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

Ian Higgins

020 7831 8441 ihiggins@3vb.com

Position

Ian is a former solicitor with a general commercial practice, with particular focus on international arbitration and banking disputes. He spent much of 2015-2017 instructed on behalf of Claimants in the RBS Rights Issue Litigation, led by Jonathan Nash QC and Peter de Verneuil Smith.

Other recent led work has included

• Acting for 28 individual Defendants to claims under purported loans arising out of an environmental investment/tax mitigation scheme.  The Defendants say they are victims of frauds.  Four week trial of test cases listed in the Commercial Court for November 2020. Led by Peter de Verneuil Smith QC.
• Acting for the former CEO of a private jet management company in claims arising from the management of a private jet.  Two week trial in the Commercial Court listed for January 2020.  Led by Jonathan Davies-Jones QC.
• Acting in a substantial jurisdictional dispute regarding the proper interpretation of the Brussels Recast Regulation (Commercial Court, listed for October 2019).  Led by Adam Kramer.

Ian is regularly instructed as sole counsel in a variety of High Court and County Court matters, including general commercial and banking work, professional negligence claims, possession and insolvency issues, and sales of goods cases.

He is currently sole counsel in a $millions LCIA arbitration arising out of the termination of  a consultancy agreement in the agency sector, and was recently sole English co-counsel in a Vienna-seated arbitration arising out of an English law contract.  As a solicitor at White & Case LLP he dealt with a number of high-value commercial arbitrations.

Career

Trainee solicitor, White & Case LLP 2008-2010, including a year spent in White & Case’s Moscow and Hong Kong offices.

Solicitor, dispute resolution, White & Case LLP 2010-2011.

Formerly teaching fellow in laws, University College London, and part-time tutor in equity, School of Oriental and African Studies.

Publications of note:

Co-author of Bewigged & Bewildered – a guide to becoming a barrister in England and Wales (3^rd edition 2016), with Adam Kramer.

Co-author of Byles on Bills of Exchange and Cheques (30^th edn forthcoming, with Jonathan Mark Phillips and Richard Hanke).

Contributor to Bullen & Leake & Jacobs Precedents of Pleadings (19^th ed 2019, forthcoming).

Contributor to Paget’s Law of Banking (15^th ed 2018), contributor to ‘Key Authorities in Banking Law’ (2013).

Memberships

Memberships held: Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, COMBAR, Bar Pro Bono Unit.

Education

University College Oxford (2005 BA (First)); University College London (2006 LL.M International Business Law, Distinction); Oxford Institute of Legal Practice (2007 PGDip Legal Practice (Distinction).

Leisure

Travel, a cappella singing.