Overview
Chris has experience acting for clients in a range of disputes, having been involved in successful proceedings before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court and County Court as well as in arbitrations, mediations and other forms of dispute resolution in both the UK and overseas.
Chris has particular experience in restructuring and insolvency (R&I) and real estate disputes. On the R&I side, he has advised administrators, lenders and other stakeholders on several of the highest profile domestic and international insolvencies and contentious restructurings including Lehman Brothers, HMV, Game Group, Toys R Us and Agrokor.
In the Real Estate sector Chris regularly acts for landlords, occupiers and real estate finance providers on issues affecting their use of, or exposure to, real estate: including issues arising from complex real estate financing structures, real estate distress and more conventional landlord and tenant issues (including dilapidations and rent review).
Chris also acts for numerous corporate and banking clients on a range of commercial and finance disputes and other risk issues – including advising on anti-bribery and corruption risks and wider corporate governance issues.
Work highlights
Chris has advised on some of the most high-profile disputes in recent years. These include:
- acting for PwC as administrators of Lehman Brothers in defence of a £650m claim for loss of future rent and dilapidations connected with the forfeiture of the lease of the former Lehman HQ
- acting for a leading international real estate developer in a £80m joint venture dispute arising out of a major central London development
- acting for the administrators in Re Games Station, the leading authority (Court of Appeal) on the priority status of rent in administration
- successfully defending former administrators against a £120m claim for negligence, breach of duty and sale at an undervalue in relation to a major central London real estate portfolio
- acting for Sberbank in cross-jurisdictional litigation in relation to the Agrokor restructuring, the largest corporate crisis that the Croatian economy has faced
- representing a global steel company in defence of a US$220m claim relating to its African mining assets
- acting for a major investment bank in a multi-million pound claim arising from a failed sovereign debt trade
Professional experience
Chris regularly speaks at industry events and is a regular contributor to both the property and insolvency press, with articles published in Recovery and Estates Gazette. Chris is a member of R3 and the Property Litigation Association.
Education and qualifications
Chris studied law at Downing College, University of Cambridge.
