Clients instruct Fountain Court Chambers for their ‘market-leading expertise’, with members frequently appearing in major matters before the ICC, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, DIAC and KLRCA and various ad-hoc tribunals. Bankim Thanki KC has a broad arbitration practice, handling both commercial arbitrations, related court proceedings and investment treaty proceedings, most recently on behalf of Ukraine in the long-running Littop Enterprises and others v Ukraine dispute, defending the arbitral award given to Ukraine in the dispute about the Ukrainian governmental measures which were alleged to be unfairly advantageous to the countries largest oil and associated gas producer, Naftogas. Alexander Milner KC has solid expertise in Russian related matters and Richard Lissack KC’s experience includes fraud, pharmaceutical and financial arbitrations. Nick Daly, Max Evans and Nico Leslie have active arbitration practices. The set is notable for its work in Asia, with Andrew Pullen based full-time in Singapore.
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Profile
Position
Art & Cultural Property; Banking and Finance; Commercial Litigation; Fraud – Civil; International Arbitration; Offshore; Professional Negligence.
Specialises in commercial litigation with particular expertise in banking and finance, insurance and reinsurance, fraud/asset recovery, jurisdiction and conflict of laws, professional negligence, art law, international and domestic arbitration. Chambers & Partners ‘Banking & Finance Junior of the Year’ 2022.
Recent practice includes a number of high-profile commercial cases, including acting in the US$1 billion PIFSS litigation for a Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund, acting for the administrators of the NMC Group in multi-billion dollar litigation and arbitration across the world, and acting for the successful investors in the Czech Photovoltaic arbitrations in The Hague and Vienna. Has particular experience of litigation in offshore jurisdictions (Bermuda, BVI, Cayman and St Lucia) and in Hong Kong and Singapore, and has extensive experience of international arbitration under the rules of numerous arbitral institutions.
Career
Called 2010; Lincoln’s Inn.
Publications of note: co-author, ‘The Law of Assignment (3rd Edition)’ with Mr Justice Marcus Smith; co-author of chapter on ’Choses in Action’ for Halsbury’s Laws of England; contributing editor of Gough on Company Charges (2nd edition, forthcoming); contributing editor, Restitution chapter, ‘Bullen, Leake and Jacob’s Precedents of Pleading’.
Languages
Fluent/Near Native French, Italian, Croatian/Serbian; Fluent Spanish.
Memberships
COMBAR.
Education
Eton College (King’s Scholarship); Christ’s College, Cambridge (2007 BA Modern Languages, Starred Double First); City Law School (2009 GDL, Commendation); City Law School (2010 BVC, Outstanding).
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Alex Taylor is our key contact, and he has made things very easy for us when it comes to instructing any barrister from Fountain Court. Alex is very approachable and practical. He would consider various factors before making recommendation to a law firm/solicitor.'
- 'First class. Alex Taylor is everything you look for in a senior clerk and I am always happy to take a recommendation from him. He is very responsive and will help find a barrister for me at short notice. I have dealt with a number of the other clerks -- they have clearly all learned well from Alex. It's a strong team.'
- 'The clerk's room is professional and knowledgeable.'
- 'Sian Huckett is particularly excellent.'
- 'Fountain Court Chambers is one of the best commercial chambers. They have got the best KC's and junior counsels. Completely on top of things and like to drive the matters.'
- 'There is rarely a specialism that they do not cover and it is more than just having someone who's done a similar case previously -- they have real market-leading expertise.'
- 'Fountain Court is an impressive chambers. It is professional, business like, and provides a very high quality service. It regularly engages with us in relation to training and is forward thinking in terms of business development, its relationship with us and the potential for reciprocity.'
- 'An excellent set, with strength and depth.'
- 'First class chambers.'