John Robb

Professional practice

John has a broad-based commercial practice. He is ranked in the fields of banking and finance, civil fraud and shipping, and has been named as a rising star for commercial litigation.

John is praised for being “incredibly hardworking and very bright”; “fiercely intelligent and able to deliver perfectly reasoned and strategic advice quickly“; a “very thoughtful, calm junior with excellent communication and technical skills”; “extremely thorough and always willing to go the extra mile”; and an “excellent team player”. Clients also appreciate his attitude (“an unparalleled ability to deal with difficult clients in highly-pressured situations”; “a pleasure to work with”); the clarity of his writing (“His advice is always to the point and easily digestible”; “Notable for his intellect, ability to focus on the essential and to draft submissions with clarity”); and his oral advocacy (“a powerhouse of an advocate”).

Most of John’s cases are in the Commercial Court or in arbitration, but he has also acted (led and unled) in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. His experience of heavyweight commercial litigation includes Tchenguiz v SFO (2013-2014), Tchenguiz v Grant Thornton (2015-2018) and Suppipat v Narongdej (2020-2023). He has considerable experience of interlocutory and procedural law, including freezing injunctions, jurisdiction disputes and disclosure-related applications.

Current and recent instructions include:

TREO NOAL GP v Kowski: acting for a private equity fund in a fraud claim against the fund’s founders and former investment advisers, concerning the fund’s acquisition of a controlling stake in the manufacturer of the notorious Pegasus spyware product.
Suppipat v Narongdej: acted for the CEO of a Thai bank and senior partner of one of Thailand’s leading law firms, defending conspiracy allegations brought under Thai law in a 20-week trial. Listed by The Lawyer as one of the top 20 cases of 2022.
E D & F Man Capital Markets Limited v Come Harvest Holdings Ltd: acted for the claimant in a 5-week trial in 2021 leading to a $284m judgment in deceit and conspiracy.

John has a particular specialism in the law of guarantees. He is co-author of the forthcoming (8th) edition of Andrews & Millett on Guarantees, and of the Guarantee and Indemnity title of Atkin’s Court Forms (2023). He writes and speaks more generally on issues of banking law, shipping law, civil fraud and commercial litigation, and is a contributor to the forthcoming Edward Elgar Encyclopedia of Maritime and Oceans Law.

What others say

John is recommended by The Legal 500 UK for Banking & Finance, Civil Fraud and Shipping, and by Chambers & Partners for Banking & Finance. He was named one of the top 10 juniors for Commercial Litigation under eight years’ call in 2018 by The Legal 500 UK.

Comments include:

“John Robb is really charming, bright, academic and responsive. He’s someone we look to work with because he’s fantastic.” (Banking & Finance, 2024 – Chambers & Partners)
“His intellect, ability to focus on the essential and to draft submissions with clarity. John is also a pleasure to work with.” (Banking & Finance, 2024 – Legal500)
“His advice is always to the point and easily digestible.” (Civil Fraud, 2024)
“John is excellent. He is extremely thorough and always willing to go the extra mile.” (Shipping, 2024)
” John is incredibly hard working and always available. He is fiercely intelligent and is able to deliver perfectly reasoned and strategic advice quickly. His commerciality and understanding of what is important to his clients is excellent” (Banking & Finance, 2023 – Chambers & Partners)
“A powerhouse of an advocate” (Shipping, 2023 – Legal500)
“Incredibly hardworking and very bright, with an unparalleled ability to deal with difficult clients in highly-pressured situations” (Banking & Finance, 2022 – Legal500)
“A very thoughtful, calm junior with excellent communication and technical skills. He is an excellent team player” (Shipping, 2022 – Legal500)
“Clever, tenacious, and hardworking” (Shipping, 2021 – Legal500)
“Incredibly bright, hardworking, and able to produce top quality work whilst under a lot of pressure and maintaining his good humour throughout” (Banking & Finance, 2021 – Legal500)
“Has an ability to quickly grasp technical issues” (Shipping, 2020 – Legal500)
“a force to reckon with” (Shipping, 2019 – Legal500)
“Fought our client’s corner ferociously, getting an excellent result” (Commercial Litigation, 2019 – Legal500).
“Very client-focused” (Shipping, 2018 – Legal500)
“Fantastic” (Shipping, 2017 – Legal500)

Arbitration & related court applications

John is regularly instructed in LMAA arbitrations, and has also acted in LCIA, SIAC and SCMA arbitrations. He has acted in challenges to arbitration awards under s.67, s.68 and s.69 of the Arbitration Act 1996, and in applications for anti-suit injunctions in favour of arbitration.

His experience in this field includes:

LCIA arbitration: employment-related dispute in the field of cryptocurrency and high frequency trading. 2-week final hearing in May 2024 (with Simon Devonshire KC and Andrew Smith of 11KBW).

Premier Cruises Ltd v DLA Piper Rus Ltd & DLA Piper UK Ltd. Opposed defendants’ application under s.9 of the Arbitration Act 1996 to stay the claims in favour of arbitration: [2021] EWHCC 151 (Comm), [2021] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 511. (Led by Philippa Hopkins KC.)

Southern Route Maritime SA v Jiangsu BDH Oil Industrial Co Ltd [2020] EWHC 1040 (Comm). Obtained anti-suit injunction to restrain proceedings in China brought in breach of an arbitration clause in a bill of lading. (Sole counsel.)

Times Trading Corp v National Bank of Fujairah [2020] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 211, [2020] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 317. Resisted anti-suit injunction application and obtained extension of time for commencing arbitration proceedings under s.12 of the Arbitration Act 1996. (Led by Steven Berry KC.)

Union Marine Classification Services LLC v The Government of the Union of Comoros [2017] EWHC 2364 (Comm), [2018] 2 All E.R. (Comm) 174; [2017] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 608. Acted (as sole counsel) for the respondent government, successfully opposing a challenge to the arbitrator’s award under s.68 of the Arbitration Act 1996 and a related application under s.24 of the Arbitration Act 1996 to remove the arbitrator.

Union Marine Classification Society LLC v Government of the Union of Comoros [2015] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 49 (Eder J), [2016] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 193 (Court of Appeal). Led by Richard Jacobs QC, successfully resisting a challenge under s.67 of the Arbitration Act 1996 to an arbitrator’s correction of an award. Leading case on the scope of arbitrators’ powers to correct an award, and on the relationship between s.67 and s.68 of the Arbitration Act where a tribunal is alleged to have exceeded its powers.

Banking & financial services

John is listed as a leading junior for Banking & Financial Services by Chambers and Partners and by The Legal 500 UK (both ‘band 4’). Many of his recent instructions have been on behalf of or against banks and other financial entities (including financial brokers and private equity funds). He has been described as “incredibly hard working and always available”; “able to deliver perfectly reasoned and strategic advice quickly”; and “incredibly bright, hardworking, and able to produce top quality work whilst under a lot of pressure and maintaining his good humour throughout”. Chambers & Partners (2024) commented: “John Robb is really charming, bright, academic and responsive. He’s someone we look to work with because he’s fantastic.”

John enjoys and has experience of working with experts in connection with valuation disputes. His cases frequently involve an insolvency element, and he has experience of claims brought by and against insolvency office-holders.

John has a particular specialism in the law of guarantees (as co-editor of two textbooks in this field), and frequently acts or advises in cases involving guarantees, indemnities and performance bonds. He has also written on finance-related topics for Practical Law Company and for the Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law. John also has expertise in trade finance, thanks to his complementary specialism in shipping law and experience acting in several claims on behalf of banks in misdelivery claims against shipowners under bills of lading. Alongside his litigation experience as described below, John is frequently instructed to advise banks and others on sanctions and trusts-related issues.

Current and recent cases include:

Delivery Hero v Mastercard: acting (with Richard Millett KC) for Mastercard in a dispute over a terminated contract. Commercial Court trial listed for 2.5 weeks in October 2025.

TREO NOAL GP v Kowski: acting for a private equity fund in a fraud claim against the fund’s founders and former investment advisers, concerning the fund’s acquisition of a controlling stake in the manufacturer of the notorious Pegasus spyware product. (Led by Paul McGrath KC.)

FIMBank v Discover Investment Corp (2024): Obtained an English winding-up order on behalf of the petitioning bank, over the respondent Liberian company.

Suppipat v Narongdej [2023] EWHC 1988 (Comm). Acted for the 11th and 13th defendants (respectively CEO of a substantial Thai bank and Senior Partner in a leading Thai law firm), in a US$1-2 billion conspiracy claim brought predominantly under Thai law, which culminated in a 20-week trial between October 2022 and March 2023. Listed by The Lawyer as one of the top 20 cases of 2022. (Led by Ruth den Besten KC.)

E D & F Man Capital Markets Limited v Come Harvest Holdings Ltd [2022] EWHC 229 (Comm). Acted for the claimant financial brokerage firm, in a $284m claim arising out of the use of forged warehouse receipts in repo financing transactions. (Led by Huw Davies KC.)

LMAA & SCMA arbitrations (2021 & 2022). Acted for a financing bank and bill of lading holder in two 1-week trials of claims against shipowners for misdelivery of cargoes. The defences raised issues about the nature of the bank’s security interest and about the bank’s internal processes (Led by Steven Berry KC.)

Al Farouqi v Ikon Finance Ltd [2020] EWHC 1730 (QB). Acted as sole counsel for the second defendant, a foreign currency broker, on a successful summary judgment application against a £53m claim for fraud and breach of contract.

Rubicon Vantage International Pte Ltd v KrisEnergy Ltd [2019] EWHC 2012 (Comm). 2-day Commercial Court trial in July 2019, defending a claim brought under a parent company guarantee. (Led by Nigel Eaton KC.)

Edgeworth Capital (Luxembourg) S.A.R.L v Aabar Investments PJS [2018] EWHC 1627. 3-week trial of a claim against a sovereign wealth fund for a final injunction to restrain the exercise of security rights, based on an alleged oral agreement. (Led by Alain Choo Choy KC.)

Investec Trust (Guernsey) Limited v Glenalla Properties Limited [2018] UKPC 7, [2019] AC 271. Acted on behalf of former trustees in 7 conjoined appeals to the Privy Council from proceedings in Guernsey. The case arose out of claims brought against trustees under intercompany loans by the liquidators of insolvent companies formerly owned by the trustees. The appeals raised issues of unjust enrichment, conflict of laws and trusts. (Led by Lord Goldsmith KC and Kathryn Purkis.)

Robert Tchenguiz v Grant Thornton UK LLP (2015-2018). Acted during the interlocutory stages of a Commercial Court claim against liquidators, concerning the liquidators’ involvement in the Serious Fraud Office’s investigation of Robert Tchenguiz during 2009-2012. Listed by The Lawyer as one of the top 20 cases of 2018. (Led by Alain Choo Choy KC.)

Article, “Of loans and limitations: limitation and the enforcement of syndicated credit agreements”, published in 2017 32(2) Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, pp.75-79.

Civil fraud & asset recovery

John is ranked as a leading junior for Civil Fraud (band 4) by The Legal 500 UK. He has acted in a number of heavyweight Commercial Court fraud proceedings, and is regularly instructed on related freezing and disclosure applications.

Current and recent cases include:

TREO NOAL GP v Kowski & ors. Acting for a private equity fund in a fraud claim against the fund’s founders and former investment advisers, concerning the fund’s acquisition of a controlling stake in the manufacturer of the notorious Pegasus spyware product. (Led by Paul McGrath KC.)

Mex Group Worldwide Limited v Ford & ors (2023). Acted for the applicant for a freezing order in support of Scottish proceedings, under s.25 of the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982. (Led by Mark Fenhalls KC.)

Suppipat v Narongdej [2023] EWHC 1988 (Comm). Acted for the 11th and 13th defendants (respectively CEO of a substantial Thai bank and Senior Partner in a leading Thai law firm), in a US$1-2 billion conspiracy claim brought under Thai law, which culminated in a 20-week trial between October 2022 and March 2023. (Led by Ruth den Besten KC.) Listed by The Lawyer as one of the top 20 cases of 2022.

E D & F Man Capital Markets Limited v Come Harvest Holdings Limited [2022] EWHC 229 (Comm). Acted for the claimant in 4-year litigation leading to a $284m judgment in deceit and conspiracy after a five-week trial. Leading judgment on the (un)availability of knowing receipt claims in respect of funds received before rescission of a fraudulently induced contract. (Led by Huw Davies KC.)

Inter Export LLC v Townley [2018] EWCA Civ 2068. Acted as sole counsel in an appeal to the Court of Appeal against a finding of liability in deceit, in a case raising issues about the measure of damages where false representations are found to have been ‘continuing’.

Sumati Shipping & Chartering Pte Ltd v TMNP Repairs Ltd. Acted as sole counsel in a series of applications in the Chancery Division during 2017-2018 for freezing orders and Norwich Pharmacal relief on behalf of the victim of a fraud.

Robert Tchenguiz v Grant Thornton UK LLP (2015-2018). Acted as junior counsel (led by Alain Choo Choy KC) in the interlocutory stages of a Commercial Court claim for damages for malicious prosecution, unlawful act conspiracy and unlawful interference, arising out of the defendants’ involvement in the Serious Fraud Office’s investigation of Robert Tchenguiz during 2009-2012. Listed by The Lawyer as one of the top 20 cases of 2018.

Tchenguiz v Serious Fraud Office (2014). Acted as junior counsel with Joe Smouha KC, Alex Bailin KC and Anton Dudnikov on behalf of Robert Tchenguiz in damages proceedings against the Serious Fraud Office, listed as one of The Lawyer’s top 20 cases of 2014. The case settled in July 2014, shortly before a 12-week Commercial Court trial.

John is happy to speak in the field of civil fraud, for example:

‘Unlawful Means conspiracy: the elusive limits of an anomalous tort’.
Transactions at an Undervalue – principles and scope.
The Law of Civil Fraud in 30 minutes.
Rescission, Rectification and Knowing Receipt: recap and case update.

Commercial chancery disputes

Much of John’s work has a Chancery element. That includes advisory work and litigation in the field of trusts law (Investec); claims concerning equitable causes of action such as rescission and knowing receipt (ED&F Man); claims raising issues of company and insolvency law (BTI v Sequana); and claims with an IP element. John is a member of the Chancery Bar Association, acts as a CLIPs volunteer, and has experience of trials and applications in the Chancery Division.

E D & F Man Capital Markets Limited v Come Harvest Holdings Ltd [2022] EWHC 229 (Comm). Significant judgment on issues concerning rescission, knowing receipt and tracing. John conducted the oral advocacy in closing submissions on the tracing issues. (Led by Huw Davies KC.)

Investec Trust (Guernsey) Limited v Glenalla Properties Limited [2018] UKPC 7, [2019] AC 271. Led by Lord Goldsmith KC and Kathryn Purkis in 7 appeals to the Privy Council from proceedings in Guernsey concerning the respective rights of trustees, beneficiaries and creditors of the Tchenguiz Discretionary Trust (‘TDT’), after claims in the total sum of approx. £180m were brought against the former trustees under intercompany loans by the liquidators of insolvent companies formerly owned by the TDT trustees. Leading case on trustees’ rights to indemnity, creditors’ subrogated rights against trust assets and choice of law treatment of statutory limitations of trustees’ liability.

John’s subsequent article on the conflict-of-laws issues arising in Investec v Glenalla, entitled “Personhood and status of legal persons in private international law”, was published in (2019) 15:2 Journal of Private International Law, pp.288-314, and is cited in the 16th edition of Dicey.

BTI 2014 LLC v Sequana SA [2016] EWHC 1686 (Ch). Assisted a team of counsel led by Joe Smouha KC and Andrew Thompson KC at the 31-day trial of claims against the directors and parent company of an English company exposed to US environmental law liabilities. Held (by Rose J) that a €135m dividend paid by the company had been a transaction at an undervalue contrary to s.423 of the Insolvency Act 1986; but that the defendants were not liable for breach of fiduciary duty or for non-compliance with Companies Act rules for payment of dividends.

Commercial chancery experience as sole counsel includes:

Acting for the assignee of a lease of commercial premises in Oxford Street, bringing a £1.5m claim under a guarantee against the (insolvent) assignee’s parent company.
Obtaining an English winding-up order on behalf of the petitioning bank, over the respondent Liberian company (Jan 2024).
Acted for the defendants in Chancery Division proceedings for an account and declaratory relief, based on allegations of breach of trust in connection with a transaction for the purchase and resale of a property.
2-day trial (June 2019) in the Central London County Court (Chancery List), successfully defending a claim for disclosure of documents brought by one alleged trustee / partner / joint venture partner against another.
Acted as sole counsel in the Commercial Circuit Court in a shareholder dispute between former business partners.

Commercial dispute resolution

John was named one of 10 leading junior barristers under eight years’ call for Commercial Litigation by The Legal 500 UK in 2018, where he was described as having “fought our client’s corner ferociously, getting an excellent result”. He has since been described as “Incredibly hardworking and very bright, with an unparalleled ability to deal with difficult clients in highly-pressured situations”; as “an excellent team player”; and “extremely thorough and always willing to go the extra mile”.

John’s experience of heavy commercial cases includes:

Delivery Hero v Mastercard. Acting (with Richard Millett KC) for Mastercard in a dispute over a terminated contract. Commercial Court trial listed for 2.5 weeks in October 2025.

TREO NOAL GP v Kowski & ors. Acting for the claimant private equity fund in a €220m claim against the fund’s founders and former investment advisers, concerning the fund’s acquisition of a controlling stake in the manufacturer of the notorious Pegasus spyware product. (Led by Paul McGrath KC.)

Suppipat v Narongdej [2023] EWHC 1988 (Comm). Acted for the 11th and 13th defendants (respectively CEO of a substantial Thai bank and Senior Partner in a leading Thai law firm), in a US$1-2 billion conspiracy claim brought under Thai law, which culminated in a 20-week trial between October 2022 and March 2023. (Led by Ruth den Besten KC.) Listed by The Lawyer as one of the top 20 cases of 2022.

E D & F Man Capital Markets Limited v Come Harvest Holdings Ltd [2022] EWHC 229 (Comm). Acted for the claimant in 4-year proceedings leading to a five-week fraud trial and $284m judgment, in a case concerning forged warehouse receipts used in repo financing transactions. The case went twice to the Court of Appeal, once on jurisdiction and once on damages. (Led by Huw Davies KC.)

Robert Tchenguiz v Grant Thornton UK LLP (2015-2018). Acted during the interlocutory stages of a Commercial Court claim for damages for malicious prosecution, unlawful act conspiracy and unlawful interference, arising out of the defendants’ alleged involvement in the Serious Fraud Office’s investigation of Robert Tchenguiz during 2009-2012. Listed by The Lawyer as one of the top 20 cases of 2018. (Led by Alain Choo Choy KC.)

Edgeworth Capital (Luxembourg) S.A.R.L v Aabar Investments PJS [2018] EWHC 1627. Led by Alain Choo Choy KC at the 3-week trial of a claim against a sovereign wealth fund for an injunction to restrain the exercise of security rights, based on an alleged oral agreement.

Blue Tropic Limited v Chkhartishvili [2015] EWHC 3640 (Ch). Assisted Joe Smouha QC and Watson Pringle at the trial of two companies’ claims for damages under the Georgian law of delict arising from misappropriation of real estate assets in Georgia.

Tchenguiz v Serious Fraud Office. Acted as junior counsel with Joe Smouha KC, Alex Bailin KC and Anton Dudnikov on behalf of Robert Tchenguiz in damages proceedings against the Serious Fraud Office, listed as one of The Lawyer’s top 20 cases of 2014. The case settled in July 2014, shortly before a 12-week Commercial Court trial.

John has experience of obtaining and resisting anti-suit and freezing injunctions. He has considerable experience of jurisdiction disputes and disclosure-related applications, and is frequently instructed in cases with foreign law elements and/or involving related proceedings in other jurisdictions. John’s article, ‘Personhood and status of legal persons in private international law’ was published in the Journal of Private International Law in 2019, and is cited in the 16th edition of Dicey.

John is regularly invited to speak on topics relevant to commercial litigation, including:

Forum Conveniens: practical pointers as to when the English court will (and will not) exercise jurisdiction.
Disclosure of documents before issuing substantive proceedings: what are the options?
Use of disclosed documents outside of the original proceedings: staying on the right side of CPR 31.22.
The Law of Damages: navigating the danger areas for commercial litigators.
Rescission, Rectification and Knowing Receipt: recap and case update.

International trade, transport & commodities

Many of John’s cases involve international sale of goods, alongside his core practice areas of banking and shipping. Recent matters include:

FinCo International AG v Integra Petrochemicals Europe AG: acting for the defendant seller of a part-cargo of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), in a case raising issues about the interpretation of the BP GTCs. Commercial Court trial anticipated in 2025. (Led by Steven Berry KC.)

LMAA & SCMA arbitrations (2021 & 2022). Acted for a financing bank and bill of lading holder in two 1-week trials of claims against shipowners for misdelivery of cargoes of coal and grain. (Led by Steven Berry KC.)

E D & F Man Capital Markets Limited v Come Harvest Holdings Ltd [2022] EWHC 229 (Comm). Substantial Commercial Court fraud proceedings involving fraudulent warehouse receipts, including market practice expert evidence about the use and authentication of warehouse receipts. (Led by Huw Davies KC.)

Advising re: effect of a retention of title clause, including conflicts-of-laws issues.

FOSFA Appeal (assisting Jeffrey Gruder KC), concerning the meaning of an arrival provision in a CIF contract.

Public & administrative law

John accepts instructions in public law cases, with a particular focus on agriculture and energy. John contributed to the EU Law chapter of the 6th edition of Supperstone on Judicial Review (2017), and a number of his cases in this area have an EU-law dimension.

John has a particular interest in litigation relating to climate change and renewable energy, and co-founded a Climate Change and Environmental Law Group within chambers. John is willing to act pro bono in appropriate cases.

John’s experience includes:

R (oao Thomas) v The Welsh Ministers (2023-2024). Acting (with Hugh Mercer KC) for the Claimant in a challenge to legislation of the Welsh government banning the use of fox snares to protect curlew and other endangered birds.

R (oao Newby Foods Ltd) v Food Standards Agency [2019] UKSC 18, [2019] 3 CMLR 19. Acted as sole counsel for the National Farmers Union, intervening in support of an appeal to the Supreme Court concerning the interpretation of ‘Mechanically Separated Meat’ under European Union law, and the respective roles of national courts and the Court of Justice of the European Union where a question of law is referred to the CJEU.

Sharpston v Council, Conference & Court, EU General Court Cases T-180/20 and T-184/20,. Acted (pro bono) for Advocate General Eleanor Sharpston, seeking a determination as to whether the applicant’s mandate as Advocate General was automatically terminated under Article 50(3) TEU as a result of Brexit. (Led by Sir Nicholas Forwood KC and Hugh Mercer KC.)

Bayer CropScience AG v European Commission, CJEU Case C-499/18P. Acted for the National Farmers’ Union, intervening in an appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union concerning the application of the precautionary principle in a decision to withdraw regulatory approval for the use of a pesticide. (Led by Hugh Mercer KC.)

The Queen (o.a.o. Stody Estate Limited) v The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [2018] EWHC 378 (Admin), [2018] Env. L.R. 27. Acted as sole counsel for the National Farmers Union as intervenor in a challenge to the Secretary of State’s imposition of a subsidy-reduction penalty. The decision clarifies when a farmer’s SPS payment can (and cannot) be reduced owing to the criminal acts of an employee.

R (Friends of the Earth Ltd) v Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [2015] EWHC 3283 (Admin). Acted (with Hugh Mercer QC) for the National Farmers Union as interested party, resisting a judicial review challenge to the authorisation of temporary and limited use of two neonicotinoid pesticides.

Shipping & admiralty

John is listed as a leading junior (band 3) for Shipping by The Legal 500 UK, which describes him as “excellent… extremely thorough and always willing to go the extra mile”. He has acted in well over one hundred shipping cases, frequently unled. That experience (principally in ‘dry’ shipping) is complemented by his writing work (Westlaw Insight articles on charterparties and bills of lading) and by speaking on shipping law topics. John is a member of the Education sub-committee of the London Shipping Law Centre.

Clients value John’s ability to get across technical issues, his responsiveness, and his communication skills. Directory commentary for shipping has referred to him as “a powerhouse of an advocate” (2023); “a very thoughtful, calm junior with excellent communication and technical skills … an excellent team player” (2022); “clever, tenacious and hardworking” (2021); “has an ability to quickly grasp technical issues” (2020); “a force to reckon with” (2019); “very client-focused” (2018); and “fantastic” (2017).

Current and recent shipping cases include:

LMAA arbitrations (2024). Acting for several ship-owning companies seeking reimbursement from their charterers of freight tax paid in Nigeria.

LMAA arbitration (2024). Acted for the buyer of a celebrated superyacht, at a 5-day trial concerning a post-sale charter-back arrangement. (Led by Steven Berry KC.)

LMAA arbitration (2022). Acted at a 5-day trial for the prospective buyer of a €32m superyacht, in a claim to have terminated the purchase agreement on grounds of COVID-related force majeure and defective repair works. (Led by James Collins KC.)

LMAA & SCMA arbitrations (2021 & 2022). Acted for a financing bank and bill of lading holder in two 1-week trials of claims against shipowners for misdelivery of cargoes, involving market practice evidence about discharge and delivery practices in Egypt and India. (Led by Steven Berry KC.)

LMAA arbitration (July 2021). Acted, leading Lorraine Aboagye, at a 1-week trial of claims and counterclaims between a ship builder and a ship designer.

Premier Cruises Ltd v DLA Piper Rus Ltd & DLA Piper UK Ltd. Acted for a cruise ship operator in a negligence claim against former solicitors, resulting from the handling of a shipbuilding contract and arbitration. Dispute settled after rejection of defendants’ application to stay the claims in favour of arbitration: [2021] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 511. (Led by Philippa Hopkins KC.)

Times Trading Corp v National Bank of Fujairah [2020] EWHC 1078 (Comm), [2020] EWHC 1983 (Comm), [2020] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 211. Successful application by defendant bank (and bill of lading holder) for an extension of time under s.12 of the Arbitration Act 1996, in order to bring a claim for misdelivery against a bareboat charterer. (Led by Steven Berry KC.)

LMAA arbitration. Acted as sole counsel for a defendant shipbuilder, at a 2-day hearing in May 2020 of a claim for rectification of a provision in a shipbuilding contract.

Rubicon Vantage International Pte Ltd v KrisEnergy Ltd [2019] EWHC 2012 (Comm). Led by Nigel Eaton KC, acting for the guarantor of a bareboat charterer of a floating storage and offloading vessel (“FSO”), defending a claim for sums due as a result of engineering work carried out on the FSO prior to mobilisation.

“Amalie Essberger” Tankreederei GmbH & Co. KG v Marubeni Corporation [2019] EWHC 3402 (Comm) [2020] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 393. Acted for charterers in a case concerning the interpretation of a time-bar provision for demurrage claims.

LMAA arbitration. Led by Philippa Hopkins KC at the 3-day trial (in November 2018) of a claim for lost chartering profits of $1.5 million, under a contractual indemnity in a ship sale agreement, following the vessel’s arrest in Nigeria.

LMAA Arbitration. Acted (as sole counsel) for owners in a claim against charterers for an indemnity under the BIMCO Ship to Ship Transfer Clause for Time Charter Parties, following injury to the vessel’s Second Officer during ship-to-ship transhipment of iron ore. Claim settled by mediation prior to hearing.

Union Marine Classification Services LLC v The Government of the Union of Comoros [2017] EWHC 2364 (Comm), [2018] 2 All E.R. (Comm) 174; [2017] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 608. Dispute over termination by the Government of Comoros of a contract for the operation of a ship’s registry. Acted as sole counsel for the Government in a successful claim for an arbitration award finding that the contract had been validly terminated, then defended the award against a challenge under s.68 of the Arbitration Act 1996.

LMAA Arbitration. Led by Sara Cockerill KC in a 2-week shipbuilding dispute over the construction of a superyacht (October 2016).

LMAA Arbitration. Acted (as sole counsel) for Owners in a time charterparty balance-of-hire dispute concerning bunker contamination, engine damage and allegations of tampering with vessel logs. Dispute settled after a mediation in November 2015.

Ad-hoc arbitration (May 2015). Acted (with Sara Cockerill KC) in a dispute over the implementation of a settlement agreement, arising out of a longstanding joint venture chartering agreement.

Union Marine Classification Society LLC v Government of the Union of Comoros (3 day LMAA arbitration, July 2014). As sole counsel, defended a very substantial breach of contract claim for alleged wrongful termination of a concession agreement to operate the Comoros Open Registry.

SCMA Arbitrations. Acted (with James Collins QC) in 2 related shipbuilding arbitrations under the rules of the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration. Proceedings settled shortly before trial in September 2013.

John has been instructed as sole counsel in numerous other disputes under time and voyage charterparties, involving e.g. off-hire, speed and performance claims, liens, demurrage, late redelivery, unsafe ports, alleged bad bunkers, cargo claims, ice and tank-cleaning.

Career

2012 Tenant at Essex Court Chambers, following completion of pupillage with James Collins KC

2011 Called to the Bar (Inner Temple)

2010 Law Clerk at Chang, Pistilli & Simmons (now Clifford Chance) in Sydney

Education

2010-2011 BPTC, City Law School (Outstanding)

2008-2009 BCL, Exeter College Oxford (Distinction)

2006-2008 BA (Hons) Law, King’s College Cambridge (First)

2004-2006 Classics ‘Part I’ (the first two years of a Cambridge BA). Starred First, ranked first in the year.

Awards

2011 Winner of the Blackstone Mooting Competition (City Law School)

2010 Princess Royal Scholarship (Inner Temple)

2009 Joint winner of Holdsworth Society mooting competition (Oxford)

2009 HLA Hart prize for Jurisprudence and Political Theory (BCL)

2009 Arts and Humanities Research Council award to fund BCL studies

2008 Hurst Prize for Law (King’s College, Cambridge)

2007 Lovells Prize for Law (King’s College, Cambridge)

Publications

Co-author of the next (8th) edition of Andrews & Millett on Guarantees.
Co-author of the Guarantees title of Atkin’s Court Forms (2023), with Katherine Ratcliffe.
Practical Law Company, author of practice note on “Co-Guarantors”.
Contributor to the (forthcoming) Edward Elgar Encyclopedia of Maritime and Oceans Law, articles on “Bills of lading as contracts” and “Maintenance and repair”.
Co-author of Westlaw Insight series of articles on Charterparties and Bills of Lading, with Sir Bernard Eder.
Assistant Contributor to Supperstone, Goudie and Walker: Judicial Review (6th edition, 2018), Chapter 14: European Union Law.
“Personhood and status of legal persons in private international law”, (2019) 15(2) Journal of Private International Law, pp.288-314. Cited in Dicey, Morris & Collins on the Conflict of Laws (16th ed, 2022).
“Of loans and limitations: limitation and the enforcement of syndicated credit agreements”, published in 2017 32(2) Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, pp.75-79.

Barrister at Essex Court Chambers

Professional practice