3 Verulam Buildings is well-versed in professional negligence cases spanning the financial, insurance and legal sectors. The set is also known for its expertise in tax-related negligence. Andrew Onslow KC is acting for the solicitors in Clifford Chance v Société Générale, a dispute involving allegations of negligence in Commercial Court litigation, with an issue involving if the firm’s relationship with the bank required the negligence case to be heard by the French or English courts. Hefin Rees KC leads on Goodman v DMS Governance Limited, a high value claim alleging professional negligence and fraud, which raises questions on how vicarious liability Supreme Court cases in England should be applied in the Cayman Islands – the matter is the latest round of the long-running imbroglio concerning The Axiom Fund, a supposed litigation funder, whose founder was sentenced to fourteen years imprisonment in England in 2022. Timothy Killen joined the team in October 2025.
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Hefin Rees QC has extensive experience of international disputes in the commercial, civil fraud, construction, banking and financial services sectors. Both Legal 500 UK and Legal 500 Asia Pacific recommend him as a Leading Silk in commercial litigation and in international arbitration, and he is ranked as a Leading Silk UK Bar in offshore litigation.
Since taking Silk in 2013, he has developed a very impressive arbitration and litigation practice and has been called to the Bars of six different jurisdictions. Legal 500 describe him as: “Charming, entertaining, commercially astute and frank…” and say: “He throws himself in a case team with tremendous enthusiasm.”
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and has been appointed to sit as Arbitrator by the ICC, LCIA, LMAA, as well as in ad hoc arbitrations in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean.
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- ' The clerks are very good. James Kelly is always good and Ben Hart is very proactive.'
- 'Fabulous set with strength and depth.'
- 'All the clerks are helpful and responsive.'
- 'Proactive, helpful and informed.'
- '3 Verulam Buildings are top of the tree for so many areas of work.'
- 'They have ferociously bright juniors and star quality from top to bottom.'
- 'They are a very strong set.'