Professional practice
Claudia’s broad and diverse commercial practice spans domestic and international commercial litigation and arbitration and court related proceedings. It includes contractual claims, banking disputes, shareholder disputes, civil fraud and asset recovery claims, regulatory matters, injunctive relief, insolvency related disputes and art, cultural property and media disputes. She is recognized as a leading junior in Commercial Litigation (Legal 500); and in Art and Cultural Property Law (Chambers & Partners; Legal 500). She has been variously described as an “an absolutely outstanding barrister with extraordinary technical capabilities”; an “absolutely brilliant lawyer, excellent in navigating strategic and difficult questions, extremely intelligent, solution-orientated and provides business-orientated advice” ; “extremely client-friendly and keenly astute” with “amazing client skills”; very bright, personable and very, very hardworking”; “extremely user-friendly, she is a complete expert and delivers both precise and practical advice.”; and as a “…phenomenal junior, unflappable and extremely hard-working”.
Claudia is an experienced and confident advocate orally and on paper and well accustomed to acting as sole counsel as well as part of a larger team. Her written work has been described as “faultless…she has a brilliant writing style”. She is adept at cross-examination, including of experts. Of her oral advocacy, it has been said that she “charms judges out of trees”. She frequently acts in Commercial and Circuit Commercial Court proceedings, and in arbitrations under the LCIA, ICC, LMAA rules as well as ad hoc arbitrations. Claudia’s cases frequently involve an international element. She is accustomed to working closely with foreign lawyers in relation to matters of foreign law; and on cases with complex expert evidence.
Claudia is uniquely familiar with the DIFC, having spent time working in their courts early on in her practice, and she has advised the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Courts on their Arbitration and Court Rules.
Claudia is the author of Those Wild Wyndhams, a biography of the Wyndham sisters (William Collins, HarperCollins, 2014 (UK and worldwide); Knopf 2018 (US)), which won the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize 2014. She is also co-author of Heroes (Quercus 2007). She is currently working on her next work, a biography of a French revolutionary, also to be published by William Collins. In her previous career as an actress, she appeared on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company and at the National Theatre, and on television in series for the BBC and ITV. She has four children.
- Examples of recent cases
Claudia’s current/recent cases, which are typical of the variety of her practice include:
- Arbitration under the ICC Rules (as junior to David Joseph KC) in a dispute concerning alleged loan agreements, subject to a jurisdictional challenge.
- Acting (as junior to David Joseph KC) in a Commercial Court dispute concerning monies transferred allegedly in breach of a freezing order.
- Acting (as junior to Ruth Den Besten KC) in relation to the securing of a freezing order in the Commercial Court.
- Advising in relation to a Quincecare claim.
- Advising (as junior to Richard Millett KC) in relation to a complex and wide-ranging piece of offshore insolvency.
- Her current/recent work as sole counsel includes representing companies in claims for sums due under distribution and settlement agreements (Circuit Commercial Court); a series of applications including security for costs; summary judgment; and third party costs orders; advising on disputes in relation to a limited partnership deed; regulatory matters in relation to collective investment schemes; and acting in banking litigation in relation to a pre-action disclosure application (Chancery).
- What Others Say
Legal 500 2025: Commercial Litigation (Leading Junior, tier 5); Art & Cultural Property (Leading Junior, tier 1, nominated as Media & the Arts Junior of the Year 2025):
‘She is an absolutely brilliant lawyer, excellent in navigating strategic and difficult questions, extremely intelligent, solution-orientated and provides business -orientated advice, extremely knowledgeable in her areas of law and hard-working.’
Chambers & Partners High Net Worth 2025:
“Claudia is an absolutely outstanding barrister with extraordinary technical capabilities. She is very hands-on and practical, solution-oriented, hard-working and she has amazing client skills”.
“Claudia Renton is very articulate, she knows the field well and can put her point across in a sophisticated manner.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2025, Art & Cultural Property:
“Claudia is very bright, personable and very, very hard-working.”
“She focuses on the issues in dispute and is able to drill down into the detail while distilling her advice in a comprehensible way.”
“Claudia is extremely client-friendly and keenly astute.”
“She gave very good and clear advice and dealt well with the lay client.”
“She was fantastic because she gave us a lot of confidence in her knowledge.”
Legal 500 2025, Art & Cultural Property:
“Claudia is extremely user-friendly, she is a complete expert and delivers both precise and practical advice.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2024, Art & Cultural Property:
“Claudia mixes forensic skills with an artistic background, which makes a formidable combination.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2023, Art & Cultural Property:
“She’s very smart, has got a lot of experience and really does specialise in the art field.”
“Very much all over the detail and will put every effort into a case, pulling out all the stops.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2023, Media and Entertainment: Art and Cultural Property (Tier 1, Leading Juniors):
“Her written work is faultless. She has a brilliant writing style. She is extremely collaborative – certainly one of her strengths.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2022, Art & Cultural Property:
“She is good with clients and her written work is of extremely high quality.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2022, Media and Entertainment: Art and Cultural Property (Tier 1, Leading Juniors):
“Incredibly diligent, hard-working – a no-nonsense junior.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2021, Media and Entertainment: Art and Cultural Property (Tier 1, Leading Juniors):
‘Art fraud and contractual breach expert…A phenomenal junior, unflappable and extremely hard-working’
Legal 500 UK Bar 2020 (Media and Entertainment: Art and Cultural Property (Tier 1, Leading Juniors):
‘A phenomenal and unflappable junior with encyclopaedic knowledge.’
Legal 500 UK Bar 2019, Media and Entertainment: Art and Cultural Property (Tier 1, Leading Juniors):
‘She is multi-talented, adaptable and charms judges out of trees.’
The Legal 500 UK Bar 2017, Media and Entertainment: Art and Cultural Property (Tier 1, Leading Juniors):
‘She has it all and will go a very long way.’
- Arbitration & related court applications
Claudia acts frequently in arbitration under different institutional rules and is also very familiar with court-related applications. Examples of current/recent arbitrations which are typical of her practice include:
- Acting (led by David Joseph KC) in a jurisdictional challenge raised in respect of an arbitration under the ICC Rules in a high value dispute concerning alleged loan agreements.
- Arbitration under the LCIA Rules (led by David Craig KC) concerning a dispute between a company and former employees.
- Ad hoc arbitration (led by Nigel Eaton KC) concerning claims under bills of lading. Expedited arbitration (led by Paul Stanley KC) concerning a claim under a PRI policy.
- Ad hoc arbitration (led by Paul Stanley KC) concerning a dispute between limited liability partners in an investment management
- Arbitration under the LMAA Terms (2012) (led by David Joseph KC) concerning commission claims under agency and brokerage agreements
- Arbitration under the LMAA Terms (2012) (led by Jern-Fei Ng KC) concerning claims for substantial sums in respect of alleged breach of contract by failure to nominate
- Related arbitrations under the LMAA Terms (2012) (led by David Joseph KC) concerning disputes arising out of the provision of consultancy services in relation to the oil and gas industry.
- Arbitration under the American Arbitration Association Rules (led by Richard Millett KC) concerning disputes arising out of a global distribution agreement.
- Arbitration under the ICC Rules (as sole counsel), concerning disputes arising out of a Founders Agreement.
- Arbitration under the DIAC Arbitration Rules (2007) (on secondment with King & Wood Mallesons in Dubai, led by Stephen Dennison KC, Rupert Reed KC and Riaz Hussain) in respect of construction claims.
- Arbitration under the ICC Rules (as junior counsel in a team) involving a claim against a conglomerate in the industrial sector.
- Ad hoc arbitration (led by Jeffrey Gruder KC) acting for an oil company in a dispute brought by a major rig company.
- Arbitration under the LMAA Terms (led by Chris Smith KC) involving the management of a specialist support vessel
- Ad hoc arbitration (led by Chris Smith KC) in relation to disputes concerning a luxury yacht upon delivery.
Claudia is very familiar with the issues presented by parallel court/arbitration proceedings. Her experience includes applications under s. 32 Arbitration Act and advising and acting on matters under ss. 9, 67 to 69 Arbitration Act.
Past cases include:
- Bocimar International NV v Emirates Trading Agency LLC CFI 008/2015 [2015]: Acted (as junior to Rupert Reed KC) in a protracted cross-jurisdictional dispute in the Commercial Court and the Dubai International Financial Centre Court seeking the enforcement in Dubai of LMAA arbitral awards rendered in the owner’s favour for sums of over US$ 114 million and subsequently entered as judgments of the Commercial Court under 66, Arbitration Act 1996. Secured a worldwide freezing order in the DIFC Courts in the sum of US$118m.
- With Lord Saville, Claudia advised the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts on its Arbitration Rules 2015.
- Civil fraud & asset recovery
Examples of recent cases include:
- Acting (led by David Joseph KC) for the Receivers of an offshore company against transferees of sums transferred allegedly in breach of a freezing order, including in relation to securing injunctive relief.
- Acted (led by Ruth den Besten KC) in relation to the securing of a freezing order and proprietary relief in respect of monies transferred in breach of a worldwide freezing order; and subsequent court applications.
- Acted (as junior to Richard Millett KC) for the Receivers of offshore companies in multi-jurisdictional litigation concerning the disputed ownership of shares.
- Advised (as junior to Sue Prevezer KC) a foreign investment fund in relation to a multi-million dollar investment fund fraud claim against FCA regulation investment managers, involving allegations of deceit, conspiracy, bribery, dishonest assistance and knowing receipt and questions concerning the proper law of contractual and tortious
- Acted (as junior to David Joseph KC) in an arbitration under the LMAA Terms (2012) concerning a claim for commission under agency and brokerage agreements in relation to underlying drilling contracts involving allegations of fraud and breach of contract and questions of foreign law.
- Instructed (as junior to Richard Millett KC) in a substantial arbitration involving cross-claims of alleged breaches of contract in relation to a global distribution agreement, fraudulent misrepresentation, allegations of fraud and conspiracy and breaches of foreign Settled in advance of a six week hearing.
- Advised (as junior to Paul McGrath KC) a Nigerian bank in relation to injunctive relief, including freezing injunctions and search orders.
- Commercial dispute resolution
Commercial dispute resolution is at the heart of Claudia’s practice. Current/recent cases as a junior include:
- Acting (led by David Joseph KC) for the Receivers of a company in a wide-ranging dispute concerning whether sums are due under disputed loan and settlement agreements. Large scale proceedings with parallel proceedings in litigation and arbitration.
- Acting (led by Louise Hutton KC) in relation to a banking dispute including an alleged breach of the Quincecare duty.
- Acting (led by Richard Millett KC) for offshore companies in relation to claims under limited partnership deeds in the context of large scale insolvency proceedings.
- Advising (led by Paul Stanley KC) in respect of regulatory and contractual claims concerning disputes arising out of an asset purchase agreement.
- Acting (led by David Craig KC) for a company in claims against former employees for breaches of contract.
- Advising (led by Hugh Mercer KC) in respect of a draft settlement agreement concerning disputes arising out of a share purchase agreement.
As sole counsel, Claudia frequently acts in relation to Circuit Commercial Court disputes as well as KBD and Commercial Court. Her current/recent cases include:
- Aviagen UK Ltd v KegoAgri SA [2024] 12 WLUK 244: acting for the Claimant in an application for summary judgment for sums due under a distribution agreement.
- Acting for a bank in relation to an application for pre-action disclosure.
- Acting for a company in securing summary judgment for sums due under a settlement agreement
- Acting for a limited partner in disputes arising out of a limited partnership deed and related regulatory matters in relation to collective investment schemes.
- Acting for a company in relation to disputes arising out of a subscription and shareholders agreement, including in relation to the exercise of share purchase options thereunder.
Past cases include:
- Sotheby’s v Mark Weiss Ltd [2019] EWHC 3416 (Comm); [2020] EWCA Civ 1570: acted (led by Joe Smouha KC) for the first defendant, an art gallery and the third defendant, its owner, in a case concerning the sale of an alleged Old Master (said to by Frans Hals) under a private treaty agreement which was then then alleged to be counterfeit.
- Guy Carpenter & Co Ltd & ors v Howden Group Holdings Limited & ors (2023) Acted (led by Louise Hutton KC) for individuals the subject of a joinder application.
- ICICI Bank UK plc v Assam Oil Co & Ors [2019] EWHC 50 (Comm): Acted (led by David Joseph KC) by the defendant oil company to resist a summary judgment claim for $70 million under a term loan said to be due.
- Jamal v Christensen [2018] EWHC 2261 (Ch) Acted (as sole counsel) for the applicant. Successfully applied to set aside a statutory demand, establishing the novel point of law that an action on a foreign judgment of over six years old was time-barred for the purposes of an English claim under the Limitation Act 1980 s. 5.
- Willis Ltd & Ors v (1) Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group Plc (2) JLT Specialty Ltd (3) David Gordon (4) Barry Vickery QBD [2015]: Acted (led by David Craig KC) for the Third and Fourth Defendants in a substantial case involving the insurance broking industry.
- Grizzly Business Limited v Stena Drilling Limited and Stena Drillmax I Limited [2014] EWHC 1920 (Comm); [2015] EWCA Civ 867; [2017] EWCA Civ 97: Acted (led by Andrew Hochhauser KC) for the Respondents at first instance and on appeal in a dispute arising out of an alleged oral agreement for a success fee in relation to drilling contract.
- Bates van Winkelhof v Clyde & Co LLP [2014] UKSC 32: Acted (led by Tom Linden KC and David Craig) for the successful appellant, a former member of the Respondent in relation to whether she was a worker within the meaning of s.230(3) (b) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and thus entitled to bring a whistleblowing claim against the LLP
- Advising (led by Paul Stanley KC), in relation to disputes arising out of the transfer of payment protection insurance (PPI) claims, including in respect of injunctive relief claims.
- Acted (led by Richard Millett KC) for the Receivers of the shares of offshore companies and the Directors of those companies in multi-jurisdictional litigation concerning the disputed ownership of those shares.
- Advised (led by David Foxton KC (as he then was)) a leading international airline in relation to issues arising out of an agreement for the purchase of an airplane and proceedings in the Singapore Courts.
- Acted (led by Richard Millett KC) for a logistics company in a case involving allegations of breach of confidence, fraudulent misrepresentation and conspiracy in relation to information allegedly unlawfully procured in advance of a handover from one logistics provider to another.
- Acting for a former head of an advertising agency in relation to disputes arising out of a share purchase agreement (Circuit Commercial Court).
- Acting in relation to claims under a share purchase agreement in a claim for over US$100 m in respect of alleged breaches of contract (including breach of warranty) and claims in deceit in matters relating, inter alia, to historic investments made through third party custodians in accounts managed by Bernard Madoff (Commercial Court).
- Acting for the successful defendant employer in a three day unfair dismissal and pregnancy discrimination trial in the Employment Tribunal.
- Acting for the Claimant in a case concerning payments claimed under related sale and purchase and share options agreements and concerning the misappropriation of assets in excess of US$50 million.
- With Lord Hope of Craighead, Claudia advised the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts on its Court Procedure Rules.
- Conflict of laws & private international law
Claudia has advised on matters relating to jurisdiction, stays, injunctions and proper law. Cases include:
- Acting (led by Stephen Houseman KC) in an appellate court in relation to an anti-suit injunction.
- Advising (led by Sue Prevezer KC) a foreign investment fund in relation to a multi-million dollar investment fund fraud claim against FCA regulation investment managers, involving allegations of deceit, conspiracy, bribery, dishonest assistance and knowing receipt and questions concerning the proper law of contractual and tortious claims.
- Advising (led by Hugh Mercer KC) a foreign fund on claims for the recovery of sums due in respect of global notes issued under a deed of Indenture. The claims involve questions of rights granted under the lex situs and questions of foreign law.
- Acted (led by Sara Cockerill QC as she then was) in a jurisdictional hearing in the High Court.
- Injunctive Relief
Claudia is very comfortable in acting in injunctive relief matters, including freezing and proprietary relief claims and related applications. Her recent cases include:
- Led by Ruth den Besten KC, securing a freezing order and related proprietary relief in relation to funds alleged to have been transferred in breach of a BVI court order, with a number of subsequent hearings to establish the parameters of the freezing relief order.
- Led by Stephen Houseman KC, acting in an appellate court in relation to an appeal against the grant of anti-suit relief.
- Advising (led by Paul Stanley KC), in relation to injunctive claims in respect of the transfer of payment protection insurance (PPI) claims.
- Media, art, entertainment
Claudia has been twice nominated by the Legal 500 as Media & the Arts Junior of the Year (2025, 2023). She has been long recognized by both Chambers & Partners and the Legal500 as a leading junior in this field and one who “mixes forensic skills with an artistic background, which makes a formidable combination.” She is comfortable across the entire range of art-related work and has been described as a “complete expert” in art-related matters.
Her high-profile cases include:
- Qatar Investments & Projects Development Holding Co and His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdullah al Thani v John Eskenazi Limited and John Eskenazi [2022] EWHC 3023 (Comm): acted (as junior to Andrew Green KC) for defendant dealer and his company in a high profile authenticity dispute.
- Sotheby’s v Mark Weiss Ltd: instructed (led by Joe Smouha KC) to act for the first defendant, an art gallery and the third defendant, its owner, in a case concerning the sale of an alleged Old Master (said to be by Frans Hals).
As sole counsel, Claudia’s instructions cover the range of art-related litigation including:
- Advising in relation to potential claims arising out of damage incurred to a painting during an international gallery tour.
- Advising in relation to the movement of valuable objects between jurisdictions.
- Acting for an individual, a former head of an advertising agency, in relation to disputes arising out of a share purchase agreement.
- Acting and advising in relation to a breach of a settlement agreement concerning the apportionment of works of art under a Tomlin Order.
- Advising in relation to potential claims arising out of the purchase of a work by Andy Warhol Advising in relation to sums allegedly due under contracts for sale in respect of lots at auction.
- Acting (in a one day expert determination) for a collective management organisation seeking admittance to membership of a body to enable it to collect statutory revenue for its members. Acting for an art collector in respect of claims brought against them by an art dealer (Commercial Court).
- Acting in relation to a copyright dispute concerning a filmed performance (Mercantile Court). Advising an advertising agency in relation to breach of contract claims.
- Acting for an opera company in relation to breach of contract claims relating to a cancelled musical event (English National Opera v Speckulation Entertainment Limited).
- Advising in relation to the movement of valuable objects between jurisdictions.
- Acting for an individual, a former head of an advertising agency, in relation to disputes arising out of a share purchase agreement.
- Acting and advising in relation to a breach of a settlement agreement concerning the apportionment of works of art under a Tomlin Order.
- Advising in relation to potential claims arising out of the purchase of a work by Andy Warhol.
- Advising in relation to sums allegedly due under contracts for sale in respect of lots at auction.
- Acting (in a one day expert determination) for a collective management organisation seeking admittance to membership of a body to enable it to collect statutory revenue for its members.
- Acting for an art collector in respect of claims brought against them by an art dealer (Commercial Court).
- Acting in relation to a copyright dispute concerning a filmed performance (Mercantile Court).
- Advising an advertising agency in relation to breach of contract claims.
- Acting for an opera company in relation to breach of contract claims relating to a cancelled musical event (English National Opera v Speckulation Entertainment Limited)
- Public international law
As junior to Ricky Diwan KC, acting for a foreign state resisting the enforcement of a $48 million judgment debt under the State Immunity Act 1978.
- Career
2011 – 2012 Pupillage at Essex Court Chambers
2011 Called to the Bar, Gray’s Inn
2003 – 2009 Professional actor and writer - Education
2015 Attended Keble Advocacy Course
2010 – 2011 BPTC, City University Law School (Outstanding, ranked 8th in year)
2009 – 2010 GDL, City University Law School (Distinction)
2000 – 2003 BA (Hons) in Modern History, Trinity College, Oxford (First class, ranked 4th in year) - Awards
2014 Pegasus Scholar, Inner Temple
2010 Bedingfield Scholarship, Gray’s Inn
2009 Anthony Bessemer Clark Award, Gray’s Inn
2003 Oxford University Gibbs Book Prize for Modern History
2003 Trinity College, Oxford, Finals Prize
2003 Trinity College, Commendation, R.A. Knox Memorial Prize
2001 Ford Exhibition for Modern History (awarded for a First in Honour Moderations)
Other Awards:
2012 Commendation, James Hunt Advocacy Prize (Gray’s Inn)
2010 Runner-up, City University Moot
2014 Those Wild Wyndhams awarded the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize by the Biographers’ Club
2014 Selected by The Observer in capacity as an historian as a ‘rising star’ of 2014
2010 Selected by Vogue magazine in capacity as an historian to be part of the feature ‘Bright Stars’: one of 32 young people from various fields whose careers were identified as worth following (VOGUE, January 2010)
2007 Commendation, Ian Charleson Award (Awarded by the Royal National Theatre and the Sunday Times for ‘outstanding performances by actors under 30 in classical roles’)
