‘Developing a best-in-class competition practice’, One Essex Court is an increasingly prominent set in large cases of competition litigation. Conall Patton KC has represented the defendant in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation v Cooperative Rabobank UA, a matter concerning accusations of unlawful collusion between financial institutions concerning LIBOR, in a number of CMCs. Matthew Cook KC and Sonia Tolaney KC have both been recently instructed by Mastercard on a number of high-value and prominent CAT proceedings, integrating existing practices in banking and commercial litigation. At the junior level, Derek Spitz acted for the class representative in the Le Patourel v BT case, and the ’sensible, pragmatic, fiercely intelligent’ Oscar Schonfeld is currently instructed by prominent defendants in the long-running trucks litigation, which is due to have further trials in 2026.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Position
Barrister called in 2014 specialising in:
- Arbitration
- Banking and Financial Services
- Civil fraud
- Commercial Litigation
- Company and Insolvency
- Competition
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Jurisdiction and Conflict of Laws
- Professional Liability
- Sports
- Tax and Revenue
Career
Oscar has a broad commercial practice in a wide range of chambers’ practice areas. Oscar regularly works on complex and high-value cases in the English Courts, including appeals to the Court of Appeal and the Privy Council, and in international arbitration, as well as acting as sole counsel in the High Court. Oscar has also assisted with proceedings in Jersey, the Isle of Man, the Cayman Islands and Singapore. He is particularly adept when numeracy and an ability to grapple with complex and technical facts are required.
Recent instructions include: the Trucks and Interchange competition proceedings, RBSI v JP SPC 4 [2022] UKPC 18 (Privy Council considered novel form of Quincecare claim), PIFFS v Al-Rajaan (The Lawyer Top 20 case 2020; £600m+ bribery, dishonest assistance and knowing receipt claims), Berkeley Square Holdings v Lancer Property Asset Management [2021] EWHC 849 (Ch) (fraud and bribery claims relating to the UAE President’s c.£6 billion London property portfolio), UNICTRAL proceedings (US$200m+ dispute between national oil companies).
Languages
French (basic)
Memberships
Commercial Bar Association. Chancery Bar Association
Education
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- University of Oxford, Balliol College: BA Modern History and Economics (Double First Class Honours; 2nd in year) [2007-2010]
- University of Oxford, Balliol College: MPhil International Relations (Merit; Distinction in thesis on ‘International Mediation of Violent Conflicts’) [2010-2012]
- Oxford Brookes School of Law: GDL (Distinction) [2012-2013]
- City University: BPTC (Distinction; 5th in year) [2013-2014]
- Inner Temple: Princess Royal and Major Scholarships [2012-2014]
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The clerks room are the best in London. Adam Wheeler and Jackie Ginty are composite professionals.'
- 'Adam Wheeler works hard for his charges. He is responsive and competent.'
- 'Very good clerking.'
- 'One Essex Court are developing a best-in-class competition practice'
- 'It's a good set - a few good competition barristers, plenty of good commercial barristers.'
- 'They are growing, and taking on very good juniors.'