Tim Akkouh KC KC > Essex Court Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Essex Court Chambers Offices
24 LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS
LONDON
WC2A 3EG
England
- Set Profile
- Go to...
Tim Akkouh KC KC
Position
Tim is a commercial litigator, with a strong reputation for civil fraud and asset recovery. He has acted in some of the largest actions to come before the courts, such as JSC BTA Bank v Ablyazov, Pinchuk v Bogolyubov, Mezhprom v Pugachev, Republic of Djibouti v Boreh, PrivatBank v Kolomoisky, and ENRC v SFO.
Tim also maintains a commercial chancery practice, with an emphasis on insolvency, company and trusts disputes.Tim is particularly experienced in applications for pre-emptive and interlocutory relief, including freezing, search, receivership, committal and Norwich Pharmacal orders. Tim regularly appears with and without leaders in the Chancery Division and the Commercial Court. He has appeared in the Court of Appeal on over a dozen occasions and twice in the Supreme Court. Fourteen of Tim’s cases have been reported in the WLRs.
In October 2015, Tim was named Chancery Junior of the Year by Chambers and Partners. He was also a nominee for Legal 500’s 2018 Commercial Junior of the Year award. Tim is a member of the Attorney General’s A panel of counsel to the crown.
Career
Co-author of Trusts Law (5th ed, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017).
Memberships
Chancery Bar Association
COMBAR
Education
LLB (Lond), 1st class; LLM (Lond)
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Crypto and blockchain assets
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Tim Akkouh KC – Essex Court Chambers ‘Tim is phenomenally bright and energetic, and has an ability to spot the key issues from the outset. He is extremely user-friendly and relentless in his desire to outsmart the opponent. His advocacy style is measured and effective – he’s very impressive on his feet.’
London Bar > Commercial litigation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 5Essex Court Chambers stands out as a ‘strong set with an excellent reputation and quality advocates’, handling a myriad of substantial commercial litigation including civil fraud, insurance, banking and finance, and shipping-related work. In NMC Healthcare v Shetty, Ruth Den Besten KC is defending the founder of NMC Healthcare amidst allegations of fraudulent activity following the Middle Eastern hospital group’s collapse into administration in 2020. Joe Smouha KC is leading Ciaran Keller in Nex Group Limited’s defence against TP ICAP, a case relating to the non-disclosure of alleged liabilities arising from the German cum-ex trading scandal. In another high-profile matter, Nathan Pillow KC and Tim Akkouh KC are representing Eurasian Natural Resources Company in claims against Dechert LLP, Neil Gerrard, and the Serious Fraud Office, pertaining to the SFO’s investigation into and the solicitors firm’s advice about alleged corruption in ENRC’s international operations. Daniel Oudkerk KC is representing hundreds of thousands of claimant vehicle owners in six separate group actions concerning diesel emissions against major motor manufacturers. Adding to the chambers’ distinguished roster, David Peters KC and James Sheehan KC were elevated to silk status in March 2024 and Paul Stanley KC was appointed Deputy High Court Judge with effect from January 2023.
London Bar > Fraud: civil
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3Tim Akkouh KC –Essex Court Chambers ‘Tim is exceptionally experienced in relation to civil fraud and asset recovery. An extraordinarily bright silk.’
Maintaining its reputation as a ‘leading set in civil fraud’, Essex Court Chambers handles significant fraud cases in England and Wales and internationally, appearing before the Commercial and Chancery Courts, at the appellate level, and in arbitration. In PrivatBank v Kolomoisky, James Willan KC, leading Christopher Lloyd, represents the commercial bank against its former shareholders, alleging fraudulent lending to companies controlled by the defendants. Meanwhile, Nathan Pillow KC, David Davies KC, and Anton Dudnikov are acting for the claimants in National Bank Trusts v Mints, a case against a Russian family accused of banking fraud. Public Institution for Social Security v Al Rajaan and others, an international fraud litigation involving alleged large-scale bribery of the former Director General of the Kuwaiti social security fund, sees Anna Dilnot KC acting for the claimant; Joe Smouha KC, James Collins KC, and Felix Wardle representing the Man Group; and James Willan KC and Tim Akkouh KC acting for Muna Al Wazzan. David Peters KC and James Sheehan KC took silk in March 2024.