Justin Fenwick KC KC > 4 New Square Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
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Justin Fenwick KC KC
Position
Justin Fenwick came to the Bar in 1981 and was appointed QC in 1993 (the most junior member of the Bar to be appointed as Silk in the 1993 list). He has sat as a Judge in both civil and criminal cases, having been made an Assistant Recorder in 1994, a Recorder in 1999 and a Deputy High Court Judge (Chancery and Queen’s Bench Division) in March 2003. He was appointed a Deputy Judge of the Administrative Court in 2008. He was Head of Chambers at 4 New Square between 2000 and 2005 and has been a Bencher of the Inner Temple since 1997 and was Chairman of its Investment Sub-Committee between 2004 and 2011. He was Chairman of the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund (the Bar’s own Mutual Insurer) from 1999 until 2013. He was a Commissioner and in due course Deputy Chairman of the Royal Hospital Chelsea (home to the Chelsea Pensioners) between 2011-2017 where he sat on the Remuneration Committee and the Nominations Committee. He has an extensive offshore and international practice involving court appearances in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, BVI, Cayman, Bermuda, St Vincent and Nevis.
Career
Called 1980, Inner Temple Bencher 1998; QC 1993, recorder since 1996, Deputy High Court Judge Chancery Division, Queen’s Bench Division and Administrative Court since 2003; chairman of Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund since 1999; Head of Chambers 2000-06; previously ten years in Grenadier Guards (including intelligence and operational duties); assistant private secretary and temporary equerry to the Duke of Edinburgh 1979-81.
Languages
French, Spanish (fluent); some Italian, German.
Education
Ampleforth College; Clare College, Cambridge (1971 Modern Languages and Architectural History).
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Insurance and reinsurance
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3London Bar > Construction
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4London Bar > Professional negligence
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Justin Fenwick KC –4 New Square ‘He is a master tactician and excellent advocate.’
London Bar > International arbitration: counsel
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3London Bar > Commercial litigation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Justin Fenwick KC –4 New Square ‘Extraordinary knowledge and tactical acumen accumulated over decades in working on the most complex of cases.’
With a strong reputation in professional negligence and sports litigation, 4 New Square Chambers is a ‘first-class commercial set’ that regularly appears before all levels of the court system in the UK and offshore. Justin Fenwick KC represented Thai wind farm enterprise founder Nick Suppipat concerning alleged fraudulent conspiracy to deprive Suppipat of his assets; the team, which includes George Spalton KC, Kendrah Potts, Lucy Colter, and Carola Binney secured a judgment for over $850m in the Commercial Court trial. In Novitas Loans v AmTrust, Ben Elkington KC is instructed by the insurer in a breach of contract claim arising out of a failed consumer mass litigation funding scheme. In Globinvestment Limited and others v XY and others, a Commercial Court case related to the running of an allegedly fraudulent investment fund, Daniel Saoul KC is acting for the claimants while Matthew Bradley KC is defending Twinkle Capital S.A on the other side. Shail Patel KC became a silk in March 2024.
London Bar > Fraud: civil
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Justin Fenwick KC –4 New Square ‘His advocacy and cross examination of witnesses is exceptional.’
4 New Square Chambers, recognised as a ‘very good set with strength in depth for complex fraud matters’, is frequently instructed in commercial fraud cases both domestically and internationally, with expertise including international conspiracy, fraudulent insurance claims, bribery, and asset recovery. In Vneshprombank LLC v Bedzhamov, Justin Fenwick KC, Mark Cullen, and Lucy Colter represent Georgy Bedzhamov against allegations that he and his sister orchestrated a fraudulent scheme which caused the Russian bank in liquidation losses of £1.34bn. Meanwhile, in Magomedov and others v TPG Group and others, Daniel Saoul KC represents Ziyavudin Magomedov and his companies in a significant High Court claim for approximately $14bn against multiple defendants accused of conspiring with the Russian state to deprive him of his assets; Justin Fenwick KC, Tim Chelmick and Mark Cullen are defending nuclear energy state owned enterprise Rosatom, which denies involvement in any alleged conspiracy.
4 New Square Chambers, recognised as a ‘very good set with strength in depth for complex fraud matters’, is frequently instructed in commercial fraud cases both domestically and internationally, with expertise including international conspiracy, fraudulent insurance claims, bribery, and asset recovery. In Vneshprombank LLC v Bedzhamov, Justin Fenwick KC, Mark Cullen, and Lucy Colter represent Georgy Bedzhamov against allegations that he and his sister orchestrated a fraudulent scheme which caused the Russian bank in liquidation losses of £1.34bn. Meanwhile, in Magomedov and others v TPG Group and others, Daniel Saoul KC represents Ziyavudin Magomedov and his companies in a significant High Court claim for approximately $14bn against multiple defendants accused of conspiring with the Russian state to deprive him of his assets; Justin Fenwick KC, Tim Chelmick and Mark Cullen are defending nuclear energy state owned enterprise Rosatom, which denies involvement in any alleged conspiracy.
The English Bar Offshore > Commercial disputes
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Justin Fenwick KC – 4 New Square Chambers ‘Justin is a doyen of the Bar. One of the most compelling advocates.’
The members at 4 New Square Chambers boast expertise in handling contentious work across the Caribbean, Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man in shareholder disputes, contentious liquidations, and civil fraud matters. Justin Fenwick KC specialises in onshore and offshore commercial litigation, with an emphasis on fraud cases. Graeme McPherson KC has been notably busy in the Cayman Islands with expertise in insurance litigation and professional liability claims. He is acting for the claimant in The Armand Hammer Foundation Inc v Hammer International Foundation in the Cayman Financial Services Division which concerns substantial assets that were allegedly misappropriated through impermissible corporate resolutions, and their subsequent recovery. Ben Hubble KC is another key silk with significant offshore experience in the Caribbean, while Graham Chapman KC is skilled in Cayman-based proceedings. Business disputes with a financial element are a particular strength of Daniel Saoul KC, and he is representing the claimant in Privatbank v Kolomoisky, Boglyubov and Others, a $2.6bn claim against shareholders and directors based on allegations of a series of frauds. George Spalton KC‘s practice has an emphasis on complex civil fraud. Lucy Colter and Mark Cullen are notable juniors at the set.