Set Profile > Erskine Chambers > London, England

Fraud: civil Tier 1

Insolvency Tier 2

Erskine Chambers contains practitioners well versed in contentious insolvencies and corporate restructuring, drawing on substantial experience from large insolvencies acted in over the last decade. The set is particularly strong in cases where insolvency intersects with banking and finance or civil fraud. David Chivers QC was instructed in Liquidators of Weavering MacroFixed Income Fund v Skandanaviska Ensiklda Banken; Peter Arden QC continued to act in Re Lehman Brothers International(Europe): the surplus scheme. Raquel Agnello QC has developed a niche in the interface between insolvency and pensions law.

Pensions Tier 3

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) Tier 3

Offshore Tier 3

Erskine Chambers' members are well versed in Chancery issues across the British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. Michael Todd QC and Philip Gillyon represented the appellant latter party in East Asia Company v PT Satria Tiratama Energindo, a Privy Council case stemming from the transfer of shares of Bali Energy, a Bermudian company with geothermal energy rights in Indonesia. Todd QC also represented the defendant law firm in Bermuda Bar Council v Walkers, a case which reached the Privy Council and concerned whether Walkers complied with the Bermudian regulator's requirement for local ownership of law firms.

Commercial litigation Tier 4

Erskine Chambers is 'a very good set, filled with juniors and silks who are often top of their game'. The set will miss Tim Akkouh, who has joined Essex Court Chambers, although it still has several extremely well-regarded juniors among its ranks. The set is especially strong on Chancery issues, and is also noted for its fraud expertise. A notable highlight was Andrew Thompson QC's role representing BAT Industries in its dispute with Sequana, which went to the Court of Appeal.

Insurance and reinsurance Tier 5

Company and partnership

Erskine Chambers is noted for its 'strength in depth and large number of counsel available' for UK and offshore company law matters. In recent highlights, Andrew Thompson QC and Ben Griffiths are acting in BAT v Sequana (a multi-jurisdictional commercial dispute regarding environmental pollution of US rivers, and claims of breach of fiduciary duty), in addition to regularly advising on corporate transactions. Also of note, Martin Moore QC is assisting Sky in its complex takeover by Comcast. In another highlight, Stephen Smith QC was instructed by JSC Mezhprombank in JSC Mezhprombank v Pugachev; complex proceedings against a former Russian oligarch in connection with the liquidation of a Russian bank and claims of misappropriation.

Set overviews: England and Wales

Erskine Chambers is ‘a very good set, filled with juniors and silks who are often top of their game’. The set shines in the areas of company shareholder and partnership disputes, as well as restructuring and insolvency. Tim Akkouh has joined Essex Court Chambers. Senior clerks Mark Swallow and Chris Reade ‘run an excellent ship’; they are assisted by first junior clerk Michael Shillingford. Offices in: London