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Fraud: Civil

1
3 Verulam Buildings
Blackstone Chambers
Brick Court Chambers
Essex Court Chambers
Fountain Court Chambers
One Essex Court
Serle Court
2
Maitland Chambers
Twenty Essex
Wilberforce Chambers
XXIV Old Buildings
3
4 Stone Buildings
7 King's Bench Walk
South Square

Leading Silks

1
Robert Anderson QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ He couples his undoubted legal abilities with the ability to work with a myriad of clients and consistently seeks to identify legally sound and commercially sensible outcomes. He is rightly regarded as one of the leading individuals at the commercial Bar. ’
Jeffrey Chapman QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ His advocacy is first-rate - striking just the right balance between courtesy and hostility. ’
Alan Gourgey QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘ An outstanding Silk: a terrific lawyer and a great tactician with excellent judgement and a compelling advocate. He also leads a team very well. ’
Mark Howard QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ He has incredible presence, authority and ability to condense the law into digestible submissions. Probably now the most authoritative and respected commercial silk at the Bar. ’
Elizabeth Jones QC - Serle Court ‘ Stellar in every respect and a wonderful lawyer. ’
Neil Kitchener QC - One Essex Court ‘ His intellect and commercial judgement shines through and he is great fun to work with. ’
Tim Lord QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ He is an excellent leader and very effective cross examiner. He commands real client confidence and has strong courtroom presence. ’
Ali Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ An extremely good tactician; commercial and pragmatic and very experienced - Ali has seen it all before, which inspires confidence. ’
Philip Marshall QC - Serle Court ‘ A very good tactician who is able to consider all of the strategic matters in a case and how best to deploy to maximise pressure on the opponent. ’
Paul McGrath QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ The doyen of civil fraud. A tenacious advocate. Paul is a pleasure to work with. ’
Ewan McQuater QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ An extremely hardworking barrister with excellent judgement and strong cross-examination skills. ’
Andrew Onslow QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Andrew commands respect from all he deals with, be it clients, opponents or judiciary. His advocacy is extremely persuasive and he cross-examines with tenacity. ’
Anthony Peto QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Tony provides astute and eminently sensible commercial advice to clients in a straight-forward and user friendly form. He is also a true gentleman and a pleasure to work with. ’
Laurence Rabinowitz QC - One Essex Court ‘ He is barrister royalty. One of the top so intellects to whom one turns in a crisis. He couples that with approachability, responsiveness and commercial nous. He is amazing. ’
Stephen Rubin QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ He is a brilliant technical lawyer and his analysis of cases is always spot-on. But he is also tremendous fun to work with, which is very important in a difficult case where morale can suffer. ’
Joe Smouha QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A real heavyweight in trusts and fraud matters who likes to organise every aspect of a winning strategy. He has a real cutting edge to cross-examination and delivery of submissions. ’
Bankim Thanki QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A powerhouse in the fraud world. Bankim inspires confidence in his clients and fear in his opponents with his rigorous approach to complex disputes. Bankim's advice on prospects is always spot-on. ’
John Wardell QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘ Peerless in fraud cases, able to get to grips with the most complicated of cases and give robust, and aggressive advice when required. Very responsive. Loved by clients and instructing solicitors alike. ’
2
Jonathan Adkin QC - Serle Court ‘ A master of his craft. Wonderful to know and work with. ’
Stephen Auld QC - One Essex Court ‘ He is one of the best around. His trial skills are legendary and he is brilliant and working with solicitors to deliver difficult and complex advice for clients. ’
Adrian Beltrami QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Super-clever, measured, authoritative, calm, a superb manner when addressing the court, commercial, very good with clients. ’
John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Highly combative and effective. A tremendous barrister. ’
Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Simply one of the best there is; a go-to advocate for fraud work. ’
Simon Davenport QC - 3 Hare Court ‘ A team player and a leader who charms judges, courts and clients – when you are in a fight – Simon who you want in with you in the foxhole. ’
Charles Dougherty QC - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ He was superbly knowledgeable about freezing orders, and very user friendly. His written work was excellent and he was persuasive in his style. ’
Justin Fenwick QC - 4 New Square ‘ He has tremendous focus on a matter; and vast experience; and as a result excellent ring sense in a trial or hearing. ’
Jonathan Fisher QC - Red Lion Chambers ‘ He practices in a number of jurisdictions and is known as extremely bright counsel who reads the tribunal well and is super effective. He deals with massively challenging cross border fraud cases and is also a pleasure to work with. ’
Vernon Flynn QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ An incisive advocate who distills complex issues to their essential principles and is never shaken by questions from even the most challenging judges and arbitrators. ’
David Head QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Very client friendly, takes a very commercial view, knows how to persuade a judge and hold the court's attention. ’
Andrew Hunter QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ A superb advocate who immediately gains the trust of the court. He is also an outstanding jurist who can immediately cut through to the critical points. A star and a delight to work with. ’
Philip Jones QC - Serle Court ‘ Ever professional yet personable and commanding of respect. He is a wonderful lawyer, and so very skilled in his practice. ’
Robert Levy QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A strong courtroom advocate. Highly personable and excellent on his feet. He is one of the best in cross-examination of witnesses; a professional hitman who executes the strategy perfectly. ’
Richard Lissack QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A very good team player, wonderful advocate and at the cutting edge of the cross over between criminal and civil law. ’
Paul Lowenstein QC - Twenty Essex ‘ He has a steeliness to his advocacy that makes solicitors reluctant ever to see him pop up on the other side. ’
Duncan Matthews QC - Twenty Essex ‘ He is totally unflappable and is at the top of his game. He is the go-to QC for civil fraud. ’
Ian Mill QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ A ferocious advocate, particularly in his cross-examination of witnesses. ’
Richard Morgan QC - Maitland Chambers ‘ He is a phenomenally hard worker and a fantastic team player. Solicitors would instruct him on any major cross-border fraud case, particularly one with offshore elements. ’
David Mumford QC - Maitland Chambers ‘ A very considered and knowledgeable silk who knows how to run and win complex cases at trial. ’
Hugh Norbury QC - Serle Court ‘ A wonderful young Silk, dynamic and a must-have player on your side. ’
Tim Penny QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘ Brilliant in all respects. He is tactically astute, quick to grapple with complex issues of law and a first-rate advocate. ’
Nathan Pillow QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ An extremely sharp legal and strategic mind, wrapped in a very personable and approachable body. Nathan is fantastic to work with and knows instinctively how to drive a case to a successful conclusion. ’
David Quest QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Calm, measured, very bright and quick on complex matters. ’
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Her no-nonsense approach and fearless and combative style is admired by both the court and opponents. ’
Stuart Ritchie QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Careful and considered in everything he does. He brings considerable critical analysis to a claim and is able to convey that analysis in a compelling way in argument. Judges’ trust him and clients can rely on him. ’
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Very easy to work with and excellent at identifying an approach which will resonate with the court. ’
Tom Smith QC - South Square ‘ He is a great person to work with, very responsive, makes himself available and is fantastic with clients. Whilst very clever and excellent at dealing with technical arguments, he is first and foremost a pragmatic litigator. ’
Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ It is great to be able to be put in such a safe and experienced pair of hands. ’
Andrew Sutcliffe QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Andrew combines vast experience of litigating complex civil fraud matters, with an excellent court room manner. As a deputy high court judge, he knows how arguments are likely to be received from the bench. ’
Sonia Tolaney QC - One Essex Court ‘ One of the leading barristers of her generation. Her advocacy is excellent and she is always a pleasure to work with. ’
Daniel Toledano QC - One Essex Court ‘ Daniel contributes laser-like analysis, assuredness in delivery and compelling advocacy style. ’
Tom Weisselberg QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ As good as you could ask for in a civil fraud silk: kind, strategic leadership, excellent advocacy, and a career based on doing the difficult fraud cases. ’
3
David Allen QC - 7 King's Bench Walk
Stephen Atherton QC - Twenty Essex ‘ A very experienced senior fraud and insolvency silk. His advice is very clear and well thought out. An excellent strategist and an extremely fine and strong advocate. ’
Andrew Ayres QC - Twenty Essex ‘ Highly strategic approach to litigation - always thinking of the next step. Great knowledge of the fraud toolkit. ’
Graham Brodie QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘ One of a small number of leading silks in business crime and fraud, uniquely able to straddle civil and criminal cases. An expert in all POCA, asset forfeiture and money laundering matters. Outstanding from a tactical and strategic perspective. ’
Aidan Casey QC - 3 Hare Court ‘ An all-round excellent barrister, a first choice on almost every fraud case. ’
Graham Chapman QC - 4 New Square ‘ Graham has a razor-sharp legal mind coupled with excellent commercial and strategic nous. Exquisite advocacy, always available and a go-to commercial silk. ’
Alain Choo Choy QC - One Essex Court ‘ Bright and readily available for ongoing issues which arise in complex multi-jurisdictional matters. ’
Jonathan Cohen QC - Littleton Chambers ‘ An excellent advocate and very good tactician. He is also good with clients. ’
Huw Davies QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A very capable and experienced fraud specialist who is not afraid of fighting cases to trial. ’
Paul Downes QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ A robust advocate. Always one step ahead, always forward thinking. He fights cases with real grit and misses nothing. Clients love him. ’
Philip Edey QC - Twenty Essex ‘ He is a cut above his peers and very easy to work with. ’
Steven Gee QC - Monckton Chambers ‘ Very thorough, knowledgeable and hands-on. He tests the case repeatedly and never leaves any stones unturned. ’
Richard Gillis QC - One Essex Court ‘ Meticulous in his preparation, leaving no stone unturned and nothing to chance. His command of the law and the facts in the case is always impressive. ’
Lord Grabiner QC - One Essex Court ‘ An exceptionally strategic and intelligent advocate who provides clear, commercial and analytical advice. ’
Thomas Grant QC - Maitland Chambers ‘ A powerful and persuasive advocate, and popular with clients, for whom he routinely goes the extra mile. ’
Richard Hill QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ A very effective advocate. He holds his own against much more senior counsel and has good experience leading large cases for someone of his seniority. ’
Robert Howe QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Absolutely stellar. ’
Timothy Howe QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Everything one would expect of a senior QC; an excellent choice for substantial, fact-heavy cases. ’
Daniel Jowell QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Excellent. ’
Daniel Lightman QC - Serle Court ‘ Daniel has an absolute attention to detail and intellectual rigorousness that strips away extraneous issues to get to the law that matters. ’
Thomas Lowe QC - Wilberforce Chambers
Hodge Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A highly experienced litigator with sound tactical acumen and a wealth of knowledge handling complex disputes, particularly in Asia, Middle East and Far East, including cases with a criminal or regulatory element. ’
Roger Masefield QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Very clever and a nice advocacy style and good strategically. He’s developing into a real front rank silk. ’
Craig Orr QC - One Essex Court ‘ Extremely conscientious, a first-rate technical legal mind and a strong advocate. He is an excellent leader of junior barristers and works well with the solicitor team. ’
Mark Phillips QC - South Square ‘ Great in court and a good team player. ’
Anthony de Garr Robinson QC - One Essex Court ‘ An outstanding advocate. Huge intellect, ferocious work ethic and great charm combine to make Tony one of the leading advocates at the commercial bar. ’
Simon Salzedo QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Exceptional with clients. He has a truly wonderful way of bringing things to life or making them simple or getting the client to understand why they are wrong - essentially whatever is needed to move the matter forward and ensure that the client has truly understood the advice that is being given. ’
Charles Samek QC - Littleton Chambers ‘ A superb advocate. Extremely supportive. Very positive in his advice, whether good or bad. A real fighter who it is an enormous advantage to have on your team. ’
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Hard working, a team player and great fun, Steven is highly intelligent and enthusiastic too. ’
Felicity Toube QC - South Square ‘ Excellent to deal with. ’
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Clients love him - good common sense while alive to their priorities. ’
4
Lance Ashworth QC - Serle Court ‘ An exceptional QC - bright is a given but combined with fierce hard work and great on his feet. Superb judgement and client-friendly. ’
Camilla Bingham QC - One Essex Court ‘ A delight to work with, and a team player. She can also be utterly relied upon to be more prepared and on top of her brief than the opposition. ’
Simon Birt QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Incredibly diligent and detail-oriented, while always remaining alive to the big picture. An urbane courtroom presence, Simon has a steely core and will never be pushed about. ’
James Collins QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A great advocate, great on the papers and generally great with everything. Very responsive. ’
Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Devastatingly clever, with a tireless work ethic. He can charm and persuade, but will fight tenaciously when the need arises; he is utterly fearless. ’
Dominic Dowley QC - Serle Court ‘ A quick working, efficient and talented advocate. He grasps all key issues with great speed. Dominic is robust in his views which is always attractive to clients. ’
Orlando Fraser QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ A highly intelligent and articulate junior silk, with a remarkable ability to distil complex issues into a digestible format. ’
Jonathan Gaisman QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ A formidable advocate - a top choice for the biggest, most complex cases. ’
Patrick Goodall QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Very smart, excellent at handling clients and commands respect, very good with the detail and really personable to deal with. ’
Jeffrey Gruder QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Erudite and technically strong. He has a wealth of experience. ’
Philip Hackett QC - The 36 Group ‘ An excellent listener who is consistently able to show a deep understanding of complex issues and is skilled in proffering strategic legal solutions leaving clients with clear and pragmatic options. ’
Dakis Hagen QC - Serle Court ‘ A superb practitioner. ’
Richard Handyside QC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘An exceptional advocate who quickly gains the trust of the Court. He is razor sharp and his judgement is spot-on. One of the very best silks in the market. ’
George Hayman QC - Maitland Chambers ‘ George lives and breathes civil fraud. He has a phenomenal knowledge of the area, having been involved in most of the largest recent cases. ’
John Jarvis QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ John has strong advocacy skills, master technician, very hard worker, a real pleasure to work with. ’
Nigel Jones QC - Gatehouse Chambers ‘ A great intellect, a mesmerizing advocate and has a way with clients. ’
Stephen Midwinter QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Stephen has an exceptionally forensic mind and cuts through cases to identify the real issues with frightening speed and efficiency. A very strong cross-examiner who extracts winning points from witnesses without them even realising it. ’
Fenner Moeran QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘ A first-rate counsel who solicitors go back to time and time again. He is always enthusiastic and pleasant to deal with - clients love him for that. ’
Clare Montgomery QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ An absolute star and very eminent in her field. Clare has the perfect balance of exemplary technical expertise and a practical approach to solving issues. ’
Thomas Plewman QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Incisive and unflappable under pressure - a cool head. ’
Hefin Rees QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A formidable opponent in court - an extremely effective advocate with a keen eye for important detail. His clarity of presentation of complex facts is impressive - a real asset in complex fraud cases. ’
Clare Stanley QC - Wilberforce Chambers ‘ An outstanding and well-liked practitioner who cuts to the chase quickly and always gives exemplary advice. Clare is willing to take a chance on cases which others would dismiss. ’
Paul Stanley QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Exceptionally clever. ’
Richard Waller QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ His knowledge of the law and procedure plus fantastic common sense is impressively extensive. ’

2020 Silks

Siward Atkins QC - Maitland Chambers ‘ Commercially astute, he provides sound strategic advice and is able to think outside of the box. He is great with clients. Go to counsel for heavyweight disputes.. ’
Richard Fisher QC - South Square ‘ A fantastic advocate with a relaxed style that appeals to judges. ’
Jamie Goldsmith QC - One Essex Court ‘ An excellent civil fraud practitioner. He is one of the hardest working individuals at the bar, and leaves no stone unturned in getting the client the best outcome. ’
Justin Higgo QC - Serle Court ‘ He has an encyclopedic knowledge of fraud - coupled with a creative approach. Justin is always willing to listen to views and argue the point. ’
Blair Leahy QC - Twenty Essex ‘ A strong new silk who understands the complexities involved in complex multi-jurisdictional fraud cases. ’
Edward Levey QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ He knows fraud cases very well, has a lot of experience in the area, is a great technical lawyer and works extremely well with his instructing solicitors. A go-to in this area and an absolute pleasure to work with. ’
Shantanu Majumdar QC - Radcliffe Chambers
Tamara Oppenheimer QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Super-clever, measured, calm, a good manner when addressing the court, commercial, very responsive, very hard-working, charming, good with clients, collaborative, a real team player. ’
Conall Patton QC - One Essex Court ‘ A complete superstar: fiercely intelligent, user-friendly, a team-player and extremely nimble when on his feet. ’
Rajesh Pillai QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Calm, collected and leads large teams exceptionally well. He offers the court the answers it seeks with charm and confidence and provides the underlying client with an excellent service, with nothing short of his full attention and skill. ’
Philip Riches QC - Twenty Essex ‘ He does a stirling job - his advocacy is clear, concise and he adapts easily in the face of time restrictions. ’

2021 Silks

David Davies QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A new silk to watch ’
Andrew Fulton QC - Twenty Essex ‘ Clearly a star. He is a winner. He works very hard. He always see points that nobody see. When Andrew is on your side you feel safe. ’
Michael Holmes QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ A go-to person on all matters with a tricky jurisdictional angle. Meticulous, careful and thoughtful. ’
Laura John QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Amazingly calm and focused under pressure and superb with clients in crisis. ’
Adam Kramer QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ An intellectual powerhouse - flexible in his thinking, clear in his drafting; and a pleasure to lead, not least since he really is great with professional clients and is highly responsive and creative. ’
Matthew Parker QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ He is very able, very experienced recently appointed QC, thorough and on top of the detail. A real fighter and future star. ’
Tom Poole QC - 3 Hare Court ‘ Tom is incredibly bright and adaptable - he gets on top of the detail of all of his cases, and is a great team player. ’
James Willan QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ The very top of the tree. An absolute superstar who always delivers and undoubtedly a first choice for any difficult fraud claim. ’

Leading Juniors

1
Tim Akkouh - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Very approachable, highly responsive - absolutely at the top of the field for civil fraud matters. ’
Richard Blakeley - Brick Court Chambers ‘ A very strong junior and enormously client friendly. Good on his feet and works hard to ensure the clients aims are met. ’
Anna Dilnot - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Brilliantly incisive. Instantly understands the key issues and delivers commercially-minded advice to clients which goes to the heart of the matter. ’
Nicholas Harrison - Serle Court ‘ A star with incredible ability. ’
Simon Hattan - Serle Court ‘ Practical but a great technician, thorough and yet able to identify key points. ’
Benjamin John - Maitland Chambers ‘ Simply one of the cleverest barristers. He's also great fun as part of a team. One of the best. ’
Michael Lazarus - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Technically excellent. ’
Thomas Munby - Maitland Chambers ‘ He is highly in demand having become a prominent figure in his field. Extremely bright, works brilliantly within a team. His advocacy is also first class. ’
David Peters - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A QC in all but name - Incisive, clever, robust, passionate about law, sees the arguments early and how to deal with them. ’
James Sheehan - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A real brain box who co-edited one of the leading books on fraud. ’
Robert Weekes - Blackstone Chambers ‘ A superb advocate with great intellect and strategic awareness. Rob produces high-quality written work and has great empathy with clients. ’
2
Stuart Adair - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Tenacious, he fights his corner and is a pleasure to deal with. ’
Simon Atrill - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Fantastic - a master of the detail, technically brilliant and great to work with. Once of the most formidable juniors out there, and very good to have on your side. ’
Ruth den Besten - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Great at assimilating a lot of information and distilling it into clear advice and/or elegant pleadings. She has a sense of what the important points are in a case, which assists a team in focusing its energy on the key areas. ’
Marc Delehanty - Littleton Chambers ‘ A very good strategist and tactically astute. An impressive advocate and very good on his feet. ’
David Drake - Serle Court ‘ A stellar intellect and utterly brilliant. ’
Anton Dudnikov - Essex Court Chambers ‘ An extremely knowledgeable and accomplished fraud practitioner. He is an utterly reliable and polished advocate who appears to be unflappable even under pressure on his feet or otherwise. ’
Richard Eschwege - Brick Court Chambers ‘ The mighty Eschwege is absolutely brilliant. Solicitors have never known anyone with his ability to absorb the material, analyse it and present it in a way that is clearly understood by the courts and the legal team. ’
Tom Ford - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Simply put, Tom is a civil fraud star. He is relentless - absolutely committed and a dream to have on your team. ’
Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ An excellent barrister. Very experienced and a pleasure to work with. ’
Edward Harrison - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Absolutely brilliant – strategic, insightful and highly skilled in all respects well beyond his years. You want him on your team and in your client's corner. A true star and an absolute pleasure to work with. ’
Peter Head - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Phenomenally bright with that gold dust ability to be able to think laterally and see ways around problems that leave most of us flummoxed. Also an absolute pleasure to work with. ’
Nigel Hood - New Square Chambers ‘ A formidable barrister, tenacious with a strong tactical awareness. He has a good idea of where he wants the case to get to. He gets on with the case, inscrutable, cool and calm under pressure, but unafraid to roll his sleeves up and scrap for a result where necessary. ’
Louise Hutton - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Excellent, particularly for cases with an insolvency dimension. ’
Ciaran Keller - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Possibly the most promising junior in the country. ’
Anna Littler - Wilberforce Chambers ‘ She has all the attributes to be a top QC - fine judgment, great attention to detail, a creative mind and excellent legal knowledge. Solicitors just know that any document she delivers will be first rate. ’
Christopher Newman - Twenty Essex ‘ A rigorous, energetic and intelligent barrister who fights for his client's best interests. ’
Laura Newton - Brick Court Chambers ‘ First rate - very easy to work with and extremely knowledgeable. ’
Alexander Polley - One Essex Court ‘ Ferociously bright, a quick reader and absorber of detail and a good draftsman. ’
Leona Powell - Blackstone Chambers ‘ The standout star junior at the commercial fraud bar - no one has a better understanding of fraud cases. ’
Watson Pringle - Maitland Chambers ‘ Rare talent for hunting down the dishonesty and fraud in even the most labyrinthine dispute. A disentangler of complex thickets par excellence. ’
Stephen Robins - South Square
Michael Ryan - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Really practical and commercial, and invariably the first port of contact on the case. ’
Henry Forbes Smith - One Essex Court ‘ Henry is an excellent oral advocate: clear, powerful and persuasive. ’
Ian Smith –33 Chancery Lane ‘He is calm under pressure, thoughtful but robust in his advice, and sensitive to the commercial realities. ’
Victoria Windle - Blackstone Chambers ‘ She provides detailed and reasoned advice that can be easily digested and relayed to clients, and is comfortable in the finer factual details which is invaluable in highly complicated disputes. ’
3
Paul Adams - Serle Court ‘ He is frighteningly bright, yet never anything other than easy and straightforward to deal with. He is a tenacious advocate, and his drafting is also the best I have ever come across (any any level). ’
Simon Adamyk - New Square Chambers ‘ An eye for detail like no other. Simon engages with every aspect of the case. ’
Stuart Benzie - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ Stuart is a proper fighter - excellent for those difficult cases. He knows freezing orders inside out. ’
Alexander Brown - One Essex Court ‘ A very diligent and hard working barrister who has a growing reputation in civil fraud. ’
Joseph England - Quadrant Chambers ‘ He is inventive, bold, and tenacious. Joseph is vastly experienced in fraud but is fearless about taking on any other field or adversary. ’
Bobby Friedman - Wilberforce Chambers ‘ Bobby moves very quickly to deal with urgent cases and has his finger on the pulse of the court when it comes to urgent interim relief. ’
Dan McCourt Fritz - Serle Court ‘ He has considerable experience in fraud matters and displays excellent judgment. Dan gives realistic assessments and advice and has very good tactical awareness and litigation skills. ’
Nicholas Goodfellow - Littleton Chambers ‘ Thorough, calm and brilliant. His attention to detail is first-class and he really is a hidden gem. ’
Alexander Halban - Littleton Chambers ‘ A real all-rounder - extremely bright and versatile, with excellent drafting skills. ’
Philip Hinks - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Someone who is good on law and facts, rolling up his sleeves and producing high quality work. He is particularly good on jurisdiction and freezing orders. ’
Edward Ho - Brick Court Chambers ‘ He has a really first class brain and gets to the crux of an issue very quickly. He gives you solutions. He is very articulate and presents well before judges. ’
Fred Hobson - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Approachable and pragmatic in his outlook. He is also responsive and prepared to listen. A really good senior junior to have on a case. ’
Keir Howie - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ One of the best juniors currently working at the commercial Bar. Fiercely intelligent and an excellent, creative problem solver. ’
Edward Knight - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Incisive, with forensic attention to detail and great with clients. ’
Nico Leslie - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Has very good technical skills and is particularly good when dealing with foreign law, not least through his varied foreign language skills. ’
James McWilliams - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Extremely hardworking and a diligent junior with excellent drafting skills. He is meticulous and his turnover timing is absolutely amazing. ’
Hugh Miall - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has the Midas touch and can spot winning points that others do not. He combines excellent factual analysis with strong interpersonal skills. One to watch. ’
Alexander Milner - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ His strengths are ferocious work ethic, high quality attention to detail, leading CIS region expertise, fantastic cross-examiner and strong paperwork skills. One of the best senior juniors in the City of London for civil fraud disputes. ’
Matthew Morrison - Serle Court ‘ He has an experience and strategic nous way beyond what would be expected at this level; a future QC and/or judge for sure. ’
Faisal Osman - 33 Chancery Lane ‘ Faisal is absolutely standout. He has huge experience of the civil and criminal fields, he is terrific with clients, his courtroom manner is exceptional, and he has a unique ability just to get on with it and to get the job done. ’
Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Great to work with - he focuses in on the key points with an eagle eye, superb draftsman and great advocate. ’
Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A very effective advocate with a gentle style. ’
Shane Sibbel - Blackstone Chambers ‘ He is amazingly clever. Very through and does not miss a point. He spots the weaknesses in the other side's argument and dismantles it. He is an up and coming star. ’
4
Harry Adamson - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Harry has a delightful manner with clients (even when they are very difficult) and an exceptional intellect. ’
Robert Amey - South Square ‘ Robert will dig deep to ascertain and analyse the material facts that will identify the basis for the case. No stone will be unturned, and his pleadings and advocacy reflect this. ’
Adam Baradon - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Thorough, meticulous and impressively committed to the case. He has a sharp instinct for the key details that determine the outcomes of arguments and applications, and turns this into excellent written work and submissions. ’
Tony Beswetherick - Twenty Essex ‘ A great senior junior – leading silks fight to have him as their junior – very capable in handling matters in his own right. ’
Yash Bheeroo - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Yash provides prompt well-thought-out commercial advice - a future star who clearly punches above his weight. ’
Joanne Box   –Brick Court Chambers ‘A rising star of the Bar. Super bright, excellent drafting and a natural instinct for exploiting weaknesses in the other side’s case. ’
Matthew Bradley - 4 New Square ‘ An exceptional advocate, with a flair for cross-examination; he really knows how to tease a response from a witness. ’
Rory Brown - 9 Stone Buildings ‘ Rory is fastidious with detail and has exceptional technical knowledge of fraud and insolvency disputes. Very good in taking on difficult cases and re-shaping them into strong positions. ’
William Buck - Monckton Chambers ‘ William rolls his sleeves up and gets on with it. Straight-talking and creative thinking, he easily does the job of a good QC - he is a good advocate. ’
Daniel Burgess - Blackstone Chambers ‘ A very bright and engaging junior who is a good choice, particularly on Russian/CIS issues. Daniel produces very high quality work and has good communication skills. ’
Alexander Cook - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Extremely bright, responsive and easy to work with. Exceptionally good drafting. Very good attention to detail. ’
Edward Craven - Matrix Chambers ‘ Extremely hard working, responsive and knowledgeable. ’
Stuart Cribb - Essex Court Chambers ‘ An up and coming junior. Very knowledgeable on freezing injunctions. Very thorough and is a confident advocate. Has the answers at his fingertips. ’
William Edwards - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ He is a ferocious advocate, exceptionally articulate and has the judges with him through the ease at which he presents fact and law for the court. ’
Mark Hubbard - New Square Chambers ‘ Highly intelligent and able. Mark provides first-class tactical advice. ’
Timothy Killen - 2 Temple Gardens ‘ Extremely personable. Absolutely no nonsense - Tim gets to the heart of the issues and takes the right points. ’
Chris Langley - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Everything you want in a junior: complete grasp of the issues and the documents, excellent drafting, a good team player and exceptionally pleasant to deal with. ’
Christopher Lloyd - Erskine Chambers ‘ An absolute powerhouse. His legal knowledge is wide and clearly-expressed and his analysis is sharp. His written advocacy is first-rate and - more unusually for junior commercial practitioners - so is his oral advocacy. ’
James MacDonald - One Essex Court ‘ An excellent advocate, and his knowledge of jurisdiction and fraud disputes is first-rate. He works collaboratively with solicitors and is impressive with commercial clients. ’
James Mather - Serle Court ‘ Really thoughtful and considered, and prepared to take on the difficult points and rises to the challenge. ’
Adil Mohamedbhai - Serle Court ‘ A responsive, very commercial and pragmatic barrister. He is a real asset to any team and I find that commercial clients especially appreciate his direct and no nonsense style. ’
Richard Mott - One Essex Court ‘ A brilliant strategic thinker. Always makes himself available and is ready to roll his sleeves up. ’
Tom Mountford - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Extremely calm and measured under pressure, unflappable in the face of urgent requests and applications. He is also extremely bright, regularly identifying solutions to difficult legal issues. ’
Laurence Page - Gatehouse Chambers ‘ Very easy-going and calm, and has a good court presence. He is a pleasure to work alongside. ’
Andrew Pearson - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Always a safe and skilled pair of hands for a fraud case. ’
James Potts - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ He has a great understanding of international fraud disputes. He always knows where the bodies are buried, with a forensic ability at all levels. A delight to have on the team. ’
Kendrah Potts - 4 New Square ‘ Experienced beyond her years of call - reliable and user-friendly, she will be a go to for fraud cases going forward. ’
Samuel Ritchie - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ The perfect barrister - super bright, great advocacy, and a joy to deal with. ’
Edward Sawyer - Wilberforce Chambers ‘ Excellent with clients and very bright, he is an outstanding lawyer. ’
Joseph Sullivan - Quadrant Chambers ‘ A stellar junior who is utterly dependable, hard-working and incredibly quick thinking and incisive. No doubt he will go far. ’
Sarah Tresman - Twenty Essex ‘ A fabulous lawyer, very clever indeed. She is determined to get to the right answer and her no stone unturned approach is just what is needed on high-value cases. ’
Jack Watson - Wilberforce Chambers ‘ Extremely smart, analytical, decisive as well as being user-friendly and approachable: a great asset to any litigation team. ’
William Willson - South Square ‘ Very insightful and lovely with clients. He is very knowledgeable about fraud. ’
Caley Wright - Maitland Chambers ‘ Unflappable: he resolves complicated issues with a calm and professional manner. Clients trust him with good reason. ’

Rising Stars

Ian Bergson - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Extremely clever and his knowledge of the law is remarkable. He is also incredibly hard-working, which makes for a very effective combination. ’
Sam Goodman - Twenty Essex ‘ Miles ahead of his peers, and often his seniors; a great barrister to work with in all respects. ’
Oliver Jones - Serle Court ‘ A superb lawyer and a huge asset to any team. Great with clients, very clever, very hard-working and efficient. ’
Tim Matthewson - Wilberforce Chambers ‘ Tim is as clever as he is diligent. He has a prodigious work ethic and his drafting is impeccable. ’
Oscar Schonfeld - One Essex Court ‘ Gives nuanced, intelligent advice on civil fraud cases and can navigate complex jurisdictional issues with great skill. He is also a pleasure to work with. ’
Timothy Sherwin - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Helpful and bright with a good future. ’
Andrew Trotter - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Clever and very hard working. His written work is excellent. He turns work around very quickly and provides clear, sensible and pragmatic advice. ’
Felix Wardle - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A great team player. Felix has superb black letter knowledge. Very smart and great work ethic. A star of the future. ’
Ben Woolgar - Brick Court Chambers ‘ A very confident and aggressive junior barrister who presses home winning points with tenacity. A pleasure to work with and one to watch for the future. ’

Fraud: civil in London Bar

3 Verulam Buildings

3 Verulam Buildings is praised for its 'considerable strength and depth of talent in the civil fraud area'. Combined with their acknowledged strengths in  banking and financial services matters, the members provide a compelling mix of expertise in complex financial fraud claims as well as broader international disputes. Major cases include the long running Tatneft v Bogolyubov & Others in which Ewan McQuater QC and Matthew Parker QC successfully represented the defendant. SKAT v Solo Capital Partners LLP - a case concerning an alleged cum-ex trading system which the Danish tax authorities claim defrauded it of £1.5bn - also involved senior and junior members such as Andrew Onslow QC and David Head QC, acting on behalf of numerous defendants, including those represented by DWF.

Testimonials

Set

‘3VB is an excellent set. All Counsel have great expertise, from pupils to QCs. The juniors are particularly excellent.’

‘3VB is an excellent set for commercial litigation, including civil fraud matters. I have worked with, and against, several barristers from the set and they have been of a high calibre. The clerks are good too.’

‘3VB is a favourite set. It combines excellent counsel with superb clerking.’

‘A number of excellent practitioners who punch above their call. ‘

‘Top of the range set with strength in depth amongst its leaders and juniors. Our go to set for complex financial fraud work and urgent matters.’

Clerking

‘Richard Ansell is always a great help and goes the extra mile to assist.’

‘The clerks are very responsive and helpful. Nothing is too much trouble for them.’

‘Stephen Penson is an impressive practice manager.’

‘A really friendly bunch of clerks, with good service provided.’

‘The clerks are great. Stuart Pullum, their head clerk, is the person I mostly deal with. He’s a lovely man. Very commercial and sensible.’

Blackstone Chambers

Blackstone Chambers has 'some exceptional fraud advocates' and is commended for being 'very strong from top to bottom'. Civil fraud has always been a key area of focus, and this is reflected in the calibre of cases that the silks and juniors are regularly instructed on. Members often work together on cases, as was the case in Organic Grape Spirit Limited v Nueva IQT where Tom Weisselberg QC and Peter Head successfully represented the appellant in a case with major implications for freezing orders applied to emerging businesses. Another highlight was Privatbank v Kolomoisky and ors in which Robert Anderson QC and Andrew Hunter QC were co-lead counsel for claimant Ukrainian bank.

Testimonials

Set

‘Blackstone Chambers is the leading set in commercial and fraud litigation, housing some of the finest barristers in the UK and highly efficient clerks. Their first rate webinars are also extremely informative and much appreciated across the industry.’

‘Blackstone has some exceptional fraud advocates. ‘

‘Blackstone Chambers is a first-rate set, and I have never been disappointed by their members or clerks. ‘

‘Blackstone is right in the top rank of chambers for commercial fraud.’

‘Blackstone Chambers are excellent across the board. Whenever the first choice is unavailable, they produce a list of excellent alternatives who never let you down and who then become regular counsel of choice.’

Clerking

‘Adam Fuschillo is particularly easy to deal with and very responsive.’

‘The clerks are responsive and deal with queries promptly.’

‘The clerks at Blackstone go above and beyond in terms of flexibility, communication and transparency.’

‘The clerking is a dream; friendly, helpful, understanding and their fee levels are commercially realistic for such a top chambers. Derek Sutton is just superb to work with and the eminent Gary Oliver is friendly and supportive in every way possible.’

‘Always excellent. Adam Sloane is very user-friendly and always available.’

Brick Court Chambers

Brick Court Chambers is 'one of the top sets for civil fraud with very strong bench from juniors to top preforming QCs'. The set's members are regularly involved on a broad range of fraud disputes, including major cross-border matters. A particularly high profile matter were Federal Republic of Nigeria v JPMorgan; and Federal Republic of Nigeria v Shell plc, Eni SPA and others, arising from an allegedly fraudulent schem to sell the rights to a Nigerian oil block to a Shell/Eni consortium in 2011, in which Roger Masefield QC is leading Richard Blakeley and Ben Woolgar for the Nigerian government. Meanwhile, Tim Lord QC and Fred Hobson act for three of the defendants, Guenther Klar, Europa LLP and Khajuraho, in SKAT v Solo Capital Partners and 160 Others. Neil Calver QC's departure to the bench was offset by the arrival of Vernon Flynn QC from Essex Court Chambers.

Testimonials

Set

‘Very commercial and reliable set, user-friendly and keen to assist with getting the right people in place on the right matters.’

‘Excellent set with real strength in depth.’

‘One of the top sets for civil fraud with very strong bench from juniors to top preforming QCs.’

‘Powerful set with massive strength in depth and across disciplines.’

‘Excellent set of chambers, I consider them a real go-to set for civil fraud and commercial litigation work.’

Clerking

‘Jo Francis is very good.’

‘Always excellent and Tony Burgess a standout.’

‘Excellent service.’

‘Always very professional and easy to deal with. Will Jackman is a real standout – very proactive and commercial.’

‘Tony Burgess is a good relationship-builder.’

Essex Court Chambers

Essex Court Chambers is 'the leading set for large, complex civil fraud cases', commended for its 'number of very impressive individuals, and huge strength in depth'. Silks such as Paul McGrath QC and Joe Smouha QC are among the most eminent practitioners in the field, and Smouha QC represented Mozambique in The Republic of Mozambique v Credit Suisse, Privinvest, and others, the 'tuna bond' scandal involving allegations of $200m in bribes, alongside Nathan Pillow QC and leading a team that includes Ciaran Keller.  A highlight for McGrath QC has been The Libyan Investment Authority v Credit Suisse International, GLG Partners Asset Management Ltd & Ors, in which he is leading Ruth den Besten on behalf of GLG Partners, in a claim involving allegations of bribes paid to secure a $200m investment into funds. Vernon Flynn QC left to join Brick Court Chambers.

Testimonials

Set

‘Excellent strength in depth – they really are pre-eminent in this area.’

‘Excellent recent fraud conference series and lots of great barristers in this area.’

‘ Superb for complex fraud. ‘

‘A magic circle set, with a particular strength in civil fraud and asset recovery. Reliably excellent, I am happy using barristers there that I have not worked with before.’

‘They are the ‘go to’ fraud chambers, in a category of their own when it comes to civil fraud.’

Clerking

‘Jack Wood is consistently outstanding. He delivers an extremely high level of service to solicitor clients: he combines a can-do attitude with a pragmatic commercial approach to ensure that the right counsel is instructed. If I ever have a tricky case or a last minute issue, Jack is my first call.’

‘Clerking is excellent – particularly Kevin Grubb.’

‘Top of class – proactive, available, and nothing is too much trouble. A special mention goes to Joe Ferrigno, who sets the standard for modern clerking.’

‘Ben Perry has looked after my instructions to Counsel for years. He took the time to understand my practice and take an interest in my business as it grew, as well as assist me in instructing Counsel at Essex Court. First rate!’

‘Refreshingly clear and straightforward.’

Fountain Court Chambers

Fountain Court Chambers is 'undoubtedly one of the premier league sets at the Bar for this type of work', and is particularly well noted for financial services and banking-related fraud claims, as well as an increasing crossover into criminal law. Jeffrey Chapman QC is becoming an increasingly prominent figure in this area, as reflected in his advice to Wirecard, in Manek v Wirecard, where he has been leading up-and-coming junior Samuel Ritchie in the successful strikeout of fraud allegations against senior Wirecard executives concerning the acquisition of the Indian payments business Hermes.  Stephen Rubin QC is another top tier silk with a fantastic reputation, and has been leading Alexander Milner in Motorola Corporation v Hytera Corporation, in which they are advising Hytera in a freezing order that raises important issues as to without prejudice correspondence and Chabra relief.

Testimonials

Set

‘Strong set. Still comfortably premier league.’

‘Fountain Court is my “go to” set of chambers. I always know that I will get a very able, legally astute and commercially minded barrister. They very rarely have no one available to deal with any time sensitive cases.’

‘They are absolutely top tier for complex fraud disputes.’

‘Fountain Court Chambers has a number of very strong counsel in the civil fraud area.’

‘Strength in depth, particularly at QC level. Excellent clerking team.’

Clerking

‘I have always found the clerks to be very helpful and well connected within the Courts.’

‘Excellent. The clerks are always willing to go that extra mile to help with any issue or case that we have. Reiss Nott and Richard Evans stand out.’

‘The clerks are responsive and helpful, Alfie Harper and Chloe Gibbs in particular.’

‘Alex Taylor and Sian Huckett offer a first class clerking service.’

‘I have always found the clerks to be incredibly helfpul and responsive, in particular, Reiss Nott who I have worked with many times. Even if he is not responsible for the particular counsel I am working with, he always ensures that there is appropriate levels of support. My experience with all clerks at Fountain Court has been excellent and it makes my job significantly easier. ‘

One Essex Court

One Essex Court is a regular top choice for the largest civil fraud claims and ‘has a large number of talented barristers at every level of seniority and seems to have a particularly strong pipeline of talent in its junior ranks‘. The quality of the barristers is reflected in the calibre of the cases they are instructed on, often working together in large teams. The most high profile matter of recent years has been ACL Netherlands BV (as successor to Autonomy Corporation Limited) & Ors v Lynch & Another, concerning allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation prior to Autonomy’s takeover by Hewlett Packard, in which Laurence Rabinowitz QC and Conall Patton QC represented the claimants. Neil Kitchener QC and Richard Mott also represented 58 institutional investors in OMERS Administration Corporation and others v Tesco Plc, concerning Tesco’s profit overstatement. The case, which had Rabinowitz QC and Patton QC on the other side, settled in in 2020.

Testimonials

Set

‘Top draw set for big ticket commercial litigation and civil fraud. They have real strength in depth at every level. Wonderful ability to develop their juniors into top quality QCs.’

‘An excellent set for civil fraud with excellent practitioner at all levels.’

‘First class in every respect. The depth of talent across the range of barristers – from most junior to most senior – is impressive.’

‘One Essex Court is a go-to set for the most complex and demanding cross-border litigation in the Commercial Court. The members of Chambers work effectively together, and are willing to get involved in the detail with their instructing solicitors, which produces a formidable team.’

‘One Essex Court has a strong civil fraud practice with a number of excellent practitioners at all levels.’

Clerking

‘High quality clerking team. Very responsive and clear.’

‘Probably the best in the city. First rate service, very polite and professional – particular standouts are Ben O’Hanlon, David Amdor and Rob Smith.’

‘The clerking team is superb. Darren Burrows is extremely responsive and always willing to go the extra mile to help. Rob Smith is also excellent.’

‘The clerks are responsive, courteous and proactive. Ben O’Hanlon and David Amdor are particular stars.’

‘A great clerks room. Darren Burrows and Jackie Ginty are superb. Adam Wheeler is a pleasure to deal with and very much up and coming.’

Serle Court

Serle Court is 'superbly skillful at all levels and a great team from clerks to QCs'. The set has long been a leading force in civil fraud, combined with its strong expertise in offshore and trusts related disputes. Several members, including chambers head Elizabeth Jones QC , Justin Higgo QC and  Paul Adams, represented the claimants in Glenn v Watson & Ors, a multi-jurisdictional fraud dispute concerning the deceitful execution of a joint venture agreement, in which the first defendant was committed for contempt in 2020. Philip Marshall QC is also leading Simon Hattan for one of the defendants, Kamran Amouzegar, in The Public Institution for Social Security v Al-Rajaan, an $800 million case concerning an alleged embezzlement of Kuwait's state pension fund, in which the team successfully challenged the jurisdiction of the English Court with an appeal due to be heard in 2022.

Testimonials

Set

‘Serle are clearly a significant force in a range of Commercial and Chancery work. They have undoubted strength in depth as their juniors are well known and highly regarded.’

‘Serle Court are an absolutely first rate set. The quality of the barristers I have worked with there has been uniformly high and their breadth of expertise within the area is impressive. I would highly recommend them to anyone.’

‘Strength in depth in all commercial areas.’

‘Serle Court is one of the best sets around. Always in my list when I’m seeking to instruct a barrister.’

‘The set has been a top set for many years.’

Clerking

‘The clerks are fantastic! Emma Quin is always friendly and helpful. The clerks at Serle Court really do go the extra mile to assist and always try to understand the needs of a project.’

‘The clerks are very organised and easy and straightforward to deal with. They make every effort to guarantee availability of counsel and are sensible in discussions over quotations.’

‘Steve Whitaker is very good.’

‘Nick Hockney is always charming and will go the extra mile for me.’

‘The clerks I dealt with (including Steve Whitaker and Charlie Payne) were fantastic. They were knowledgeable about court process and efficient.’

Maitland Chambers

Maitland Chambers has an excellent reputation for civil fraud, built upon its impressive Chancery foundations. The talent is especially strong at the mid-career level, with several first rate junior and mid-level silks, backed up by an impressive roster of juniors. High profile cases include Addlesee v Dentons LLP, where Thomas Grant QC led Thomas Munby on behalf of the claimant group in a large group action before the Court of Appeal involving claims of  fraud, negligence and questions of legal professional privilege against the law firm over losses from a gold dust investment scheme. David Mumford QC is also building a superb reputation and is representing the defendant against freezing order proceedings in Convoy Collateral Ltd v Cho, with Richard Morgan QC on the opposing side. George Hayman QC and Benjamin John are on a team of five members representing Vitaly Orlov in Tugushev v Orlov and Others, the long-running saga concerning the ownership of fishing company Norebo.

Testimonials

Set

‘Maitland are great to deal with. I have no hesitation in placing them right at the top of my list whenever I am looking for counsel.’

‘Maitland are an excellent chambers in civil fraud. ‘

‘Maitland remains a leading set for Chancery and commercial work. Barristers at all levels are able and great to work with.’

‘The set is brimming with the very best barristers – they are knowledgeable, hard-working and very experienced.’

‘Maitland Chambers are extremely capable and are my go to for assistance.

Clerking

‘Clerks are very responsive and commercial – Danny Wilkinson will do whatever can be done to get the job done.’

‘The clerks are great. John Wiggs is a real gentleman, whose views and recommendations I really trust.’

‘Very efficient. Rio-Louise Sully and Danny Wilkinson are a pleasure to work with.’

‘The clerking team are very helpful and practical, and adept at dealing with the Court. ‘

‘Their head clerk John Wiggs always ensures we are very well looked after – they never seem to fail to feed someone talented no matter our demands.’

Twenty Essex

Twenty Essex is 'a very strong set with a wide range of experiences ranging from top-notch QCs to extremely able juniors starting out on their careers'. Civil fraud claims regularly feature on the agenda, often with a link to the set's traditional strengths in trade, commodities, and international arbitration, as well as other areas of growth such as banking, insolvency and offshore claims. Six members  represented the defendants against fraudulent conspiracy claims brought by two Russian banks in PJSC National Bank Trust and PJSC Otkritie Bank Financial Corporation v Mints, with Philip Edey QC and Andrew Fulton QC representing Boris Mints, and Duncan Matthews QC defending his son, Igor Mints. Paul Lowenstein QC is also representing Standard Chartered in Standard Chartered Bank and another v Holdwave Trading Ltd and another, a fraud case involving accusations of money laundering.

Testimonials

Set

‘Twenty Essex are a formidable set with real depth and breadth of talent, both in arbitration as well as litigation.’

‘They are reliable and dependable and have a very good crew on board.’

‘Always have strong barristers to put forward for any matter.’

‘Clearly a leading set for civil fraud.’

‘A fantastic set, usually my first port of call.’

Clerking

‘Chris Theobald at Twenty Essex is an outstanding clerk who understands instructing solicitors’ demands and commercial objectives.’

‘Excellent. Tara Shah is an excellent clerk. Pleasure to work with.’

‘The clerks are great and will deal with queries promptly.’

‘Extremely helpful and experienced clerks. Good availability and, when required, will go the extra mile.’

‘Excellent, with a special mention to Chris Theobald who is always available and willing to assist.’

Wilberforce Chambers

Wilberforce Chambers is 'an excellent set with a deep bench of experience'. In addition to the high-quality silks and juniors, clients also appreciate the set's infrastructure which is well placed to handle fast-moving fraud claims. Coupled with this is the set's excellent standing for offshore disputes, where it is among the very best in London. Alan Gourgey QC has an excellent reputation in this field and is currently leading Jack Watson on behalf of the a Russian bank in liquidation in Vneshprombank v Bedzhamov, in which a ten-week trial involving claims of conspiracy and fraud is set for early 2022. Another leading figure is John Wardell QC who, alongside Thomas Lowe QC and Watson, was representing AHAB in its epic two-decade, $128 billion fraud dispute, AHAB v Saad Investments Company Limited, which was awaiting its Cayman Islands Appeal Court judgment at press time against several outstanding defendants, having agreed a settlement with Saad in October 2020.

Testimonials

Set

‘Have some excellent barristers in the civil fraud, international asset recovery and insolvency areas.’

‘We use Wilberforce chambers on a regular basis and will continue to do so – they have an impressive depth and breadth to their practice.’

‘A great set with real strength in depth; all the barristers there are really easy to work with and great at what they do.’

‘Excellent set; my go to set. Very deep bench of experience.’

‘Wilberforce a are great set of specialists in serious fraud matters.’

Clerking

‘Really commercial and practical, they look to meet your and the clients’ needs at every opportunity.’

‘Pleasant, capable and professional. I have been particularly impressed by Nancy Lee.’

‘Clerks are fantastic at fraud matters as they have a seemingly direct line to the Court to get urgent matters dealt with. Andrew Barnes and Ben Rippengale in particular.’

‘The clerks are always helpful and put themselves out to be responsive and help with listing issues. I have dealt in particular with Harvey Scott who always responds quickly and bends over backwards to find a solution if help is needed.’

‘The clerks’ room provides an excellent level of service. They’re all really responsive and always seem happy to help. Nicholas Luckman has shown himself to be sensible on fees and my day-to-day dealings with clerks such as Harvey Scott, Luke Farmer, Andrew Barnes and Antonia Matthew has been hassle-free and effective.’

XXIV Old Buildings

XXIV Old Buildings is one of the premier sets for offshore disputes, and this invariably feeds into its members experience in large-scale civil fraud claims, with silks and juniors both coming highly recommended. Steven Thompson QC has a strong reputation in this area and is facing off against Edward Cumming QC in Kazakhstan Kagazy v Martin, in which the defendant is accused of taking a bonus from money that he allegedly knew was stolen from the claimant.  The set also fields a selection of extremely experienced senior juniors, including Stuart Adair who is representing a shareholder and director, John McCarthy, in the case of Re Emerald Meats (London) Limited, an insolvency involving allegations of fraud, in which Alan Steinfeld QC is on the opposing side, representing another shareholder and director.

Testimonials

Set

‘XXIV are my go to Commercial Chancery set. I am usually working with two or three of their barristers at any time and will always consider them for complex trusts, fraud and off-shore work.’

‘XXIV is an extraordinary set. They work well as a team offering good QC and junior combinations thus providing the client with real value.’

‘XXIV is a really good set, full of extremely bright people who manage to avoid veering into being grand about it.’

‘XXIV Old Buildings have a lot of QCs who are experienced in offshore cases.’

‘XXIV have for many years been one of the premier sets with a focus on the offshore market. They have the sort of strength and depth that one would expect in this area.’

Clerking

‘Paul Horsfield in particular is extremely user friendly and conscientious.’

‘The set is well served by its clerks.’

‘Great clerks, responsive and helpful.’

‘Paul Horsfeld is incredibly responsive and polite and has his finger on the pulse of the market.’

‘A first rate clerking team who are straightforward and easy to deal with.’

4 Stone Buildings

4 Stone Buildings' combined strengths in commercial and Chancery cases make it a compelling choice for major fraud trials. The overlap into areas such as offshore, insolvency, and company law also ensures its members offer clients a broad spread of relevant expertise. Testament to the strengths of its members are leading roles on major cases such as Autonomy Corporation v Lynch, a case concerning the Hewlett-Packard's purchase of the company, in which Richard Hill QC lead a team of three members on behalf of the defendant; the civil litigation sits against a backdrop of the US government's request for Lynch's extradition. Jonathan Crow QC was instructed by the Secretary of State for Health in Secretary of State for Health v Servier Laboratories Ltd, which went to the Supreme Court following the claim that Servier had overcharged the NHS, having allegedly wrongly secured extensions to its patents.

Testimonials

Set

‘4 Stone Buildings are a top flight set of barristers with real depth of quality and experience. They are consistently at the top end of reported cases and are a first port of call for almost all matters.’

‘Stone Buildings has several excellent senior barristers to fill the shoes of Robert Miles QC, who has now joined the bench. They are particularly strong on Chancery matters but are comfortable with commercial cases as well.’

Clerking

‘Very efficient and helpful.’

‘David Goddard runs a tight, responsive ship.’

‘Excellent. David Goddard has been ably assisted over more recent times and their clerking is both sensitive as well as pragmatic.’

‘Ben Lashmar is an excellent clerk and looks after us very well.’

7 King's Bench Walk

7 King's Bench Walk is 'a really good set with several top notch practitioners' who are rapidly building a strong presence in the civil fraud space. Silks such as David Allen QC are especially active in this area, as demonstrated by his role on PDVSA Servicios SA v Petrosaudi Oil Services in which he is leading Michael Ryan in the defence of PetroSaudi - a case concerning the enforcement of an arbitration award, where it is alleged that funds earmarked to pay it are proceeds of the 1MDB fraud. Another highlight was the Brilliante Virtuoso case, a shipping insurance claim involving allegations of a fake Somali pirate attack, in which Jonathan Gaisman QC , Richard Waller QC and Keir Howie represented the insurers.

Testimonials

Set

‘7KBW has an excellent up and coming civil fraud practice. One of our go-to sets.’

‘Excellent set – highest quality.’

‘7 KBW are a very good set with strength in depth from QCs down to Juniors. They offer excellent email circulars on recent developments in case law and industry updates.’

‘Strength in depth at all levels and very user friendly. They have an excellent range of talented juniors.’

‘They are keen to develop their fraud offering and given that they have some very clever commercial counsel and are increasingly involved in major fraud cases, I think they will achieve success in developing into a leading set in the area.’

Clerking

‘A great team of senior clerks with real strength in depth.’

‘The clerks room at 7KBW are old school – they go out of their way to help solicitors. They also charge sensibly!’

‘Particular praise to Gary Rose, who is amazing at what he does.’

‘Bernie Hyatt – Hugely experienced. Very clear when agreeing brief fees.’

‘The clerks’ room at 7KBW provide an efficient and friendly service. They are extremely professional and adapted well to remote working. I have worked predominantly with Bernie Hyatt and Gary Rose who are both provide an excellent service.’

South Square

South Square has a good track record for major fraud disputes, particularly those with a significant insolvency or offshore component - areas in which the set excels. The set's members can regularly be found on some of the largest cases to hit the market. Tom Smith QC has made an especially good name for himself in this area and is lead counsel (with Richard Fisher QC and Robert Amey in support) to the Madoff feeder fund, Primeo, in its billion dollar claim against its former administrator and custodian, HSBC, for fraud and negligence. Smith QC and Felicity Toube QC are also representing the Abu Dhabi-headquartered and formerly London-listed health care company, NMC Group, and its administrators, on fraud issues emanating from its administration.

Testimonials

Set

‘We work a lot with South Square, particularly on large scale complex commercial litigation and insolvency cases, usually with an international element. They are also strong on fraud cases.’

‘South Square has a very strong bench for civil fraud lawyers.’

‘They are an excellent insolvency and chancery set.’

Clerking

‘The clerks at South Square are responsive, and Marco Malatesta is commercial and practical in all my dealings with him.’

‘The South Square clerks are always extremely responsive and helpful.’

‘Excellent service.’

‘The clerks are friendly and responsive.’