Elizabeth Jones KC > Serle Court > London, England > Barrister Profile

Elizabeth Jones KC – Serle Court 

Appreciated for her ‘understated approach, which conceals a steely determination‘, Serle Court‘s Elizabeth Jones KC has a longstanding mediation practice that covers a broad array of complex disputes.

Elizabeth Jones KC – Serle Court 

Appreciated for her ‘understated approach, which conceals a steely determination‘, Serle Court‘s Elizabeth Jones KC has a longstanding mediation practice that covers a broad array of complex disputes.

‘Standout set‘ Serle Court is consistently involved in the market’s most significant disputes, including heavyweight commercial cases before both the Commercial Court and the Business and Property Courts. In Kea v Watson, Elizabeth Jones KC, leading a team of six juniors against three separate teams for the defendants, is representing New Zealand businessman and philanthropist Sir Owen Glenn in various proceedings concerning BVI joint venture company, Spartan Capital. In The Public Institution for Social Security v Al-Rajaan, Philip Marshall KC, leading Simon Hattan, represents one of the defendants in a $800m-plus fraud claim, arising out of alleged bribery involving Kuwait’s state pension fund’s investments, while Hugh Norbury KC is acting for the claimant. Senior junior and business disputes specialist, Jennifer Meech, joined chambers in October 2022 from Enterprise Chambers, and in April 2023, head clerk Steve Whitaker retired after 48 years at chambers, with management of the clerking team passed to senior clerks Nick Hockney and Dan Wheeler, who are ‘real assets for the set‘.

‘An excellent set with a roster of formidably intelligent, yet approachable and user-friendly barristers‘, Serle Court‘s members consistently appear in the Commercial Court and Chancery Division’s most substantial civil fraud actions. Head of chambers Elizabeth Jones KC has longstanding experience in handling litigation involving fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty and other wrongdoing. In Joannou Paraskavides Overseas Limited (in liquidation) v Joannou, Philip Marshall KC represents an international construction company’s claimant liquidators, which are bringing claims of over $1bn for fraudulent trading and conspiracy to defraud. Meanwhile, in a $3bn bribery action before the Commercial Court, Jonathan Adkin acts for the Republic of Mozambique against a number of banks and an Abu Dhabi-based shipbuilder, in relation to allegations that state guarantees were procured by massive bribes to bankers and state agents. Dan McCourt Fritz KC, who took silk in March 2023, routinely acts in a broad range of fraud litigation; while at a junior level, Gregor Hogan‘s civil fraud practice spans multiple jurisdictions, including England, the DIFC, BVI and the Isle of Man.

Serle Court retains its status as among the market-leading offshore sets, with extensive expertise across international trusts, probate and commercial work, with members regularly involved in cases at the bleeding edge of the law in this area. Recent prominent cases include Re Cave Cay, which is thought to be worth more than $300 million, in which Philip Jones KC is acting in an injunction application in BVI in aid of arbitration proceedings. Elsewhere within set, Jonathan Adkin KC is involved in a billion-dollar shareholder dispute in the Bermuda Supreme Court in Re Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd, which concerns an attempt to take private the Jardine Matheson conglomerate, which owns Hongkong Land and Mandarin Oriental. Dakis Hagen KC is known for his wide-ranging offshore practice and sees frequent involvement in high-end trusts and estate litigation in major offshore jurisdictions. Pre-eminent offshore silk Elizabeth Jones KC remains noted for her strong offshore presence and is often instructed on complex, high-profile and high-value international commercial disputes.