XXIV Old Buildings - Leading Commercial / Chancery Barristers
+44 (0)20 7691 2424
bethanie.chambers@xxiv.co.uk
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Bethanie Chambers has a busy commercial chancery practice, both domestically and offshore, across the full spectrum of Chambers’ practice areas. Her interests include commercial disputes, civil fraud, aviation, company, insolvency and trust litigation.

Before coming to the Bar, Bethanie was a judicial assistant to Lord Justice McCombe and the Lady Chief Justice in the Court of Appeal. Most notably, she assisted in the case of Dargamo Holdings Limited v Avonwick Holdings Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 1149 in which the Court addressed the interaction between the law of contract and the law of unjust enrichment as well as the operation of the ‘failure of basis’ ground of restitution.

Bethanie graduated with a first-class honours in Law from Murray Edwards College, Cambridge and subsequently completed the BCL at St Hugh’s College, Oxford. During her studies, Bethanie was awarded the Blues Sporting Award for commitment to university tennis.

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Bethanie maintains an academic interest in the law. She is co-author (alongside Oliver Assersohn KC) of the forthcoming commentary in Butterworths Financial Service Regulation on the Decision Procedure and Penalties Manual (“DEPP”).

Notable highlights of Bethanie’s experience includes:

  • Acting as junior counsel (led by Neil Kitchener KC (One Essex Court) and Alex Peplow) for two multi-million pound judgment creditors seeking to enforce foreign judgments. These claims raise conflict of law issues concerning the finality and conclusiveness of foreign judgments as well as defences of fraud on the part of the judgment creditor and breach of natural/substantial justice / Article.6 ECHR.
  • As sole counsel, acting on multiple aircraft leasing disputes, raising issues such as interpretation and implied terms as well as engaging the law of penalties.
  • Acting as junior counsel (led by Francis Tregear KC and Hugh Miall) on an LCIA governed arbitration for defendants to a complex, contractual dispute said to be worth over USD$60 million. The claims involve allegations of breach of contract and raise complex legal questions concerning relational contracts, repudiation, rectification and frustration.
  • Drafting (as sole counsel) statements of case for an airline in respect of contractual and tortious claims arising from the repair and maintenance of certain aircraft parts.
  • Acting as junior counsel (led by Vernon Flynn (Brick Court), Damien Walker (3VB) and Daniel Warents) for claimants in a multi-jurisdictional fraud said to be worth in the region of £800 million and involving, amongst other things, allegations of breach of trust, knowing receipt, dishonest assistance and conspiracy.
  • Advising trustees in the Isle of Man (led by Nicole Langlois) on an application for directions involving the validity of the trust and the identity of the beneficiaries.
  • Acting as sole counsel on a challenge to a will on the basis of testamentary capacity, want of knowledge and approval and undue influence. Issues concerning secret trusts also arose.
  • Acting (as sole counsel) for the buyer and guarantor of a share purchase agreement in a claim for restitution of unjust enrichment. The case raises complex questions concerning the interaction between the law of unjust enrichment (and, in particular, the unjust factor of ‘mistake of fact’) and the law of contract.

Expertise

Bethanie’s arbitration experience includes acting as junior counsel (led by Francis Tregear KC and Hugh Miall) on an LCIA governed arbitration for defendants to a complex, contractual dispute said to be worth over USD$60 million. The claims involve allegations of breach of contract and raise complex legal questions concerning relational contracts, repudiation, rectification and frustration.

As a pupil, Bethanie gained experience of the following:  

  • Assisting with a section 67 arbitration challenge (as a pupil, assisting Emma Hughes and Steven Thompson KC).
  • Advising on the jurisdiction of the LCIA to adjudicate a contractual dispute (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall).
  • Drafting statements of case in an LCIA arbitration (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall).
  • Advising on whether minority shareholder actions fall within the scope of an LCIA arbitral clause (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall).
  • As sole counsel, acting on multiple aircraft leasing disputes, raising issues such as interpretation and implied terms as well as engaging the law of penalties.
  • Drafting (as sole counsel) statements of case for an airline in respect of contractual and tortious claims arising from the repair and maintenance of certain aircraft parts.
  • Acting as sole counsel for defendant airlines in EU Regulation 261/2004 claims.
  • Optimares SpA v Qatar Airways Group QCSC [2022] EWHC 2461 (Comm) (as a pupil, assisting Emma Hughes and Edward Cumming KC), which concerned the airline’s decision to terminate programmes for the design and manufacture of business class and economy aircraft seats; losses in excess of US$20m were claimed.
  • Assisting with an LCIA Arbitration concerning the manufacture of electronic components for flight refueling systems (as a pupil, assisting Emma Hughes and Steven Thompson KC).

During pupillage, Bethanie has experienced a number of aviation disputes, including:

  • Acting as sole counsel for defendant airlines in EU Regulation 261/2004 claims.
  • Optimares v Qatar Airways (as a pupil, assisting Emma Hughes and Edward Cumming KC), which concerned the airline’s decision to terminate programmes for the design and manufacture of business class and economy aircraft seats; losses in excess of US$20m were claimed.
  • Assisting with an LCIA Arbitration concerning the manufacture of electronic components for flight refueling systems (as a pupil, assisting Emma Hughes and Steven Thompson KC).
  • Acting as junior counsel (led by Vernon Flynn (Brick Court), Damien Walker (3VB) and Daniel Warents) for claimants in a multi-jurisdictional fraud said to be worth in the region of £800 million and involving, amongst other things, allegations of breach of trust, knowing receipt, dishonest assistance and conspiracy.
  • Acting as junior counsel (led by Neil Kitchener KC (One Essex Court) and Alex Peplow) for two multi-million pound judgment creditors seeking to enforce foreign judgments. These claims raise conflict of law issues concerning the finality and conclusiveness of foreign judgments as well as defences of fraud on the part of the judgment creditor and breach of natural/substantial justice / Article.6 ECHR.
  • Advising a foreign state on issues of disclosure and privilege in a major bribery and fraud claim worth around USD$ 1.5 billion.

 

Bethanie has experience of the following:

  • Assisting with a civil fraud claim involving, amongst other things, allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of trust and conspiracy (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall).
  • Advising on the enforcement of a judgment against property with disputed beneficial ownership (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden).
  • Drafting statements of case in relation to claims for dishonest assistance, knowing receipt, conspiracy, unjust enrichment, proprietary claims and breach of directors’ duties.
  • Assisting with freezing and proprietary injunction applications (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall and Owen Curry).
  • Acting as junior counsel (led by Francis Tregear KC and Hugh Miall) on an LCIA governed arbitration for defendants to a complex, contractual dispute said to be worth over USD$60 million. The claims involve allegations of breach of contract and raise complex legal questions concerning relational contracts, repudiation, rectification and frustration.
  • Instructed by an airline in relation to concurrent contractual and tortious claims arising out of a repair and maintenance agreement.
  • Instructed by the buyer and guarantor of a share purchase agreement in a claim for restitution of unjust enrichment. The case raises complex questions concerning the interaction between the law of unjust enrichment and the law of contract.
  • Advising a company specialising in the manufacture of ingredients used in the pharmaceutical industry on issues of disclosure and privilege in a multi-million point claim relating to certain foreign exchange forward contracts.
  • Drafting (as sole counsel) statements of case for a building services company in a contractual dispute.

 

During pupillage, Bethanie was involved in a range of commercial matters, some of which raised questions of jurisdiction and issues of private international law, including:

  • Advising on the provisions of service and the merits of an application to set aside permission to serve out of the jurisdiction in relation to a claim for breach of contract and restitution of unjust enrichment (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden).
  • Drafting statements of case in relation to the enforcement of a foreign judgment at common law (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall).
  • Advising on the merits of a breach of contract claim (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall).
  • Assisting with freezing and proprietary injunction applications (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall and Owen Curry).
  • Advising on the use to which documents obtained in Norwich Pharmacal proceedings can be put in foreign proceedings (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden).
  • Assisting with research on the Court’s willingness to accept evidence of past dissipation of assets in a freezing injunction application (as a pupil, assisting Steven Thompson KC).
  • Advising on whether a claim brought and dismissed for limitation in one jurisdiction is barred by res judicata from being brought in another jurisdiction with more generous limitation periods (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden).

Intellectual Property

  • Advising a defendant in their opposition to a claim concerning copyright, passing off and trade marks.

During pupillage, Bethanie gained experience of a range of company law matters, including:

  • Advising on claims involving breach of fiduciary duty against company directors (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall).
  • Advising on shareholder disputes under s 994 of the Companies Act 2006 (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall and Erin Hitchens).
  • Advising on the merits of a range of minority shareholder actions including derivative claims and just and equitable winding up (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall).
  • Acting as sole counsel on several winding up petitions in the High Court.
  • Acting as sole counsel on numerous bankruptcy petitions.

 

As a pupil, Bethanie gained experience of:

  • Advising on the merits of an application to set aside a statutory demand pursuant to s 268 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (as a pupil, assisting Hugh Miall).
  • Drafting statements of case in disputes concerning ss.238-239 and s. 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986.

Bethanie has wide experience of offshore and international law. She has assisted with drafting and advising on claims in all the major offshore centres, including the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas and the Channel Islands.

As a pupil, Bethanie gained experience of:

  • Drafting evidence in response to a disclosure application in Guernsey (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden).
  • Advising on the Court’s jurisdiction to restrain the exercise of fiduciary powers pending the determination of a claim under Bahamian law (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden).
  • Assisting with research concerning trustee powers of addition and removal of beneficiaries in light of the Bermudian Court of Appeal judgment in Grand View Private Trust Co Ltd v Wong (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden).

During pupillage, Bethanie gained experience of a number of mediations in a commercial, insolvency, probate, and trusts context.

As a pupil, Bethanie gained experience of drafting statements of case in relation to a claim concerning negligent misstatement (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden).

  • As junior counsel (led by Daniel Warents), acting for siblings in relation to disputes which have arisen in relation to the administration of (and succession to) English estates. The case raises interesting conflict of law issues concerning the succession to the movables and immovables of an intestate.
  • Acting as sole counsel on a challenge to a will on the basis of testamentary capacity, want of knowledge and approval and undue influence. Issues concerning secret trusts also arose.
  • Advising trustees in the Isle of Man (led by Nicole Langlois) on an application for directions involving the validity of the trust and the identity of the beneficiaries Emmetview.

 

As a pupil, Bethanie gained experience of the following:

  • Advising on claims in relation to the validity of wills, on grounds of lack of capacity, want of knowledge and approval, and undue influence (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden).
  • Advising on the liability of executors and solicitors to beneficiaries in relation to loss caused to the estate of a deceased (as a pupil, assisting Owen Curry).
  • Drafting statements of case in proceedings concerning a donatio mortis causa of registered land (as a pupil, assisting Owen Curry).
  • Assisting with a Category 2 Public Trustee v Cooper application (as a pupil, assisting Owen Curry).
  • Advising both trustees and unborn beneficiaries on the prospects of applications to rescind a trust instrument under Pitt v Holt (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden and Owen Curry).
  • Advising whether property, ineffectually disposed of in a will, falls into the residuary estate or passes to the next of kin on a partial intestacy (as a pupil, assisting Owen Curry).
  • Assisting with a claim in relation to the partition of thousands of acres of farmland (as a pupil, assisting Owen Curry and Elspeth Talbot Rice KC).
  • Advising on the petition of a trust estate pursuant to s 7 of TOLATA (as a pupil, assisting Andrew Holden).
  • Acting as sole Counsel in the Competition Appeal Tribunal in respect of applications arising from the Second Wave Proceedings in the Trucks litigation. The applications concerned questions of pass-on (as well as the related question of value of commerce) and overcharge.
+44 (0)20 7691 2424
bethanie.chambers@xxiv.co.uk
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  • Astbury Scholarship (a ‘Major Award’ from Middle Temple for members of Oxford and Cambridge, 2018).
  • Excellence Award (for academic excellence, BPP University, 2018).
  • Practice Ready Scholarship, (for demonstrating leadership skills, BPP University, 2018).
  • Rosemary Murray Scholarship, (for achieving a First in Law Tripos Part II, Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, 2017).
  • COMBAR Access to the Bar Award (2016).
  • Blues Sporting Award, (for commitment to university tennis, University of Cambridge, 2015-16).
  • Rosemary Murray Scholarship, (for achieving a First in Law Tripos Part IA, Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, 2015).
  • Squire Academic Scholarship, (for achieving a First in Law Tripos Part IA, University of Cambridge, 2015).

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