Saima Hanif KC > Chambers of Ewan McQuater KC and David Quest KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
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Saima Hanif KC
Position
Saima has an expertise in banking and financial services, with a particular expertise in contentious enforcement work. She has represented clients at all levels, from internal committees such as the RDC (and the DMC in Dubai), right through to the High Court and Court of Appeal. In the past she has acted for a major FS institution in the FCA’s investigation of Forex manipulation, a leading payday lender seeking FCA authorisation and a corporate client seeking to judicially review a s166 FSMA appointment. She appears regularly in the Upper Tribunal and has extensive cross-border experience, acting for clients in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, the Isle of Man and Guernsey, where she has represented the Guernsey FS regulator.
Career
Tenant at 3VB.
Secondments: FSA (Enforcement); Clifford Chance (Financial Regulatory Department); FMLC, Bank of England; FCA (General Counsel’s Division).
Memberships
Member of the FMLC’s Advisory Group on Brexit; COMBAR, FSLA.
Education
Oxford University: BA (Jurisprudence)
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Professional disciplinary and regulatory law
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4Saima Hanif KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Saima has a very diligent approach to her cases.’
London Bar > Insurance and reinsurance
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4Saima Hanif KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘She provides clarity of advice and straight talking.’
London Bar > Banking and finance (including consumer credit)
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4Saima Hanif KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Saima is a shrewd operator who provides clear and concise legal advice combined with strategic nous – her wealth of experience in the area shines through in the advice she gives and helpfully informs her opinions.’
London Bar > Financial services regulation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3Saima Hanif KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Saima works extremely hard and in doing so, thoroughly thinks through and works out all the difficult issues.’
With ‘genuine strength in depth’, 3 Verulam Buildings is ‘one of the pre-eminent financial services regulation sets’; highly active across both the contentious side, including FCA investigations, market misconduct and judicial review, as well as non-contentious regulatory matters. 2021 silk Saima Hanif KC has a stellar reputation for acting against financial regulators, while 2022 silk Farhaz Khan KC continues to undertake high-profile work in the area of non-financial misconduct proceedings and investigations. Adam Temple is known for representing regulators and did so in FCA v Steel, the FCA has sought to use s.382 of FSMA to obtain restitution orders against shareholders of regulated firms.
Asia Pacific - The English Bar > Commercial
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3Saima Hanif KC–3 Verulam Buildings ‘Saima has a deep knowledge of the financial services industry. She is technically strong and inspires confidence in the people she interacts with.’
‘Leading commercial set‘ 3 Verulam Buildings has ‘strength and depth of talent at every level‘. Investment treaty and commercial arbitration continue to be key areas of instruction within the set’s Asia Pacific practice. Ali Malek KC regularly appears in disputes under HKIAC, ICC, SIAC and LCIA rules, and is sought after for his expertise in investor-state disputes. Saima Hanif KC is ‘very energetic and responsive‘ and ‘her advocacy exudes confidence‘; she is a key name for financial regulatory matters. Rajesh Pillai KC is ‘highly recommended for commercial disputes‘, with ‘excellent advocacy skills and strong judgement – a real asset to the team‘.
Middle East: The English Bar > Commercial
(Leading silks)Ranked: Tier 2A market leading set for commercial litigation in the Middle East, 3 Verulam Buildings’ members regularly appear in high value banking claims in the DIFC Courts, as well as complex commercial arbitration as both counsel and arbitrators. Tom Montagu-Smith KC led Matthew Watson in Emirates NBD Bank v Advanced Facilities Management, successfully convincing the DIFC Court of Appeal to dismiss a claim against a judgement for a $540 million loan facility under both conventional and Islamic lending. Nicholas Craig KC was also successful in September 2023 before the DIFC Court of First Instance in Union Insurance PJSC v International Precious Metals Refiners, with the issues around jurisdiction of the court being developed from previous decisions in Horizon Energy v Al Buhaira and AIG v Qatar Insurance. Saima Hanif KC continues to offer extensive expertise in matters concerning regulatory investigations by the likes of the DFSA.