Peter De Verneuil Smith KC KC > Chambers of Ewan McQuater KC and David Quest KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
3 Verulam Buildings Offices
3 Verulam Buildings
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Peter De Verneuil Smith KC KC
Position
Peter is well known for his excellent advocacy and client skills. He is frequently the lead advocate in large and complex litigation (including claimant and defendant GLOs) and arbitration and was the lead counsel in the $350 million claim under s.90A(FSMA) against Tesco which settled in 2020. Between 2016 – 2017 he acted in the RBS Rights Issue litigation. His practice spans pure banking disputes (including derivative, mis-selling, duties of care owed by a bank, and unjust enrichment) and banking related litigation such as shipbuilding finance, performance bonds and guarantees. He has appeared in major fraud cases (including Group Seven Ltd v Nasir, Tatneft v Bogolyubov and NML v Chapman Freeborn) and often seeks urgent injunctive relief to support domestic and foreign proceedings. His commercial work includes company disputes (unfair prejudice, derivative actions, breach of director duty) and breach of trust claims. He is regularly involved in financial services disputes including tax scheme litigation (the GlobalCure scheme), collective investment schemes and FSMA related claims. His cases frequently involve offshore centres and he has worked in Guernsey, the Cayman Islands, BVI, and Bermuda. His arbitration practice is a mix of energy, finance and project disputes with London, Paris, SIAC and DIFC seats.
Career
Called to the Bar in 1998
Memberships
COMBAR, LCIA, fellow of CIARB, and IBA.
Education
Selwyn College Cambridge.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Group litigation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Peter De Verneuil Smith KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He is a great team player, always accessible and is fantastic with clients.’
Geared to handle the full spectrum of commercial group litigation, 3 Verulam Buildings is highlighted for proficiency in consumer disputes and work in the financial sector, with a specialism in securities. Andrew Onslow KC is representing former shareholders in claims against Glencore for losses allegedly suffered as a result of untrue and misleading statements. Jonathan Nash KC acts in the first class action to be brought in the Isle of Man, involving a multi-million pound claim against a financial institution in relation to the collapse of financial funds held within offshore bonds, whereas Peter De Verneuil Smith KC is representing Santander Bank in a group action by 40,000 individual claimants who allege they were mis-sold payment protection insurance. Adam Kramer KC‘s caseload includes handling Dieselgate cases for claimants, in which he obtained six Group Litigation Orders in one hearing in January 2024.
London Bar > Banking and finance (including consumer credit)
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Peter De Verneuil Smith KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Hugely experienced in consumer finance group litigation. A fantastic strategist. User friendly and great in conference. A shining star in his field.’
London Bar > Commercial litigation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4Peter De Verneuil Smith KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘Peter is extremely knowledgeable and experienced. He is superbly clever, and his advice is always well considered, practical and clear.’
3 Verulam Buildings ‘consistently fields the best and the brightest at the commercial Bar’, regularly handling multi-jurisdictional, complex cases at all levels of the English court system and globally. The set continues to be active in high-value corporate insolvency-related claims, including Phones4u Limited v Vodafone Group, where Ewan McQuater KC led Adam Kramer KC and Hannah Glover in Vodafone’s defence against allegations, brought by the collapsed retailer’s liquidators, that mobile phone networks conspired with each other to terminate their dealings with it. Andrew Onslow KC, Peter De Verneuil Smith KC, and Adam Kramer KC acted for various claimant groups in a FSMA s.90/90A securities claim against Glencore, accused of hiding corrupt activities through misleading statements in published prospectuses. In Umbrella Interchange Fee Claimants v Mastercard, Adrian Beltrami KC was instructed to act for over 1,000 merchants in claims brought against Mastercard and Visa in respect of alleged unlawful interchange fees. Another key case includes Jonathan Davies-Jones KC, Clarissa Jones, and Georges Chalfoun’s defence of Siam Commercial Bank in Suppipat v Narongdej and others, involving an alleged fraudulent conspiracy related to the sale of a major wind energy company in Thailand.
London Bar > Fraud: civil
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3Peter De Verneuil Smith KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘He knows the law inside out, is clearly very bright, and brings a real rigour to assessing the merits and case strategy.‘