News & publications

Members of Essex Court Chambers are delighted to announce the appointment of Richard Millett QC as joint-head of chambers with effect from today, Monday 25 April 2022. Richard replaces Huw Davies QC who has completed a planned half-term (two years) as joint-head with Joe Smouha QC. Richard was called to the bar in 1985 and […]

In a reserved judgment handed down on 11 April 2022 in JSC Commercial Bank Privatbank v Kolomoisky [2022] EWHC 868 (Ch) Trower J held that the approach adopted by the first defendant’s solicitors to redaction of their client’s WhatsApp messages was or may have been premised on an incorrect approach to establishing the relevance of […]

In a reserved judgment handed down on Friday 1 April 2022 in Africa Finance Corporation & others v Aiteo Eastern E & P Company Limited [2022] EWHC 768 (Comm), Sir Nigel Teare sitting as a Judge of the Commercial Court upheld claims for final anti-suit injunctive relief and dismissed the defendant’s applications to challenge jurisdiction […]

Substantial fraud proceedings seeking US$1.2bn in damages brought in the Commercial Court in Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC (“ADCB”) v. Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty and Ors [2022] EWHC 529 (Comm) have been stayed, and worldwide freezing orders discharged, on the basis that Abu Dhabi is clearly the appropriate forum for the determination of ADCB’s claims. The […]

Limitation in respect of dishonest assistance claims and s.213 claims were the subject of the judgment in Bilta (UK) Ltd v Tradition Financial Services Ltd (“TFS”) [2022] EWHC 723 (Ch). The claimant companies (now in liquidation) had previously engaged in MTIC VAT fraud in the summer of 2009 in respect of the importation and onward sale of […]

On 29 March 2022 the Bermudan Supreme Court (Chief Justice Hargun) handed down judgment following the trial of the dispute between Bidzina Ivanishvili (the former Prime Minister of Georgia) and other plaintiffs and Credit Suisse Life (Bermuda) Limited (“CS Life”), a member of the Credit Suisse group. The claim arose out of a long-running fraud […]

On 24 March 2022, Mr Justice Nicklin handed down judgment rejecting the Defendant’s challenge to the jurisdiction of the English Court on the basis of state immunity in the case of Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Zayn v His Majesty Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón [2022] EWHC 668 (QB), which was heard on 6-7 […]

Edward Brown QC has a broad practice and acts in matters across a wide spectrum of commercial, employment, media and entertainment, VAT and judicial review disputes. Ed has acted in high value and complex disputes in a range of courts and trials. In addition to trials and heavy applications, Ed frequently acts in appeals up […]

Tim Akkouh QC is a commercial litigator, with a strong reputation for civil fraud and asset recovery. He has acted in some of the largest actions to come before the courts, such as JSC BTA Bank v Ablyazov, Pinchuk v Bogolyubov, Mezhprom v Pugachev, Republic of Djibouti v Boreh, PrivatBank v Kolomoisky, Chernukhin v Deripaska […]

Lucas Bastin QC’s practice covers a wide array of commercial and international law work, drawing especially on his expertise in international arbitration (commercial and investment), public international law, and commercial litigation relating thereto.  He has acted in matters before all levels of English courts.  He has been engaged in much of the recent litigation relating […]

Jeremy Brier QC’s practice specialises in complex and heavy commercial litigation, including insurance, banking and funds, all aspects of commercial fraud, shipping and international arbitration. He appears regularly in the Commercial Court and has advised and acted in numerous commercial disputes at all levels in the English courts. In 2021 Jeremy was the Junior Counsel […]