Call 1999 | Silk 2020
"A joy to work with. He is a fantastic advocate and his cross-examination is immense."
Legal 500
Sian Huckett
Deputy Senior Clerk
+44 (0)20 7842 3764
Click here to email
Chris Kent
Team Leader
+44 (0)20 7842 3771
Click here to email
Edward has a wide-ranging commercial practice encompassing domestic and international commercial litigation and arbitration. In addition to general commercial litigation, he specialises in civil fraud and asset tracing, banking, professional negligence and professional discipline.
Edward is a confident advocate with a considerable amount of courtroom experience. He is consistently praised for his advocacy, being described in the legal directories as a “fearsome cross-examiner” and a “formidable advocate who thinks on his feet ”. He is noted for “instilling confidence in clients by combining a robust approach with practical advice” and being a “pleasure to work with”.
Edward acts in cases of a varying size and nature. His practice spans all divisions of the High Court as well as various forms of commercial arbitration (ICC, LCIA and UNCITRAL) and disciplinary tribunals. He has appeared once in the Supreme Court and twice in the Privy Council. Since taking silk, he has appeared four times in the Court of Appeal.
Many of Edward’s cases are multi-jurisdictional and involve foreign law elements. He has acted in a number of jurisdictional disputes and anti-suit injunctions and has been licensed to practice (on an ad hoc basis) in the Isle of Man, Gibraltar and Northern Ireland. He also has considerable experience of different types of injunction as well as contempt proceedings.
He regularly lectures on different areas of practice and procedure, such as arbitration, banking, professional negligence and civil fraud.
Federal Government of Nigeria v Williams
Acting for the Federal Government of Nigeria in a claim seeking to set aside a judgment of the English court on the ground that it was procured by fraud. The proceedings arise out of a ‘sting operation’ carried out by the Nigerian State Security Service almost 40 years ago. Successful application to restrain defendant from enforcing the judgment in New York – the first time anti-enforcement injunction has been granted by the English court to prevent the enforcement of one of its own judgments.
Vanquis Bank Ltd v TMS Legal Ltd
Acting on behalf of Vanquis Bank (leading Gillian Hughes). The claim involves a novel use of the tort of causing interference by unlawful means to prevent TMS, a claims management company, from referring unmeritorious complaints about the Bank to the Financial Ombudsman Service. TMS’s application to strike out the claim was dismissed in May 2025 with the judge noting in his judgment that Edward’s submissions had been “attractively and compellingly presented”.
Investcom Global Ltd v Plc Investments Ltd
Acted (with Laurie Brock) for the respondents in a successful application to discharge an anti-suit injunction on the ground that the English court lacked supervisory jurisdiction over the relevant arbitration. The judgment reaffirmed the critical importance of the seat of the arbitration as founding the basis for such jurisdiction and contained important observations as to the powers of the ICC Court to determine the seat under Article 18 of the ICC Rules.
Tether Investments v Swan Bitcoin
Acting (with Laurie Brock) for Swan in a multi-million dollar, multi-jurisdictional bitcoin dispute relating to the breakdown of a joint venture between Swan and Tether, a well-known cryptocurrency giant which has its own stablecoin and a reported market value of hundreds of billions of dollars. Related proceedings in California and the BVI.
FW Aviation (Holdings) 1 Limited v VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company
Acted for FWA in an application to freeze the assets of VietJet, a publicly listed Vietnamese airline, arising out of the airline’s failure to pay the first tranche of a US$200 million judgment relating to the purchase of four Airbus A321 aircraft. Led by Richard Lissack KC and leading Orestis Sherman.
Edward has extensive experience of arbitrations, including international commercial arbitrations conducted under the ICC, LCIA and UNCITRAL rules. He has also been involved in a number of cases involving anti-suit injunctions relating to proceedings brought in breach of arbitration agreements. Many of these matters are confidential but some illustrative examples are set out below.
Acted for the defendant in English proceedings successfully resisting the enforcement of a New York arbitration award under section 103 of the Arbitration Act 1996.
Sole counsel in an LCIA arbitration in a claim brought by the owner of a hotel against the operator under the terms of a hotel management agreement.
Acted in an LCIA arbitration in a dispute under a lease (governed by Montenegrin law) involving the closure of an ultra-luxury hotel in Montenegro.
Acted in an ICC arbitration on behalf of an investment fund owned by a major US investment bank in a substantial international commercial arbitration worth in excess of £50 million arising out of the failed IPO of a Polish real estate company.
Acted for the respondents in an application to discharge an anti-suit injunction on the ground that the English court lacked supervisory jurisdiction over the relevant arbitration: Investcom Global Ltd v Plc Investments Ltd. Link to news item here.
Edward has considerable experience of acting for and against clearing and investment banks and other financial institutions in a broad range of domestic and international disputes.
Vanquis Bank Ltd v TMS Legal Ltd
Acting on behalf of Vanquis Bank (leading Gillian Hughes). The claim involves a novel use of the tort of causing interference by unlawful means to prevent TMS, a claims management company, from referring unmeritorious complaints about the Bank to the Financial Ombudsman Service. TMS’s application to strike out the claim was dismissed in May 2025. Link to news item here.
Ocean Freight v Marex Financial
Acting for a financial service business in a US$30m claim brought by a pooled investment fund in relation to freight derivatives trading. Leading Laurie Brock.
OBEX v Cowen Prime Brokerage
Acted for Cowen, a US-based financial services company, in a prime brokerage dispute concerning margin calls and the closing out of the client’s trading positions.
Acted for an international investment bank, Investcorp, in a $135 million claim arising out of a failed hedge-fund investment. Led by Lord Falconer KC in the Privy Council.
UBS v Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig
Acted (with David Railton KC and Richard Power) for Depfa Bank in defence of an $80 million claim brought against it by UBS for payment under two credit-default swaps and in Depfa’s claim against KWL, a state-owned German water company, for payment of US$130 million under two back-to-back swaps.
Fine Care Homes v Royal Bank of Scotland
Edward acted for Barclays and RBS in numerous claims involving the alleged ‘mis-selling’ of interest rate swaps and other derivative products. In one of only a handful of such cases to reach trial, Edward acted for RBS in its successful defence of a claim brought by Fine Care Homes, a nursing home company, in respect of a complex interest rate hedging product.
Acted with Richard Handyside KC on behalf of Nomura in a US$25 million claim brought against it by WestLB arising out of the valuation by the Calculation Agent of shares in a Mauritian investment fund following the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
OFT v Abbey National & Others (‘Bank Charges Litigation’)
Acting as part of the Lloyds TSB team in the ‘bank charges litigation’, a high-profile test case concerning the legality of charges for unplanned borrowing on current accounts. Led by Bankim Thanki KC and Richard Handyside KC.
African Strategic Investment v Main and Rensburg Sheppards
Acting for a firm of stockbrokers in its successful application to strike out a contribution claim brought against it by the defendant arising out of the alleged conversion of a share certificate worth US$40 million.
Edward has considerable experience of civil fraud claims and is frequently instructed in cases involving robust advocacy and cross-examination. As part of his civil fraud practice, he is regularly instructed in cases involving urgent injunctive relief, whether to freeze assets or obtain information about the whereabouts of assets, and he has also been involved in a number of contempt applications arising out of breaches of injunctions.
Federal Government of Nigeria v Williams
Acting for the Federal Government of Nigeria in a claim seeking to set aside a judgment of the English court on the grounds that it was procured by fraud and in reliance on fabricated documents. The proceedings arise out of a ‘sting operation’ carried out by the Nigerian State Security Service almost 40 years ago. Successful application to restrain defendant from enforcing the judgment in New York pending determination of the proceedings to set aside the judgment.
Tower Bridge International LP (part of the BGC Group) v Alcan & Viney
Acted for the BGC Group in relation to a US$25m fraud committed by two former employees. This was reported in the press as being one of the biggest frauds to have been committed in the City of London in recent years. Judgment was obtained against both defendants and Mr Viney was sent to prison for contempt having breached the terms of a freezing injunction. Leading Bobby Friedman (Wilberforce Chambers).
Salinas & RBS v Astor Management & Val Sklarov
Acted for the defendants in a US$400m fraud claim arising out of a stock-lending agreement. The claim is brought by Grupo Salinas, a Mexican group of companies owned by Salinas Pliego, one of the wealthiest individuals in Mexico. Application to set aside injunction on grounds of material non disclosure.
FW Aviation (Holdings) 1 Limited v VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company
Acted for FWA in an application to freeze the assets of VietJet, a Vietnamese airline, arising out of the airline’s failure to pay the first tranche of a US$200m judgment US$200m judgment relating to the purchase of four Airbus A321 aircraft. Led by Richard Lissack KC and leading Orestis Sherman.
Commercial Bank of Dubai v Al Sari
Acted for the main group of defendants in relation to claims brought by the Commercial Bank of Dubai in the Commercial Court for unlawful means conspiracy and other economic torts arising out of the bank’s attempts to enforce a foreign judgment in the sum of c.£80 million.
Discovery Land Company v Jirehouse
Acted for Discovery Land Company (DLC) in a $15m civil fraud claim against a solicitor, Stephen Jones, described in the press as Britain’s “most corrupt lawyer“. The claim arose out of DLC’s purchase of Taymouth Castle in Scotland. DLC obtained a freezing injunction against Mr Jones and subsequently brought contempt proceedings which resulted in Mr Jones being sent to prison for 14 months. Link to news item here.
Acted for the respondent in contempt proceedings arising out of allegations that he had tampered with evidence relied on at trial. Successful application that the trial judge (Joanna Smith J) recuse herself from hearing the contempt proceedings.
Ivy Technology v Bell & Martin
Acted for the claimant in a civil fraud claim arising out of the purchase of an online gambling business (leading Nick Daly). The defendants were both found liable at trial for deceit and unlawful means conspiracy. This is a leading first instance authority on the liability of a principal for the fraudulent misrepresentations of his agent.
Valbonne Estates Ltd v Cityvalue Ltd & United Homes Ltd
Acting for the respondent, UHL, in its application to set aside a proprietary injunction on the grounds of misrepresentation and material non-disclosure. The injunction was set aside by the High Court and Valbonne’s appeal to the Court of Appeal was subsequently dismissed.
Williams v Central Bank of Nigeria
Acted with Guy Philipps QC on behalf of the Central Bank of Nigeria in a claim involving allegations of fraud dating back more than 30 years. The Bank’s successful appeal to the Supreme Court is the leading authority on the limitation period applicable to claims for dishonest assistance and knowing receipt.
AK Investment v Kyrgyz Mobil Tel Limited
Led by Bankim Thanki KC, Edward acted for one of the defendants, CP-Crédit Privée, in a long-running fraud claim (led by Bankim Thanki KC). The claim concerned the disputed ownership of a Kyrgyz mobile telephone company and included an allegation that the Kyrgyz Supreme Court had been bribed or improperly influenced fraud.
Primafacio v Tres Canopia & Euroenergy Investments Corp
Acted with Gillian Hughes for the defendants in a substantial fraud claim relating to various solar energy and wind parks in Greece which were alleged to have been sold at an overvalue with a view to the director personally benefiting from the transaction.
UBS v Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig Gmbh v Depfa Bank
Acting for Depfa bank in a $350 million claim arising out of credit default swaps entered into by a state-owned German water company. The underlying claim involved allegations of fraud, misrepresentation and bribery made by KWL against UBS. During the course of the 12-week trial, evidence emerged for the first time which led to Depfa bringing its own successful fraud claim against UBS.
Scenna v Westpac Banking Corporation
Acted for an Australian bank served with a ‘Norwich Pharmacal’ disclosure order in the context of a complex, high value fraud. Order set aside on the ground that the court lacked jurisdiction.
A significant amount of Edward’s practice falls under the rubric of general commercial litigation, whether in the context of the financial services industry, the oil and gas industry, IT and telecoms disputes, or more generally. He regularly advises in relation to breach of warranty claims under share purchase agreements.
Edward is comfortable working on cases of a technical nature in unfamiliar fields, ranging from a case concerning the proper management of a blast furnace to a software dispute relating to the migration of customer data between electronic payment platforms. He is currently acting in a major Bitcoin dispute involving the breakdown of a joint venture between Swan and Tether, a well-known cryptocurrency giant.
Tether Investments v Swan Bitcoin
Acting for Swan in a multi-million dollar, multi-jurisdictional bitcoin dispute relating to the breakdown of a joint venture between Swan and Tether, a well-known cryptocurrency giant.
Deezer SA v Mobius Solutions
Acting for an online marketing company in a claim brought by Deezer, a music streaming platform, arising out of customers’ confidential data being accessed by hackers and sold on the ‘dark web’. Leading Max Evans.
OBEX v Cowen Prime Brokerage
Acted for Cowen, a US-based financial services company, in a prime brokerage dispute concerning margin calls and the closing out of the client’s trading positions.
Ocean Freight v Marex Financial
Acting for a financial service business in a claim brought by a pooled investment fund in relation to freight derivatives trading. Leading Laurie Brock.
Ivy Technology v Martin & Bell
Breach of warranty claim relating to an online gambling business. The Court of Appeal judgment is a leading authority on the question of whether an individual who is not named as a party to an agreement can nonetheless be held liable for breach of warranty.
Nord Naphtha Ltd v New Stream Trading AG
Acted for the claimant, Nord Naphtha, in a $16 million oil and gas claim arising out of a force majeure at one of Russia’s largest refineries. Nord Naphtha successfully obtained summary judgment in the Commercial Court and New Stream’s appeal to the Court of Appeal was subsequently dismissed.
Demissie v KEFI Gold and Copper Plc
Acted for the successful defendants in a claim for unpaid commission relating to the Tulu-Kapi gold mine project in Ethiopia.
Acted in a US$150 million misrepresentation claim between two major Japanese companies arising out of the purchase of a North Sea oil and gas field. This is a leading authority on whether a contractual warranty can also be relied on as a representation (led by Simon Rainey KC of Quadrant Chambers).
WPP Plc v Ghossoub
Acted with Charles Béar KC for Mr Ghossoub in multi-jurisdictional proceedings worth tens of millions of dollars arising out of the sale of a middle eastern media business to WPP.
Wells & Solari v Cathay Investments & PNC Global Logistics
Acted (with Nick Daly) for the defendant companies, Cathay and PNC, in an expedited trial in the High Court arising out of a shareholder dispute concerning the reliability of management accounts.
Global Energy Horizons Corporation v Gray
Acted in a set of long-running proceedings against a defaulting fiduciary for an account of profits in respect of his interest in innovative technology in the oil and gas industry. Five day hearing in the Court of Appeal in June 2020 (led by Timothy Dutton CBE KC).
Acted for an international investment bank, Investcorp, in a $135 million claim arising out of a failed hedge-fund investment. Led by Lord Falconer KC in the Privy Council.
Edward regularly acts in cases with an international element and has considerable experience of disputes concerning jurisdiction and conflicts of law. He has acted and advised in many such disputes, including disputes involving anti-suit injunctions and anti-enforcement injunctions, choice of law issues, concurrent proceedings and the enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitration awards.
Investcom Global Ltd v Plc Investments Ltd
Acted (with Laurie Brock) for the respondents in a successful application to discharge an anti-suit injunction on the ground that the English court lacked supervisory jurisdiction over the relevant arbitration. Link to news item here.
Tether Investments v Swan Bitcoin
Multi jurisdictional bitcoin dispute with related proceedings in California and the BVI. Anti-suit proceedings brought in England by Tether, a well-known cryptocurrency giant, to restrain Swan from bringing proceedings in California.
Federal Government of Nigeria v Williams
Application by the Federal Government of Nigeria to prevent defendant from enforcing a judgment in New York. This was the first time that an anti-enforcement injunction has been granted by the English court to prevent the enforcement of one of its own judgments. Link to news item here.
Acted for Mr Ghossoub in relation to a claim for anti-suit relief to restrain unfair prejudice proceedings in Hong Kong. The anti-suit injunction was not granted despite the existence of a jurisdiction clause in favour of England.
AK Investment CJSC v Kyrgyz Mobil Tel
Acted for one of the defendants in a long-running dispute concerning a Kyrgyz mobile telephone company. The Privy Council’s decision is one of the leading modern authorities on jurisdictional challenges and is frequently cited in jurisdictional disputes.
Scenna v Westpac Banking Corporation
Acted for an Australian bank served with a ‘Norwich Pharmacal’ disclosure order. Order set aside on the ground that the court lacked jurisdiction.
Acted for defendant seeking to resist enforcement of a New York costs order on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction and because the judgment was contrary to public policy.
Edward has extensive experience in the fields of oil and gas, mining and natural resources, both in the High Court and in arbitral proceedings.
Primafacio v Tres Canopia & Euroenergy Investments Corp
Acted with Gillian Hughes in a claim arising out of the sale of solar energy and wind parks situated in Greece. These were multi-jurisdictional proceedings with related proceedings in Cyprus and Greece.
Global Energy Horizons Corporation v Gray
Long-running proceedings against a defaulting fiduciary in respect of his interest in innovative technology for the extraction of oil from underperforming wells. Led by Timothy Dutton CBE KC.
Nord Naphtha Ltd v New Stream Trading AG
Acted for the claimant, Nord Naphtha, in a $16 million oil and gas claim arising out of a force majeure at one of Russia’s largest refineries. Nord Naphtha successfully obtained summary judgment in the Commercial Court and New Stream’s appeal to the Court of Appeal was subsequently dismissed.
Acted in a $150 million misrepresentation claim between two major Japanese companies arising out of the purchase of a North Sea oil and gas field. This is a leading authority on whether a contractual warranty can also be relied on as a representation (led by Simon Rainey KC of Quadrant Chambers).
Demissie v KEFI Gold and Copper Plc
Acted for the successful defendants in a claim for unpaid commission relating to the Tulu-Kapi gold mine project in Ethiopia.
Maritech Resources Inc. v Ironshore Insurance Limited
Acted for the defendant in an insurance coverage dispute arising out of hurricane damage caused to offshore oil and gas properties in the Gulf of Mexico. Led by Andrew Lydiard QC.
Acted in a confidential arbitration concerning one of the largest oil and gas discoveries offshore West Africa in the last decade.
Acted for an exploration company in a High Court action involving the alleged misuse of confidential information in connection with a shale gas concession in Europe.
Advised in relation to a US$100m dispute between joint venturers in relation to the operation and management of a substantial mining concession in Central Africa.
Acted in a dispute between joint venture partners involving competing claims for a $20 million fund held in escrow relating to an oil and gas concession in Nigeria. Led by Simon Rainey KC.
Edward is a leading practitioner in the regulation of the legal sector. His work in this area includes investigations, disciplinary proceedings, and advising in relation to a wide variety of regulatory matters and conduct issues.
As a junior, Edward appeared for the SRA in more than 50 disciplinary matters before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, including a number of high-profile cases, many of which involved allegations of dishonesty and required extensive cross-examination of witnesses.
He acted on behalf of the SRA in disciplinary proceedings arising out of the collapse of the £60m Axiom Litigation Fund, in a case where four solicitors were struck off and two non-solicitors were fined £250,000 for their role in the scheme – the largest fines ever to have been made against non-solicitors.
He acted for the SRA in the disciplinary proceedings against Lutfur Rahman, a solicitor and the former Mayor of Tower Hamlets who was struck off for election corruption; and against Tracy Sheehan, a solicitor who was struck off for lying about her billing figures during a lateral recruitment process.
As well as appearing before the SDT, Edward has also appeared for the SRA in numerous appeals before the Administrative Court (e.g. SRA v Emeana, SRA v Newell-Austin, SRA v Farrimond, SRA v Maitland Hudson, SRA v Dar, SRA v Siaw and SRA v Webb).
Since taking silk, the focus of Edward’s practice has been on acting for firms or individual solicitors although he continues to act for the SRA. He regularly advises solicitors and firms on a wide range of different issues, including highly sensitive matters, such as where a firm has reason to suspect dishonesty or regulatory breaches, or where conflicts of interest have arisen, or in relation to partnership disputes.
Edward is able to give practical advice as to how best to navigate the complex issues which arise when breaches of regulatory obligations are suspected or under investigation. Some examples of recent experience include:
Edward has considerable experience of professional negligence claims, particularly claims against solicitors and accountants, but also claims against surveyors and project managers. He is a contributing editor to Professional Negligence and Liability, a leading practitioner work in this area.
It is well established that the English court has the power to…
In a case likely to be of considerable interest to the banking…
Following a trial in December 2024, the court has handed down judgment…
Sian Huckett
Deputy Senior Clerk
+44 (0)20 7842 3764
Click here to email
Chris Kent
Team Leader
+44 (0)20 7842 3771
Click here to email
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