre, the Abu Dhabi Global Markets Court, Jersey, Guernsey, BVI, the Singapore International Commercial Court, and LCIA, DIFC, ICC, and ICSID arbitrations. As a result of these varied experiences, Ben is able to take a flexible and creative approach to the problems brought to him.

Ben is a robust advocate and has substantial Court and trial experience, both as a junior and as sole counsel.  He appeared as a junior (led by Elspeth Talbot Rice QC) on the two-week trial of  First National Trustco (UK) Limited & Anor v Page & Ors [2019] EWHC 1187 (Ch) in the Chancery Division and on the two-week trial of Lloyd v Kruger [2018] EWHC 2011 (Comm) in the Circuit Commercial Court (led by Sarah Bayliss). He has also appeared as sole counsel at the final hearing of an LCIA arbitration before a three-member tribunal and regularly appears on interlocutory applications in both the High Court and the County Court.

On a recent interlocutory application in the High Court, against an opponent of far more senior call, the judge complimented Ben on his “excellent” skeleton argument and oral submissions.  Clients have reported that his “handling of the case was just excellent” , praised him on his “outstanding” written work, and thanked him for going “above and beyond” for them. Silks describe his written work as “excellent” and praise him as a “brilliant” junior who “works like a Trojan”.

Ben is happy to be instructed on his own or as part of a larger team, and has been instructed as sole counsel on various High Court claims including: a substantial sale of goods claim; a 7-figure  claim with jurisdictional issues; s.994 unfair prejudice petitions; and successfully overcoming allegations of breaches of international economic sanctions to obtain judgment on a US$850,000 claim.

Career

Call: 2015

Education

• BA, Philosophy and Politics (First Class) – Durham University
• GDL and BPTC – City University
• LLM, International Commercial Law (Distinction) – University College London
• The Peter Taylor Scholarship
• Maitland Advocacy Prize
• Major Exhibition (Inner Temple)
• Clifford Chance Palatinate Shield