XXIV Old Buildings was delighted to receive a record number of 27 recommendations in Chambers Global 2013.

Members were recommended for Commercial Dispute Resolution, Commercial Chancery Dispute Resolution, Offshore and Restructuring/Insolvency. Several members also appear in the Spotlight Table for Offshore Foreign Experts.

Recommendations in Chambers Global 2013

Commercial dispute resolution

Alan Steinfeld QC is a natural choice for solicitors looking to instruct a “heavyweight” who “commands the utmost respect of his peers and of the judiciary.” He is praised as “clever, analytical” and “someone who is up to scratch however complex the case.”

Commercial dispute resolution – commercial Chancery

XXIV Old Buildings is recommended as a leading chambers in this area.

SILKS Alan Steinfeld QC is right in the upper echelons of the profession. He splits his time between traditional and commercial chancery work, and has acted in the BTA Bank proceedings in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and the UK. These proceedings concerned a Kazakh bank’s allegations of fraud against a number of employees. Academically very strong, he is a barrister who commands respect.

Stephen Moverley Smith QC has a “well-known name,” and is particularly lauded for his work in offshore jurisdictions. He acts for businesses and private clients on issues such as trusts, insolvency and fraud.

Robert Levy QC is well versed in company, insolvency, fraud and real estate matters. He has recently been involved with big-ticket matters including Alfa Telecoms Turkey v Çukurova Holdings, where he acted for the claimant regarding a defaulted loan. Solicitors say he is extremely engaging and “a wonderful advocate who is totally on top of his brief.”

JUNIORS John Stephens has a diverse chancery practice, but attracts special praise for his pensions and trust work. Observers remark that “he is not afraid to get his hands dirty, and is a very good team player.”

The “personable” Jessica Hughes deals with both traditional and commercial chancery matters, and has established a solid reputation on matters including breach of trust and breach of contract.

Marcus Staff is “intellectually first-rate and very hard-working.” He has recently been involved in Al Sadiq v Investcorp Bank BSC, a matter concerning claims of breach of trust, breach of contract, conspiracy and fraud.

Michael King is “easy and approachable, and just a joy to instruct.” He is a great favourite of private client solicitors and handles a rich diet of work that involves partnership, professional negligence and real estate litigation.

Adam Cloherty is considered to be “a real rising star.” A “good thinker and a good draftsman,” he has developed a practice that has a definite international outlook, and he handles an impressive mix of onshore and offshore matters.

Offshore

XXIV Old Buildings is ranked as a leading chambers in this area.

SILKS Michael Black QC dedicates much of his practice to international and offshore work. He is currently involved in Al Sadik v Investcorp, a complex hedge fund dispute listed for trial in the Cayman Islands. He also recently advised on the Bermuda Court of Appeal proceedings relating to the Masri litigation.

David Brownbill QC also stands out for his “encyclopaedic knowledge” of traditional chancery matters, with commentators agreeing that “his knowledge on trusts across many offshore jurisdictions is second to none.” Instructing solicitors appreciate that he “does not stand on ceremony at all,” meaning that he is “very easy to work with and a good team player” when co-ordinating various parties on cross-border cases. He has been called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and appears frequently before the courts of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and the Cayman Islands. He also has a prominent practice in Gibraltar, Guernsey and Jersey.

Others at the set to impress include Stephen Moverley Smith QC, “a creative problem solver” who “rolls up his sleeves, gets stuck in and has an excellent courtroom style.” He has long maintained a thriving offshore practice, particularly in the Caribbean. As one source notes, “he has an in-depth understanding of the BVI courts, having appeared before them for a number of years.” Moverley Smith’s expertise spans general commercial litigation, company disputes, insolvency, and banking and finance matters, with one recent case example being his representation of the liquidators in the liquidation of Fairfield Sentry, one of the biggest investors in the Madoff fraud.

Interviewees were effusive in their praise for the “stellar” Alan Steinfeld QC. “Enormously impressive as an advocate,” he is said to command the ear of the court with ease: “He is someone who assimilates information very quickly and seems to simply tell the judge what to do.” Steinfeld is “a true expert in trusts matters” and has handled cases across the Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, the BVI, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man and Hong Kong.

Not only does commercial chancery expert Elspeth Talbot Rice QC possess a “wonderfully astute legal brain,” she is also “responsive,” “thorough” and “tremendous with clients,” making her the silk of choice for a number of offshore solicitors. In the past year alone she has appeared before the courts of Gibraltar, the Cayman Islands, the Isle of Man and Bermuda. She has further advised on matters in Jersey and Guernsey.

Robert Levy QC joined XXIV Old Buildings from New Square Chambers in early 2012. Said to be “solicitor-friendly” and “a pleasure to work with,” he is, according to those that instruct him, “particularly excellent for offshore work as he knows the Caribbean courts like the back of his hand.”

JUNIORS Formerly a litigation partner at Carey Olsen, Nicole Langlois offers a good skill set in the offshore context as she is admitted to practice in both England and Jersey. She has extensive experience in Jersey contract law and routinely handles commercial contractual disputes alongside her work in trust litigation, fraud and asset tracing matters. Sources say: “Having practised as a solicitor, she is excellent with both professional and lay clients – her advice is intellectually sound, even-tempered and measured.”

Langlois is recommended along with Bajul Shah, “a junior with a silk’s brain” who “produces excellent opinions, and very quickly too.” This past year, he has acted on various trusts and insolvency disputes in the BVI, Cayman Islands, Bahamas and Channel Islands. One notable example of his work was his advice to the two Kingate Funds on their winding-up proceedings in the BVI courts following the Madoff fraud.

Offshore – Foreign Experts – Spotlight table

Alan Steinfeld QC
Michael Black QC
Stephen Moverley Smith QC
David Brownbill QC
Elspeth Talbot Rice QC
Robert Levy QC
Bajul Shah
Nicole Langlois

 

Restructuring/Insolvency

JUNIORS Richard Ritchie is praised for his pragmatic advice, the high quality of his work and his approachable manner. He acts for defendants and officeholders on insolvency litigation, but the majority of his practice in this area centres around government instructions from the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) and the Treasury Solicitor.