Deputy Head of Clerking
Practice Manager
Assistant Practice Manager
Adam Cloherty KC has a broad commercial chancery practice acting in and advising on commercial and private wealth disputes both at home and abroad.
He is “a top-notch advocate”, “great on his feet and on paper”, who “impresses sources with his courtroom advocacy skills”.
Adam’s cross-disciplinary approach across Chambers’ main fields of practice means his commercial nous is frequently brought to bear in the private wealth sphere, while his deep knowledge of equitable, trust and corporate principles is widely sought out in commercial matters.
Described as “outstanding” and “an absolute star” with “a wealth of experience”, Adam’s recent work on the commercial side includes:
“Very clever and much sought after” and a “persuasive and formidable advocate” with a “thriving reputation in the market”, Adam’s recent work on the chancery side includes:
Adam is experienced in acting on long running and high-profile disputes. By way of example:
Adam is an experienced arbitration advocate having acted in a number of institutional and ad hoc references as well as related court applications – such as Emmott v Michael Wilson & Prs [2008] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 616, the leading Court of Appeal authority on the confidentiality of arbitration in English law.
By definition this side of Adam’s practice is usually highly confidential, but his recent work includes:
Adam has a keen interest in aviation matters.
Current or recent work includes:
Other work includes Acting for an airline in its successful breach of contract claim in relation to the terms on which it could use an airport: Jet2.com v Blackpool Airport [2011] EWHC 1529 (Comm).
Adam is experienced in matters involving both the UK and foreign regulatory regimes and brings to such case his expertise in related areas, such as company law, insolvency and trusts, which is so often required.
Current or recent works includes:
Adam is a highly experienced fraud lawyer “recognised for his ability to deal with particularly complex issues in large cross-border disputes”.
He is called to the BVI, has been called ad hoc to the Bars of the Cayman Islands and Gibraltar and has extensive experience of work in Jersey, Guernsey, The Bahamas, Bermuda, the Isle of Man and Nevis. It is said that he “knows the offshore world inside out”.
His current or recent work includes:
Described as “very punchy, clear and tough-minded”, Adam is widely experienced in commercial disputes, being sought out for (among other things) his ability “to digest volumes of contractual and procedural documentation quickly in order to produce clear, insightful and practical advice”.
Current or recent work includes:
Other important reported cases include Jet2.com v Blackpool Airport [2012] 2 All ER (Comm) 1053 – leading Curt of Appeal decision on “best endeavours” clauses; DHL GBS (UK) Ltd v Fallimento Finmatica [2009] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 430 – arbitration and public policy exception in the Judgments Regulation; and Michael Wilson & Partners v Emmott [2008] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 616 – leading English authority on the confidentiality of arbitrations and exceptions.
Adam is an experienced adviser and advocate on corporate matters both domestically and offshore.
He is well-versed in the Companies Act 2006, having worked on this major piece of legislation at the DTI before coming to the Bar and subsequently (after moving to the Bar) advised DBERR (as it became) on the Act’s implementation. Adam was also a major contributor to Blackstone’s Guide to the Companies Act 2006
Current or recent work includes:
Adam has wide experience of both personal and corporate insolvency generally, working for both office-holders and others. Crucially, he offers expertise in related areas, such as company, trust, equitable proprietary claims and commercial contract work, which is frequently sought out in such cases.
His current or recent work includes:
Recognised as top-ranked practitioner (band 1), Adam’s wide and deep experience means he “very in demand” in this field and someone solicitors “go to for complicated or unusual points”. He is a general editor of International Trust Laws (looseleaf) and writes and speaks widely on trust and succession matters.
In addition to his domestic work, Adam is called to the BVI Bar, has been called ad hoc to the Bars of the Cayman Islands and Gibraltar and has extensive experience of work in Jersey, Guernsey, The Bahamas, Bermuda, the Isle of Man and Nevis. It is said that he “knows the offshore world inside out”.
Current or recent work includes:
Other important work includes Labrouche v Frey [2016] EWHC 268(CH), substantial and long running breach of trust claim raising numerous issues of English, Swiss and Liechtenstein law; Slutsker v Haron Investments (2013) ITELR 257 – ground-breaking case concerning lex situs rule and choice of law for matrimonial property; and Clark v WWF and ors [2011] WTLR 961 – first case conclusively establishing application of lex situs to capacity to create will.
‘A real intellectual giant of the chancery Bar’ (Legal 500, 2025)
Chancery: Commercial
Chambers & Partners
‘An extremely good advocate, who is really good to have in difficult situations as he is happy to throw punches and doesn’t shy away from the fight’ (2025)
‘Very thorough and a man who produces impressive written work.’ (2023)
‘He is confident, able and technically brilliant.’ (2022 – UK and Global)
‘Very bright, responsive and user-friendly.’ (2021 – UK and Global)
Chancery: Traditional
Chambers & Partners
‘Adam gives quick, practical advice and is charming to deal with.’ ‘A fine lawyer and a tough negotiator, who is fantastic with the client. When we used him he was turning round work at weekends and his advocacy was excellent.’ ‘Adam is brilliantly clever. He’s a very effective advocate, who makes points very well in front of judges.’ (2025)
‘Adam is really good to work with as he is good with clients and has a unique personal approach. He delivers succinct points.’ (2023)
‘He is really good to work with, he is good with clients and has a unique personal approach. He delivers succinct points that encapsulate a dilemma for clients.’ (2022 – High Net Worth)
‘He is thorough, good to work with and someone who turns things around quickly.’ (2022)
‘He is very good indeed’; ‘has that breadth of practice which is really helpful.’ (2021 – High Net Worth)
‘Someone I would go to for complicated or unusual points. Someone for the niche points.’ ‘He has a very good way about him, he is very easy to work with and he provides opinions which are straightforward and easy to understand.’ Cloherty’s broad chancery practice includes financial services and insolvency disputes, as well as trusts cases.’ (2021)
‘Very clever and much sought after, he is very in demand and certainly someone who has a thriving reputation in the market.’ He has a rapidly growing reputation for his work relating to international trusts, funds and charity litigation. Cloherty often appears in courts in a variety of offshore jurisdictions and is recognised for his ability to deal with particularly complex issues in large cross-border disputes.’ ‘He is super-bright, very quick and very knowledgeable on almost everything, especially cross-jurisdictional matters.’ (2019)
Offshore
Chambers & Partners
‘Adam is an excellent pair of hands and supports well with advice on difficult matters.’ (2025)
‘Adam Cloherty is excellent. He comes up with new points and is not afraid to argue them. A valuable addition to any team and has real expertise in fraud.’ (2023)
‘He is thorough, good to work with and turns things around quickly.’ ‘His company knowledge is outstanding.’ (2022 – UK and Global)
‘A very strong senior junior who provides clear and concise advice.’ (2021 – UK and Global)
‘Able to digest volumes of contractual and procedural documentation quickly in order to produce clear, insightful and practical advice.’ ‘Impresses sources with his courtroom advocacy skills, and has particular experience of BVI and Cayman Islands cases. His clients, who include beneficiaries and shareholders, benefit from his extensive trust knowledge. He has also handled matters in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.’ ‘He’s smart and really knows his stuff.’ (2019)
Legal 500
Ranked as a top barrister. (2025)
‘Adam is a very clever barrister, as well as charming and generous.’ (2023)
‘An absolute star – practical yet thorough and very user friendly.’ (2022)
‘A good team player and a constructive thinker.’ (2021)
Commercial Dispute Resolution
Chambers & Partners
‘He is commercial and creative in his thinking.’ ‘Consistently one of the most sensible and effective performers in any large team of counsel.’ (2025)
‘Adam is an extremely capable and very user-friendly barrister.’ ‘He is very sharp-witted and very commercial.’ ‘Adam is a great tactician, who is robust and thorough, and has an exceptional knowledge of his subject matter.’ (2023)
‘He is very pleasant and user-friendly.’ (2022 – UK and Global)
‘Has a very good understanding of international law and is easy to work with.’ ‘He is just so efficient and effective.’ (2021 – UK and Global)
Legal 500
‘An outstanding junior with a wealth of experience.’ (2023)
‘An absolute star. Practical yet thorough and very user-friendly.’ (2022)
‘Top notch advocate, great on his feet and on paper – he makes well thought out, powerful submissions.’ (2021)
Commercial Litigation
Legal 500
‘Adam has excellent clarity of thought which manifests in beautifully tight and effective advocacy. He is a great team player and his ability to retain his humour even in times of significant pressure makes him a pleasure to work with.’ (2025)
Private Client: Trusts & Probate
Legal 500
‘Adam is incredibly talented. He is thoughtful, careful and methodical, and his advice is always rigorous and reliable.’ (2025)
‘Adam can distil complex arguments into clear summaries, which is helpful with clients and in the court, where he is refreshingly straightforward. He is excellent at getting to the heart of legal problems.’ (2023)
‘Adam provides clear and practical advice in conference. He is approachable and addresses questions raised in a knowledgeable way.’ (2022)
‘Never fails to impress with his incisive commentary and robust advocacy. He is a great barrister to have on one’s side in a difficult case in light of his strong and positive approach.’ (2021)
Who’s Who Legal
‘A persuasive and formidable advocates.’ ‘He is very practical and liked by Judges.’ (2022)
‘Very bright, very easy to work with, very good indeed.’ ‘Very thorough and works very well in addressing QCs’ needs and raising arguments with them.’ ‘He is very good in commercial disputes involving trusts.’ ‘Acted for the Property Alliance Group in its high-profile and precedent-setting claim against RBS, which related to Libor benchmark rigging.’