FIVE PAPER - Key Persons
Ben is a specialist real property and chancery barrister with significant experience in private client and commercial dispute resolution.
Ben acts in the full spectrum of property matters, from residential and commercial property leasehold disputes to esoteric and legally complex cases where multiple other areas of law intersect with real property work.
Ben also has an eventful commercial practice where he often acts in commercial disputes concerning considerable factual or legal complexity. This includes disputes where there are significant considerations of statutory regulation.
Ben's practice has recently pivoted towards cases involving civil fraud and he is instructed in a number of significant alleged frauds currently. This is due to the trust that instructing solicitors place in Ben's eye for forensic detail and his ability to absorb large amounts of information quickly.
Expertise
Real Property
Ben is a prolific property practitioner who enjoys a varied and eventful property practice.
Ben deals with real property disputes including those concerning mortgage possession proceedings, boundary issues, adverse possession, restrictive covenants, public and private rights of way, easements, riparian rights and drainage rights.
Ben is known for his quick and efficient advice, his commercial acumen and his good understanding of technical matters pertaining to land. He has extensive experience in procedural applications and costs, which he is known to use to great tactical effect.
Ben also advises in non-contentious matters including the structuring of leases and other forms of estates in larger developments.
Ben is a commercially minded barrister who acts in a diverse range of commercial disputes.
David Portch is the Senior Clerk at Five Paper. In addition to being actively involved in the management of chambers and the overall supervision of the clerking and administration teams, David ensures the continuing development of the Chambers Business Plan. He also oversees the practice management and strategic development of both chambers and members individual practices', as well as building and maintaining relationships with our clients and the wider industries within which we work, both domestically and internationally.
David is ably assisted by a dedicated team who provide a friendly, efficient and professional service. They are committed to ensuring that our clients' needs are met and that our standards of service remain high.
David joined Five Paper in 2006, being promoted to Senior Clerk in May 2016. His clerking career began in July 1998 with Old Square Chambers before moving to 39 Essex Street.
Memberships:
R3 (Association of Business Recovery Professionals) and Membership Committee member
SHLA (Social Housing Lawyers Association)
Institute of Barristers Clerks
LPMA (Legal Practice Management Association)
David Portch is brilliant and incredibly responsive.'
‘David Portch is a first rate clerk.'
Ella joined Five Paper in December 2021 as a Junior Clerk, where she began her clerking career. Ella was then promoted to Third Junior Clerk in December 2022.
Ella's responsibilities as a Third Junior Clerk include diary management, advising clients about barristers' availability and auditability for cases, fee negotiation, fixing of cases, and assisting the clerking team with the overall development of members' practices.
Felix joined Chambers in October 2023 following successful completion of his pupillage. He accepts instructions in all of Chambers' main practice areas.
During his seat with Morwenna, Felix focused on Insolvency and Commercial work. He drafted witness statements and statements of case, as well as reviewing large volumes of evidence arising from complex litigation.
In his seat with Simon, Felix saw a wide range of work relating to Social Housing and Landlord & Tenant law. This has included defending prosecutions under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and committal proceedings for breach of an injunction.
During his time with Roger Laville, Felix gained experience in Chambers' Commercial and Insolvency work. Among other things, he attended bankruptcy hearings, a civil fraud trial, and a one-day commercial mediation.
In his seat with Michael Mullin, Felix gained a range of experience on matters of Real Property, Landlord & Tenant, Social Housing and Public Law. Felix saw various possession and injunction hearings as well as Section 204 reviews of local authorities' exercise of their homelessness duties.
During his first six, Felix produced research for members of chambers on topics as diverse as the scope of the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Act 2022 and the law of unlawful means conspiracy in Guernsey. He recently co-authored a piece with Vinesh Mistry analysing Davies v Bridgend County Borough Council [2023] EWCA Civ 80 and its effect on Japanese knotweed litigation.
Before commencing pupillage in October 2022, Felix worked as a paralegal at an international law firm where he conducted Pre-Action Protocol correspondence to defend solicitors' negligence claims. Following this he worked as the Compliance Analyst for a City firm where he oversaw Lexcel and CQS reaccreditation and advised members of the firm on solicitors' compliance issues.
Felix graduated with a First-Class degree in English Literature from the University of Bristol before completing the MA Law (Merit) conversion degree and the BTC (Very Competent). During study, Felix led his university's Bar Society, won two national advocacy competitions, and volunteered with Jacari to give free tuition to children whose first language is not English.
Job Titles:
- Judge at the 2009 World University Debating Championships, Cork
Harry joined Five Paper in July 2023.
Harry's primary duties include assisting barristers to and from court, the delivery of documents and assisting the clerking team with the smooth running of chambers.
Job Titles:
- Joint Head of the Business Immigration and Regulatory Team With Satinder Gill
- Non - Executive Director of a Company
- Specialist Regulatory
Ian Wright is an experienced barrister with recognised health and safety expertise. He possesses a biochemistry background which adds a helpful edge to his work in cases involving construction, engineering and energy companies. He is regularly instructed in notice appeals. ‘Ian is absolutely first class in enforcement proceedings.' (Chambers and Partners 2023).
Ian is the Joint Head of the Business Immigration and Regulatory Team with Satinder Gill. Ian is a specialist regulatory, employment and business immigration practitioner. He is recognised in the Legal 500 (2021) as a Leading Junior (Tier 2) and Chambers and Partners (2021) (Tier 3) for health and safety.
During 2018 Ian has delivered seminars to the HSE and the ORR on section 24 HSWA appeals following the Supreme Court decision in ‘Chevron' (see below). In November 2017 he spoke at the AGM of the Health and Safety Lawyers Association on section 24 appeals.
Ian is a Non-Executive Director of a Company concerned with breakthrough energy storage technology through the development of high energy supercapacitors.
Jake has been recognised as a leading junior in employment law by the Legal 500 for a number of years. His client base includes various public bodies and large corporate employers as well as directors and senior employees. Jake specialises in employment, contract, discrimination and whistleblowing claims and has successfully represented local authorities in various reported appeal cases.
He is regularly instructed by public bodies and large corporate employers to give expert advice and appear in cases relating to contracts, internal procedures, reorganisations, job evaluations, pay, employment status, discrimination, Covid-19, tax, pensions, shares and other significant issues which potentially affect the whole work force. He has represented schools and local authorities at NCTL appeals.
Jake leads the Employment group and is chair of the public access committee. He is also a member of the Banking and Finance and the Civil Fraud groups. His commercial practice includes restrictive covenants, breach of fiduciary duty and professional negligence.
Expertise
Unfair, constructive & wrongful dismissal
Jake has vast experience of misconduct, capability, redundancy, some other substantial reason, constructive and discriminatory dismissal claims in the employment tribunals and at appeal level. He often deals with preliminary or appeal issues concerning employment status, time limits and early conciliation.
Jake is a member of ELBA, ELA, Combar and the London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association.
Jenny is a former member of the housing team at Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors, where she was identified as a leading individual in the field of social housing. She is ranked as a leading junior and is regularly instructed by local authorities, housing associations and tenants across all aspects of housing law.
Jenny is the leader of the Family, Inheritance and Trusts team at Five Paper.
Joe has a busy commercial chancery practice, with an emphasis on commercial litigation, civil fraud, banking and finance litigation and insolvency. Joe is an experienced advocate for his call with both trial and appellate experience. He frequently appears in the High Court and County Court with experience in responding to urgent commercial injunctions, both as sole counsel and as part of a counsel team.
An increasing amount of Joe's practice has an international element. Joe has particular experience with claims governed by the laws of Jersey and Sweden.
He is a co-contributor to the 2022 edition of Atkin's Sale and Supply of Goods and Services.
Prior to starting pupillage, Joe worked as a Solicitors' Agent where he gained substantial advocacy experience. Joe was also a manager in a firm of solicitors who provide advocacy services. In this role Joe worked closely with clients to provide practical, cost effective solutions to litigation. In 2018, he received a travel scholarship from the Middle Temple which allowed him to intern with a boutique commercial litigation law firm in the USA.
Expertise
Commercial and Civil Fraud
Joe has a broad commercial litigation practice. In addition to his paper practice, Joe frequently represents lenders, companies and consumers at hearings, including at trial. Further, through his recent editing of Atkin's Court Forms, Joe is well versed in issues arising out of contracts for the sale and supply of goods and services.
An increasingly amount of Joe's practice involves allegations of civil fraud and has an international element. For example, Joe has particular experience with claims governed by the laws of Jersey and Sweden.
Joseph joined Chambers on 1 October 2022 following the successful completion of his pupillage. He is building a practice across Chambers' practice areas, with particular focus on commercial and property work.
Joseph is confident both on his feet and in paperwork. He has gained experience in a range of courts and tribunals, and regularly advises in complex property and commercial matters.
Before joining Chambers, Joseph spent a year as a paralegal at a leading international law firm, where he worked on the largest competition law dispute in the English courts at the time. He also spent time at a start-up law firm, where he advised a range of SMEs and start-ups on their company law obligations.
Expertise
Commercial and Insolvency
Joseph is building a broad commercial practice in line with Chambers' expertise. He has acted at trial, in interlocutory applications, and at the written stage, both for claimants and defendants. He is as confident in multi-track litigation as in small claims.
His recent experience includes:
Acting at trial for a financial services company in a breach of contract claim relating to the provision of tax services. Obtaining an indemnity costs order against the Defendant.
Settling the pleadings in a multi-track construction dispute relating to the provision of faulty goods.
Acting for a national energy company, drafting a defence to a claim involving credit referencing and the unlawful sharing of information with credit agencies.
Acting for a London Hospital Trust in proceedings relating to the crossover between bankruptcy, the extension of credit, and liability in contract.
Obtaining strike out of a contractual/negligent provision of services claim against a local authority.
Acting both at trial and in interim applications for a leading property management company.
Appearing in numerous winding up petitions, bankruptcy petitions and related proceedings.
Assisting in the advisory stage of a multi-million pound application to lift a stay of proceedings granted on forum non conveniens grounds.
As pupil to Roger Laville, Joseph gained considerable experience in banking and finance litigation, with notable exposure to cross-border claims involving jurisdictional questions. He dealt with alleged breaches of fiduciary / directors' duties, including breaches of trust and other obligations, applications to amend the register of companies, as well as other company law procedures.
Job Titles:
- Application for a Freezing Order Against a Solicitor
Lord Chancellor v John Blavo [2019] 6 WLUK 33; Acted as Sole Counsel, representing the Lord Chancellor, was able to obtain a post-judgment worldwide freezing order against Mr. Blavo.
Megan joined Five Paper in May 2023 as First Junior Clerk, having commenced her clerking career in 2017, gaining experience at a leading civil set of Chambers, and more recently a leading international commercial dispute set.
Megan works closely with Senior Clerk, David Portch, in developing and maintaining client relationships throughout all of Five Paper's practice areas, as well as ensuring a high level of client service and an efficient running of the clerking team and Chambers.
Megan is responsible for the day-to-day practice management of all members of Chambers, which includes developing their practices, diary management, allocation of new work and fee negotiation.
Memberships:
R3 (Association of Business Recovery Professionals)
Institute of Barristers Clerks (IBC)
Job Titles:
- Member of the Free Representation Unit
"She wins cases, her submissions are clear and concise, she knows the law and her delivery is great."
Millie is also a member of the Free Representation Unit and the Bar Pro Bono Unit.
Job Titles:
- Trustee in Bankruptcy of Nicola Haworth ( 2 ) the Commissioners of HM Revenue
Nicola Haworth v (1) Donna Cartmel (Trustee in bankruptcy of Nicola Haworth (2) The Commissioners of HM Revenue and Customs [2011] EWHC 36 (CH); Application to annul/rescind a bankruptcy order made over two years previously on the basis it should never have been made because the bankrupt lacked capacity and/or HMRC the petitioning creditor had breached its duties towards the bankrupt under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Ololade is a commercial chancery barrister. His main areas of work are banking, finance, restructuring, insolvency, asset recovery, companies, partnerships, and commercial disputes. Ololade appears regularly as sole counsel in the Chancery Division (Business List and Insolvency & Companies Court) and the King's Bench Division (Commercial Court) of the High Court and in the County Court.
Ololade is known for his ease of use and pragmatism. He is particularly sought after in financial disputes and has experience in such cases where they include issues of fraud. His work is increasingly international, with an emphasis on Nigeria and Africa, and frequently involves advising on issues of private international law. He also has a developing commercial arbitration practice and accepts instructions to act as counsel in arbitral and related Court proceedings.
In September 2022, Ololade became the sixth and youngest Chair of the British Nigeria Law Forum (BNLF) - a bilateral vehicle for the promotion of legal ideals from both jurisdictions and the fostering of mutually beneficial relationships. Ololade also sits on the Commercial Bar Association's (Com bar‘s) Africa Committee.
In 2022, Ololade undertook a two-month secondment, as a scholar of the Pegasus Scholarship Trust, to the Litigation, Dispute Resolution, and Risk Management Department of Aluko & Oyebode - Nigeria's leading commercial disputes law firm, at its offices in Lagos - the commercial heart of Nigeria. Whilst there, Ololade worked on banking, oil and gas, and professional negligence litigation and arbitrations. Where required, Ololade is able to bring the insights he gained and the network he developed to bear on cases for the benefit of his clients.
Prior to commencing practice, Ololade obtained considerable experience of advocacy in the County Court. As such, his advocacy experience exceeds his years in practice. Ololade also spent a year and a half working in a tier one specialist litigation team at the international commercial law firm Pinsent Masons LLP. This gives him an awareness of the commercial pressures under which his professional clients operate and sensitivity to the issues involved in managing commercial lay clients.
Expertise
Banking and Finance
Ololade accepts instructions in relation to the full range of banking and financial services disputes. He has recent experience of disputes relating to:
Job Titles:
- Head of Chambers and Co - Leader of the Commercial Division
Rachel Sleeman is Head of Chambers and co-leader of the Commercial Division at Five Paper. She is an experienced commercial and chancery litigation barrister specialising in the fields of insolvency and asset recovery, including the cross over areas of company law and civil fraud.
Rachel has a busy advocacy practice in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, acting as sole and leading counsel. Rachel undertakes drafting and advisory work in all of her practice areas.
Clients appreciate Rachel's user-friendly approach and her ability to find commercially realistic solutions.
Expertise
Insolvency & Company
Rachel acts for liquidators, administrators, receivers, directors and creditors in corporate insolvency matters both before a company enters into formal insolvency but also as part of the realisation, recovery and sale of assets process.
Rachel also advises on all aspects of personal insolvency. She has appeared in the leading reported cases dealing with bankrupts who are mentally incapacitated and also acts for creditors who wish to seek payments of debts from those who lack mental capacity.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Chancery Bar Association
- Member of the Commercial Team
Roger is a member of the commercial team and specialises in finance, insolvency and company disputes.
His finance and insolvency practice encompasses working for all of the major banks, as well as specialist lenders, and insolvency practitioners from leading firms. He is therefore fully familiar with the commercial and reputational factors which corporate clients must take into account, the regulatory framework within which financial services firms operate and the financial imperatives which apply to insolvencies.
Fraud, dishonesty and breach of duty by directors are a regular feature of the cases Roger works on, sometimes necessitating injunctive relief, and many involve cross-border inter-jurisdictional issues.
Before being called to the Bar in 2015, Roger was a solicitor at Addleshaw Goddard and Matthew Arnold & Baldwin (now Dentons UKME), where he was a partner in the banking and finance litigation team. Having worked as a solicitor, Roger knows the importance of giving clients clear pragmatic advice that enables them to take properly informed decisions, and of being easy to contact and ready to talk through problems informally. He especially relishes cases which throw up seemingly intractable problems, or that require imaginative analysis to identify a solution.
Expertise
Banking and Finance
Roger has for many years dealt with a wide variety of personal, business and corporate banking disputes. During this time, he has acted in cases involving issues such as security and guarantees, undue influence and misrepresentation, customer and third-party fraud, money-laundering reporting obligations, consumer credit and financial services regulation, unfair relationships, mortgage and conveyancing fraud, professional negligence claims against valuers and solicitors, invoice discounting and factoring, asset finance, credit reporting, investment mis-selling, breach of mandate, the priority of interests in land and other security and fixed charge receivers, including several injunctions to prevent sales by receivers.
Roger is a member of the Chancery Bar Association, Commercial Bar Association and R3, the Association of Business Recovery Professionals.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attorney General 's Panel
- Member of the ELA Pro Bono Committee
- Specialist
"Shane can always be relied upon to undertake complex cases and has an excellent commercial awareness and understanding of what the client is seeking to achieve."
"He is calm and reassuring but extremely effective at cross-examination and dealing with litigants in person."
"Shane's particular strengths are his excellent communication and interpersonal skills which, alongside his analytical mind, makes him highly desirable counsel. Shane always adopts a logical approach to cases and is well liked by clients and a safe pair of hands. Shane will always go the extra mile, and his commercial and legal awareness, ability to remain calm under pressure, and flexible approach to working when situations change, are always appreciated."
Shane Crawford is a specialist employment law barrister, ranked as a leading junior in both Chambers & Partners & Legal 500, who provides a quality of service based on over twenty years' experience in this field. Shane's experience encompasses all areas of employment law issues and he possesses particular expertise in conducting lengthy hearings of complexity through the whole spectrum of discrimination claims and TUPE. The other areas in which he regularly represents clients are whistleblowing, contract, unlawful deduction of wages, national minimum wage, agency and part-time workers claims and unfair dismissal.
He is highly regarded in his field and is sought after for his subtlety and assertive presence in tribunal and court. He is attentive to the client's needs and provides a balanced assessment of merits of a case.
Shane's client base includes private sector respondents and public employers. Shane has a depth of experience in representing claimants from all different professional and trade union backgrounds.
Shane is a member of the Attorney General's Panel of Civil Counsel (C Panel).
Expertise
Discrimination and Harassment
Shane's experience covers the full spectrum of discrimination claims both acting for and responding to claims. He has a track record of managing large complex claims with clarity and composure, distilling the issues and advancing the most cogent arguments on behalf of his client.
Recent cases:
Dec 2021 O v LBC. Responding to appeal by claimant on asserted error of law in test of victimisation. Awaiting EAT judgement.
Nov 2021. Gallagher v Bunzl UK Ltd. Successful strikeout application of claims of sexual harassment and constructive unfair dismissal against claimant on basis of vexatious and scandalous conduct by claimant.
Jul 2021. Hussain V Santio Ltd. Defending respondent in multi-day discrimination case claimant alleged direct discrimination and harassment based on religion and race by fellow BAME colleagues.
Jun 2021. Reid v GQF planning Ltd. Representing a financial advice company in two-week hearing defending claims of unauthorised deduction from wages in respect of non-payment of incentive bonus and breach of contract in respect of pension contributions, sex discrimination and equal pay, constructive unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and victimisation
May 2021. Philpott v MUK Services. Successfully defending the claim of s.15 disability discrimination, failure to make reasonable adjustments, harassment and unfair (constructive) dismissal against a DWP assessor of eligibility for ill health and disability benefits.
Apr 2021. NH v S. Representing a national catering and food company in a multi-day hearing against claims of race and religious discrimination and harassment alleged on the basis of subconscious bias amongst management of the same race.
Feb 2021. Maruf v Network Rail. Representing claimant, systems analyst, in a two-week hearing of discrimination and harassment.
Dec 2020. C v FD Solicitors. Defending Mayfair firm of solicitors against allegations of discrimination by dismissed senior partner.
Oct 2020. Ghyselen v MDY Legal. Representing City solicitors' firm in multi-day hearing of claims of disability discrimination.
Dec 2019. NY v BCTF. Representing a senior nurse in claims of direct and indirect discrimination within an inner-city hospital.
Oct 2019. EO v LB Croydon. Two-week final hearing defending the Borough council against claims of victimisation.
May 2019. RC v FCA. representing an associate solicitor in a claim of disability discrimination which included cross examination of senior solicitors within management.
Apr 2019. LD v EQ. Represented a multinational company in a claim of race discrimination, victimisation and unlawful deduction of wages. The claimant alleged that her six figure salary had been curtailed by the respondent unlawfully and that she had been constructively dismissed on the basis of race.
Mar 2019. Jumale v VS (UK) Ltd. A reference to ISIS by a manager formed the basis for a claim of harassment. Shane successfully defended the claim for the respondent and the manager proving that the comment was in no way linked to the protected characteristic of religion.
Dec 2018. Chapman v MMP Ltd. A claim of disability discrimination, victimisation was successfully defended where the claimant made allegations of harassment to the police about conduct by the managing director.
Nov 2018. P v Traderisks Ltd. Successfully represented a financial adviser in a claim of maternity/pregnancy discrimination against a City corporate finance and investment firm.
Oct 2018. EN v WH. Represented a trainee solicitor in claim of sexual harassment and victimisation against a senior associate in the firm where the claimant was undertaking her training contract.
Shane's case history of multi-day discrimination cases has been varied. A sample of the cases in which he has been involved in less recent times are:
MH v West Mercia Police - successfully representing claimant in 4 week discrimination and harassment.
EB v LB of Croydon - representing respondent in response to claims of disability and maternity discrimination.
JD v Care for U - successfully representing claimant in claimant in claims of disability discrimination and unfair dismissal.
Hemdan v Ishmail - successfully obtaining deposit order in an allegation of caste discrimination.
Hanley and Barnes v Birmingham City Council - representing respondent and successfully resisting a claim for age discrimination.
Tully v Council for Voluntary Service Rochdale - representing respondent and successfully resisting a Whistleblowing case.
Hadera v Boots Management Services - successfully representing respondent in a claim of race discrimination.
Bibb v West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority - representing claimant in a claim of disability discrimination.
Manoj v VF Services - representing respondent and successfully resisting claims of sexual harassment and victimisation.
Williams v E.On - representing respondent in a claim for sex discrimination.
Shane is a supporter of the Bar Pro Bono Unit. Shane is a member of the ELA Pro Bono committee.
"Mr Robinson is a highly professional mediator who provided us with an excellent service. Cannot recommend him more"
Simon Robinson is a CEDR Accredited mediator and an experienced barrister.
Before joining Five Paper in 2015, Simon was in private practice and also worked for several years at a senior level within various national disability charities, leading their legal rights teams. He is a member of the Bar Council's Equality and Diversity and Social Mobility Committee and its Panel of Disability Advisors.
Expertise
Simon's practice at Five Paper primarily focuses on mediation. His practice at the Bar included employment and equality law, primarily dismissal, redundancy and discrimination cases, mental health and mental capacity law involving detention, treatment, enduring and lasting powers of attorney and deprivation of liberty.
His work with national disability charities, including RNIB and the National Deaf Children's Society, has given him a detailed understanding of reasonable adjustments from a range of perspectives.
Simon has experience of working with senior clinicians and healthcare managers on issues relating to investigations of serious incidents, CQC notification, duty of candour, safeguarding and deprivation of liberty.
Simon Robinson trained with CEDR, ADR Group and Resolution and is a CEDR Accredited Mediator for workplace/employment and civil cases. He is a Civil Mediation Council Registered Mediator and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Simon has mediated in a range of disputes including workplace, dismissal and employment, property, nuisance, wills and TOLATA. He also has experience of mediating family and intergenerational disputes. Simon mediates from Five Paper's dedicated mediation suite and other venues convenient to the parties.
His direct experience of managing teams and carrying out internal and disciplinary investigations is invaluable when mediating employment disputes such as disciplinary and grievance cases. He mediates with a range of companies, including small employers and very large multi-site companies. Simon picks up information quickly, and has calm and engaging professional manner.
He has a particular expertise in mediating with same-sex couples and is a volunteer with the charity Stonewall. He also mediates in intergenerational disputes and other types of family dispute. He has extensive experience of mediating with clients from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds.
Simon Robinson's approach is to address both the immediate dispute as well as to support the parties to look at some of the underlying issues as a way to help maintain and continue an existing relationship. This can be particularly helpful in workplace and employment disputes. He frequently mediates in disputes where there is significant conflict and is able to work with participants to deal with both the practical and the emotional aspects of a dispute. This can be helpful in workplace disputes as well as disagreements within families.
Tiernan joined Five Paper in 2019 following completion of a 12 month pupillage. During pupillage, Tiernan was supervised by Simon Mills and Roger Laville (Commercial Team) and Ben Maltz, Sam Phillips and Nick Grundy QC (Property Team).
Before joining the Bar, Tiernan was a Solicitor-Advocate (Civil) specialising in commercial litigation and arbitration. He trained at Allen & Overy LLP and on qualification joined Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP where he spent the next four years in practice.
Tiernan spent his first two years in practice in the Dubai office of Gibson Dunn where he gained considerable exposure to both DIFC and English Commercial Court litigation, international arbitration and also undertook a three month secondment in-house as General Counsel for a Saudi stock market listed firm.
On returning to Gibson Dunn's London office, his practice focused more on English law governed disputes such as the equal value pay claim brought by shop staff against ASDA; Asda Stores Ltd v Brierley and other [2019] EWCA Civ 44.
Expertise
Commercial and Insolvency
Building on his prior experience as a commercial litigation solicitor, Tiernan has a thriving commercial practice encompassing claims related to:
Sale of goods, and supply of goods and services;
Breach of contract, and all matters involving interpretation of contracts;
Tiernan has been instructed by HMRC from the Junior Junior panel to assist on an appeal relating to an alleged MTIC fraud investigation.
Vinesh is a specialist commercial (including company and insolvency) and property litigation barrister, recognised for his exemplary service, attention to detail and pragmatic advice.
In his areas of practice, Vinesh has successfully represented clients (from private individuals through to large multi-national organisations) in the High Court, the County Court and at appeal level. Vinesh enjoys a paper and court practice of equal strength and has been praised for his robust oral advocacy.
Vinesh had an unorthodox journey to the Bar, which has given him a unique insight into law, business and policy. As a result, Vinesh fuels his case analysis and strategy with analytical rigour but tempers his approach with common sense and an understanding of the real world.
Having completed several multi-disciplinary sporting events, Vinesh enjoys cycling and running. His next challenge is to complete a triathlon. Vinesh is also a fan of classical literature, and his favourite book is the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.
Expertise
Commercial
Vinesh is regularly instructed in cases beyond his Year of Call. He has been exposed to a breadth of commercial matters including: international arbitration (ICC and others), economic torts, market loss claims and claims for guarantee / indemnity. His career to date (both in and outside of the legal profession) has given Vinesh a solid understanding of accounting practices, corporate structures and commercial reality. Vinesh also has an international focus to his practice. He has represented foreign clients either as sole counsel or as part of a team. Vinesh is familiar with the ASEAN nations, the Middle East, parts of Africa and the ICC and AIAC arbitration centres.