Set Profile > XXIV Old Buildings > London, England

XXIV Old Buildings 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

XXIV Old Buildings > The Legal 500 Rankings

Offshore Tier 1

One of the go-to chambers for international contentious trusts work, XXIV Old Buildings has 'a fantastic reputation and a great selection of very capable and impressive trust disputes barristers', as well as strength on insolvency and commercial litigation matters. Elspeth Talbot Rice QC represents the claimant in the Wong v Grand View case in Bermuda concerning trusts containing the legacy of the founder of Formosa Plastics, while Stephen Moverley Smith QC represented the appellant in Magner v RBS International, a Gibraltarian case concerning dishonest assistance before the Privy Council in the wake of the collapse of law firm Marrache & Co. Unusually for the London Bar, Nicole Langlois, a former Carey Olsen partner, is also a Jersey advocate.

Leading Silks

Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘In a world of waffle, she gives clear advice.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He has a razor-sharp intellect and is able to cut through complicated legal and factual matters with ease.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very clever and makes difficult concepts approachable.’
Ranked: Tier 1
David Brownbill QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A calm advocate and a real leader in the field.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Robert Levy QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Unstuffy and easy to work with, plus tenacious as an advocate.’
Ranked: Tier 2

Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He commands respect with his experience and is very impressive in court.’

Ranked: Tier 2
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very good at reading judges, he always pitches it just right.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘The perfect modern barrister.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Leading Juniors

Andrew Holden - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A strategic thinker and a good communicator.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Nicole Langlois - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A tenacious advocate who sees the key issues immediately.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Sarah Bayliss - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Sarah is easy to work with, practical, and excellent at focusing on the parts of a case which really matter, producing reliably high quality work throughout.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Daniel Warents - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A great advocate excellent on paper and on his feet.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Instructed on a range of advisory matters.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘An incredibly talented senior junior.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Marcus Staff - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is a barrister of the highest calibre. He is incredibly detailed, leaves no stone unturned and user-friendly.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Adam Cloherty - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A good team player and a constructive thinker.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Private client: trusts and probate Tier 1

XXIV Old Buildings is an ‘excellent set for traditional Chancery work and one of the 'go-to' sets for trust and probate litigation matters. It has  a real depth of experience in this area, with specialists of differing years call.’ The set has been described as  ‘one of the premier contentious trusts sets, offering a host of high-quality QCs and junior counsel.’ Its established reputation in this area is exemplified by Alan Steinfeld QC who, in Gerald Metals v (1) Safeguard Management Corp (2) The Trustees of the Timis Trust, advised the trustees of a Cayman trust in a major case about potential claims against a third-party and the obtainment of Beddoe relief. This year sees Edward Cumming QC enter the silks rankings, Daniel Warents join the junior list, and Timothy Sherwin recognised as a rising star of the Bar.

Rising stars

Timothy Sherwin - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Has an excellent nose for the way in which judges are likely to approach cases instinctively. He is tough, tenacious and charming.’
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Is technically exceptional, a great strategic thinker and has excellent client communication skills. One of the leading silks in her field.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A persuasive advocate.’
Ranked: Tier 1
David Brownbill QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Is very knowledgeable, technical, detailed and thorough. He is a persuasive and calming advocate and a real leader in the field.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Humour, hard work, stamina and a very large brain - nothing phases him.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Utterly and disarmingly charming. He has a razor sharp mind and is a brilliant barrister.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He commands respect with his experience and was very impressive in court.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Leading Juniors

Adam Cloherty - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Never fails to impress with his incisive commentary and robust advocacy. He is a great barrister to have on one’s side in a difficult case in light of his strong and positive approach.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Andrew Holden - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Is an outstanding junior, incredibly bright and very good and patient with clients.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Is a persuasive advocate with extensive knowledge and experience in contentious trust and probate matters.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Michael Gadd - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Has an excellent grasp of the detail.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Helen Galley - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Straight to the point, very good with clients, fast turnaround with work.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very knowledgeable.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Daniel Warents - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A very experienced practitioner.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Aviation Tier 2

Increasingly viewed as an ‘impressive' set in the aviation space, XXIV Old Buildings acts for airlines, lessors, and manufacturers, among other aviation stakeholders, mostly in commercial disputes. Steven Thompson QC is praised for sector knowledge, while at the junior end Bajul Shah and Arshad Ghaffar are the names to note; Tom Stewart Coat is a rising star in the field.

Rising stars

Tom Stewart Coats - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He has exceptional knowledge of the law, and is a very effective advocate.’
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He has good aviation knowledge and is very capable on large complex cases.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Leading Juniors

Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A very strong, sensible and calm advocate. He is a pleasure to deal with and always very clear in his advice.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Arshad Ghaffar - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Has excellent knowledge of aviation matters.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Erin Hitchens  - XXIV Old Buildings 'Tenacious, hard-working, user-friendly and good intellect, allied to sound legal judgement and commerciality.'
Ranked: Tier 3

Commercial litigation Tier 2

XXIV Old Buildings is 'one of the leading sets of commercial and Chancery chambers' and noted for its 'strength in offshore and international cases'. The set has several 'first-class silks and excellent juniors at all ends of the experience spectrum' who represent 'fantastic value'. Clients also appreciate the 'fantastic training programmes'. Significant mandates include the liquidation of the Herald Fund, one of the largest Madoff feeder funds, in which Francis Tregear QC, Michael Black QC and Bajul Shah were all involved. Robert Levy QC and Hugh Miall have also been representing over 100 claimants in Ward & Ors v Savill & Ors.

Leading Silks

Robert Levy QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A real star and an absolute pleasure to deal with - he is a lethally effective cross-examiner and has an almost super-human work ethic.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Superb QC to work with - extremely responsive and empathetic whilst setting a clear path forwards’
Ranked: Tier 3
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A genuinely good fellow, his gentle approach in submissions seems to have the ears of the Judges.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Phenomenally bright, great court room manner, garners respect and clients love him.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Fabulous advocate - punches the points home, and really strong analytically, commercial, savvy, subtle, and assertive.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A pleasure to work with, highly engaged and a team player - he has deep expertise in corporate matters and his practice bridges effectively English law and the laws of Middle Eastern jurisdictions.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A pleasure to deal with and an excellent advocate.’
Ranked: Tier 6

Leading Juniors

Stuart Adair - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is very creative in developing tailor-made legal strategies and regularly demonstrates thinking out-of-the-box approaches.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Adam Cloherty - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Top notch advocate, great on his feet and on paper - he makes well thought out, powerful submissions.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Edward Knight - XXIV Old Buildings ‘His judgment is always very reliable and he has the intellectual clout to intimidate most opponents.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Nicole Langlois - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very articulate in her drafting and has a keen eye in spotting potential strengths and weakness of a case.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Hugh Miall - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is a highly effective advocate both on paper and in person.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He's not fazed by anything in either litigation or arbitration.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Bajul stands out for the clarity of his thought - he is fantastic at seeing the wood from the trees and has an uncanny ability to pick out the issues that really matter.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV Old Buildings ‘She is smart, efficient, pragmatic and gets straight to the heart of contentious issues cost effectively.’

Ranked: Tier 4
Oliver Assersohn - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Technically outstanding, and very hard working and responsive - he also has very sound client management (expectation management and empathy) skills.’
Ranked: Tier 5

Fraud: civil Tier 2

XXIV Old Buildings is 'one of the go-to chambers' with 'brilliant strength in depth' and ' a large number of barristers from silk down to the lowest junior who are outstanding on this field'. The chambers is especially noted for its 'strong links to offshore centres and Dubai'. Noteworthy cases include RAK Investments v Bestfort Development Ltd, a $42m fraud claim from Georgia in which Stephen Moverley Smith QC and Alexander Pelling are both involved. Robert Levy QC and Hugh Miall also acted for over 100 claimants in the long-running asset tracing dispute, Ward & Ors v Savill & Ors. The 'highly effective and dependable' Timothy Sherwin is a rising star in chambers.

Rising stars

Timothy Sherwin - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Exceptionally bright, years ahead of his call in his knowledge and capability, extremely approachable and conscientious.’
Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Robert Levy QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A natural choice for offshore fraud work - he is phenomenally hard-working, incredibly aggressive, and absolutely committed to his clients.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A great, robust advocate and definitely one to have on your side.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Extremely responsive and able to articulate complex arguments in a persuasive and attractive manner. His gentle approach in submissions seems to have the ears of the judges.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Absolutely excellent and I would recommend him unhesitatingly for chancery and trusts work.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Steven is a confident and assertive advocate who presents well in consultation with clients. Good grasp of details and persuasive presentation to the court: especially orally.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very focused on the strategy, has a clear and reasonable way to explain the choices, and is always available.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Leading Juniors

Stuart Adair - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A strong, methodical advocate and able to handle very big disputes - he is at a silk's level.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Edward Knight - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Edward gives decisive advice which engenders confidence.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Hugh Miall - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Excellent junior. Focussed and hard working. Good written style.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Clients trust him because he understands their problems and thinks creatively about how to solve them.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Bajul Shah - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is supremely calm, both on his feet and in conference with clients - nothing perturbs him, and there are very few barristers who respond better when up against the ropes.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Insolvency Tier 2

Members of XXIV Old Buildings handle all aspects of domestic and international insolvency law, drawing on specific expertise in arbitration, Chancery, commercial and trusts work. Among high-profile matters that exemplify the set's strengths, Elspeth Talbot Rice QC is acting for the trustees of Boris Berezovsky's estate in Gorbunova v Berezovsky, while Francis Tregear QC is instructed on behalf of the additional liquidator for the Herald Fund, one of the largest feeder funds with claims against the Madoff estate, in Re Herald Fund SPC. Also of note, Edward Knight, who is also a qualified chartered accountant, is noted for handling cases at the intersection between fraud and insolvency.

Leading Silks

Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘An absolutely superb silk.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Excellent value and very user friendly.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Robert Levy QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He really knows his stuff. He gives robust advice and is an extraordinarily effective cross-examiner.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Fiercely bright, commercial and user friendly.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He has a razor-sharp intellect and is able to cut through complicated legal and factual matters with ease.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very insightful and gets to the point quickly.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Lyndsey de Mestre QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Calm and well-judged advocacy.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Steven Thompson QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Good grasp of details and persuasive presentation to the court.’
Ranked: Tier 5

Leading Juniors

Stuart Adair - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He has wide knowledge of the law in this field and the ability to get good results for the client.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Edward Knight - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Extremely bright and being a qualified accountant, he brings an unmatched level of forensic analysis to complex insolvencies, especially where the company has tried to mask its dishonesty.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Hugh Miall - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very commercial but also technical at the same time. Bright and approachable.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Daniel Warents - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is a great advocate and is excellent on paper and when on his feet.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Sarah Bayliss - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Her analysis is clear and practical.’
Ranked: Tier 5

International arbitration: arbitrators Tier 2

Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘His experience and abilities are such that he is the go-to arbitrator for any disputes in the Middle East region.’

Financial services regulation

Leading Juniors

Oliver Assersohn - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Excellent attention to detail, good analytical skills coupled with regulatory knowledge and experience.’
Ranked: Tier 2

International arbitration: counsel

Leading Silks

Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A top-rate silk with years of experience. A familiar barrister appearing as counsel in international commercial arbitrations with a UAE link.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Tom Montagu Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Richly deserves his reputation as a leader in the field of UAE arbitration law and practice - he brings forensic knowledge, combined with unparalleled skills in advocacy before Tribunals.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Leading Juniors

Ian Meakin - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He masters cross-examinations and has an excellent relationship with clients - he is a great team player. He is a highly persuasive advocate in particular with tribunals comprising continental European arbitrators. He is a highly respected member of the Swiss arbitration community and the first port of call for English law disputes in Switzerland.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Arshad Ghaffar - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Great attention to detail, excellent cross-examination skills and forceful advocacy.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Charities

Leading Silks

Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is highly intelligent, quick to pick up the core points including points not picked up by others. His written arguments are very clear.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Is fiercely bright, commercial and user friendly. She is tenacious and is certainly someone you would rather have in your corner than your opponent's.’
Ranked: Tier 2

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) Tier 3

XXIV Old Buildings is 'a fantastic set' where 'everyone has been great - really down to earth and user friendly'. The chambers has 'really increased the depth of its expertise over recent years' and its members are 'extremely cost effective'. Its members have good expertise in hedge fund and structured investment vehicle-related matters, mis-selling claims and cross-border insolvencies. Highlight cases include Al Sadik v Investcorp BSC  where Michael Black QC and Sarah Bayliss represented the claimant. Stephen Moverley Smith QC also represented the defendants Société Générale v Goldas, while Francis Tregear QC led Alexander Pelling in Janus Capital Management LLC v Safeguard World International Ltd.

Leading Silks

Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Quick to understand the issues involved and has an excellent ability in explaining his thoughts in the briefest way possible.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very good and remains my first choice.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Always prepared and available, and very impressive ability to deal with and solve complex issues.’
Ranked: Tier 5

Leading Juniors

Oliver Assersohn - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Highly personable and a dream to work with - slots into the team very well and a tremendous team player.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Sarah Bayliss - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Has an encyclopaedic knowledge of banking law and is extremely user friendly.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Alexander Pelling - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Thoughtful and tactically astute.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Marcus Staff - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Has good experience and sufficient flexibility when dealing with difficult clients.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Pensions

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

Construction

Leading Silks

Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is highly experienced, a good case manager, and has a good understanding of the UAE market.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Tom Montagu-Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Tom has extensive experience in the UAE and understands UAE law better than most barristers.’
Ranked: Tier 5

Leading Juniors

Arshad Ghaffar - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is logical, incisive, committed and hard-working.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Mediators Tier 4

Michael King - XXIV Old Buildings Michael King at XXIV Old Buildings  is 'a brilliant mediator who will not allow parties to let matters drift; he is thoroughly effective in achieving a resolution'. He is highly experienced and acts across London and the regions in complex, trust, probate, estates and inheritance disputes. He has acted in approximately 180 mediations to date.

Professional negligence Tier 4

XXIV Old Buildings handles claims against solicitors, barristers, accountants, auditors, surveyors, valuers and trustees, and is particularly experienced in professional negligence cases involving financial mismanagement. Highlights include Francis Tregear QC acting for a Swiss investment bank in The Public Institution for Social Security v Al Rajaan, which relates to breach of fiduciary duty and tracing claims, as well as appearing in Jackson & Money v Gershinson & Others, which concerned a claim of breach of duty against the directors of a company in liquidation. In addition, Helen Galley appeared in Southwark Living Ltd v Cramer Pelmont, a solicitors' negligence claim.

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 ‘He is highly intelligent and an excellent advocate.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Helen Galley - XXIV Old Buildings ‘She is exceptional.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV Old Buildings ‘She is excellent.’
Ranked: Tier 5
Edward Knight - XXIV Old Buildings ‘A very able junior barrister.’
Ranked: Tier 6

Property litigation

Leading Juniors

Helen Galley - XXIV Old Buildings ‘She has an abundance of common sense, gets on well with her clients, is forthright and is speedy with her written work.’
Ranked: Tier 5

Company and partnership

Experts in company and partnership law, barristers in XXIV Old Buildings lead the way in Chancery and offshore work, as well as domestic and international partnership disputes in the professional services industries. Elspeth Talbot Rice QC's practice spans both company and partnership; she is acting for BVI company Ben Nevis in a case involving a claim by the South African Revenue Service for the wrongful transfer of assets for the purposes of evading tax. Elizabeth Weaver is acting for the defendants in Carlyle Capital Corporation Limited (in liquidation) and others v Conway & others, a $2bn breach of contract and fiduciary duty claim arising out of the failure of a US hedge fund incorporated in Guernsey. Making a name for himself as 'years ahead of his call', rising star Timothy Sherwin has an increasingly active practice in section 994 petitions and companies held in trust structures.

Company - Rising stars

Timothy Sherwin - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He is exceptionally bright, years ahead of his call in his knowledge and capability, extremely approachable and conscientious.’
Ranked: Tier 1

Company - Leading Silks

Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Garners respect and loved by clients. Very impressive and knowledgeable in partnership law.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Quite simply a superb lawyer and a great person to have on your team.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Stephen Moverley Smith QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very sharp mind. Great clarity in drafting. Tactical nous.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘His advocacy is superb and his drafting and insight into the intricacies of a case is exceptional.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Clear and concise in his advice.’
Ranked: Tier 3
Edward Cumming QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Huge amounts of energy, and an appetite to get involved in the detail of a matter.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Lyndsey De Mestre QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Provides clear advice.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Partnership - Leading silks

Alan Steinfeld QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Garners respect and loved by clients. Very impressive and knowledgeable in partnership law.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Quite simply a superb lawyer and a great person to have on your team.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Francis Tregear QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘His advocacy is superb and his drafting and insight into the intricacies of a case is exceptional.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Company - Leading juniors

Stuart Adair - XXIV Old Buildings ‘He has a first-class knowledge of company and partnership law and a great ability to dissect the issues in a case, analyse them and apply the law to them.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Elizabeth Weaver - XXIV Old Buildings ‘An exceptional junior for company law matters.’
Ranked: Tier 2
Hugh Miall - XXIV Old Buildings ‘Very good grip of the authorities and superb ability to marshal the facts and present them persuasively.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Partnership - Leading juniors

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

XXIV Old Buildings > Set 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; 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:

Wallis Trading Inc v Air Tanzania: A US$40 million award against the Defendants, Air Tanzania and the Tanzanian Government, following a 2-week trial in a dispute arising out of an aircraft leasing transaction. The judgment illustrated why English law is routinely chosen as the governing law in aircraft leasing transaction between international parties.

Public Institution for Social Security of Kuwait v Man Group PLC plus 37 other defendants: A large-scale fraud claim concerning a lawsuit launched by the Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS) in Kuwait which alleges it is owed £639.5bn as a result of a large-scale fraud by its former director general.

Routier and another v HMRC: A Supreme Court case concerning a testamentary gift of property on trust for purposes which were agreed to be exclusively charitable under English law.

Ciban Management Corp v Citco: This Privy Council case explored the scope of duties of nominee directors of BVI companies when the ultimate beneficial owner of such companies effectively pull the strings to control the company but seek to keep entirely out of sight.

Lehtimaki and others v Cooper: A landmark Supreme Court judgment on issues of equity and charity law which potentially has significant ramifications for trust law and company law.

Byers & ors v Samba Financial Group: One of the most important pieces of commercial-chancery litigation before the English courts. It centres on a US$300 million transfer made by the director of a company in liquidation to the defendant bank.

Wong v Grandview: Claim that very large Bermudian non-charitable purpose trusts, or the transfers of very substantial assets into them, are void or should be set aside.

Dawson-Damer v Grampian Trust Company Ltd: A £400 million breach of trust/set aside claim in the Bahamas that has clarified the law on DPA/GDPR disclosure by trustees in England, and which involves ancillary injunction proceedings in Bermuda.

Times Travel Limited v Pakistan International Airlines Corporation: Supreme Court case on economic duress where airline held to have used illegitimate pressure to force IATA agent into agreement to abandon claims for commission.

Re Blackstar: A complex and substantial trustees’ remuneration dispute.

Main Contacts

Department Name Email Telephone
Practice Management Clerks clerks@xxiv.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7691 2424
Practice Management Paul Horsfield, Head of Clerking
Practice Management James Ladbrook, Senior Practice Manager
Practice Management Perry Brown, Senior Practice Manager
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 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 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 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)
Member of Chambers GARG, Sparsh (2017)
Member of Chambers HUGHES, Emma (2018)
Member of Chambers HARTSTON, Catherine (2018)
Member of Chambers PEPLOW, Alex (2019)
Members of Chambers VIRGO QC, Graham*
Members of Chambers CONAGLEN, Matthew*
Members of Chambers * Door tenant

Barrister 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
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
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
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

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