Set Profile > Chambers of Alan Steinfeld QC > London, England

Chambers of Alan Steinfeld QC Offices

Chambers of Alan Steinfeld QC
XXIV Old Buildings
24 OLD BUILDINGS, LINCOLN'S INN
LONDON
WC2A 3UP
England
Visit website 020 7691 2424 0870 460 2178

Chambers of Alan Steinfeld QC > The Legal 500 Rankings

Charities

Leading Silks

Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Is fiercely bright, hardworking and responsive. ’
Ranked: Tier 2

2018 Silks

Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Is extremely hardworking and provided clear and commercially astute advice. ’

Offshore Tier 1

'A top set for trusts matters', XXIV Old Buildings has members involved in 'elite cases'. Alan Steinfeld QC and Edward Cumming QC were successful in assisting the defendant Carlyle companies in the Carlyle Capital Corporation v Conway litigation in Guernsey. Robert Levy QC  is instructed in numerous Cayman Islands section 238 cases. Also of note, the highly regarded Nicole Langlois, a former Carey Olsen partner, is a Jersey advocate.

Leading Silks

Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Her guidance on strategy in complex, multi-national litigation is second-to-none. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He contributes clarity of thought and unrivaled intelligence. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
David Brownbill QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A fantastic, focused and technically gifted lawyer. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Robert Levy QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Particularly strong in fraud matters, where he is a fearless and effective cross-examiner. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ An extremely experienced QC who has seen just about every type of dispute under the sun. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Francis Tregar QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has a track record of the top CIS cases. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Approachable, knowledgable and a gifted advocate. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A good choice when a difficult call needs to be made – decisive and clear in his advice. ’
Ranked: Tier 3

2018 Silks

Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A lively and brilliant young silk. ’

Leading Juniors

Nicole Langlois - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Extremely effective on her feet, and practical and pragmatic for strategic matters. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Instructed on a range of advisory matters. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Andrew Holden - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A silk in waiting – he has incredible technical knowledge combined with a very dry sense of humour. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Daniel Warents - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A very intelligent and thoughtful lawyer. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Sarah Bayliss - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Easy to work with, practical and excellent at focusing on the parts of a case that really matter. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Adam Cloherty - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He is undaunted by a challenge – instead he seems to thrive on them. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Instructed in a range of jurisdictions. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Marcus Staff - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A very bright barrister who has excellent technical skills. ’
Ranked: Tier 3

Private client: trusts and probate Tier 1

XXIV OLD BUILDINGS is a ‘high-quality set of chambers’ with an established reputation in the areas of trusts, private client, and probate work, as well as Chancery and offshore disputes. In a recent instruction of note, Alan Steinfeld QC advised the trustees of a Cayman trust about potential claims against a third party and in relation to obtaining Beddoe relief from the Cayman Court.

Leading Silks

Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ Combines incredible energy and levels of availability with the necessary length of experience that makes her an obvious choice for the biggest and most complex disputes. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ Has the ear of the court and has a real courtroom presence as he can convince the court of the correctness of his analysis. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
David Brownbill QC - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ A silk who is adept at finding solutions. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ Is bright, has an impressive ability quickly get on top of his material and has a persuasive and forceful advocacy. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ Is a highly intelligent and diligent silk. ’
Ranked: Tier 3

2018 Silks

Edward Cumming QC - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ A stellar new silk who can take the pressure of a high-value disputes as well as anyone. ’

Leading Juniors

Adam Cloherty - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ Is a formidable advocate, tremendously bullish, and someone to have on your side – and not on the other side! ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Andrew Holden - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ Is an accomplished advocate and equally at ease onshore and offshore – he gives concise and clear advice promptly. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ Her advice is always practical, straightforward and she has a particular skill at cutting through knotty problems with a well-considered and pragmatic strategy. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Michael Gadd - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ Has an excellent grasp of the detail. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Helen Galley - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ Is extremely knowledgeable in cross-jurisdiction and trust work. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Bajul Shah - XXIV OLD BUILDINGS ‘ Has a deep knowledge of the area and will often pick up points others miss or overlook. ’
Ranked: Tier 4

Aviation Tier 2

XXIV Old Buildings is a set that is 'going from strength-to-strength' and is an 'excellent choice for aviation matters'. The leading case on economic duress, Times Travel Limited v Pakistan International Airlines Corporation, was a notable highlight for Philip Shepherd QC, where the airline was held to have used illegitimate pressure to force an IATA agent into agreement to abandon claims for commission.

Leading Silks

Philip Shepherd QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has a natural gravitas combined with an instinctive sense of the commercial realities of a dispute. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has good aviation knowledge and is very capable on large complex cases. ’
Ranked: Tier 4

2018 Silks

Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He is very commercial and is extremely responsive. ’

Leading Juniors

Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A very capable barrister who has real expertise in the aviation sector; he takes a commercial and pragmatic approach and is a very good team-player. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Arshad Ghaffar - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Has excellent knowledge of aviation matters. ’
Ranked: Tier 2

Fraud: civil Tier 2

XXIV Old Buildings is 'very competitive on rates' and 'great on Chancery matters'. The set fields an impressive range of barristers, and its junior silks are particularly well regarded by instructing solicitors. Members also have an excellent track record in offshore and trust matters, which inevitably feed into the fraud work. Steven Thompson QC and Hugh Miall are representing the defendant in the high profile Arcadia Petroleum & Ors v Bosworth & Ors. Stephen Moverley Smith QC and Alexander Pelling also had signficant roles in RAK Investments v Bestfort Development.

Leading Silks

Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A talented and hardworking silk. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has a fantastic range and depth of experience which sets him apart from other silks. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Robert Levy QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Did a splendid job and really put his back into making sure our applications went in on a sound basis. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ She cuts straight through complex and messy facts to the crucial issues, and I have no desire ever to be against her. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ An excellent silk – refreshingly energetic and optimistic in an increasingly cynical and crowded civil fraud market. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ His work is of the highest order. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Philip Shepherd QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has a natural gravitas combined with an instinctive sense of the commercial realities of a dispute. ’
Ranked: Tier 4

2018 Silks

Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Approachable, detail-conscious and commercially-minded. ’

Leading Juniors

Stuart Adair - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has the ear of the judge no matter who his opponents are. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Edward Knight - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Gives firm advice and gets to the heart of the matter quickly. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Hugh Miall - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A prodigiously hard worker, he turns around big pieces of work in the blink of an eye. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Clients cannot recommend him enough. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A very thoughtful and considered lawyer, blessed with deep knowledge of the law. ’
Ranked: Tier 4

Insolvency Tier 2

XXIV Old Buildings has members dealing with all aspects of international and domestic insolvency law. Multiple members, including Alan Steinfeld QC and Edward Cumming QC, are acting in Carlyle Capital Corporation Limited (in liquidation) and others v Conway & others. Stuart Adair is acting in Orexim Trading Limited v Mahavir Port and Terminal Limited, while, in Caymen Island proceedings, Robert Levy QC is acting for the liquidators in Re Caledonian Insurance.

Leading Silks

Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has a real courtroom presence and an ability to convince the court of the correctness of his analysis. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ His work is of the highest order, his advocacy is superb and his drafting and insight into the intricacies of the case are exceptional. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ She has real gravitas about her and is a formidable advocate. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ An extremely experienced silk who is well versed in offshore litigation and has seen just about every type of dispute under the sun. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He is excellent on his feet and highly persuasive in his oral and written arguments. ’
Ranked: Tier 5

2018 Silks

Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He is an absolute star performer and stands out as one of the best junior silks. ’
Lyndsey de Mestre QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Very clear in her advice and approchable. ’

Leading Juniors

Stuart Adair - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A fearless lion fighting for the client and standing his ground. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Sarah Bayliss - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ She is easy to work with, practical, and excellent at focusing on the parts of a case which really matter. ’
Ranked: Tier 5
Edward Knight - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ As an advocate he is quick on his feet and knows when to be tenacious and when not to be. ’
Ranked: Tier 5
Hugh Miall - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has excellent judgement and a most incisive and agile mind. ’
Ranked: Tier 5

International arbitration: counsel Tier 2

Leading Silks

Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Continues to impress with the swiftness of his responses, the clarity of his analysis, and the commercial approach he applies. ’
Ranked: Tier 2

Leading Juniors

Ian Meakin - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ An exceptionally prominent practitioner, his deep understanding of arbitration is strongly appreciated. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Arshad Ghaffar - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Experienced in energy, infrastructure and aviation disputes. ’
Ranked: Tier 3

Financial services regulation Tier 2

Leading Juniors

Oliver Assersohn - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Bright, well informed and has good judgement. ’
Ranked: Tier 2

Commercial litigation Tier 3

XXIV Old Buildings has an excellent reputation for acting on hard-fought offshore disputes, and is also a popular choice for commercial claims before the London courts. Recently, several members, including Alan Steinfeld QC  and Edward Cumming QC, acted on Carlyle Capital Corporation Limited (in liquidation) and others v Conway & others, while Stephen Moverley Smith QC and Hugh Miall acted on Société Générale v Goldas, a dispute relating to gold bullion consignments.

Leading Silks

Robert Levy QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A first-class silk. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Very smart as well as an excellent communicator – she is a brilliant advocate and clients love her. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Has an excellent manner with clients and is very good at general commercial work. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ His advocacy is tremendous and he really does have the ear of the court. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has first-rate analytical skills and is a powerful and persuasive advocate to have in your corner. ’
Ranked: Tier 5
Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ As well as his credentials as a top-notch commercial barrister, he is a leading authority on DIFC Court jurisdiction. ’
Ranked: Tier 6
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ His advocacy was superb and his drafting and insight into the intricacies of the case were exceptional. ’
Ranked: Tier 6

2018 Silks

Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A top-class lawyer, excellent orator and advocate. ’

Leading Juniors

Stuart Adair - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ An incredibly safe pair of hands who never lets you down. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Adam Cloherty - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Not only does he really know his stuff, he's also easy to work with and a nice guy. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Nicole Langlois - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Very bright and perfect for anyone dealing with issues that straddles English and Jersey law. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A really great member of the Bar to work with. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Extremely congenial to work with and he's a very smooth advocate. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Extremely tenacious in court, she has extremely good judgement and has excellent insight into how a case will play out. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Edward Knight - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He has a great eye for detail, and is adept at marshalling swiftly voluminous documentation and preparing forceful submissions. ’
Ranked: Tier 5
Hugh Miall - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He manages to combine a robust style with considerable expertise and brain-power, and is a star to watch for the future. ’
Ranked: Tier 5

Pensions Tier 3

Leading Silks

Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ His advocacy is tremendous and he really does have the ear of the court. ’
Ranked: Tier 3

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) Tier 4

XXIV Old Buildings has several barristers who have built up a strong reputation for banking work. The set is especially noted for its expertise in offshore banking and fund-related disputes and insolvencies. Notable highlights on this front include Michael Black QC and Marcus Staff's role in Al Sadik v Investcorp BSC in the Cayman Islands.

Leading Silks

Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Approachable, knowledgeable and a gifted advocate – my first port of call with a complex commercial dispute. ’
Ranked: Tier 5
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Guided the case through the Commercial Court with astonishing aplomb. ’
Ranked: Tier 5
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Very strong and very easy to work with from a client perspective. ’
Ranked: Tier 5

2018 Silks

Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A very personable silk who is great with clients and gives commercial, direct advice. ’

Leading Juniors

Oliver Assersohn - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Very responsive and hardworking, his input is always measured and valuable. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Clever, imaginative in solving problems, hardworking, and a pleasure to work with. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Marcus Staff - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A very bright barrister who has excellent technical skills. ’
Ranked: Tier 4

Construction Tier 4

Leading Silks

Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ And excellent and thoughtful advocate. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Tom Montagu-Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Hugely talented barrister, always impeccably prepared. ’
Ranked: Tier 5

Professional negligence Tier 4

XXIV Old Buildings handles a range of complex professional negligence cases involving lawyers, accountants, auditors, surveyors, valuers and trustees. The set is 'experienced' and has 'excellent individuals' for such disputes. Jackson & Money v Gershinson & Others was a key case for Francis Tregear QC, while Helen Galley appeared in Southwark Living v Cramer Pelmont, a claim against solicitors which alleged failure to protect the client's position.

Leading Silks

Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He is first rate. ’
Ranked: Tier 3
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He is experienced in professional negligence disputes. ’
Ranked: Tier 4

Leading Juniors

Michael Gadd - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Highly intelligent and an excellent advocate. ’
Ranked: Tier 4
Helen Galley - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Exceptional. ’
Ranked: Tier 5
Edward Knight - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A very able junior barrister. ’
Ranked: Tier 5
Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ She is excellent. ’
Ranked: Tier 5

Mediators Tier 5

XXIV Old Buildings’ Michael King is 'always well prepared and a master at dealing with more difficult parties'. Since becoming an accredited mediator, King has been involved in over 130 mediations, and he has particular expertise in mediating trust-related disputes.

Company and partnership

XXIV Old Buildings is 'one of the standout sets for offshore company law work', which sits beside a strong Chancery practice, but members are also well-versed in partnership disputes, acting in cases domestically and abroad. Alan Steinfeld QC acted in Clean Power Properties Ltd v Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd, where he is advising Network Rail on the terms and effects of an agreement with the claimant for the acquisition of sites intended to be used as power stations. On the partnership front, he is advising on a large LLP dispute for Boston Consulting. Also on the partnership front, Francis Tregear QC advised Cayman Islands-based Alcontrol LP on the structure and distribution of its equity interests. Meanwhile, Michael Black QC acted for the claimant in Akhmodova v Akhmodov, enforcement proceedings in a $600m divorce settlement across multiple jurisdictions that involved piercing the corporate veil over disputed assets.

Company - Leading Silks

Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ His analysis is crisp and clear and he articulates it with passion and commitment. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ She is fiercely bright, hardworking and responsive; quite simply a superb lawyer and a great person to have on your team. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He is an extremely experienced QC who is well versed in offshore litigation and has seen just about every type of dispute under the sun. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Intellectually adept, a pleasure to deal with, prompt with advice, navigates complexity and is very user friendly.' ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ His advice is always clear and concise and he is straightforward. ’
Ranked: Tier 3

Partnership - Leading silks

Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ His analysis is crisp and clear and he articulates it with passion and commitment. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ She is fiercely bright, hardworking and responsive; quite simply a superb lawyer and a great person to have on your team. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Intellectually adept, a pleasure to deal with, prompt with advice, navigates complexity and is very user friendly.' ’
Ranked: Tier 3

Company - 2018 Silks

Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ He is always willing to provide guidance and consider options outside of the box. ’
Lyndsey De Mestre QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Very clear in her advice and is approachable. ’

Company - Leading Juniors

Stuart Adair - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ A fearless lion fighting for the client; he stands his ground. ’
Ranked: Tier 1
Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Practical, sensible and comparable to a QC. ’
Ranked: Tier 2
Hugh Miall - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Terrific advocate, immaculate written work. ’
Ranked: Tier 3

Partnership - Leading juniors

Helen Galley - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ She approaches cases very sympathetically, but also in a pragmatic and no-nonsense way. ’
Ranked: Tier 3

Set overviews: England and Wales

A ‘terrific’ Chancery-commercial chambers, XXIV OLD BUILDINGS is ‘one of the standout sets for offshore trust work’ and ‘going from strength to strength’ when it comes to Middle East-related matters. Members have ‘a rare balance of intellectual excellence allied to an ability to explain complicated legal principles in simple terms’. In recent news, Steven Thompson QC has been appointed chair of the International Committee of The Bar Council. ‘Wonderful and formidable’ chambers director Sue Medder has announced her retirement, effective August 2019, after five years in chambers during which time she led a ‘fantastic, highly responsive, and approachable’ clerking team which ‘matches the quality’ of the set’s members. The team includes ‘impressive’ senior practice managers Paul Horsfield and James Ladbrook, who are ‘straightforward to deal with’ and ‘very competitive’ on fees. Offices in: London and Geneva

Chambers of Alan Steinfeld QC > Firm Profile

The Chambers

XXIV Old Buildings is a specialist commercial and chancery chambers based in London with an office in Geneva.  The members have an unrivalled reputation for their commercial and chancery work both internationally and domestically.

A leading set in Offshore; Private Client: Trusts and Probate; Commercial Litigation; Banking and Finance; Insolvency; Company and Partnership; Aviation;  Fraud: Civil; Charities; Professional Negligence, their strength and breadth of expertise can be demonstrated by the frequency of their appearance in courts of other jurisdictions, with members called to the Bars of Jersey, the BVI, Bermuda, St Vincents, the Cayman Islands, Dubai (DIFC), and other leading international financial centres such as the ADGM Abu Dhabi and the court in Astana (AIFC) in a judicial capacity. They are recognised as one of the most forward-thinking and innovative sets at the London Bar.

Work Undertaken

The calibre of XXIV Old Buildings’ practice is evidenced by the cases in which members are routinely instructed undertaking litigation, arbitration and the provision of advice across the full range of commercial and chancery work, from UK commercial litigation and insolvency work to truly international litigation and arbitration involving large-scale business disputes, fraud and asset tracing, and cross-border insolvency and restructuring; and to ‘traditional’ chancery matters such as private family trust and succession disputes. This broad base of expertise is supplemented by members’ specialist experience in fields such as hedge funds/SIVs; financial derivatives (including spread betting/CFDs); and aviation. Members are also highly experienced arbitrators and mediators. Examples of our work are set out below:

Investec Trust v Glenalla Properties Ltd & Others: This claim by the liquidators for more than £180m against the former trustees of a Jersey trust raised complex issues relating to the rights of trust creditors to enforce their claims against trustees and trust assets, conflicts of laws, and unjust enrichment.

Société Générale v Goldas: A successful strike out of claims by the bank to recover gold bullion worth

$480m and an inquiry as to the damage caused by wrongly maintained freezing orders. The bank failed to persuade the court that its defective attempts at service should be treated as valid.

Property Alliance Group v The Royal Bank of Scotland: One of the most advanced LIBOR fixing cases before the English CoA in 2018. The case gave rise to interesting interlocutory decisions relating to disclo- sure and privilege in the context of financial services.

Carlyle Capital Corporation Limited (in liquidation) & Others v Conway & Others: A $2 billion claim arising from a collapsed investment fund incorporated in Guernsey. Judgment handed down in September 2017 dismissed all claims against the defendants. An appeal to the Guernsey Court of Appeal has since been dismissed and It is expected that there will now be an appeal to the Privy Council.

Perry v Lopag Trust Reg and Ors: A multi-jurisdictional dispute involving allegations of malpractice against a major Swiss bank, international litigation to recover assets on behalf of members of the family with proceedings in England, the Cayman Islands, the BVI, Liechtenstein, Curacao and Delaware.

Re X Trusts: One of the largest and most fiercely fought commercial chancery disputes of 2018. Counsel appeared for opposing sides in the Supreme Court of Bermuda in an application by one group of beneficia- ries to remove the trustees of a trust structure said to be worth in the region of £5 billion.

Akhmedova v Akhmedov: High-profile claims to enforce judgment in the sum of £453million (the high- est divorce order made in the Family Division). Enforcement proceedings issued in the DIFC in support of the English order.

Main Contacts

Department Name Email Telephone
Practice Management Clerks clerks@xxiv.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7691 2424
Practice Management Paul Horsfield, Acting Head of Clerking
Members of Chambers MANN QC, Martin (1968)
Members of Chambers STEINFELD QC, Alan (1968)
Members of Chambers BLACK QC, Michael (1978)
Members of Chambers MOVERLEY SMITH QC, Stephen (1985)
Members of Chambers SHEPHERD QC, Philip (1975)
Members of Chambers TREGEAR QC, Francis (1980)
Members of Chambers BROWNBILL QC, David (1989)
Members of Chambers TALBOT RICE QC, Elspeth (1990)
Members of Chambers LEVY QC, Robert (1988)
Members of Chambers THOMPSON QC, Steven (1996)
Members of Chambers MONTAGU-SMITH QC, Tom (2001)
Members of Chambers DE MESTRE QC, Lyndsey (1999)
Members of Chambers CUMMING QC, Edward (2006)
Members of Chambers KING, Michael (1971)
Members of Chambers RITCHIE, Richard (1978)
Members of Chambers GADD, Michael (1981)
Members of Chambers WEAVER, Elizabeth (1982)
Members of Chambers GALLEY, Helen (1987)
Members of Chambers MEAKIN, Ian (1991)
Members of Chambers GHAFFAR, Arshad (1991)
Members of Chambers STAFF, Marcus (1994)
Members of Chambers ADAIR, Stuart (1995)
Members of Chambers PELLING, Alexander (1995)
Members of Chambers SHAH, Bajul (1996)
Members of Chambers HUGHES, Jessica (1997)
Members of Chambers LANGLOIS, Nicole (2008)
Members of Chambers KNIGHT, Edward (1999)
Members of Chambers BAYLISS, Sarah (2002)
Members of Chambers ASSERSOHN, Oliver (2003)
Members of Chambers CLOHERTY, Adam (2005)
Members of Chambers HITCHENS, Erin (2006)
Members of Chambers HOLDEN, Andrew (2007)
Members of Chambers CURRY, Owen (2009)
Members of Chambers WARENTS, Daniel (2009)
Members of Chambers MIALL, Hugh (2009)
Members of Chambers MURPHY, Heather (2009)
Members of Chambers KING, Kira (2011)
Members of Chambers WATSON, Matthew (2012)
Members of Chambers AVIS, Robert (2013)
Members of Chambers SHERWIN, Timothy (2014)
Members of Chambers STEWART COATS, Tom (2014)
Members of Chambers GERASIMENKO, Alina (2015)
Members of Chambers WAISTELL, Ben (2015)
Members of Chambers FENNEMORE, James (2017)
Members of Chambers VIRGO QC, Graham*
Members of Chambers CONAGLEN, Matthew*
Members of Chambers * Door tenant

Lawyer Profiles

Photo Name Position Profile
Stuart Adair photo Stuart Adair Stuart has an extremely successful commercial chancery practice which focuses on commercial… View Profile
Mr Oliver Assersohn photo Mr Oliver Assersohn Financial services, banking, commercial/ Chancery. View Profile
Robert Avis photo Robert Avis Robert joined XXIV Old Buildings as junior tenant in October 2014. He… View Profile
Sarah Bayliss photo Sarah Bayliss Barrister specialising in traditional and commercial Chancery, company/insolvency, and banking/financial services disputes. View Profile
Michael Black QC photo Michael Black QC Advocate and arbitrator in international commercial disputes. View Profile
David Brownbill QC photo David Brownbill QC Barrister specialising in all aspects of trusts and related company matters, contentious… View Profile
Adam Cloherty photo Adam Cloherty Adam’s practice covers a broad range of contentious and non-contentious international and… View Profile
Edward Cumming photo Edward Cumming Edward is a barrister specialising in most areas of chancery and commercial… View Profile
Owen Curry photo Owen Curry Trusts and estates, company law, insolvency and commercial. View Profile
Lyndsey De Mestre photo Lyndsey De Mestre Barrister specialising in insolvency and company law (including directors’ disqualification); commercial litigation,… View Profile
Michael Gadd photo Michael Gadd Specialises in commercial Chancery. Frequently engaged in cases that cross international boundaries… View Profile
Helen Galley photo Helen Galley Private client work – probate, estates, trusts and family provision, including the… View Profile
Arshad Ghaffar photo Arshad Ghaffar Barrister specialising in commercial law: agency, arbitration, aviation, bills of lading, carriage… View Profile
Amanda Harington photo Amanda Harington Amanda is a very experienced commercial and Chancery barrister. She specialises in… View Profile
Erin Hitchens photo Erin Hitchens Erin specialises in traditional and commercial Chancery work, including contentious probate matters,… View Profile
Andrew Holden photo Andrew Holden Since joining chambers in October 2008, Andrew has enhanced his strong academic… View Profile
Jessica Hughes photo Jessica Hughes Barrister involved in a wide range of contractual and trust disputes, from… View Profile
Edward Knight photo Edward Knight Barrister with a practice directed towards commercial matters, including their interaction with… View Profile
Nicole Langlois photo Nicole Langlois Main areas of specialisation are trust and company disputes; commercial contractual disputes;… View Profile
Robert Levy QC photo Robert Levy QC Robert specialises in substantial commercial litigation. His cases frequently span international borders,… View Profile
Martin Mann QC photo Martin Mann QC Senior Chancery Commercial Silk with a very wide-ranging civil fraud, company, professional… View Profile
Ian Meakin photo Ian Meakin Ian has extensive experience in dispute resolution, international business law, trusts and… View Profile
Hugh Miall photo Hugh Miall Hugh has a busy junior commercial chancery practice with a particular emphasis… View Profile
Tom Montagu Smith QC photo Tom Montagu Smith QC Barrister practicing in commercial litigation and arbitration, including shareholder disputes, civil fraud,… View Profile
Stephen Moverley Smith QC photo Stephen Moverley Smith QC Barrister specialising in international litigation and arbitration in the fields of commercial,… View Profile
Heather Murphy photo Heather Murphy Heather has a rich and varied commercial chancery practice. She welcomes instructions… View Profile
Alexander Pelling photo Alexander Pelling Barrister with breadth and depth of knowledge in commercial and chancery litigation… View Profile
Bajul Shah photo Bajul Shah Bajul has a broad commercial Chancery practice with an emphasis on aviation,… View Profile
Harry Sharpe photo Harry Sharpe Harry has a wide-ranging commercial chancery practice, including contractual disputes, company law… View Profile
Philip Shepherd QC photo Philip Shepherd QC Commercial barrister specialising in business disputes often involving an international element. Philip… View Profile
Marcus Staff photo Marcus Staff Barrister specialising in private and commercial trust and fund disputes resolved in… View Profile
Alan Steinfeld QC photo Alan Steinfeld QC Barrister specialising in trusts, partnership law, trust-related and general insolvency, company law,… View Profile
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC photo Elspeth Talbot Rice QC Described by opponents as “the smiling assassin”, and crowned Legal 500’s Trusts… View Profile
Steven Thompson QC photo Steven Thompson QC Barrister specialising in corporate and personal insolvency, company law, aviation law and… View Profile
Francis Tregear QC photo Francis Tregear QC Francis’ practice focuses on business disputes, company and insolvency matters, funds and… View Profile
Daniel Warents photo Daniel Warents Daniel specialises in most areas of chancery and commercial work both in… View Profile
Matthew Watson photo Matthew Watson Arbitration, aviation, civil fraud, commercial litigation, insolvency, partnerships, professional negligence and contentious… View Profile
Elizabeth Weaver photo Elizabeth Weaver Elizabeth has a general commercial chancery practice handling a wide range of… View Profile

Staff Figures

Practice Management & Chambers Administration : 13

Top Tier Set Rankings

Set Rankings