News & publications

After almost 21 years, Gordon Pollock QC has stepped down as Head of Essex Court Chambers, handing over to the new Co-Heads – Richard Jacobs QC and Graham Dunning QC. Under Gordon Pollock’s leadership, the chambers has grown substantially and with 82 members is one of the largest and most successful commercial law sets in […]

The Supreme Court, on 12 June 2013, dismissed the appeal of Ust-Kamenogorsk Hydropower Plant JSC (“JSC”) against the grant of an anti-suit injunction and associated declaratory relief restraining JSC from commencing or continuing proceedings in Kazakhstan in breach of an arbitration agreement, and in doing so has resolved a long-running uncertainty about the relationship between […]

The anticipated 10 week court battle between companies connected with Mobile Telesystems (MTS) and Altimo, the telecoms unit of the Alfa Group, over the acquisition of Bitel LLC, which was formerly the leading mobile telecoms provider in Kyrgyzstan, began this week in the Isle of Man Courts. Jurisdiction was decided in March 2011 when the […]

Essex Court Chambers is pleased to announce that Richard Millett QC has been authorised to sit as a Deputy Judge in the Chancery Division of the High Court. Richard also sits as a Civil only Recorder. He is the second member of Chambers to be authorised to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge this […]

The Court of Appeal on 12 April 2013 dismissed the appeal of the Royal Bank of Scotland in relation to its claim for an anti-suit injunction against the Highland Group and Scott Law in respect of proceedings brought by them in Texas. The Court dismissed the appeal, after hearing detailed submissions from Graham Dunning QC, […]

Essex Court Chambers is pleased to announce that Simon Bryan QC has been authorised to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge, Queen’s Bench Division, sitting in the Administrative Court. Simon also sits as a Recorder in the Crown Court.

The Court of Appeal on 6 March 2013 threw out Sovcomflot’s appeal on the dismissal of all its claims against Mr Skarga, the former Director-General of the Russian 100% state-owned corporation. The Court dismissed the appeal, after hearing detailed submissions from Graham Dunning QC, Leading Counsel for Mr Skarga, and supporting submissions from Steven Berry QC (whose junior was Nathan Pillow) for the alleged briber. The Court upheld Mr Justice Smith’s decision that all of the bribery issues in the case were governed by Russian law and, consequently, there could be no claims against the respondents because Sovcomflot and its subsidiaries had not suffered any loss from the various transactions that were said to have been tainted by the alleged bribery. The Court of Appeal will issue its reasons at a later date, but they will amount to an important judgment on private international law in the context of allegations of bribery.

Essex Court Chambers is pleased to announce that Professor Dan Sarooshi has been appointed to the Attorney General’s ‘B’ Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown. In addition, Amy Sander has been appointed to the Attorney General’s ‘C’ Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown. The appointments are for 5 years, commencing 1st March 2013.

The Attorney General maintains four panels of junior counsel to undertake civil and EC work for all Government Departments.

The results of the Queen’s Counsel appointments were announced in the media today. At Essex Court Chambers, Nigel Eaton, Stephen Houseman, Paul Key and Sam Wordsworth have been informed that they will be elevated to Silk at a ceremony to be held on 27 March 2013  

Leading legal weekly The Lawyer has unveiled its Hot 100 list for 2013 naming the high-flyers who it believes will help shape the legal profession this year and the list includes Paul McGrath QC of Essex Court Chambers The Lawyer praises McGrath with: “You have to hand it to the man. Last year, Paul McGrath […]