Wilberforce Chambers has ‘good strength in the civil fraud sector with talent across the board’. Alan Gourgey KC, Thomas Grant KC and Jack Watson are appearing for various parties in Bourlakova & Ors v Kazakov & Ors, a $3bn claim arising from allegations of misappropriation of assets. Elsewhere in chambers, Tim Penny KC and Emily McKechnie were instructed by the 39th and 40th defendants in the Al Rajaan litigation. Clare Stanley KC is ‘a market-leading silk in offshore fraud litigation’, with expertise in handling cases involving allegations of unlawful means conspiracy, breach of fiduciary duties and asset tracing. Among the juniors, Tim Matthewson represented the claimant company before the Court of Appeal in Barrowfen Properties Limited v Patel, a £5m claim brought against a former director for dishonest breaches of duty and against the company’s former solicitors for breach of fiduciary duty and negligence.
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Position
Thomas practises mainly in the Chancery Division and Commercial Court, as well as in the BVI and Cayman Islands, and has particular experience in heavy multi-party disputes. Regarded as one of the leading advocates at the commercial chancery Bar Thomas was awarded Chancery Silk of the Year 2021 by Chambers and Partners. He spends a good part of his professional life in the courtroom and has appeared in a very large number of reported decisions (over the last four years alone Thomas has appeared in over 40 reported cases). Thomas also has a substantial international arbitration practice.
Thomas has a particular interest in fraud claims and is well known for his expertise in obtaining and defending freezing and related interim orders, including Norwich Pharmacal orders. He is also well known for his experience in committal applications arising out of fraud claims, having appeared in some of the most significant cases in this area over the last 10 years. He is also instructed to provide chancery and company law input in very high value matrimonial disputes and has appeared on a number of occasions in leading cases in the Family Division.
His advocacy has been commended by the Court of Appeal as “lucid and compelling” (Zinda v BOS) and as “engaging and very able” (Platform Home Loans v BOS).
Career
Call: 1993
KC: 2013
Education
- BA (Hons) First Class
- Dip Law, Distinction
- Called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands (2015)
- Called to the Bar of Cayman Islands (2022)
- Visiting Professor of Politics and Law at Gresham College for 2020-2022
- Visiting Professor of Law (in Practice) at the London School of Economics 2022-2025
- Bencher of Middle Temple
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Thomas is an exceptional advocate.'