Set Profile > Chambers of George Bompas QC > London , London

Chambers of George Bompas QC
4 Stone Buildings
LINCOLN'S INN
LONDON
WC2A 3XT
London

Email firm Visit website 020 7242 5524 020 7831 7907

Set overviews: England and Wales

A ‘first-choice chambers’ for commercial Chancery work, 4 Stone Buildings is a ‘go-to’ set for company, insolvency, and financial services disputes, with junior barristers who have ‘very sharp minds’ and are ‘uniformly good’. Andrew de Mestre QC took silk in 2019 strengthening chambers at the senior end. Led by senior clerk David Goddard, the clerking team is described as ‘responsive, helpful, user friendly, and commercially minded’. First junior Jason Doyle and clerks Ben Lashmar and Ryan Tunkel are highly regarded by instructing solicitors. Offices in: London

Company and partnership

A 'go-to set', 4 Stone Buildings covers all aspects of company law, including formations and dissolutions, M&A, corporate finance, regulatory issues, directors' duties, and shareholder rights. Autonomy Corporation v Michael Lynch (Hewlett Packard's litigation against the former CEO of Autonomy, over its $18bn acquisition of the company), continues to occupy a number of members, most notably Robert Miles QC and accomplished senior-junior Sharif Shivji. Gregory Denton-cox is another junior to note, with significant experience in shareholder and investor disputes. He is acting for a shareholder in a joint venture company incorporated in Singapore in arbitration and court proceedings against another shareholder regarding an option over the company's principal asset.

Company - 2020 Silks

Andrew de Mestre - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Drafts beautifully and works seriously hard. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Company - Leading Juniors

Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ His studied, cerebral manner conceals a hard edge to his approach. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Sharif Shivji - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Great to work with, is focused, well prepared and excellent to have on your side. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Gregory Denton-Cox - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is excellent at breaking down difficult concepts for general consumption. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Paul Greenwood - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is excellent with the client, meticulous on the detail, and a pleasure to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Tiran Nersessian - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ His advice is always commercial and pragmatic. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Hermann Boeddinghaus - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is a very commercial and pragmatic barrister who is personable and easy to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Alexander Cook - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is knowledgeable, responsive and very easy to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Tom Gentleman - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is excellent to deal with, able to handle multiple work streams and deliver quality work product consistently. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

James Knott - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is very approachable and responsive, and quick-thinking, and decisively clear in his advice. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Anna Markham - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ She is very knowledgeable, experienced and easy to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Alastair Tomson - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ His cross-examination is brilliant and he is very good on his feet. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Company - Leading Silks

George Bompas QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is calm and brilliant. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is a seasoned litigator with a good strategic sense. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ One of the Bar's “super silks”. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Richard Hill QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is an extremely hardworking and energetic QC. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Robert Miles QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is a leading silk at the company Bar. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Financial services regulation Tier 2

4 Stone Buildings houses members with experience representing a broad range of parties affected by the UK's financial services regulatory framework. The set's barristers also have strong expertise advising on regulatory issues in other key jurisdictions, including Dubai, where Sharif Shivji is experienced. In the UK, notable mandates include appearing before the Supreme Court in FCA v Macris, where Jonathan Crow QC represented the Financial Conduct Authority.

Leading Juniors

Charles Marquand - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Always provides practical advice and is able to provide insight into how the FCA will approach matters. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Sharif Shivji - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Top of my wish list for financial services work. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Alastair Tomson - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ User friendly and extremely hardworking. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Leading Silks

Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is exceptional. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Proactive and creative in his thinking. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Robert Miles QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He has a towering intellect and is an extremely persuasive advocate. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Insolvency Tier 2

4 Stone Buildings' members have developed strong practices in insolvency and restructuring work, including representations of the UK government. Jonathan Crow QC recently appeared in PST v OW Bunker; a major case for the shipping industry that raised issues including the application of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 to any contracts which include a retention of title clause and a licence to consume. Tiran Nersessian is also recommended, and has a broad practice of private and government instructions, including acting as sole counsel to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs before the Court of Appeal in Botleigh Grange v HMRC. Andrew de Mestre QC took silk in 2019 and recently acted for the liquidators of Hellas Telecommunications. Meanwhile, Sharif Shivji acted for the claimants, the liquidators of various BVI companies, in Stephen Akers v Deutsche Bank AG, winning a €200m settlement for the clients following accusations that Deutsche Bank sold toxic and complex credit derivative instruments.

2019 Silks

Andrew de Mestre QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Superb at getting into the forensic detail of spreadsheets and models. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Sharif Shivji - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is one of the cleverest and savvy barristers at the Bar. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Tiran Nersessian - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is a very knowledgeable counsel who has the Insolvency Rules at his fingertips and is practical in the advice which he gives. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is a well-prepared and courteous advocate who presents a client’s case with care and articulacy. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Hermann Boeddinghaus - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ A very commercial and pragmatic barrister who is personable and easy to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Tom Gentleman - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is excellent to deal with, able to handle multiple work streams and deliver quality work product consistently. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Sarah Harman - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ She is very experienced and reliable. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Anna Markham - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ An outstanding member of chambers. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Leading Silks

Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is always absolutely on top of the brief without hesitation and this never fails to come across when he is on his feet. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Robert Miles QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is a leading silk at the insolvency Bar. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is clear in his delivery of advice but always cognisant of the client’s ultimate goal and provides his advice in context. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

George Bompas QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He is extremely knowledgeable in company and insolvency law, as well as highly intelligent and creative. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Commercial litigation Tier 3

4 Stone Buildings has 'excellent barristers across the board' with 'very sharp minds combined with a user-friendly and commercially minded clerking team'. For some, the set is often the 'first-choice chambers for all commercial Chancery work' and boasts several superstar silks. Recent highlights include Autonomy Corporation v Dr Michael Lynch, in which Robert Miles QC, Richard Hill QC and Sharif Shivji are representing Dr Michael Lynch, and Al Khorafi v Bank Sarasin-Alpen (ME) Limited and others.

Leading Juniors

Sharif Shivji - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He devours papers, cutting through complexities, to arrive quickly at the nub of the issue. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Paul Greenwood - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Excellent with the client, meticulous on the detail, and a pleasure to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ His advice is particularly polished. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Alexander Cook - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ An extremely safe pair of hands, very personable and very good with clients. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Leading Silks

Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ One of the super silks, his reputation alone adds immediate credibility to a client's case. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Robert Miles QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Connects with the judge on the most difficult points. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ A seasoned litigator with a good strategic sense. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

George Bompas QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ A hugely capable and experienced silk, he has enormous experience across a wide range of corporate and Chancery matters. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Andrew Clutterbuck QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ His advice is always clear and his approach is always commercial, never losing sight of the client's objectives. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Richard Hill QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Very well regarded for commercial Chancery disputes. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Fraud: civil Tier 3

4 Stone Buildings is a popular destination for high-end fraud work, and the set's top silks are regularly instructed on some of the City's largest cases. Recent cases have included Autonomy Corporation v Dr Michael Lynch, in which is leading a team of three members on behalf Michael Lynch. Another highlight is Danilina v Chernukhin in which Jonathan Crow QC is representing the claimant.

2019 Silks

Andrew de Mestre QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He has an extraordinary ability to marshal the facts of a case combined with an incisive grasp of the law. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Very thorough in his analysis, he gave clear pragmatic advice to the client and was a pleasure to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Leading Silks

Robert Miles QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Did a terrific job and was enjoyable to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Clear in his delivery of advice but always cognisant of the client's ultimate goal. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Well-prepared, measured and to the point, he understands lay client's needs and is a real pleasure to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Banking and finance (including consumer credit) Tier 4

4 Stone Buildings houses a strong complement of highly experienced banking silks and juniors. The set can often be found on complex mandates, usually with an insolvency or regulatory bent. Notable cases included Singularis Holdings Limited v Daiwa Capital Markets Europe Limited, in which Robert Miles QC and Andrew de Mestre QC represented the claimant, and Jonathan Crow QC the respondent. Richard Hill QC, Sharif Shivji and Alastair Tomson also represented the claimaint in Al Khorafi v Bank Sarasin-Alpen before the DIFC.

2019 Silks

Andrew de Mestre QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Charming, down-to-earth and highly responsive, with first-rate client-care skills. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Juniors

Sharif Shivji - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ He really is first class, he combines charm and an ease of manner with a deft touch and strategic acumen. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Christopher Harrison - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Very erudite and thorough to a tee. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Alastair Tomson - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Great to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Leading Silks

Robert Miles QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ His cross-examination skills are measured and effective. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Jonathan Crow QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ A very effective advocate, focused on the main issues, and calmly persuasive. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

John Brisby QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Outstandingly clever with a compelling court style and a pleasure to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Richard Hill QC - 4 Stone Buildings ‘ Leaves no stone unturned when it comes to assessing details and evidence and is usually thinking a step or two ahead of his opponents. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

4 Stone Buildings enjoys an enviable reputation in relation to company/commercial litigation and advice, and many other related areas of law.

The Chambers: Chambers currently consist of 38 members, including 8 silks. Four members are currently on the Treasury panels. Three members are appointed to sit as Deputy Judges of the High Court. One of the silks is Attorney General to the Duchy of Lancaster and another is Attorney General to the Prince of Wales. One member is on the board of the Charity Commission. Chambers belong to the Commercial Bar Association and the Chancery Bar Association.

Work Undertaken: Work covers all aspects of company and commercial litigation, including shareholders disputes, corporate fraud and asset recovery as well as commercial arbitration, banking, financial services and regulatory work, international trusts and public law. The clerks’ room is staffed during term from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and chambers can be contacted out of hours on the number given on the chambers’ answering machine and on the website. Further information about chambers and the work undertaken is available on the website www.4stonebuildings.com.

Publications: Members of chambers have contributed to numerous publications in their specialist fields including Annotated Companies Acts (Oxford University Press), Tolley’s Company Law, Atkin Court Forms 2nd ed., (volumes on companies, winding up and equitable remedies), Halsbury’s Laws of England 4th ed. (volumes on corporations and money); A Practitioner’s Guide to Directors’ Duties and Responsibilities (City & Financial Publishing).

International: Chambers undertake a substantial amount of work for overseas clients and members regularly receive instructions from the Caribbean, the United States, Europe, Central Asia and the Far East. In recent years, members have appeared in court in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Gibraltar, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Malaysia, Singapore, Nevis, Dominica, Seychelles and Trinidad. In addition certain members are full members of the Northern Ireland Bar, the Cayman Islands Bar and the Bar of the British Virgin Islands.

Recruitment: 4 Stone Buildings’ policy is to seek to have up to 2 pupils each year and to recruit each of those pupils that meet the required standard. Prospective applicants for pupillage will find further information including details of chambers’ awards in the Pupillage Pack which is available on request. Mini-pupillages are encouraged.

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Senior clerk	GODDARD, David
Members of Chambers	BOMPAS QC, George (1975)
Members of Chambers	BRISBY QC, John (1978)
Members of Chambers	MILES QC, Robert (1987)
Members of Chambers	CROW QC, Jonathan (1981)
Members of Chambers	HILL QC, Richard (1993)
Members of Chambers	CLUTTERBUCK QC, Andrew (1992)
Members of Chambers	FRASER QC, Orlando (1994)
Members of Chambers	HARMAN, Sarah (1987)
Members of Chambers	HARRISON, Christopher (1988)
Members of Chambers	BRETTLER, Jonathan (1988)
Members of Chambers	GREENWOOD, Paul (1991)
Members of Chambers	COX, Nicholas (1992)
Members of Chambers	MARQUAND, Charles (1987)
Members of Chambers	MARKHAM, Anna (1996)
Members of Chambers	BOEDDINGHAUS, Hermann (1996)
Members of Chambers	de MESTRE, Andrew (1998)
Members of Chambers	DENTON-COX, Gregory (2000)
Members of Chambers	SHIVJI, Sharif (2001)
Members of Chambers	NERSESSIAN, Tiran (2002)
Members of Chambers	TOMSON, Alastair (2004)
Members of Chambers	HOLLIMAN, Adam (2005)
Members of Chambers	GENTLEMAN, Tom (2005)
Members of Chambers	LILLY, Donald (2006)
Members of Chambers	COOK, Alexander (2008)
Members of Chambers	TIMMINS, Nicola (2008)
Members of Chambers	KNOTT, James (2008)
Members of Chambers	HOLLAND, Eleanor (2010)
Members of Chambers	WIGLEY, Joseph (2010)
Members of Chambers	VAN DEN BERG, Nienke (2012)
Members of Chambers	CROSSLEY, Edward (2012)
Members of Chambers	ROSE, Andrew (2013)
Members of Chambers	SAMPSON, Albert (2014)
Members of Chambers	HASSELL, Lara (2014)
Members of Chambers	HORNER, Emma (2015)
Members of Chambers	OLLIFF-COOPER, Guy (2015)
Members of Chambers	McGLONE, Zara (2016)
Members of Chambers	ANDERSON, Karl (2017)

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Christopher Harrison		View Profile
	Alastair Tomson		View Profile
	Jonathan Crow QC		View Profile
	Orlando Fraser QC		View Profile
	Richard Hill QC		View Profile
	Sarah Harman		View Profile
	Edward Crossley		View Profile
	Nicholas Cox		View Profile
	Anna Markham		View Profile
	Andrew Clutterbuck QC		View Profile
	Andrew De Mestre QC		View Profile
	Ms Lara Hassell-Hart		View Profile
	Alexander Cook		View Profile
	Gregory Denton-cox		View Profile
	Joseph Wigley		View Profile
	Sharif Shivji		View Profile
	Mr Albert Sampson		View Profile
	Eleanor Holland		View Profile
	Nienke van den Berg		View Profile
	Tiran Nersessian		View Profile
	John Brisby QC		View Profile
	Charles Marquand		View Profile
	Mr Karl Anderson		View Profile
	Andrew Rose		View Profile
	Mr Guy Olliff-Cooper		View Profile
	Paul Greenwood		View Profile
	Donald Lilly		View Profile
	Hermann Boeddinghaus		View Profile
	Adam Holliman		View Profile
	James Knott		View Profile
	Robert Miles QC		View Profile
	Ms Zara McGlone		View Profile
	Miss Emma Horner		View Profile
	George Bompas QC		View Profile
	Nicola Timmins		View Profile
	Tom Gentleman		View Profile