4 Stone Buildings is increasingly active in cross-border contentious and non-contentious commercial matters, especially in the Caribbean. Company and commercial litigation are strong areas of expertise for Jonathan Crow KC, who regularly appears before Courts of Appeal and Supreme Courts. Hermann Boeddinghaus KC specialises in corporate and commercial disputes, with a particular focus on shareholder disputes, the recovery of assets, and cross-border enforcement. Alongside Orlando Fraser KC, Boeddinghaus KC acted for a Liberian company seeking the restitution of $6m, which it alleges it was defrauded of by BVI companies. George Bompas KC, in addition to BVI work, and has also appeared before the courts of Trinidad and Tobago and the Cayman Islands. Alexander Cook KC is frequently instructed to handle disputes in the BVI, and he is representing the claimant in a $43m commercial fraud claim (Von der Heydt Invest SA v Mex Securities S.a.r.l and Others). Among the set’s juniors sits Nicola Timmins, who is especially active in Bermuda, BVI, and Cayman proceedings, and Guy Olliff-Cooper is another key name.
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Profile
Work Department
Specialises in company/commercial litigation and public law. Numerous appearances in the Supreme Court/House of Lords, the Privy Council, the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights.
Position
Jonathan’s practice straddles a broad range of litigation, largely in the appellate courts where he appears both for private clients and for public authorities. He is recommended in 10 practice areas by Chambers UK and is ranked as one of the Stars of the Bar. In a career spanning 40 years he has been involved at the highest level in civil fraud (from Polly Peck to Madoff), company law (from Guinness to Atlantic Computers), corporate insolvencies (from BCCI to Lehmans), public law (from Guantanamo Bay to assisted suicide), constitutional law (from the Channel Islands to the Chagos Islands), telecoms (from the 3G auction to interconnection charges), consumer credit (from bank charges to PPI) and many other areas, including over 200 reported cases. He has appeared more than 40 times in the Supreme Court or the House of Lords, and on numerous other occasions in the Privy Council, the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights. He was First Treasury Counsel from 1998 until 2006, since when he has been named both as Commercial Litigation silk of the year and also as Chancery silk of the year by Chambers UK, as Lawyer of the Week by The Times (twice), and as one of the Legal 500’s Hot 100. In addition to his work in London, he also has a busy overseas practice, including work in relation to jurisdictions such as Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the BVI, Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago, the Turks & Caicos Islands, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Apart from his work as an advocate, he acts as an LCIA arbitrator and sits part time as a Deputy High Court Judge in London (both in the Chancery Division and in the Administrative Court) and also as a judge of the Courts of Appeal in Jersey and Guernsey, and as a part-time Deemster in the Isle of Man. From 2006 to 2020 he served as Attorney General to HRH The Prince of Wales.
Career
Called 1981; Treasury Counsel 1994-98; First Treasury Counsel 1998-2006; Deputy High Court Judge 2001. Attorney General to HRH The Prince of Wales 2006. Court of Appeal Judge in Jersey & Guernsey 2011. Called to the Bar in the BVI, and also in Nevis, Bermuda and Cayman Islands for specific cases.
Publications: Annotated Companies Act 2006, OUP (contributing author).
Memberships
Chancery Bar Association (ChBA), Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR); Constitutional and Administration Law Bar Association (ALBA).
Education
St Paul’s School; Oxford University (1979 BA); The City University (1980 Dip Law).
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'We have a very good relationship with Clerks in 4SB. In particular, Ryan Tunkel and Ben Lashmar. They have been proactive in finding innovative solutions to client requirements on fees and visibility of counsel.'
- 'Top-notch commercial chancery set.'
- 'Great set. Some excellent juniors and good clerking team.'
- 'The clerks are invariably helpful.'
- 'Excellent service and clerks. Always accommodating and courteous.'