Professional practice
Siddharth is an experienced advocate with a broad practice in significant commercial litigation and arbitration disputes. In recent years he has appeared in cases before the Supreme Court, Privy Council, Court of Appeal, all divisions of the High Court, and in very high value commercial and investment treaty arbitrations operating under a wide variety of institutional rules.
He has been described by clients in the legal directories as “an excellent advocate who presents complex matters very clearly”, a “charming and fluid advocate who knows his cases inside out” and as “someone you hear about as a star at Essex Court.” He is known as being “excellent to work with”.
Siddharth is well recognised for his expertise in commercial arbitration disputes, in arbitration-related applications to the Commercial Court, in investment treaty claims (for investors or for States), and on a wide range of energy/natural resource- related matters. Please click on the highlighted links above or the single link on the right-hand side of this page for further details.
- What others say
Before taking silk in 2023, Siddharth was recognised as a leading junior barrister and in 2022 was awarded Junior of the Year at the Legal 500 UK Bar Awards (across all 71 practice areas).
He has long been recognised for his particular expertise in international commercial arbitration (and related applications to Court), in investment treaty claims, and for energy disputes. For the four years before taking silk, he was the only junior at the Bar ranked as a “Star Individual” for International Arbitration by Chambers & Partners, he was C&P’s Arbitration Junior of the Year in 2015, and was nominated for that same award three times. He was also consistently Band 1 rated for both his Energy and International Arbitration practices by Legal 500.
Siddharth’s most recent comments in the Legal Directories include:
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2025, Energy & Natural Resources:
“Siddharth is a very calm and reassuring presence on any legal team and a very experienced and effective advocate.”
“He is a huge asset to our team.”
“Siddharth Dhar is very user-friendly with an ability to see what others do not.”
“Sid has an impressive ability to identify strengths and weaknesses in an extremely succinct, coherent and commercial matter.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2025, International Arbitration – The English Bar:
“Siddharth is very good on heavyweight intellectual and commercial arbitration matters.”
“Siddharth Dhar is simply excellent and punches well above his weight.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2025, International Arbitration: General Commercial & Insurance:
“He is deeply knowledgeable and forensic in his assessment of issues, presenting complex arguments in a clear and persuasive manner.”
“Siddharth is a first-rate silk and a trusted adviser.”
“He’s a huge asset to any team.”
“Siddharth is very user-friendly, with an ability to see what others don’t.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2025, International Arbitration: Counsel:
“Sid is a first-rate advocate and trusted advisor who never fails to impress clients. Sid’s technical legal skills are impeccable, and his judgement is sound. Sid is a forceful and persuasive advocate.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2025, Energy & Natural Resources:
“He provides thoughtful and cerebral advice, especially in novel areas of law. A first-rate advocate.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2024, International Arbitration: General Commercial & Insurance:
“Siddharth Dhar is simply excellent and punches well above his weight.”
“Siddharth is very good on heavyweight intellectual and commercial arbitration matters.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2024, Energy & Natural Resources:
“Sid has an impressive ability to identify strengths and weaknesses in an extremely succinct, coherent and commercial matter.”
“He’s great.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2024, Energy & Natural Resources:
‘Calm and unflustered, Siddharth is very willing to help out on any aspect of a case.’
‘His depth of knowledge is mighty impressive, as is the cool judgment which he brings when deploying that expertise.’
Legal 500 UK Bar 2024, International Arbitration: Counsel:
‘Sid is first and foremost an excellent lawyer. He is a very impressive advocate – his presentation is clear and persuasive and he thinks well on his feet. He is equally strong on paper, producing excellent, clearly and thoroughly argued written submissions.’
‘Very calm and unflustered, very willing to help out on any aspect of a case and provides highly sophisticated advice and advocacy.’
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2023, International Arbitration: General Commercial & Insurance:
“Siddharth provides very practical, airtight legal advice.”
“Forensically, he has superb drafting and communication skills and performs excellent witness cross-examinations.”
“He’s an excellent advocate who presents complex matters very clearly and with a good command of the facts.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2023, Energy & Natural Resources:
“A charming and fluid advocate who knows his cases inside out.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2023, Energy & Natural Resources:
“His depth of knowledge is mighty impressive, as is the cool judgment which he brings when deploying that expertise.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2023, International Arbitration: Counsel:
“Sid is first and foremost an excellent lawyer. He is a very impressive advocate (his presentation is clear and persuasive and he thinks well on his feet). He is equally strong on paper, producing excellent, clearly and thoroughly argued written submissions.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2022, International Arbitration: General Commercial & Insurance:
“He’s an arbitration specialist. Clients like him and he is very hard-working.” “He is one of the best juniors I have worked with.” “He is brilliant – he is very clever, and clients love him because he is calm and approachable.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2022, Energy & Natural Resources:
“He is very good on thorny issues and drafting around them.” “He is a very impressive barrister.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2022, Energy & Natural Resources:
“A great choice for high-value, complex work in the energy sector, he is a very experienced and capable advocate who uses his considerable charm to great effect.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2022, International Arbitration: Counsel:
“Has excellent drafting skills, really exceptional, and is also a quick-witted and persuasive advocate.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2021, Energy:
“First and foremost, he is an excellent lawyer, very easy to work with and very responsive with a very collaborative approach.”
Legal 500 UK Bar 2021, International Arbitration: Counsel:
“Has excellent drafting skills, really exceptional, and is also a quick-witted and persuasive advocate.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2021, Energy and Natural Resources:
“He has an excellent reputation – someone you hear about as a star at Essex Court.” “He’s very much in demand for arbitration matters. He has a very good manner with international clients.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2021, International Arbitration: General Commercial & Insurance:
“Very impressive, measured and a very fair opponent.” “Very bright, extremely diligent and very user-friendly.”
- Examples of recent cases
Since taking silk in 2023, Siddharth has acted and advised in several major matters, across a range of different sectors, in both Court and in arbitration. These include advising and/or acting for:
- Two German banks in a €320m financing dispute, which has involved securing urgent interim and final anti-suit relief from the English court to restrain Russian proceedings: Bayerische Landesbank & Anor v Ruschemalliance LLC [2024] EWHC 1822 (Comm).
- A major Far Eastern shipyard defending a c.SG$400 million claim in a 5-week ad-hoc construction/ship-sale arbitration.
- Investors in a leading luxury hotel group defending a +US$1billion claim in an LCIA arbitration relating to the valuation of certain landmark hotels.
- A major US medical supplier defending a substantial LCIA claim brought by its local distributor.
- One of the world’s leading oil traders in c.US$75 million LCIA arbitration proceedings arising out of the termination of oil supply contracts.
- A South Asian State seeking to uphold an investment treaty award against a jurisdictional challenge brought by the investor before the Commercial Court.
- Arbitration & related court applications
Siddharth is recognised as a “go to” advocate in this field at the Commercial Bar.
Prior to taking silk in 2023, he was (for 4 years) the only junior at the Bar ranked as a “Star Individual” for International Arbitration by Chambers & Partners, was awarded International Arbitration Junior of the Year in 2015 by Chambers & Partners, and was nominated for that same award three times.
Further detail on Siddharth’s international commercial arbitration practice can be found here.
Alongside acting and advising in international commercial arbitrations, he specialises in arbitration-related applications to the Commercial Court, in particular:
- Challenges to awards under ss.67-69 of the Arbitration Act 1996;
- Enforcement of domestic/foreign awards under s.66 or the New York Convention; and
- Applications for interim or other relief to the Court, including under s.44 of the 1996 Act.
Further detail on this specific area of practice can be found here.
Siddharth supplements his practice in these areas by teaching international commercial arbitration on the LLM course at King’s College, London; and as a co-author of the forthcoming 3rd Edition of Mustill & Boyd.
- Aviation
Siddharth is regularly turned to for his expertise in aviation disputes, including advice on the full spectrum of aviation-related contractual arrangements. Recent matters include:
- Acting for a leading engine manufacturer in a substantial (and successful) long-running LCIA arbitration against a supplier of defective components.
- Regular provision of advice in respect of the contractual arrangements between a leading engine manufacturer and various airlines.
- Acting in Commercial Court proceedings for a component manufacturer in a dispute relating to the pricing of flap track fairings for the A330/A340 airframes.
- Acting for a leading supplier of passenger-to-freighter conversion services in a substantial ICC arbitration dispute with a customer.
- Banking & financial services
Much of Siddharth’s work (whether in litigation or arbitration) involves advising banks, private equity firms and other leading financial institutions on their disputes under complex financial instruments.
For example, he is currently acting for and advising two German banks in their €320m financing dispute with a Russian counterparty, which has involved securing urgent interim and final anti-suit relief from the English court to restrain foreign proceedings: Bayerische Landesbank & Anor v Ruschemalliance LLC [2024] EWHC 1822 (Comm).
Previously, he has acted at all stages – up to and including the Supreme Court – on a leading case on the construction of letters of credit (Taurus v SOMO [2017 UKSC 64]) and in numerous disputes in relation to the ISDA Master Agreement arising out of the collapse of the FFA market (e.g. Deiulemar Shipping v Transfield Futures Ltd [2012] EWHC 928 (Comm); Lomas v Firth Rixson [2012] EWCA Civ 419).
- Civil fraud & asset recovery
Siddharth has extensive experience of significant fraud and asset recovery litigation. This includes jurisdictional challenges (e.g. Manek v IIFL Wealth [2021] EWCA Civ 264, [2021] EWCA Civ 625), the preparation and conduct of trials, and applications under e.g. s.423 of the Insolvency Act 1986.
- Commercial chancery disputes
Siddharth is experienced in acting in substantial commercial chancery disputes, both as sole advocate and with a leader. Examples of his work in this area include:
- Barnsley & Ors v Noble [2014] EWHC 2675: acted for the successful defendant (with Joe Smouha KC and Ciaran Keller) in a 7-week trial before Nugee J involving claims of deceit, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.
- JSC BTA Bank v Kythreotis: acted (as sole advocate) for the second defendant in the circa $300-million Chancery fraud claim brought by JSC Bank in the Chancery off-shoot of the Ablyazov
- BBGP Managing General Partner Ltd & Ors v Babcock & Brown Global Partners (Norris J.) [2010] EWHC 2176: acted (with Richard Millett KC) for the successful claimants in a trial on privilege. An important case on confidentiality, the iniquity exception, and the application of joint/common interest.
- Commercial dispute resolution
Siddharth has considerable experience of complex commercial litigation, across a range of industry sectors. These include, by way of example:
- International trade disputes. Recent cases include acting for the successful claimant in Noksel v Bemaco Steel [2022] EWHC 68 (Comm) (sale of steel).
- Energy sector disputes. Recent cases include acting as lead advocate for the successful claimant in Vitol SA v Genser Energy Ghana Ltd [2022] EWHC 910 (Comm) (termination of propane sale contract; force majeure).
- Banking and financial services disputes. A recent example is his work advising two German banks in their €320m financing dispute with a Russian counterparty (Bayerische Landesbank & Anor v Ruschemalliance LLC [2024] EWHC 1822 (Comm)).
- Fraud disputes. Recent cases include the Manek v IIFL Wealth litigation, which gave rise to important judgments on jurisdiction: [2021] EWCA Civ 264 (tort gateway); and [2021] EWCA Civ 625 (arbitration stay; forum non conveniens).
- Pharmaceutical and health-related disputes. Regularly advises on contractual disputes e.g. under outsourcing contracts (Mid Essex NHS Trust v. Compass [2013] EWCA Civ 200) or in respect of royalty / milestone payment arrangements. A recent case in the arbitration context is Cipla Limited v Salix Pharmaceuticals [2023] EWHC 910 (Comm).
- Shareholder and share purchase disputes. Regularly advises in respect of warranty claims under SPAs.
- Arbitration-related applications to the Commercial Court (see separate section here).
In addition to his practice in the Commercial Court, where appropriate Siddharth advises and acts for clients involved in commercial disputes in other jurisdictions, including in particular in the DIFC.
- Energy & natural resources
Energy and natural resource-related work is a cornerstone of Siddharth’s practice, whether in court, in commercial arbitration disputes, or in bringing or defending investment treaty claims.
He has acted and advised on some of the largest energy/natural resource disputes of recent times, has regularly acted for clients on +$0.5 billion energy claims as their sole lead advocate, and has consistently been ranked for many years in the Legal Directories for his expertise in this area. The most recent client feedback notes that as a silk he “has an impressive ability to identify strengths and weaknesses in an extremely succinct, coherent and commercial matter.”
For specific detail on Siddharth’s experience in energy and natural-resource related disputes, please click here.
- Insurance & reinsurance
Siddharth has acted and advised in a wide range of insurance and reinsurance disputes, both in the Commercial Court and in arbitration. He has a particular expertise in respect of the Bermuda excess liability form, and D&O liability cover, and is familiar with the typical issues that arise thereunder (including the application of varied procedural and substantive laws).
- Investment treaty disputes
Described as an “exceptional barrister – routinely turned to for his treaty arbitration advice”, Siddharth has a substantial practice in acting for and/or advising both States and investors in investment treaty disputes.
Examples of his work in this area can be found here.
- Public international law
Siddharth has considerable experience of PIL issues, particularly in the investment-treaty context (please click here).
- Ship sale & ship construction disputes
Siddharth has considerable experience of complex shipbuilding/ship sale disputes. For example, over the past two years he has acted for a leading Singaporean yard in two major confidential ad-hoc arbitrations (of c.4 weeks and 5 weeks respectively) worth a combined c.SGD 1 billion, relating to the construction and sale of deep-sea drilling rigs.
- Career
2005: Call: Middle Temple
2004: Passed New York Bar exam
- Education
2006: BCL (Distinction), St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford
2005: BVC (Very Competent), Inns of Court School of Law
2004: LL.M, Harvard Law School, University of Harvard
2003: B.A (Double First Class Hons.) (Law), Downing College, University of Cambridge
- Awards
2006: Placed First in European Contract Law; and Placed First in Philosophical Foundations of the Common Law, BCL, University of Oxford
2005: Queen Mother Scholarship, Middle Temple Harmsworth Exhibition Scholarship, Middle Temple
2003: Kennedy Memorial Trust Scholarship
2003: Senior Seton Scholar, Downing College, University of Cambridge
2002: Platt Prize, Downing College, University of Cambridge Winner, De Smith Mooting Competition, University of Cambridge
Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholarship
2001: Platt Prize, Downing College, University of Cambridge Placed Second in Part 1A Tripos, University of Cambridge
2001-3: Rebecca Flower Squire Scholar, University of Cambridge
2001-3: Scholar, Downing College, University of Cambridge
