Biography
Chris is described by clients in Legal 500 as “dynamic, technically excellent, and at the top of his game” and “bright and fast to address every technical issue that may arise from complex litigation”. In Chambers & Partners, he is noted as “brilliant at finding a route in complex legal disputes and litigation”.
Chris has successfully represented clients across a wide range of industry sectors, although is particularly experienced at advising in relation to contested claims and financial disputes arising in the context of complex cross-border insolvencies and restructurings. He also frequently acts for private equity investors and their portfolio companies in relation to contentious issues.
In addition to his contentious practice, Chris also advises in relation to cross-border compliance, trade regulation and sanctions issues, and has spent time working in the sanctions compliance team of a major bank. Chris is Co-Chair of the Firm’s Inclusion Committee.
Representative matters include acting for:
- The joint administrators of VTB Capital plc in relation to a range of matters, including:
- a 12 week trial of VTB Capital plc’s $1 billion claim against the Republic of Mozambique in the High Court; part of the so-called “tuna bonds” litigation;
- the successful summary dismissal of an $800 million conspiracy claim brought against VTB Capital plc in the High Court; and
- proceedings in the High Court (Administrative Court) and Court of Appeal related to UK sanctions issues
- The ad hoc group of supporting creditors in relation to the global restructuring of McDermott International and its UK Restructuring Plan
- The Very Group in High Court and Court of Appeal proceedings related to alleged PPI liabilities
- Petropavlovsk Plc, on a variety of contentious matters, including multiple sets of proceedings in the High Court
- The joint official liquidators of ABRAAJ Investment Management Limited in connection with claims arising in the liquidation of the Abraaj Group
- A global private equity firm in relation to multiple arbitrations arising out of the €1bn acquisition of a financial services business
- Multiple private equity firms in relation to post-completion warranty claims, including in relation to alleged accounting issues; alleged fraud; and alleged compliance failings in target businesses
- A major creditor in relation to the collapse of the Thomas Cook group
- Littlewoods, in its £1.25 billion claim in respect of compound interest on overpaid tax before the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court
- The Special Administrators of MF Global UK Limited in connection with a number of disputes arising out of the special administration of MFGUK
- Lehman Brothers Special Financing Inc in multimillion dollar Financial List proceedings against PSALM (a Philippine state-owned entity) concerning the Close-out provisions of the 2002 ISDA Master Agreement
- Ingenious Media in a £1bn+ appeal against amendments made by HMRC to the tax returns of a number of film production partnerships
- Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc and various of its subsidiaries in connection with the unwinding of their structured finance, structured product and derivatives portfolio, including a number of disputes before the English, New York and Cayman Islands courts and LCIA arbitration proceedings in London
- A private equity firm in connection with a High Court dispute concerning the allocation of profit and ownership interests between certain of its founding partners
- A Turkish entrepreneur as claimant in an ICC arbitration in London relating to disputes arising under a non-compete agreement, worth in excess of US$300 million
- A global hospitality company in relation to various disputes arising out of development projects in Europe and Central Asia