Andrew Blake > Erskine Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Erskine Chambers Offices
1, Paper Buildings
London
EC4Y 7EP
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Andrew Blake
Position
Andrew specialises in company law, commercial litigation, restructuring and corporate insolvency. His time is divided between litigation and advisory work. Much of his work involves large and contentious corporate transactions, both domestically and overseas. Andrew is called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. He has been instructed in significant corporate and insolvency matters in most offshore financial centres.
Recent and current instructions include: Re Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd (acting with Jonathan Crow KC and Martin Moore KC in merger appraisal proceedings); 1Globe Capital LLC v Sinovac Biotech Ltd (acting with James Potts KC for the Chinese biopharmaceutical company in proceedings concerning an alleged AGM ambush); SOSBEIS v Adam and others (acting with James Potts KC in the largest and most complex disqualification proceedings ever brought, arising from the collapse of Carillion).
Career
Called 2012; Lincoln’s Inn.
Memberships
Chancery Bar Association; COMBAR.
Education
2007 – 2010: BA Law, Worcester College, Oxford (First Class; ranked 1st of 223 in Law Moderations)
2010 – 2011: Bachelor of Civil Law, Worcester College, Oxford (Distinction)
2011 – 2012: BPTC, BPP Holborn (Very Competent)
Andrew was a lecturer in contract law at the University of Oxford (Worcester College and University College) between 2012 and 2013.
Prizes and Scholarships:
The Sweet and Maxwell Prize (best performance in Oxford University in Law Moderations)
The Andrew Dixon Scholarship (best performance in Worcester College in Law Moderations)
The Ogilvie Thompson Scholarship (all round contribution to Worcester College)
Arts and Humanities Research Council full grant for the Bachelor of Civil Law
The Bruce Reynolds Prize (best Bachelor of Civil Law performance in Worcester College)
Lord Denning Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn Award)
Hardwicke Entrance Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn Award)
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Company
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 5Andrew Blake – Erskine Chambers ‘Andrew is great to work with, considered and commercial in his approach.’
Erskine Chambers is ‘renowned, deservedly, as the go-to set for complicated corporate law questions’ and ‘a top set for company law disputes with a good selection of barristers at various levels’. Among the set’s many prominent silks is David Chivers KC, who recently handled an appeal to the Privy Council from Antigua to consider the power of directors to enter into poison pill arrangements at common law in IGlobe v Sinovac. Opposing counsel in that case were the set’s own James Potts KC and Andrew Blake. Martin Moore KC, who is widely recognised as a leading voice on transactional matters, advised GSK on contentious issues arising from the demerger of its consumer healthcare division to Haleon plc, and handled a high-value appraisal action in Bermuda on behalf of Jardine Matheson Group. Turning to the set’s juniors, Nigel Dougherty recently acted for directors of the owner of London’s Wolseley restaurant in successfully resisting an injunction sought by MI Squared that would have prevented a proposed £38m rescue package. Mary Stokes has retired from practice.
London Bar > Commercial litigation
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 5Andrew Blake – Erskine Chambers ‘Andrew is a pleasure to work with. He is very good with clients, gives clear and robust advice, and is good on strategy and great on commerciality.‘
‘Unrivalled for technical ability‘, Erskine Chambers is ‘a go-to chambers for corporate matters‘. In a landmark Supreme Court ruling on directors’ duties to act in creditors’ interests, Andrew Thompson KC appeared for the appellant in BTI Industries v Sequana, a $80m claim regarding dividends that were allegedly paid in breach of fiduciary duty. Several members of the set are involved in the multi-faceted litigation surrounding the collapse of Carillion – James Potts KC is leading Andrew Blake in the representation of the company’s former finance director in ongoing directors’ disqualification proceedings.
The English Bar Offshore > The English Bar Offshore
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1Andrew Blake –Erskine Chambers ‘Andrew is charming, responsive and user-friendly.’