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Commodities

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Leading Silks

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Michael Ashcroft KC – Twenty Essex ‘A very polished advocate with a very calm and persuasive bearing, and a painstaking approach to his cases.’
Michael Collett KC – Twenty Essex ‘An excellent advocate with great legal knowledge.’
Simon Rainey KC – Quadrant Chambers ‘A heavyweight silk in this space, with a very deep understanding of the shapes and angles of the law.’
Richard Southern KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'A great strategist and a brilliant lawyer who has an instinctive feel for the commercial.’
Timothy Young KC – Twenty Essex ‘Timothy is a very cerebral silk and a great cross-examiner.’
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Simon Croall KC – Quadrant Chambers ‘Simon sees around corners and spots issues coming, and he has a hugely compelling advocacy style.'
Peter MacDonald Eggers KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Peter's advocacy style is poised and logical. He is very knowledgeable about the law and creative in his approach to cases.'
Siobán Healy KC  – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A pragmatic KC with an immense intellect, she has huge experience in commodities matters.'
Timothy Hill KC – Twenty Essex ‘A first-choice silk for commodities disputes. He is willing to roll his sleeves up and get involved at every stage of a dispute.’
Chirag Karia KC – Quadrant Chambers ‘Organised, methodical, robust when needed, Chirag is commercially highly astute and legally very impressive.’
Charles Kimmins KC – Twenty Essex ‘A top advocate who grasps a case quickly and thoroughly.’
David Lewis KC – Twenty Essex ‘A top-level KC for commodities disputes, he is very personable and excellent with clients, and has first-class analytical skills.’
Duncan Matthews KC  –Twenty Essex ‘He is very flexible and quick to understand the commercial circumstances of the client’s business.’
Sean O’Sullivan KC – 4 Pump Court ‘He has the ability to make complicated problems seem simple, and is able to express everything in down-to-earth terms.’
John Russell KC – Quadrant Chambers
Alistair Schaff KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk
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Nicholas Craig KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘A highly persuasive and skilled advocate, and a master of the art of turning what at first sight appears a fragile case into a highly tenable one.’
Philip Edey KC – Twenty Essex ‘His advocacy is top-notch.'
Stephen Kenny KC   – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Jawdat Khurshid KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A silk with robust analytical skills.’
Yash Kulkarni KC – Quadrant Chambers ‘A brilliant advocate with an extremely sharp mind. Yash is quick on his feet and laser-focused in his cross-examination.’
Sara Masters KC – Twenty Essex
Luke Parsons KC – Quadrant Chambers ‘A commercially savvy and incredibly intelligent KC who is also very easy to deal with.’
Vasanti Selvaratnam KC – The 36 Group ‘Her legal acumen is undeniable, she is meticulous in her preparation, and her courtroom presence is confident and effective.’
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David Allen KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'A direct and accessible silk.'
Henry Byam-Cook KC – Twenty Essex ‘Henry is exceptional on his feet and very persuasive, with an impressive, deep knowledge of the intricacies of the commodities world.’
Philippa Hopkins KC – Essex Court Chambers ‘Philippa is technically excellent and her advocacy is first-rate.’
Julian Kenny KC – Twenty Essex ‘His advice is always excellent, his written work is concise, and he has a natural and easy style of advocacy.’
Michael Nolan KC – Quadrant Chambers ‘An amazing barrister, extremely diligent and perceptive.'
Fionn Pilbrow KC – Brick Court Chambers ‘Fionn is a charming and persuasive advocate with an eye for detail.’
Nathan Pillow KC – Essex Court Chambers
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Lawrence Akka KC – Twenty Essex ‘Lawrence is an intellectual powerhouse who wears his erudition lightly. He is very realistic on merits and tactics.’
Guy Blackwood KC – Quadrant Chambers ‘Guy's advocacy is of the highest quality, and he is fantastic with clients.’
Stewart Buckingham KC – Quadrant Chambers ‘Stewart is extremely methodical in his analysis and presents his arguments very clearly.’
Michael Coburn KC – Twenty Essex 'A responsive and intelligent silk.'
Dominic Kendrick KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A charming and tenacious KC.’
Adam Kramer KC – 3 Verulam Buildings ‘‘Adam is a complete brainbox with a superb grasp of the law. A smooth, confident advocate on his feet.’
Simon Milnes KC –Twenty Essex ‘A solid advocate with clear and sharp logical thinking, smart strategies, and a persuasive style.’
Philip Riches KC – Twenty Essex ‘Philip prepares thoroughly and carefully for cross-examination, and is a very accomplished leader with superb legal and analytical skills.’

2023 Silks

Luke Pearce KC  –Twenty Essex ‘Luke is supremely intelligent with a great sense of judgement, and is at home with the most complex of disputes.’

2024 Silks

Oliver Caplin KC – Twenty Essex ‘Oliver has a very measured approach to advocacy, and he is very adept at thinking quickly on his feet.’
Josephine Davies KC –Twenty Essex ‘Josephine is a tenacious fighter, who is able to rapidly distil the key issues and formulate arguments to support the client’s case.’
Paul Toms KC –Quadrant Chambers ‘A silk with a direct yet personable manner, who is very adept at honing in on the core issues of a dispute.'

Leading Juniors

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Ravi Aswani –The 36 Group ‘Once Ravi has been instructed it lifts a burden from your shoulders, as he is calm, measured, effective, and so well prepared he takes the judge or tribunal with him.’
Daniel Bovensiepen – Twenty Essex ‘Daniel is very clever and good with the details.’
Charles Debattista –The 36 Group ‘Charles is a highly skilled advocate with a calm demeanour in hearings, who excels in presenting complex arguments in a compelling way.’
Sandra Healy – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Sandra can be relied upon to have an excellent grasp of the details in complex matters, while never losing sight of the commercial drivers.’
Richard Sarll – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Richard is an excellent advocate - conscientious, no-nonsense, with a clear-eyed approach.’
Jessica Sutherland – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Jess has a commanding and poised presence in court, and she presents her cases persuasively and with clarity.’
David Walsh –Essex Court Chambers ‘David is a smooth advocate and shrewd tactician with an excellent blend of great client skills and fierce intelligence.’
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Clara Benn – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Clara is hugely impressive – astute and tremendously able.’
Alex Carless – Twenty Essex ‘One of the best juniors around for shipping and commodities disputes. He has a very sharp, analytical mind, and provides sound advice.’
Benjamin Coffer – Quadrant Chambers ‘He is particularly good in understanding the mind of the judges and the arbitrators and is very persuasive, cutting to the core of the issue.’
Andrew Dinsmore –Twenty Essex ‘Very smart, extremely down to earth and user-friendly, Andrew provides pragmatic advice.’
Ben Gardner –Quadrant Chambers ‘His technical legal skills, knowledge and drafting skills are first-rate.’
Colleen Hanley –Twenty Essex ‘Very enthusiastic and approachable, extremely quick to grasp the essential features of the dispute, and prompt, clear and direct in written work.’
Paul Henton – Quadrant Chambers ‘Paul is very clear and concise in putting forward his client’s position, which he does with the right degree of force.’
Francis Hornyold-Strickland  – Monckton Chambers ‘Personable, robust, and quick-thinking, he goes the extra mile.’
Malcolm Jarvis –Twenty Essex ‘His approach is measured, and he is extremely client-friendly, methodical and quick to grasp the issues.’
Mark Jones –The 36 Group ‘A go-to junior with huge experience.’
Susannah Jones –Twenty Essex ‘She is succinct and incisive - a barrister who works incredibly hard.’
Marcus Mander – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A junior operating at the level of a silk.’
Angharad Parry –Twenty Essex ‘Angharad is extremely personable and articulate, and she brings an excellent forensic mind to dispute resolution and strategy in complex cases.’
Charles Priday – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'A very conscientious junior, who is always ready to respond with sensible advice.’
Peter Stevenson –Quadrant Chambers ‘Peter gets right to the heart of a case and is an energetic and persuasive advocate.’
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Ishfaq Ahmed – The 36 Group ‘Ishfaq is quick to get to grips with new material and his dedication is noted by instructing solicitors and clients alike.’

Koye Akoni –Quadrant Chambers ‘Koye epitomises clarity and is serene, measured and assured.’
Sushma Ananda – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Sushma is super-bright and can get to the heart of the issue very quickly.’
Tom Bird –Quadrant Chambers ‘An outstanding counsel.'
Tom Corby – Twenty Essex ‘Tom is nothing short of extraordinary in his advocacy skills. He is always meticulously prepared.’
Max Davidson – Quadrant Chambers ‘Max is very considered and able to leverage arguments that might otherwise not be spotted.’
Henry Ellis – Quadrant Chambers
Andrew Feld – Twenty Essex ‘Andrew's analytical skills are excellent. He is a pleasure to work with.’
Joshua Folkard – Twenty Essex ‘An extremely bright and inventive lawyer who really engages with a case.’

Richard Greenberg – Twenty Essex ‘His advocacy skills belie his year of call, and his cross-examination technique is better than many silks.’

Tim Jenns – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A junior who gets on top of complicated facts quickly.’

Andrew Leung – Quadrant Chambers ‘A very user-friendly and commercial junior.’

 
Saira Paruk – Quadrant Chambers ‘Saira is a sharp junior with a sensible and client-friendly approach.’
Andrew Pearson – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘An expert on commodities work, and a commercially aware barrister.’
James Shirley  – Quadrant Chambers ‘James is quick, clever, to the point, commercial and friendly.’
Sean Snook –Twenty Essex ‘A reliable, extremely diligent and superb advocate.’
James Watthey – 4 Pump Court ‘James is extremely user-friendly and supportive. He can see the wood for the trees.’

Rising Stars

Michal Hain – Twenty Essex ‘Michal is friendly, responsive and has a good understanding of the factual background behind a claim.’

Jamie Hamblen – Quadrant Chambers ‘Jamie is extremely bright and user-friendly.’
Andrew Ng – The 36 Group ‘Andrew demonstrates commendable legal acumen, and contributes valuable insights.’
Jakob Reckhenrich – Quadrant Chambers ‘Jakob is a conscientious, committed and clever barrister who produces exceedingly high-quality work at speed.’

Commodities in London Bar

Twenty Essex


Twenty Essex is 'a go-to set for commodity disputes, demonstrating good bench strength', and houses a team of 'skilled barristers with commodities expertise at all levels of seniority'. The group has an excellent track record in advising on a wide spectrum of complex, high-value shipping and trade matters, often appearing before the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. In recent work for the team, Michael Ashcroft KC acted in a high-value contractual dispute under the rules of GAFTA, while Michael Collett KC represented Viterra in a damages claim arising from alleged breach of obligations under two contracts for the purchase of pulses. Among the juniors, Daniel Bovensiepen is well versed in advising on matters under ICC and LCIA rules. In a boost to chambers, Josephine Davies KC and Oliver Caplin KC were elevated to silk level in March 2024.

Les références

‘Arron Zitver is an  excellent senior clerk and highly professional.’

‘The clerks at 20 Essex are great, very responsive and you can see they work as a team. Arron is always very helpful and quick to respond.’

‘The clerking team at Twenty Essex is great. Will Inkin has been particularly responsive and helpful.’





7 King's Bench Walk


At 7 King’s Bench Walk, the team is well versed in advising on a wide spectrum of complex and high-value commodities disputes, and is equally strong in handling matters under the rules of many arbitral institutions, including GAFTA and FOSFA. Richard Southern KC 'has an instinctive feel for the commercial'. Peter MacDonald Eggers KC and Andrew Pearson are advising on a High Court case concerning a cargo of genetically modified soya-beans spoilt in transit due to a diversion from Ukraine to Turkey as a result of the ongoing war. Sandra Healy is a sought after junior in the commodities space, and Jessica Sutherland has 'a commanding and poised presence in court'.

Les références

‘The clerks at 7 KBW are outstanding, especially Greg Leyden, Eddie Johns, Gary Rose, Joe Clayton and Declan Gray.’

‘Gary Rose is very responsive and provides a tailored service.’

‘The clerks are excellent, very knowledgeable and effective. Good to work with.’





Quadrant Chambers


Quadrant Chambers is 'very highly regarded for commodities and has many excellent barristers practicing in this area'. The team is well versed in handling commodities disputes, acting for sellers, buyers and interested parties in litigation, and is also sought after for its strength in international arbitration, advising on matters under LCIA, ICC, GAFTA, FOSFA and RSA rules. Simon Rainey KC and Simon Croall KC are highly respected silks, with excellent reputations in acting for major trading houses and energy companies in disputes. Yash Kulkarni KC acted for the claimants in Africa Sourcing v Rockwinds, a challenge to an arbitration award issued by the Federation of Cocoa Commerce, which involved issues surrounding duty of disclosure. Among the juniors, Benjamin Coffer, who is often instructed to advise on arbitrations heard under trade association rules, and Ben Gardner are key contacts. Bolstering the team at the senior end, Paul Toms KC took silk in March 2024.

Les références

‘Simon Slattery really is excellent.’

‘Rob Frankish is excellent. Responsive, fair, proactive. A pleasure to deal with that is much appreciated as it makes my role much easier.’

‘I find the clerks to be very responsive, approachable and willing to help. The clerks are willing to discuss rates and brief fees in a sensible and cooperative manner.’





The 36 Group


The team at The 36 Group houses 'real gems in both commodities and shipping'. The set is highly regarded for its specialist focus on commodities, shipping and international trade law, and members field extensive experience in advising on commodities issues arising from shipping disputes. Vasanti Selvaratnam KC is a highly regarded practitioner in the space; she recently appeared before the Supreme Court in an arbitration appeal concerning issues of force majeure pertaining to a multimillion-dollar contract for shipments of bauxite. Other key names to note include the 'user-friendly, precise and commercial' Ravi Aswani and Charles Debattista, who 'applies his expert knowledge to find innovative legal answers to difficult questions'.

Les références

‘The clerks are excellent. Nothing is too much trouble. Sam Medlock in particular is brilliant.’

‘Sam Medlock is quick, organised and responsive. Reiss Nott has a clear overview of the market. Billy Brett is very likeable and excellent at client relations.’

‘The clerks are very friendly and respond quickly. Billy Brett does not hesitate to get on the phone and discuss the case which is very helpful.’