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Leading Silks

Peter Arden KCErskine Chambers ‘Peter is one of the leaders in the field. Extremely knowledgeable and very thorough.'
Jonathan Crow KC4 Stone Buildings ‘Star performer – one of the strongest silks in the commercial chancery field who is also known for his insolvency work.’
Peter Shaw KC9 Stone Buildings ‘A superb advocate – calm, measured and technically brilliant.’
Alan Steinfeld KCXXIV Old Buildings 'Incredibly bright, determined in court, commands respect and charismatic.'
Catherine Addy KCMaitland Chambers 'She is frighteningly bright but commercial, approachable and above all incredibly effective. Catherine has a superb court room manner and is a tenacious and persuasive advocate.'
David Allison KCSouth Square 'David is an exceptionally strong advocate and his experience of acting on schemes of arrangement and restructuring plans is pretty much unparalleled in the market.'
David Chivers KCErskine Chambers ‘David provides his clients with detailed knowledge of the law and practical analysis and problem-solving.'
Lexa Hilliard KCWilberforce Chambers 'Lexa is extremely well regarded by instructing solicitors and those she represents and delivers top quality work.'
Philip Jones KCSerle Court 'Tactically very shrewd, and knows how to exploit an opponents weaknesses.'
Philip Marshall KCSerle Court ‘Philip is at the very top of the commercial and chancery Bar.’
Ewan McQuater KC3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very intelligent and insightful, he knows what will appeal to a judge and how best to approach an application or case with a view to achieving the client's objectives and getting a good result.'
Mark Phillips KCSouth Square 'Mark is an excellent trial lawyer and always relishes the challenge - exactly who you want acting for you when the rest of the courtroom is opposing you.'
Marcia Shekerdemian KCWilberforce Chambers 'Marcia is thorough, clear and precise. She is a fountain of knowledge and is very good with the client.'
Francis Tregear KCXXIV Old Buildings 'Very sharp brain, can translate complex issues and theories into easily understandable and digestible for the client. Excellent rapport with judges who respect his straightforward approach.'
Daniel Bayfield KCSouth Square ‘Clever, an excellent advocate and very user-friendly. Daniel prepares meticulously for hearings.’
Adrian Beltrami KC3 Verulam Buildings ‘At the top of his game - his intellect and established credibility is such that the judiciary clearly take note in hearings when he makes submissions.’
John Brisby KC4 Stone Buildings ‘Good strategic insights, a wealth of experience and excellent in empathising with clients while at the same time delivering honest messages.'
Simon Davenport KC - 4 Pump Court ‘A particularly strong advocate, especially in cross examination.’
Glen Davis KCSouth Square ‘A very clever and senior silk who rolls up his sleeves and gets deep into the detail. A great choice for insolvency.’
Robert Levy KCXXIV Old Buildings 'An excellent advocate, very persuasive with the court and one of the best cross-examiners. He is a delight to work with.'
Elspeth Talbot Rice KCXXIV Old Buildings ‘She has presence and combines intellect, hard work and forcefulness.'
Stephen Moverley Smith KCXXIV Old Buildings 'Stephen is a first-class barrister. He is able to get up to speed with really complicated matters quickly and provide clear concise advice.'
Tom Smith KCSouth Square 'Tom is brilliant. He’s very clever but understated and very much ready to work as part of a team. His advocacy is incredibly effective - a superb trial advocate.'
Felicity Toube KCSouth Square 'She is an intellectual heavyweight and her commercial nous is second to none. Her ability to turn a judge in her favour in very difficult cases is astonishing.'
Raquel Agnello KCErskine Chambers 'A very effective and responsive advocate.'
David Alexander KCSouth Square ‘Gets on top of all the facts. Very effective cross-examiner.’
Mark Arnold KCSouth Square ‘Mark is one of the most senior and experienced insolvency KCs at the Bar. He is exceptionally thorough and extremely clear in his advocacy.’
Stephen Atherton KCTwenty Essex ‘Stephen is clearly an expert on insolvency.‘
Andrew De Mestre KC - 4 Stone Buildings 'He is highly intelligent and able to distil the points of significance from voluminous papers with astonishing clarity.'
Richard Fisher KCSouth Square ‘Richard is clearly on top of his game and the field. When you have him on the team, judges listen.'
Andreas Gledhill KCBlackstone Chambers 'Andreas is a good advocate and has good analytical skills.'
Matthew Hardwick KC3 Verulam Buildings ‘Without a doubt, one of the most brilliant and sharpest barristers in the city. His cross examination skills and ability to pick a witness apart and persuade judges are extremely impressive.'
Barry Isaacs KCSouth Square ‘Incredibly bright and thorough, and able to focus in on the key issues. Barry really rolls his sleeves up and cares about delivering excellence.’
Hugh Jory KC4 New Square Hugh is a stand out advocate. His preparation and ability to grasp oversight and understanding of the issues is second to none.
Daniel Lightman KCSerle Court ‘His advocacy style is calm, considered and utterly persuasive. He is responsive, reassuring and technically astute as well as being extremely bright.'
Clare Stanley KCWilberforce Chambers ‘Clare's grip of what the court will ultimately be interested and how to make the most of it in her client's favour is very impressive.’
Steven Thompson KCXXIV Old Buildings ‘Steven is highly experienced in this field and with his offshore expertise is a great asset on any case involving aspects of insolvency.’
James Bailey KCWilberforce ChambersJames has great attention to detail, he is very clear in dealing with clients and is not afraid to take the lead in cases.'
Christopher Boardman KCRadcliffe Chambers ‘Chris has a very sharp and incisive mind. He also has excellent advocacy skills and is always a bright and reassuring influence.'
George Bompas KC4 Stone Buildings ‘George is a creative lawyer who is excellent on the law.’
Edward Cumming KCXXIV Old Buildings ‘Charming leader and a very motivated junior silk.’
Michael Gibbon KCMaitland Chambers ‘Technically excellent, commercial and innovative.'
Blair Leahy KCTwenty Essex ‘Blair is always on top of the detail, but at the same time takes a holistic approach to the matter more generally.'
Bridget Lucas KCFountain Court Chambers ‘Bridget is a real star. She is sensible, commercial and innovative.’
Lyndsey de Mestre KCXXIV Old Buildings ‘She is extremely well prepared, very efficient, drafts beautifully and has a brilliant manner.‘
Martin Moore KCErskine Chambers ‘Martin's advice is clear, precise and succinct.’
Terence Mowschenson KCWilberforce Chambers ‘Terence is persuasive and very good with cross-examination of difficult witnesses.’
James Pickering KCEnterprise Chambers ‘James is an exceptional advocate with a brilliant attention to detail and his understanding of insolvency law is second to none.’
James Potts KCErskine Chambers ‘Extremely thorough and knowledgeable.’
Jamie Riley KC - 3 Verulam Buildings 'Jamie knows insolvency inside out, is a team player and provides clear and compelling advice.'
Sharif Shivji KC4 Stone Buildings ‘Proactive, ridiculously intelligent and hard working.'
Andrew Sutcliffe KC3 Verulam Buildings 'A first class barrister and a superb advocate with an excellent court room manner.'
Andrew Thompson KCErskine Chambers ‘Extremely intelligent and excellent feel for the strengths and merits of the case.'
Ben Valentin KCFountain Court Chambers ‘Superb legal and strategic intellect. Perhaps one of the best advocates at the English Bar at this moment.’
Ian Wilson KC3 Verulam Buildings ‘His advice showed a thorough and careful analysis of the law.’

2021 Silks

Hermann Boeddinghaus KC4 Stone Buildings ‘Hermann provides commercial and first rate advice to clients.'
Joseph Curl KC9 Stone Buildings ‘His preparation is second to none and he has an exceptional ability to respond to any question or challenge by a judge in a comprehensive and persuasive manner.'
Adam Kramer KC3 Verulam Buildings ‘Adam is a real star in the making. Clever, responsive and commercial.'
Tom Poole KC3 Hare Court ‘Excellent under pressure and gives clear advice. Will be a very strong and saught-after KC.’

2022 Silks

Matthew Weaver KC –Radcliffe Chambers 'Extremely client facing and accessible, he performs very well in contested situations on his feet and is able to easily grasp the commerciality of what is required.'
Matthew Weaver KCRadcliffe Chambers ‘Matt is a go-to barrister. He is incredibly smart but also commercial and understands what the clients want from the proceedings.’

2023 Silks

Alexander Cook KC4 Stone Buildings 'Superb advocacy and attention to detail. Meticulous preparation he is often instructed against silks.'
Ben Shaw KCErskine Chambers ‘Ben is very approachable and works very well as part of a team.'

Leading Juniors

Stuart AdairXXIV Old Buildings ‘He is very knowledgeable in this area and methodical and balanced in the presentation of his case.'
Adam Al-AttarSouth Square 'He's a fantastic advocate - considered, clear and persuasive.’
Henry PhillipsSouth Square ‘Henry is an absolute star. He is extremely responsive and user friendly, and he provides work of the highest quality.’
Lloyd TamlynSouth Square ‘Lloyd's work is beyond compare.’
David Eaton TurnerNew Square Chambers 'David clearly has a wealth of insolvency knowledge and brought a calming presence to a couple of tricky situations, which were expertly navigated.'
Alex BardenFountain Court Chambers 'Excellent advocate. Tactically astute and a tough opponent.'
Adam DeacockRadcliffe Chambers ‘He is meticulous and confident.’
Adam GoodisonSouth Square 'He is very clear in his analysis, right on top of the law and procedure and is clearly very well respected and trusted by the courts.'
Kavan GunaratnaEnterprise Chambers ‘Kavan is an absolute superstar. Exceedingly clever, with a superb eye for detail and work ethic, and with excellent advocacy skills.'
Tina KyriakidesRadcliffe Chambers 'Tina's detail focused and commercial approach is brilliant to work with.'
James MatherSerle Court 'James is very cerebral and considered. A clear and persuasive advocate.'
Tiran Nersessian4 Stone Buildings ‘Clearly very intellectual and is a sharp operator in respect of insolvency related matters and relevant legislation.'
William WillsonSouth Square ‘William is hard working, approachable and exceptionally bright.'
John BriggsSouth Square ‘Technically proficient and very pragmatic.'
Sarah ClarkeGatehouse Chambers 'Sarah has a very good eye for detail, and provides thorough and insightful written advice.'
Reuben ComiskeyRadcliffe Chambers ‘Thorough and gives careful consideration to legal issues.'
James CouserThree Stone 'James is a really good junior. He is very experienced in insolvency matters and always has a firm grasp of all the issues quickly.’
Rosanna FoskettMaitland Chambers 'Rosanna is very impressive: hard-working, thorough and bright.'
Christopher Harrison4 Stone Buildings ‘Christopher is a diligent, decisive, strategic, whip-smart barrister.'
Olivier KalfonMaitland Chambers  'Olivier is an all-rounder with no obvious weaknesses.'
Jonathan LopianNew Square Chambers 'Jonathan is a very smart barrister with a firm grasp of legal principles and authorities at his fingertips.'
Dawn McCambleyRadcliffe Chambers ‘Dawn is a pleasure to work with and extremely knowledgeable on insolvency matters.'
Niall McCullochEnterprise Chambers 'Niall is a sound choice for complex insolvency disputes.'
Rebecca PageMaitland Chambers ‘Rebecca is fantastic - very clever, very responsive, very commercial.'
Elaine PalserOuter Temple Chambers ‘Elaine has unique experience in both insolvency and professional negligence matters.'
Matthew ParfittErskine Chambers 'Matthew has an incredibly deep knowledge of company law matters, which sets him apart from his peers in insolvency-related work.'
Georgina PetersSouth Square ‘Georgina is super sharp and one of the most hard working barristers.'
Tom Shepherd4 New Square 'Tom is extremely competitive and really wants to win his cases but he is also realistic and gives great service.'
Jonathan TitmussGatehouse Chambers ‘Jon is a supremely talented member of the Bar whose insolvency expertise is second to none.’
Matthew AbrahamSouth Square ‘An absolutely first class junior. Bright and energetic, he expresses his views. A pleasure to work with.’
Nicola AllsopQuadrant Chambers ‘Nicola is an excellent communicator and offers timely and clear legal advice.'
Rory Brown9 Stone Buildings ‘A good strategist who is attentive to detail and excellent on documents.’
Sri CarmichaelWilberforce Chambers ‘Sri is a superb and quick thinking advocate who handles tricky situations in court with ease.’
Charlotte CookeSouth Square ‘A very capable insolvency barrister with a calm, smooth style.’
Ben GriffithsErskine Chambers ‘A first class junior. His calm and measured advocacy was highly effective.'
Katherine HallettThree Stone ‘Kate's advice is always concise, well thought out and deals with all aspects of the case including those not previously envisaged.’
Marcus HaywoodSouth Square 'Marcus is very responsive, his advice is clear, concise and practical, and he really fights the client's corner.'
Peter Head – Blackstone Chambers 'Peter is an exceptionally able junior who brings a great deal of legal imagination and a careful forensic mind to his cases.'
Philip Hinks3 Verulam Buildings ‘Calm practical and thorough advice delivered quickly. Phil is good on his feet and always on top of his brief.'
Clara Johnson – South Square  ‘Clara is so obviously an expert in the area of insolvency, she quietly exudes confidence and is completely unflappable.'
Simon JohnsonEnterprise Chambers ‘Simon is an excellent insolvency junior, with an encyclopaedic grasp of the law and a calm and assured advocacy style.'
Edward KnightXXIV Old Buildings 'Pragmatic and highly capable. An excellent advocate.'
Morwenna MacroFive Paper ‘Morwenna is a well rounded barrister who produces clear and precise drafting as well as a simple and to the point advocacy style that seems to resonate with judges.'
Jennifer Meech – Serle Court  ‘Technically strong, happy to discuss matters constructively, commercially aware and pragmatic, good manner with clients.’
Martin Ouwehand – Radcliffe Chambers ‘Martin is an exceptional technician. He is a very careful and thoughtful barrister who drafts brilliantly.’
Wendy ParkerGatehouse Chambers 'Wendy is unpretentious and hard talking. She fights hard in court even with the most difficult of cases.'
Phillip PattersonGatehouse Chambers 'Phil can spot the issues early on and can think a few steps ahead.'
Charles RaffinGatehouse Chambers 'Charles is very eloquent and extremely knowledgeable on the law and in particular insolvency.'
Angharad Start3 Verulam Buildings 'Very experienced in this area - particularly in contentious insolvency.'
Justina StewartOuter Temple Chambers 'Justina is a strong insolvency lawyer who has the benefit of a non-insolvency background and so can bring a different perspective to cases.'
Alaric WatsonGatehouse Chambers 'Excellent ability to give comprehensive and robust advice. Alaric is a calm and persuasive advocate. He engages well with clients.'
Geoffrey ZelinEnterprise Chambers 'Good advocate - knowledgeable in insolvency law.'
Robert AmeySouth Square ‘Technically excellent. He brings his years of experience to every assignment such that you always get the best advice in a practical context.’
Christopher BuckleyRadcliffe Chambers ‘He provides very clear advice, even when it is somewhat difficult for the clients to hear.’
Tim CallandMaitland Chambers ‘Tim is very accessible, gives clear, easily digestible advice which is commercial – everything the modern Bar should be.’
Maxim CardewMaitland Chambers 'A true asset to have on your team when there is a difficult issue or time sensitivity.'
James DaviesEnterprise Chambers ‘His written work is carefully presented and considered. His advocacy should not be underestimated - he is cool and confident under pressure.'
Catherine DoranRadcliffe Chambers 'Very easy to deal with and technically brilliant.'
Nigel DoughertyErskine Chambers 'Nigel has encyclopaedic knowledge of his subject including helpful case law not always available in the textbook.'
Rachael EarleWilberforce Chambers 'Rachael is definitely a rising star in the insolvency arena. She is hungry, knows her stuff and is determined to achieve the right results for clients.'
Thomas EliasSerle Court 'As an advocate, and especially as a senior junior, Thomas is almost without peer as an advocate.'
Joseph EnglandQuadrant Chambers 'He is practical and commercial and well liked by clients.'
Bobby FriedmanWilberforce Chambers 'Very patient and user friendly. Articulate in his drafting and advocacy.'
Paul Greenwood4 Stone Buildings ‘Paul is excellent. He is calm and considered – and a very safe pair of hands.’
Amit GuptaEnterprise Chambers ‘Amit is very responsive and is very good with the clients.'
Patrick Harty   – One Essex Court 'Patrick has a knack of being able to pick up a brief and immediately get to the heart of the issues, no matter how complicated.'
Oliver HyamsGatehouse Chambers 'Clear advice. Very responsive and user-friendly. Extremely knowledgeable on insolvency law.'
Faith Julian9 Stone Buildings 'Faith is bright, strategically astute, and works very well as part of a team.'
Daniel LewisWilberforce Chambers 'Very responsive, got on top of the detail very quickly.'
Donald Lilly4 Stone Buildings 'Very popular with clients. Destined to be a leading silk in the future.'
Katie LongstaffRadcliffe Chambers 'Extremely bright, superb attention to detail, excellent on her feet and a 100% team player.'
Giselle McGowan9 Stone Buildings 'A very good lawyer. Clear and concise in her advice.'
James McWilliams3 Verulam Buildings 'James has a lot of gravitas for someone so junior, is commercially astute and a good lawyer.'
Hugh MiallXXIV Old Buildings ‘Hugh is bright, calm and unflappable. He is exactly the kind of barrister you want on a complex case.'
Rowena PageMaitland Chambers 'Rowena is both technically minded and a gifted advocate. She is highly commercial, but still approachable and easy to deal with.'
Jessica PowersNew Square Chambers ‘She is clear and decisive in her advice.'
Helen PughOuter Temple Chambers Her strengths are great attention to detail and not being afraid to give negative advice.'
Thomas RobinsonWilberforce Chambers ‘Tom is incredibly bright and has a quite exceptional recall of information.'
Kate RogersRadcliffe Chambers 'Kate is a very technical and creative advocate. She performs well on her feet and is a quick thinker.'
Matthew SmithMaitland Chambers 'Matthew is never phased, no matter how unusual or unique the case is.'
Hannah ThornleySouth Square 'Hannah's written work and analysis is first rate.'
Daniel WarentsXXIV Old Buildings 'Daniel is a very confident and clever advocate, equally at home with cross examination or submissions.'
Jack WatsonWilberforce Chambers ‘Jack's ability to get to the heart of complex disputes so quickly is very impressive.'

Rising Stars

Thomas Cockburn9 Stone Buildings 'Tom is very focused and detailed with a good ability to absorb facts and get to the nub of the matter.'
William Day3 Verulam Buildings ‘William is extremely responsive, sharp and approachable. He has an incisive mind and delivers straight-forward advice.'
Zachary KellFive Paper 'Exactly the sort of modern barrister that you would like on your team.'
Edoardo LupiSouth Square ‘His knowledge of insolvency law is second to none, and his written work is exceptional.'

Insolvency in London Bar

Erskine Chambers

Company law heavyweight Erskine Chambers has particular strength in areas where insolvency meets banking and finance or civil fraud. The liquidation of Carillion led to some of chambers’ most notable work in this area, Andrew Thompson KC acting for its five non-executive directors and James Potts KC representing its former finance director in directors’ disqualification proceedings. CVAs have been a notable trend and leading insolvency silk Peter Arden KC has led Ben Shaw KC on a number of these, including acting for a group of landlords challenging the New Look CVA, the leading case on CVAs in the retail industry.

Testimonials

Set

‘Erskine is one of the top sets of barristers for company, restructuring and insolvency.’

‘Go to chambers for disputes with a corporate/company law angle.’

Clerking

‘Efficient, friendly and helpful.’

‘Alex Calder and Seamus Nixon are very responsive and very good at assisting with getting matters listed and liaising with the Court.’

‘Generally excellent across the board.’

‘Excellent service, very responsive clerks.’

Work highlights

    4 Stone Buildings

    One of the most prestigious sets for insolvency work‘. barristers at 4 Stone Buildings often draw on broad company and commercial law expertise in a variety of insolvencies and cases with complex elements involving that area. Jonathan Crow KC is the standout silk in this discipline, with ample experience at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, as well as a considerable practice offshore. In proceedings regarding property investor Glenn Maud, John Brisby KC, with Richard Hill KC and leading Alastair Tomson, has been representing an opposing creditor in what, if the creditors are successful, are believed to be the second most valuable personal bankruptcy proceedings ever to be heard in the UK. The recent high-profile proceedings following the collapse of Bell Pottinger have also involved members of the set: Tiran Nersessian representing the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and Christopher Harrison acting for the firm’s former CEO, on opposite sides of a director disqualification action resulting from the insolvency.

    Testimonials

    Set

    ‘The juniors are very clever and hungry to work hard. The silks are absolutely first class.’

    ‘Great chambers. One of the most prestigious sets for insolvency work.’

    ‘Always prepared to be accommodating and good as part of a big solicitor/counsel team.’

    ‘One of the strongest sets in Lincoln’s Inn.’

    ‘4 Stone Buildings takes a very commercial approach to the service they provide.’

    Clerking

    ‘Ryan Tunkel is excellent – very responsive, and offers assistance whenever required.’

    Maitland Chambers

    A powerhouse for insolvency, with real strength across the board‘, Maitland Chambers acts in disputes that arise in a vast range of industries, from small-scale insolvencies of individuals and local businesses, to complex, global insolvencies and associated asset recovery. Catherine Addy KC appeared for Carillion, acting by the official receiver as its liquidator, in FCA v Carillion PLC (in liquidation), an appeal coming out of the demise of the construction and facilities management company. A number of members are involved in the landmark Greensill administration, and a further highlight has Matthew Collings KC acting for the joint administrators in the £237m insolvency of London Capital & Finance.

    Testimonials

    Set

    ‘Excellent strength in depth as regards insolvency and restructuring.’

    ‘Counsel at Maitland Chambers are efficient and approachable. They are hard working, user-friendly, and generous with their time.’

    ‘Maitland is a powerhouse for insolvency, with real strength across the board.’

    ‘Maitland Chambers is our favourite insolvency and chancery set. All the silks and juniors seem to be good and the clerking team is also commercial and helpful.’

    ‘Due to the breadth of the set’s general commercial chancery practice, all their barristers supplement their insolvency expertise with a broader perspective and skillset, which is really valuable.’

    Clerking

    ‘John Wiggs is a consummate professional and one of the most user-friendly clerks I have ever dealt with.’

    Serle Court

    With ‘real strength in insolvency, company and partnership workSerle Court barristers are a frequent presence in some of the market’s key cases. In State Bank of India v Mallya, the UK’s largest individual insolvency proceedings, Philip Marshall KC has led James Mather representing Vijay Mallya, the chairman of United Breweries Group whose extradition for alleged financial crimes is requested by the Indian government, in defending bankruptcy proceedings. Among the cases arising from energy company insolvencies in 2021, Lance Ashworth KC acted for the liquidators of Economy Energy Ltd in disputes arising from the appointment by Ofgem of a Supplier of Last Resort to take over the supply of electricity and gas to customers of the supplier.

    Testimonials

    Set

    ‘Excellent strength-in-depth.’

    ‘Serle Court have real strength in insolvency, company and partnership work.’

    ‘From Elizabeth Jones (a superb choice as the new head of chambers) to the newest pupil, Serle Court are a delight to work with.’

    ‘Serle Court are commercial litigation superstars.’

    Clerking

    ‘Despite spending almost fifty years as a clerk at Serle Court and predecessor sets, Steve Whitaker remains absolutely at the top of his game as Head Clerk.’

    ‘Steve Whitaker and Nick Hockney the senior clerks are always friendly and reliable.’

    Work highlights

      XXIV Old Buildings

      Strong chancery and insolvency chambersXXIV Old Buildings has a particularly notable presence offshore where Stephen Moverley Smith KC is among the most active lead counsels in standout insolvencies. Head of chambers Elspeth Talbot Rice KC is instructed in the high profile insolvent estate of Boris Berezovsky, as well as recently acting in proceedings arising from the liquidation of Stanford International Bank in Antigua.

      Testimonials

      Set

      ‘Strong chancery and insolvency chambers, brilliant minds, real strength across the board.’

      ‘Top quality set with ability across the board, good strength in depth and a user friendly approach.’

      ‘XXIV Old Buildings is a highly-regarded set for members’ calibre of work and work ethic.’

      ‘XXIV Old Buildings are a very good set and one of the go-tos for this type of work.’

      ‘Good reputation for offshore work.’

      Clerking

      ‘Excellent. Highly responsive and personable.’

      3 Verulam Buildings

      A great choice for work on the cross-over of insolvency and financial services‘, 3 Verulam Buildings is an experienced set for various matters with a party in insolvency. In TMO Renewables Ltd v Yeo & others, commercial disputes specialist Andrew Sutcliffe KC acted for the liquidators of the company in a £25m claim against its former directors, who include Major-era government minister Tim Yeo,  for fraudulent misrepresentation and breach of fiduciary duty. Offshore insolvencies continued to be a key part of Matthew Hardwick KC, acting in the BVI and other jurisdictions. On the junior side, Philip Hinks has continued to act as sole counsel in a number of matters, including a high value breach of fiduciary duty claim brought by liquidators against the directors of The Video Duplicating Company, one the UK’s biggest manufacturers of CDs and DVDs.

      Testimonials

      Set

      ‘Very strong set for all financial matters.’

      ‘The insolvency expertise at 3VB is incredibly impressive.’

      ‘3VB is a great choice for work on the cross-over of insolvency and financial services.’

      ‘There are many first class practitioners at 3VB.’

      ‘First rate.’

      Clerking

      ‘Stuart Pullum is particularly efficient.’

      Enterprise Chambers

      Complex insurance sector insolvencies have been a recent feature of Enterprise Chambers, a set seen as ‘a very good choice for insolvency instructions‘. One such case, Kireeva v Bedzhamov; Vneshprombank LLC v Bedzhamov and others has seen Stephen Davies KC acting for the bankruptcy trustee of the defendant, the Court of Appeal decision expected to have far-reaching consequences in cross-border cases. Niall McCulloch appearing unled in Michael J Lonsdale (Electrical) Ltd v Bresco Electrical Services Ltd ((in Liquidation)), the seminal case on the use of adjudication for the administration of construction insolvencies, was another highlight.

      Testimonials

      Set

      ‘Good bench strength in insolvency.’

      ‘A good set for insolvency matters with a raft of juniors ready to take on advocacy on smaller matters going up to seniors who can appear on more substantial cases.’

      ‘The set is excellent with a few standout individuals.’

      ‘Enterprise Chambers is one of the best sets for insolvency counsel in London.’

      ‘Enterprise has always been a very good choice for insolvency instructions, with a large number of excellent juniors in particular.’

      Clerking

      ‘Excellent! Responsive, reliable and commercial. Michael Ireland is unflappable and easy to deal with.’

      Gatehouse Chambers

      This has been an area of growth for Gatehouse Chambers over recent years and the set now has ‘a breadth of talent in insolvency‘ that it employs in a variety of claims. Jonathan Titmuss has a substantial international practice and a niche in a plethora of cases coming out of failed hotel room schemes. Wendy Parker acted in a number of multi-million pound trials over the last year, and Sarah Clarke continued to hold her own in key insolvency cases against silks.

      Testimonials

      Set

      ‘The depth of this chambers’ counsel is impressive, providing a wide array of choices and experience.’

      ‘A good range of specialities, particularly helpful in matters that cross areas.’

      ‘They have a breadth of talent in insolvency and are equally able in related areas such as commercial litigation and property.’

      ‘Very good strength in depth for insolvency.’

      ‘Gatehouse has an established offering of commercial and insolvency counsel.’

      Clerking

      ‘Very efficient, easy to contact and flexible. Adam Blades in particular stands out.’

      Radcliffe Chambers

      Radcliffe Chambersdeals with a wide range of insolvency matters‘ and members are increasingly instructed in corporate insolvency matters and in cases with international elements. 2022 silk Matthew Weaver KC appeared in Carraway Guildford (Nominee A) Ltd & others v Regis UK Limited, advising the joint supervisors of a high-profile retail CVA of Regis Salons, which was challenged by 19 of its landlords. Christopher Boardman KC , who took silk in 2020, has been advising the administrators of Transform Medical Group in a case arising from the group litigation concerning unfit for purpose PIP breast implants.

      Testimonials

      Set

      ‘They have a range of barristers both at the KC and junior level.’

      ‘Very good set. Strong insolvency expertise.’

      ‘It is a very strong insolvency set with a range of barristers, which is great for ensuring that the work is done at the right level.’

      ‘Radcliffe is a fantastic chambers for highly regarded experts.’

      ‘A diverse range of advocates suitable to deal with a wide range of insolvency matters.’

      Clerking

      ‘Clerks are responsive and very helpful.’

      Wilberforce Chambers

      Wilberforce Chambers fields teams of counsel that cover multi-disciplinary cases and have ‘become a force in the insolvency world‘. In 2021 chambers was further strengthened in this field with the additions of both Sri Carmichael and Jessica Brooke, and they join a set that includes Clare Stanley KC, and experienced insolvency silk in both onshore and offshore courts. Her recent caseload has included Al Jaber and others v Mitchell and others, where she acted for the successful appellants in a $1bn fraud/insolvency claim by liquidators.

      Testimonials

      Set

      ‘Strong set for civil fraud, trusts/off shore, insolvency and shareholder disputes.’

      ‘Wilberforce is a go-to set for insolvency. They have strength in depth both at the top silk end and abundance of junior talent (senior and junior).’

      ‘Wilberforce are a great set, with a number of talented silks and juniors in a number of different fields.’

      ‘Wilberforce have become a force in the insolvency world.’

      ‘Rachael Earle and Dan Lewis have a strong profile in insolvency, particularly in the London market, and are well regarded.’

      Clerking

      ‘Accommodating and very responsive.’

      South Square

      The foremost insolvency and restructuring chambers‘, South Square continues to impress with a host of silks and juniors involved in the most significant and thorny issues in the market. Multiple barristers from chambers have been involved in the high-profile collapse of supply chain finance funder Greensill Capital: Glen Davis KC leading Matthew Abraham acting for Credit Suisse Asset Management, and on the opposite side for the administrators, David Allison KC leads Ryan Perkins. Chambers has also been involved in key cases regarding CVAs, one of the most notable being Caffé Nero’s successful defence of its CVA, where they were represented by Tom Smith KC leading Henry Phillips, Adam Al-Attar appearing on the opposite side for the EG Group. Energy company administrations were a major feature of the 2021 workload too, and again members of chambers were a regular fixture in the most significant. In the case of Bulb Energy Limited, which at the time of its collapse was the UK’s seventh biggest electricity supplier, Mark Arnold KC acted for the proposed administrators, leading Richard Fisher KC and Henry Phillips.

      Testimonials

      Set

      ‘South Square are the foremost insolvency and restructuring chambers.’

      ‘They are the leading set in insolvency for a reason. Everywhere you look they have talent.’

      ‘The most prestigious set in this field.’

      ‘South Square remains the pre-eminent set in restructuring and insolvency work.’

      ‘The go-to set for restructuring and insolvency matters. They have a very deep bench of leading advocates from silks to junior level.’

      Clerking

      ‘Jim Costa – outstanding service, super friendly and super helpful. Very accommodating of all requests. Really easy to build a rapport with.’