UK Bar 2021 – Civil Fraud

Most highly regarded:

Silks

• Jonathan Crow QC – 4 Stone Buildings, London
• Ali Malek QC – 3 Verulam Buildings, London
• Paul McGrath QC – Essex Court Chambers, London
• Richard Millett QC – Essex Court Chambers, London
• David Mumford QC – Maitland Chambers, London

Juniors

• Tim Akkouh – Essex Court Chambers, London

Silks

Fountain Court Chambers sees seven silks listed this year.
Jeffrey Chapman QC is a “very thorough” silk who “gets to the bottom of every issue without missing a single detail” and “does an excellent job for his clients”.
Stuart Ritchie QC is considered “a powerhouse” thanks to his in-depth experience working on complex international fraud matters.
Richard Handyside QC is a market-leading barrister with decades of experience in complex cross-border civil fraud proceedings.
The “excellent” David Railton QC enjoys a fine reputation for his profound knowledge of financial disputes and fraud allegations.

3 Verulam Buildings achieves an impressive 13 nominations.
Ali Malek QC is highly esteemed as a “go-to name for high-value international fraud disputes”.
Adrian Beltrami QC receives plaudits for his wealth of experience in cross-border financial disputes and asset recovery proceedings.
Andrew Onslow QC possesses an “extremely sharp mind” according to impressed peers who highlight his expertise in asset freezing proceedings and investment disputes.
David Quest QC is a “very bright and popular silk” who excels in financial fraud cases.

Nine silks from One Essex Court are recognised here.
Neil Kitchener QC is a “very powerful advocate” who clients rely on in complex fraud disputes. He is further commended as an “excellent speaker” who is “extremely quick on his feet”.
Michael Fealy QC is “simply fantastic” and is lauded for his “ability to make difficult issues easy to understand”.
The “brilliant” Laurence Rabinowitz QC comes highly recommended as a “charming and calm advocate who receives fantastic civil fraud cases because he gets on top of things so very quickly”.
Sonia Tolaney QC earns acclaim as an “extremely clear and very smart barrister” who is “on top of every issue” and “always has the right answers”.

Seven silks from Blackstone Chambers are identified in this chapter.
Andrew George QC stands out as an “exceptionally good silk” who “instils confidence in his clients” and “sticks to his guns”. Peers are impressed by his “charming manner in court”.
Tom Weisselberg QC is a “wise and skilful commercial litigator” who shines in asset recovery proceedings.
Robert Howe QC is well versed at handling high-value multijurisdictional civil fraud disputes.

Richard Millett QC of Essex Court Chambers is an “extremely fluent” and “very effective” silk who “really has the gift of the gab”.
The “fantastic” Paul McGrath QC is “the doyen of the civil fraud bar”. He is touted for his “distinctive style” and “encyclopaedic knowledge of the law” with one impressed respondent noting, “He wrote the book on civil fraud.”

David Mumford QC from Maitland Chambers is an “extremely bright advocate” with “excellent judgement”. He is considered a go-to litigator for complex fraud proceedings.

Jonathan Crow QC with 4 Stone Buildings is “truly phenomenal” for fraud claims arising from company and insolvency disputes.

At Erskine Chambers, Stephen Smith QC is a top-rated civil fraud litigator who peers have “lots of time for” thanks to his “relentless approach” and breadth of experience in the field.
David Chivers QC is “particularly excellent on the company side” and is celebrated for his detailed understanding of offshore fraud matters.

Juniors

Essex Court Chambers is home to three juniors nominated in this chapter.
The “excellent” Tim Akkouh is “among the finest juniors in civil fraud practice”. He is renowned for his top-notch work on complex high-value cases.
James Sheehan is “extraordinarily quick on the uptake” and excels in high-profile civil fraud and financial litigation.
Ciaran Keller is distinguished by his “technical know-how and attention to detail” as well as his “user-friendly approach”. One client adds, “It is hard to find a question he does not know the answer to.”

Blackstone Chambers earns four listings.
Robert Weekes is a “tremendously good advocate” with a strong track record in asset recovery litigation, injunction proceedings and cross-border fraud cases.
Victoria Windle is noted for the breadth of her experience obtaining injunctions and litigating in high-profile civil fraud cases.
Peter Head is a “great technical barrister” with extensive experience in cross-border civil fraud matters.
Leona Powell maintains an exemplary practice which sees her regularly engaged in complex asset recovery and civil fraud disputes.

At 3 Verulam Buildings, Michael Lazarus is a “vastly experienced junior who is excellent to work alongside and learn from” according to peers who commend his deep knowledge of civil fraud proceedings.

Ian Smith of 33 Chancery Lane is a top-tier litigator with an in-depth understanding of high-value asset recovery and complex fraud claims.

Thomas Munby at Maitland Chambers is recognised for his significant experience in cross-border civil fraud disputes.