Ewan Mcquater KC > Chambers of Ewan McQuater KC and David Quest KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

3 Verulam Buildings is known for its members having ‘great gravitas and reputation for contentious insolvency work,‘ with the set often involved in multi-jurisdictional insolvency disputes. In Lehman Brothers Holdings plc, Adrian Beltrami KC was instructed to represent the insolvent bank in ongoing waterfall disputes about the distribution of surpluses within the Lehman estate. Ewan McQuater KC was involved in NMC Healthcare Limited v Dubai Islamic Bank, the Middle East’s largest ongoing insolvency, where he led a counsel team in defending the interests of a Dubai Islamic Bank and Noor Bank in litigation concerning the collapse of the health company, alleged to be caused by fraud on the part of the company’s chairman. Looking at the juniors, Philip Hinks is noted for his work in Harrington Trading Company Ltd v Mehta, in which he acted for seven companies in liquidation and their joint liquidators in their claim that the proceeds of US$1bn of loans of gold bullion were misappropriated and laundered through a global network of companies.

3 Verulam Buildings has ‘a strong civil fraud practice, particularly for cases involving banking fraud‘. The set was recently particularly active in litigation surrounding several very high-value frauds involving the Covid-related furlough scheme and business loans. In other areas, David Head KC is defending Dimitrios Tsouvelekakis against a substantial claim, which alleges that he acted fraudulently in relation to advice on discretionary investment trusts. In a multi-jurisdictional dispute over Russia’s largest fishing business, Hodge Malek KC defended Vitaly Orlov, CEO and co-founder of the Norebo Group, against complex fraud and conspiracy claims brought by Alexander Tugushev. Elsewhere in chambers, Ewan McQuater KC is leading a substantial counsel team that includes David Quest KC and rising star William Day, in defending the interests of Dubai Islamic Bank and Noor Bank, further to the 2020 collapse of the NMC Healthcare group, which is said to have been the subject of a massive fraud by its management. Juniors building notable fraud practices include Sophia Dzwig, Ryan Ferro and Ravi Jackson.

Known in the offshore world as a ‘strong commercial set with a number of excellent counsel’, 3 Verulam Buildings experienced another strong year with members receiving instructions across a breadth of complex cases, ranging from banking and finance disputes to high-profile judicial reviews. Hodge Malek KC , Hefin Rees KC  and Philip Hinks are representing MBFX and a MultiBank Group’s founder in a large international fraud case where it is alleged that the trading platform fraudulently misappropriated €35m of noteholder funds. Ewan McQuater KC is involved in litigation in the BVI worth $1.5bn, where he is acting for provisional liquidators appointed by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands seeking to preserve and prevent dissipation of the assets of the business group headed by Global Cord Blood Corporation.