Essex Court Chambers

Mark has a broad commercial practice spanning Chambers’ areas of expertise, with a particular focus on civil fraud, conflict of laws, commercial Chancery and offshore. Many of Mark’s cases are international in nature, involving proceedings in foreign jurisdictions (for example in Panama, the Cayman Islands, the BVI and Cyprus) or raising points of foreign law and procedure.

Mark regularly appears both led and unled in the High Court and in confidential arbitration proceedings, with notable examples relating to committal applications, freezing injunctions, search orders, anti-suit injunctions and jurisdiction challenges. He has also appeared both led and unled in the Court of Appeal. Recent examples include:

• Confidential arbitration proceedings. Mark is instructed by the defendant in confidential LCIA arbitration proceedings seated in London. The proceedings include allegations of dishonesty and breach of directors’ duties.

• Public Institution for Social Security v Al Rajaan. Led by Anna Dilnot KC and other KCs out of Chambers, Mark represented the Claimant Kuwaiti Pension Fund in a complex fraud and bribery dispute against its former Director General, intermediaries, banks and financial institutions. This was one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2025 and the trial ran for 12 months from March 2025 to March 2026. Judgment is awaited.

• Bourlakova v Bourlakov. Led by Alan Gourgey KC and Anton Dudnikov KC, Mark represented the principal defendants in a case concerned with alleged frauds spanning multiple jurisdictions and giving rise to multiple sets of proceedings around the world. Notable interlocutory applications have included freezing orders and joinder of third parties ([2023] EWHC 2233 (Ch)).

• Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation Limited v Dechert LLP [2023] EWHC 3280 (Comm). Led by Richard Millett KC, Mark represented Dechert LLP at the Phase 1A Trial in these proceedings, which was concerned with issues of causation, quantum and contribution following an earlier judgment on liability ([2022] EWHC 1138 (Comm)). .

• CRF v Banco Nacional de Cuba and The Republic of Cuba [2023] EWHC 774 (Comm). Led by Alison Macdonald KC, Mark represented the Banco Nacional de Cuba and The Republic of Cuba in a jurisdiction challenge arising out of debt enforcement proceedings. This case raised issues of State immunity, jurisdiction and substantive issues of English and Cuban law.

• Gorbachev v Guriev [2023] 2 WLR 1. Led by Paul Stanley KC, Mark represented Mr Gorbachev. The Court of Appeal determined that an application for non-party disclosure can be served out of the jurisdiction. This appeal arose in the context of a dispute between two Russian businessmen concerning the ownership of a valuable fertilizer business. Mark also appeared unled in a connected appeal dealing with the costs of the jurisdiction challenge ([2023] 1 WLR 2457).

• Noksel Celik Boru Sanayi A.S. v Bemaco Steel Ltd [2022] EWHC 68 (Comm). Led by Siddharth Dhar, Mark represented Noksel. This case concerned debt reconciliation and breach of contract claims. It raised complex issues of foreign law and procedure

• London Steam-ship Owners’ Mutual Insurance Association Ltd v Spain [2020] 1 WLR 5279. Led by Anna Dilnot, Mark represented the Republic of This case arose out of an insurance dispute and an arbitral award, with an underlying value of over €855 million. It raised novel issues of State immunity and the conflict of laws.

• Akhmedova v Akhmedov [2020] EWHC 2235 (Fam). Led by James Willan, Mark represented Mrs Akhmedova. This case arose out of what was at the time the largest ever divorce settlement in England and Wales, worth over £453 million. It raised issues of enforcement of court orders, comity and contempt of Mark also appeared at a number of interim hearings in this case, including in relation to freezing orders and search orders.

Prior to joining Essex Court Chambers, Mark worked as a solicitor at a major US law firm in London. He specialised in commercial disputes, anti-bribery, corruption and government enforcement.

2019: Tenant at Essex Court Chambers2018-19: Pupil at Essex Court Chambers2015-18: Trainee and subsequently solicitor at law firm in London

2014-15: Bachelor of Civil Law, University of Oxford (Distinction)2013-14: LPC, BPP Law School (Distinction)2010-13: Law LLB, King's College London (First Class; graduated second in year)