Retour United Kingdom - The Bar

Leading Silks

Lawrence Akka KCTwenty Essex 'Lawrence has natural authority as an advocate and is exceptionally intelligent, whilst also being user-friendly.'
Dean Armstrong KCMaitland Chambers 'Dean is at the top of his game.  Clients love him, which makes the job easier.  He always makes clients feel at ease and explains very complex legal issues in a clear and concise way.  A real strength to any legal team and is prepared to fight hard.' 
Matthew Lavy KC4 Pump Court 'Matthew is a total gentleman which translates into a brilliant advocacy style. He is particularly adept at cross-examination of technical expert witnesses due to his background and wealth of experience. Easily one of the top choices in this area.'
Paul Lowenstein KCTwenty Essex 'Paul is at the forefront of groundbreaking endeavors, spearheading the development of cutting-edge court techniques and tools aimed at combating international crypto fraud.'
Hodge Malek KC  – 3 Verulam Buildings 'Hodge is phenomenally clever, hard-working and committed to giving his clients the very best legal and practical advice.  He has excellent contacts across a range of state and commercial institutions, which allow him to provide his clients with pragmatic and realistic advice.'
David Quest KC3 Verulam Buildings 'Standout expertise in the field of distributed ledger technology.  Versatile, responsive and easy to work with.  Top notch creativity.' 
Andrew Spink KCOuter Temple Chambers 'Andrew is a technical expert on the laws of digital assets and the laws of the DIFC. He is clear in his advice and responsive.'
Tim Akkouh KCEssex Court Chambers 'Tim is phenomenally bright and energetic, and has an ability to spot the key issues from the outset. He is extremely user-friendly and relentless in his desire to outsmart the opponent. His advocacy style is measured and effective - he's very impressive on his feet.' 
James Collins KCEssex Court ChambersJames has market leading expertise in relation to crypto and blockchain assets.’
Sarah Ford KCBrick Court Chambers 'Forensic ability to identify the key points and an all pervading intellectual excellence. In court, Sarah is cool, calm and highly persuasive.'
Daniel Oudkerk KCEssex Court Chambers 'Daniel has a fantastic ability to take on board a huge amount of information and convey it in a persuasive manner.  He is terrific on his feet.  Clients love him and the way in which he is able to advise and guide them through the most complicated issues.'

2024 Silks

Josephine Davies KCTwenty Essex 'Josephine's remarkable tenacity and sharp attention to detail ensure that no aspect of a case goes unnoticed. Her ability to discern the minutiae of legal matters, coupled with her determination to pursue every avenue, sets her apart as an incredible barrister who consistently delivers outstanding results.'

Leading Juniors

Chloë Bell – 3 Verulam Buildings 'There is no question that Chloe is a star in the crypto asset litigation world.  She has deep knowledge.  She thinks creatively and is the one you want for difficult or novel cases.  She has a deft hand with clients.  Chloe is a forceful and effective court advocate and demands respect from opponents, KCs, and judges.'
Sarah Bousfield  – Brick Court Chambers 'Her experience in acting on behalf of exchanges subject to malicious attacks means she has an approach that has been forged in the fire of crisis, resulting in proven practical remedies to the benefit of her clients.' 
Wei Jian Chan  – Essex Court ChambersWei Jian brings a deep understanding of the technology behind cryptoassets, a fierce intellect and a commanding grasp of the relevant law and case law.’
Darragh Connell – Maitland Chambers 'Darragh has a charming charisma that immediately garners goodwill in court and with his opponent, which can go a long way in hard fought litigation. He has a sixth sense in knowing what will and will not run in court.'
James Gale3 Hare Court 'James Gale is very quick and very clever, in addition to being meticulous and having good communication skills.' 
Sam GoodmanTwenty Essex 'His ability to distill complex concepts into easily comprehensible advice and advocacy underscores his expertise and effectiveness, making him a trusted ally in navigating the complexities of crypto-related legal challenges.'
Flavia KenyonThe 36 GroupFlavia has a second-to-none understanding of the tensions and opportunities present between law and technology, and has been instrumental in navigating complex web3 and decentralised finance disputes as well as engaging with roundtables and industry bodies on the future of trade finance.’
Daniel Khoo  – 4 Pump Court 'Daniel has excellent technical expertise and has the gravitas of someone of many years more call. His drafting is clear and concise and his advice is always thorough.'
Andrew MaguireLittleton ChambersAndrew is an excellent balance of academic and pragmatic. He maintains a keen eye on developments in this fast-moving sector whilst contributing to those same developments in a most positive way.’ 
David McllroyForum Chambers 'Strong knowledge of regulatory position in relation to crypto. Creative thinker, looking for solutions for client problems.'
Racheal MuldoonMaitland ChambersRacheal is very knowledgeable, hard working and a good team member. She is evidently in high demand and works on a cross section of cases in the industry and is very much at the forefront of digital asset related matters.’
James Potts3 Verulam Buildings 'Excellent technically and very user friendly. One of the few barristers in the crypto space who really know their stuff.'
Helen PughOuter Temple Chambers 'Helen has a rigorous, academic approach, is on top of the key legal developments and knows the players in the field, and is delightful to work with.'  
Justina Stewart  – Outer Temple ChambersClarity of thought and ability to grasp and present complex matters in a judge-friendly manner.’
Adam Temple3 Verulam Buildings 'Adam is a leading voice for FCA related crypto-asset matters in the industry.' 
Nik YeoFountain Court Chambers 'Strong understanding of the relevant case law and legal theory. Strong written advocacy.'
Celso De Azevedo  – Enterprise Chambers ‘Celso exhibits exceptional strengths and qualities as a barrister in the crypto and blockchain area.’
Sri Carmichael – Wilberforce ChambersSri is cool under pressure. She immediately gets to grips with a complex novel issues for very demanding clients.  She gives confidence to clients and instructing solicitors as she is approachable and unfazed by having her advice tested but decisive when it matters.’
Clyde Darrell  – Forum ChambersClyde is developing a very good junior practice in crypto-asset claims, especially in cross-border matters. He is enthusiastic and pragmatic.’
Anton Van DellenFraser ChambersIncredibly knowledgeable about the sector.  He has advised in some of the most complex digital assets disputes involving AI.  His advocacy is second to none, completely at home before senior judges.’
David HeatonBrick Court Chambers 'David is one of the leading juniors for cryptocurrency disputes.  He is able to combine deep knowledge of crypto and blockchain with a calm and reassuring advocacy style.  He really knows his stuff.'
William HooperBrick Court Chambers 'Will is very bright, and delivers his advice confidently.  He is a strong advocate - particularly for someone of his call.  He is also a pleasure to deal with.'
Rebecca Keating  – 4 Pump Court 'Rebecca is a genuine pleasure to work with. She gets up to speed with matters quickly and immediately spots key issues, adding value by flagging other perspectives.'
Matthew McGheeTwenty Essex 'Matthew is highly sought after for his expertise in obtaining or resisting emergency relief, often under tight deadlines, to safeguard his clients' interests.'
Simon MillsRadcliffe Chambers 'Simon is well read around the subject of cryptocurrency and blockchain assets and is able to speak with authority about and truly understood the technical aspects.'  
Henry Reid – Outer Temple Chambers 'Henry is one of the few genuine crypto asset litigation experts.  His deep knowledge of the law but also the commercial and practical aspects of this area make him an essential part of a team in crypto litigation.'

Rising Stars

Anca Bunda3 Verulam BuildingsShe has an extremely good grasp of the technology and use cases for it. She can speak with great confidence to clients and has an excellent grasp of legal issues in the area.’
Calum Mulderrig3 Verulam BuildingsCalum is a fantastic junior who is exceptionally hardworking in a way that stands out from his peers.’

Crypto and blockchain assets in London Bar

3 Verulam Buildings


3 Verulam Buildings  is known for being the ‘chambers with expertise covering the full breadth and depth of legal issues arising in relation to crypto assets,’ including cyber fraud, litigation and arbitration, freezing injunctions and e-money regulation. David Quest KC has technical and legal experience in cryptoassets, alongside being a lead author of the UKJT Digital Dispute Resolution Rules. Chloë Bell has represented the claimant in a jurisdiction challenge brought by the Kraken cyrptocurrency exchange in Checketkin v Payward Limited.

Les références

‘Very good Clerks – Richard Ansell and Robert Croke are excellent.’

‘The clerks are strong, and good to deal with.  Stuart Pullum and Stephen Penson deserve particular mention.’  

‘Very good Chambers with great counsel.’

Principaux dossiers














Fountain Court Chambers


Fountain Court Chambers‘ work within cryptoassets is an extension of the set's banking and finance practice with members advising on a full range of existing legislation that apply to cryptocurrencies, including data protection, cyber security, anti-money laundering and proceeds of crime laws. Acting alongside Nik Yeo for the claimant, Aaron Taylor was recently involved in Tai Mo Shan Limited v Oazo Apps Limited which dealt with proceedings to recover a large pool of cryptoassets which were stolen by a hacker - the pair obtained an injunction which secured the pool of cryptoassets which the hacker had deposited with an algorithmic trading platform. Christopher Langley has handled multi-million pound crypto disputes and has acted for and against the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, and Simon Atrill KC combines his banking and litigation expertise with his cryptoassets practice.

Principaux dossiers














Maitland Chambers


Members of Maitland Chambers  are at the forefront of developing the law in relation to cryptoassets across the UK and abroad, with barristers advising and acting as advocates in issues including ransomware attacks, fraudulent cryptocurrency trading platforms, initial coin offerings, NFTs and insolvent exchanges. In addition, the set’s expertise in cyber fraud and digital asset disputes, with Dean Armstrong KC specialising in the law relating to digital assets and the blockchain while also being able to assist clients with cyber insurance cases. Racheal Muldoon’s crypto and blockchain asset practice has involved contentious and non-contentious advice and representation in cryptoasset and blockchain asset related matters, including involvement in Osbourne v Persons Unknown Category A and Ors in which she secured interim injunctions for the claimant in the return of her misappropriated non-fungible tokens.

Les références


‘Luke Irons and Joe Blaker are very easy to work with, and always helpful.’

‘They are modern, responsive, hard working and completely commercial.’

‘The clerks are extremely helpful and responsive, we highly recommend Maitland Chambers.’

Principaux dossiers














Outer Temple Chambers


Boasting a ‘first-rate reputation for commercial and civil work,’ Outer Temple Chambers has a focused practice in Fintech and cryptoasset related matters, including the development of the law and regulation relating to distributed ledger technologies such as the blockchain, smart contracts and open banking. Andrew Spink KC advises the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority on DIFC Law reform measures related to digital assets, digital banking and related platforms, while Justina Stewart was instructed in Huobi OTC DMCC and another v Tabarak Investment Capital Ltd and another which was referred by the Chief Justice of the DIFC Courts as ‘one of the first cryptocurrency litigation disputes in the region and one of the few reported cases in the world which addresses issues such as the safe transfer of cryptocurrency.’

Les références

‘Outer Temple Chambers is a very strong chambers.  They have a clear vision about their collective and individual aims and practice areas.  It is a pleasure to work with Outer Temple Chambers as a whole.’

‘Outer Temple Chambers has a first-rate reputation for commercial and civil work in the Middle East and particularly in the UAE. There is a wide range of expert counsel who frequently practice in the jurisdiction.’ 

Principaux dossiers














Twenty Essex


Twenty Essex handles a wide variety of cases involving cryptoassets and the blockchain. Lawrence Akka KC is noted for his 'deep technical understanding of blockchain technology,’ while Andrew Feld, Sam Goodman and Matthew McGhee are key names from the set at junior level.

Principaux dossiers














4 Pump Court


A number of members of 4 Pump Court have a deep understanding of blockchain technology, ranging from cryptocurrency markets and related ecosystems, to advising on the regulatory and legal aspects of initial coin offerings. The set is active in London and further afield with regards to crypto-related assets, with Daniel Khoo  instructed on Celsius Network LLC v Unslashed and ors, which involved the duties of developers involved in ‘Layer 2’ applications - those which are not part of the blockchain but built on it - as well as injunctions. Matthew Lavy KC was appointed silk in 2023.

Les références

‘Responsive and helpful clerking team, which seems well organised. They are all very friendly, switched on and great to spend time with. Will Jackman is a standout member of the clerks room, who makes a great effort to include solicitors at junior levels in business development events.’ 

‘The clerks are efficient and prompt at responding/updating fees etc.’ 

 

Principaux dossiers














Essex Court Chambers


Essex Court Chambers provides members which are skilled in a large variety of crypto based services, with James Collins KC involved in a number of crypto and blockchain cases, including FTX Digital Markets, where he was instructed by the liquidators in the Bahamas of FTX as their legal expert in relation to digital assets. Daniel Oudkerk KC has expertise advising a range of clients from cryptocurrency traders, to technology companies, hedge funds and investment banks, as well as being involved in some of the developing areas of technology law including cryptocurrency-related arbitration claims. Alexander Riddiford and Wei Jian Chan  are key juniors from the set.

Les références

‘Significant experience and expertise acting for UHNWs on a range of matters.  Best known for civil fraud work where they are my go-to set.  Their barristers are invariably very busy but do not, in my experience, over-trade like some other sets so they never let you down even in the busiest periods.’

‘A good service from the clerks.’