Mr Chirag Karia KC KC > Chambers of Poonam Melwani KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
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Mr Chirag Karia KC KC
Position
Commercial litigation and arbitration, shipping, commodities, energy, insurance/reinsurance and international arbitration. Cases: GTLK v Aviation Reinsurers (lead counsel in US$2.2 billion aviation insurance claim following Russian seizure of leased aircraft); Sharp v Viterra 2023] 2 All E.R.(Comm) 457(CA) (GAFTA Default-Clause construction); Stema Barge II [2022] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 170 (CA)(meaning of “operator” in Limitation Convention); OCM v Gulf-Petrochem (2022)(LOI enforcement); Maersk v Mercuria [2022] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 95 (2021)(anti-suit injunction in US$45 million fraud); Hin- Leong/Ocean- Tankers Fraud (US$800 million oil fraud); Sakizaya Kalon [2021] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 70 (100% recovery in 3-vessel Suez Canal collision); Setana v Hafesa (2021)(trigger-pricing in term diesel- sale); Tenacity (2020) (impecuniosity defence to LOI); Arbitration (contaminated bunkers); Arbitration (lien-on-sub-freights); Arbitration (bunker-fraud); Committeri v ClubMed (CA)(Rome I vs. Rome II Regulations); Sea Master [2019] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 101 (switch bills; arbitral jurisdiction); Yusuf Cepnioglu [2016] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 641(CA)(contractual anti-suit injunction vs. 3rd party); Ramburs [2016] Bus.L.R. 135 (GAFTA Substitution Clause); Crudesky [2014] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 1(CA)(force majeure; novus actus); Proton [2014] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 100 (contract formation); Merwestone [2013] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 131 (“perils of the sea” & Inchmaree insurance cover; fortuity requirement); Lehmann Timber [2013] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 541 (CA)(GA; lien exercise costs); Ratna (CA)(US$60M oil dispute; state immunity); Arbitration (subsea blowout preventer defects); Choil v Sahara (hedging losses).
Career
Called 1988, Lincoln’s Inn (Denning Scholar); Queen’s Counsel 2012; MA(Cantab.), Slaughter & May Prize (top 1st in Law at Cambridge University); LL.M. (UC Berkeley), Harkness Fellow; Attorney practising in California (1990-2000).
Joint Editor, “Butterworths Commercial Court and Arbitration Pleadings”
Languages
Gujarati (spoken); basic French.
Memberships
COMBAR; State Bar of California.
Education
Cambridge University (1987 MA Hons); Slaughter and May prize for top 1st in Law at Cambridge University (1987); Denning Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn (1988); University of California, Berkeley (1990 LLM); Harkness Fellow, Commonwealth Fund of New York (1989-90).
Leisure
Theatre, music, reading, skiing.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Shipping
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 5Chirag Karia KC –Quadrant Chambers ‘Chirag has impeccable written advocacy – his grasp of the law is second to none. He also has an outstanding ability to apply that mastery of the law and facts in any given case when he is on his feet.’
London Bar > Commodities
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Chirag Karia KC – Quadrant Chambers ‘Organised, methodical, robust when needed, Chirag is commercially highly astute and legally very impressive.’
Regional International Arbitration – The Bar > Shipping and commodities
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Chirag Karia KC–Quadrant Chambers ‘A highly skilled advocate who shines in the courtroom.’
Quadrant Chambers ‘has stellar barristers at all seniority levels, covering every possible type of shipping and shipbuilding disputes‘, and the set is also ‘widely recognized for its strength-in-depth in commodities arbitration and litigation‘. In a recent high-profile case heard before the UK Supreme Court, Chirag Karia KC and Ben Gardner acted for the successful buyers in Sharp Corp Ltd v Viterra BV, a dispute concerning the importation of peas and lentils into India. The case involved issues arising from the construction of the default clause included in GAFTA) forms, and the effect of the clause on the quantification of losses for non-acceptance of goods. In a boost to chambers, Paul Toms KC was elevated to silk in March 2024.
Middle East: The English Bar > Commercial
(Leading silks)Ranked: Tier 2Chirag Karia KC – Quadrant Chambers ‘Chirag is second to none in terms of his knowledge of the law and his ability to apply it to any given case. His written advocacy is top flight – his advices and submissions are always crystal clear, comprehensive and above all, never ambiguous, very often correctly predicting the eventual views of the court or tribunal.’