Sharif A. Shivji KC

Sharif is a standout King’s Counsel when it comes to banking and finance matters. He has enormous experience of banking and financial services disputes, garnered from his involvement in many of the highest profile cases in this arena over the last 20 years and from working as a derivatives trader in London and Hong Kong, prior to coming to the Bar.

Sharif also has a sub-specialism acting for bond trustees and other entities operating within securitisation structures (see in particular CBRE Loan Servicing Ltd v Gemini (Eclipse 2006-3) Plc [2015] EWHC 2769 (Ch) where he acted for the special servicer in the £1 billion Gemini securitisation (), Plaza v Law Debenture [2015] EWHC 43 where he acted for the bond trustee in a dispute over the distribution of monies in the Bell Group liquidation, after the recovery of AUD 1.7 billion and The Law Debenture Trust Corporation v Elektrim SA [2009] EWHC 1801 where he acted for the bond trustee.

What the directories say:

• Legal 500 2024 Silk Tier 3 “Sharif is a commanding advocate and cross-examiner: always polite, but analytically precise and utterly tenacious”, and previously “Ferociously bright, hardworking: a definite team player and a consummate diplomat”, “Superb to work with – incredibly bright, thoughtful and responsive”, “Love him when he is for you, hate him when he is against you”. 
• Chambers and Partners 2024 Silk Band 3 Sharif Shivji KC is a highly skilled practitioner who has solid experience of acting for a wide range of clients, from investment banks to institutional investors. He coordinates cases concerning LIBOR manipulation, mis-selling claims and derivative issues, and also handles matters with offshore elements, including in the Middle East. “He is really, really excellent; very composed and modest and sensible in his advocacy”, and previously “Sharif is very hands on, all over the details, has very clear arguments and his advocacy is excellent”, “He knows the details of the case inside out and he is very good at working with solicitors. He is wonderful”, and “He is brilliant and is both incredibly diligent and exceptionally bright”.

Banking & Finance cases of note:

• Acting with Laurence Rabinowitz KC and Andrew Hunter KC for Credit Suisse in relation to claims brought by the Republic of Mozambique (Mozambique v Credit Suisse International [2023] EWHC 429, [2022] EWHC 157, [2020] EWHC 2012, [2020] EWHC 1709).
• Acting with Robert Miles KC and Richard Hill KC for Dr Mike Lynch in the Hewlett Packard / Autonomy litigation where Autonomy is suing its former CEO for in excess of US$ 8 billion in relation to an alleged accounting fraud under FSMA Schedule 10A (ACL Netherlands BV v Lynch [2022] EWHC 1178, [2019] EWHC 249).
• Acting for General Electric in relation to a dispute with a private equity house over the acquisition of a business in a transaction worth in excess of US$ 3 billion [2021] EWHC 45.
• Representing the investors in the highly complex Standard & Poors’ rating agency litigation which concerned the liability of rating agencies to investors (McGraw-Hill v Deutsche Apotheker and others). In that case, Sharif was the senior junior in a team of six junior barristers and was led by Daniel Toledano KC of One Essex Court.
• Acting in litigation relating to the collapsed Icelandic bank, Kaupthing hf, in particular as the senior junior in a team of four junior barristers acting for the claimants in the Chesterfield v Deutsche Bank litigation where claims of over €500 million were made in relation to credit derivative transactions. Sharif was led by Mark Phillips KC of South Square.
• Representing Bank of New York Mellon in the Lehman Brothers International Europe Limited v DZ Bank repo litigation in the Commercial Court. Sharif was the senior junior in a team of three junior barristers and was led by Sonia Tolaney KC of One Essex Court.
• Acting in numerous disputes relating to the collapse of Lehman Brothers (see in particular Wentworth v Lomas (Lehman Brothers International Europe) [2017] EWHC 3158 (Ch) and Lehman Brothers International Europe [2009] EWHC 2545 (RAB Capital).
• Acting for a hedge fund in a test case about the duties owed by a bank in closing out a customer’s portfolio following a missed margin call, with damages claimed of €200 million (Euroption Strategic Fund v SEB [2012] EWHC 584).
• Acting in numerous financial mis-selling disputes in relation to a wide range of (often highly complex) financial products in various jurisdictions. Sharif acted for the successful party in Khorafi v Bank Sarasin and others, which is generally regarded as the landmark financial mis-selling case in the Middle East).

 

Sharif has a wealth of experience acting in Commercial Chancery matters and has appeared on countless occasions in the Chancery Division over the course of his career. He is a Deputy High Court Judge assigned to the Chancery Division.

What the Directories say:

• Legal 500 2024 Silk Tier 2 “Sharif has a passion for equality and justice, alongside being brilliantly clever and held in high regard across the breadth of the chancery Bar”, and previously “He devours papers, cutting through complexities, to arrive quickly at the nub of the issue”.
• Chambers & Partners 2024 Band 2 “Incredibly intelligent, ferociously hard-working, and well-respected. He talks the language of the clients and understands their business”, “He has the ability to formulate a plan to deal with all issues in the dispute and bring in the key elements in submissions and hearings to illustrate the facts and consequences”, “An absolute pleasure to work with. He provided excellent, out of the box advice that was very much appreciated by the client. Sharif has particular expertise in DIFC disputes and a massive roll call of experience”, and previously “A real rising star at the top end of the Bar”, “Very commercial and incredibly diligent, he really gets stuck into the detail of a case”, and “He has a phenomenal brain which he applies to his high-quality practice”.
• Sharif has previously won the award for Chambers & Partners’ Commercial Litigation Junior of the Year.

Chancery: Commercial cases of note:

• Acting with Robert Miles KC and Richard Hill KC for Dr Mike Lynch in the Hewlett Packard / Autonomy litigation where Autonomy is suing its former CEO for in excess of US$ 8 billion in relation to an alleged accounting fraud under FSMA Schedule 10A (ACL Netherlands BV v Lynch [2022] EWHC 1178, [2019] EWHC 249).
• Acting for General Electric in relation to a dispute with a private equity house over the acquisition of a business in a transaction worth in excess of US$ 3 billion [2021] EWHC 45.
• Acting in litigation relating to the collapsed Icelandic bank, Kaupthing hf, in particular as the senior junior in a team of four junior barristers acting for the claimants in the Chesterfield v Deutsche Bank litigation where claims of over €500 million were made in relation to credit derivative transactions. Sharif was led by Mark Phillips KC of South Square.
• Acting in numerous disputes relating to the collapse of Lehman Brothers (see in particular Wentworth v Lomas (Lehman Brothers International Europe) [2017] EWHC 3158 (Ch) and Lehman Brothers International Europe [2009] EWHC 2545 (RAB Capital).

Heavyweight commercial litigation is the mainstay of Sharif’s practice. He regularly acts in very substantial and ultra-high value commercial cases, leading large teams of junior barristers.

Sharif is very familiar with the challenges that large scale litigation presents, including long trials, large numbers of successive or concurrent applications, dealing with complex forensic analysis, substantial quantities of electronic documents, large numbers of witnesses and expert evidence in a variety of disciplines (including topics such as foreign law, banking, complex financial products, financial modelling, accountancy and company valuation), conducting litigation and cross-examining by video and managing teams of juniors.

What the Directories say:

• Legal 500 2024 Silk Tier 2 “Sharif is intellectually superb and his clear strategic thinking is remarkable. His commitment to his clients and cases is unmatched. He is a pleasure to work with, conscientious, committed and an excellent advocate”, and previously “As an advocate, he can simplify very complicated evidence and he is a tenacious cross-examiner”, “A solicitor favourite; he provides excellent analytical and litigation skills”and“He devours papers, cutting through complexities, to arrive quickly at the nub of the issue”.
• Chambers & Partners 2024 Band 2 “User-friendly, calm and reassuring, he finds the commercial angles in the cases he undertakes”, “Very commercial in his approach, he’s the epitome of a modern silk”, “A barrister with an academic mind who is strong on the legal detail and handles his cases with grace and pragmatism”, and previously “Sharif is excellent. He’s extremely hardworking and gives concise and pragmatic advice”, A client-friendly, thoughtful strategist who is a pleasure to work with”, “Sharif is very commercial, incredibly diligent and a barrister who really gets into the detail of a case”, “A barrister with a very strong commercial practice, who is exceedingly bright”, “He is extraordinarily hard-working, leaves no stone unturned, and is frighteningly clever”, “A disciplined and intelligent lawyer, who works well with international clients and gets what is required in a case straight away. He has a background in the financial services world which adds further value”, “The complete package: he’s diligent, extremely well prepared, and someone who understands the facts and is very pragmatic in approach”, and “Sharif is very precise, extremely good on detail and an excellent advocate”.
• Sharif has previously won the award for Chambers & Partners’ Commercial Litigation Junior of the Year.

 

Commercial Dispute Resolution cases of note:

• Acting with Laurence Rabinowitz KC and Andrew Hunter KC for Credit Suisse in relation to claims brought by the Republic of Mozambique (Mozambique v Credit Suisse International [2023] EWHC 429, [2022] EWHC 157, [2020] EWHC 2012, [2020] EWHC 1709).
• Acting with Robert Miles KC and Richard Hill KC for Dr Mike Lynch in the Hewlett Packard / Autonomy litigation where Autonomy is suing its former CEO for in excess of $US 8 billion in relation to an alleged accounting fraud. (ACL Netherlands BV v Lynch [2022] EWHC 1178, [2019] EWHC 249).
• Acting for General Electric in relation to a dispute with a private equity house over the acquisition of a business in a transaction worth in excess of US$ 3 billion [2021] EWHC 45.
• Representing the investors in the highly complex Standard & Poors’ rating agency litigation which concerned the liability of rating agencies to investors (McGraw-Hill v Deutsche Apotheker and others). In that case, Sharif was the senior junior in a team of six junior barristers and was led by Daniel Toledano KC of One Essex Court.
• Acting in litigation relating to the collapsed Icelandic bank, Kaupthing hf, in particular as the senior junior in a team of four junior barristers acting for the claimants in the Chesterfield v Deutsche Bank litigation where claims of over €500 million were made in relation to credit derivative transactions. Sharif was led by Mark Phillips KC of South Square.
• Representing Bank of New York Mellon in the Lehman Brothers International Europe Limited v DZ Bank repo litigation in the Commercial Court. Sharif was the senior junior in a team of three junior barristers and was led by Sonia Tolaney KC of One Essex Court.

 

Sharif is the leading barrister on directors’ duties, climate change, nature and sustainability having launched a landmark opinion piece with Rebecca Stubbs KC and a group of barristers in March 2024.

With his technical experience and training as a derivatives trader (and formerly an economist), Sharif has a sophisticated understanding of company valuation and valuation models. He is able to understand valuation issues, models and the mathematics behind them at a granular level but he is also highly experienced at translating those issues into a form which is digestible for the Courts. Sharif has extensive experience in conducting the cross-examination of valuation experts, often in cases where the valuation issues at stake run to hundreds of millions or billions of dollars.

Sharif also has considerable experience in disputes relating to the interpretation of accounting standards (IFRS, UK GAAP) and he has a sophisticated understanding of the issues that these raise for listed companies (in particular, those listed on the London Stock Exchange).

 What the Directories say:

• Chambers & Partners Band 2 2024 Sharif Shivji KC is often instructed in high-value shareholder disputes and financial services-related claims. His technical expertise is bolstered by prior experience as a derivatives trader, which he applies to a range of banking and insolvency law matters. “Sharif used to be an economist and you can see that in his understanding of the commercial realities of the dispute and in his comprehension of incredibly complex valuation issues,” and previously “He is intellectually superb”, “Incredible across all the detail and really helps drive the strategy from the outset”, and previously “His attention to detail is phenomenal, and nothing is ever too much trouble. He is very bright and has the ability to see what is coming in a case”, and “He is really creative, very energetic, and so bright that he thinks up points that aren’t obvious”.

Company Law cases of note:

• Acting with Robert Miles KC and Richard Hill KC for Dr Mike Lynch in the Hewlett Packard / Autonomy litigation where Autonomy is suing its former CEO for in excess of $US 8 billion in relation to an alleged accounting fraud. (ACL Netherlands BV v Lynch [2022] EWHC 1178, [2019] EWHC 249).
• Acting for General Electric in relation to a dispute with a private equity house over the acquisition of a business in a transaction worth in excess of US$ 3 billion [2021] EWHC 45.

Opinion:

Sharif Shivji KC and Rebecca Stubbs KC were commissioned by Pollination Law and the Commonwealth Climate Change Initiative (CCLI) to lead a team of barristers (Karl Anderson, Hossein Sharafi and environmental law barrister, James Burton) to advise on whether company directors have a duty to take into account nature-related risk (including climate change). Their Opinion (the Shivji KC / Stubbs KC Opinion) was published in March 2024 and is a seminal analysis of this fast-moving and highly topical area of law. This is an area which is leading to increasing amounts of litigation, particularly in the context of derivative claims (an example being the recent case of ClientEarth v Shell Plc [2023] EWHC 1897 (Ch)).

Company Law cases of note:

• Acting with Robert Miles KC and Richard Hill KC for Dr Mike Lynch in the Hewlett Packard / Autonomy litigation where Autonomy is suing its former CEO for in excess of $US 8 billion in relation to an alleged accounting fraud. (ACL Netherlands BV v Lynch [2022] EWHC 1178, [2019] EWHC 249).
• Acting for General Electric in relation to a dispute with a private equity house over the acquisition of a business in a transaction worth in excess of US$ 3 billion [2021] EWHC 45.

Sharif is highly regarded for his expertise in financial services. Sharif has considerable regulatory experience and has acted for the FCA on many occasions on enforcement matters.

What the directories say:

• Legal 500 2024 Silk Tier 3 “Sharif is a hard-working and highly focused person. He is great at financial services and his written submissions are both detailed and well laid-out.”
• Chambers & Partners 2024 Band 2 Sharif Shivji KC’s background as a derivatives trader allows him to bring a wealth of direct and professional experience to his highly rated work advising on a range of domestic and international financial regulatory issues. He is also well regarded as an advocate and regularly appears before the Upper Tribunal. His client list includes high-profile investment banks, institutional investors and regulatory bodies. “Sharif used to be an economist, so you can see his understanding of the commercial realities of the dispute as well as incredibly complex valuation issues”, “He is extremely hard-working, he prepares good submissions and he has drive”, “He certainly knows what he is doing in financial services”, and previously “Sharif Shivji is exceptional. Extremely clever and combines academic, detail-oriented rigour with pragmatism. He’s also an excellent advocate: quick, precise and collected”, “His advocacy is excellent as is his forensic and intellectual analysis of cases. He’s so good and knowledgeable”, and previously “He’s a standout person, technically very adept and all over the detail”, “He’s a very good, responsive advocate and a real pleasure to work with”, “He’s extraordinarily hard-working, he doesn’t leave a stone unturned and is frighteningly clever”, “He has a real depth of expertise”, and “He has a very strong academic grasp of matters”.

Financial Services cases of note:

• FCA v a stockbroker [2018]; acting for the FCA in an enforcement claim relating to the actions of a stockbroker.
• Roberts and Wilkins v FCA [2015] UKUT 408 (TCC); acted for the FCA in its successful enforcement action against the directors of Catalyst in relation to the sale of investments in a Luxembourg entity, ARM, known colloquially as death bonds. Sharif acted on his own in this matter for the FCA. The applicants were both represented by silks. Sharif also acted for the FCA in defeating an application for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal in this matter.
• Allen v FCA [2014] UKUT 348 (TCC); acted for the FCA in its successful action against an insurance broker.
• Cordle v FSA [2012]; acted for the FSA in its successful action against an errant financial adviser.
• Financial Services Authority v MAFM [2012]: acted for the FSA in its successful action against a mortgage adviser who was accused of carrying out a series of mortgage frauds.
• Karpe v Financial Services Authority [2012]: led by Jonathan Crow QC, acted for the FSA in respect of its successful pursuit of the individuals responsible for substantial unauthorised foreign exchange trading at UBS. Obtained the highest fine ever awarded against an individual in a non-market abuse case.

Sharif has a detailed knowledge of all relevant aspects of commercial fraud litigation, including freezing and proprietary injunctions and search and disclosure orders. He has recently been involved in four very substantial fraud cases, detailed below.

What the Directories say:

• Legal 500 2024 Silk Tier 4 “Sharif is a tremendously-strong, all-round litigator, who is a clear and strategic thinker. Confident, clear and compelling.”
• Chambers & Partners 2024 Band 4 Sharif Shivji KC is a well-regarded silk who is regularly involved in complex and high-value fraud litigation. He acts for a broad client base, including several high net worth individuals and financial institutions, and has experience handling cases involving multiple overseas jurisdictions. “Sharif is the complete package. He is whip smart, quick on his feet and has excellent client-handling skills”, “Sharif is a real asset to any team. He is a strategic thinker and able to provide clear and pragmatic advice under tight timelines”, and previously “Sharif is very commercial, incredibly diligent and really gets into the detail of a case”, “Sharif is intellectually superb”, “He is extraordinarily hard working, leaves no stone unturned and is frighteningly clever”, and “He is technically very adept and is all over the detail. He’s also a precise advocate and a real pleasure to work with”.

Fraud: Civil cases of note

• Acting with Laurence Rabinowitz KC and Andrew Hunter KC for Credit Suisse in relation to claims brought by the Republic of Mozambique (Mozambique v Credit Suisse International [2023] EWHC 429, [2022] EWHC 157, [2020] EWHC 2012, [2020] EWHC 1709).
• Acting with Robert Miles KC and Richard Hill KC for Dr Mike Lynch in the Hewlett Packard / Autonomy litigation where Autonomy is suing its former CEO for in excess of $US 8 billion in relation to an alleged accounting fraud. (ACL Netherlands BV v Lynch [2022] EWHC 1178, [2019] EWHC 249).
• Representing the investors in the highly complex Standard & Poors’ rating agency litigation which concerned the liability of rating agencies to investors for allegedly fraudulent misrepresentations (McGraw-Hill v Deutsche Apotheker and others).
• Acting for the claimants in the Chesterfield v Deutsche Bank litigation in a fraudulent trading claim where the damages sought exceeded €500 million.

Sharif has significant experience in insolvency litigation in the UK and offshore, as well as cross-border insolvency. He is a previous winner of Legal 500 Insolvency Junior of the Year and Chambers & Partners Company and Insolvency Junior of the Year.

What the Directories say:

• Legal 500 2024 Silk Tier 3 “Sharif has a passion for equality and justice, alongside being brilliantly clever and held in high regard across the breadth of the chancery Bar and particularly in the insolvency field”, and previously “Encyclopaedic knowledge of the subject and a real commercial acumen” and “Very intelligent and analytical, and good under pressure”.
• Legal 500 Insolvency Junior of the Year 2020.
• Chambers & Partners 2024 Sharif Shivji KC is highly sought after for his expertise in insolvency disputes and wider commercial capabilities. He is particularly adept at handling matters arising from the collapse of financial institutions, and his broad experience covers both domestic and offshore insolvencies. “He is very smart and switched on. We can rely on Sharif’s advice to get good results”, “He is incredibly bright, and his background in banking gives him the edge in cases”, and previously “A very, very technical barrister and a go to for complex financial disputes”.

Insolvency & Restructuring cases of note:

Sharif has significant experience with officeholder claims and is one of the authors of OUP’s Transaction Avoidance in Insolvencies (OUP). He has acted in in Chesterfield v Deutsche Bank which concerned a €500 million claim for fraudulent trading, and the Gemini administration where, along with John Brisby KC, he put the English Gemini companies into administration under the English Court’s special jurisdiction, pursuant to letters of request from the Guernsey Royal Court.

In Dubai, Sharif and Richard Hill KC have recently successfully put Bank Sarasin Alpen (ME) Limited into liquidation in the DIFC. This was a landmark case and represented the first successful contested creditors’ winding-up petition in the DIFC.

Sharif is also experienced with the types of issues which flow from large scale insolvencies, especially the collapse of financial institutions. In particular, he has appeared in a number of cases involving trust claims and the distribution of client assets or money in an insolvency context, including notably, Lehman Brothers International Europe, where Sharif and Jules Sher QC obtained an important and substantial victory for the creditors of Lehman. Other such cases include BA Peters plc and PRG Powerhouse. Sharif was involved in many aspects of the Lehman insolvency and appeared for a hedge fund against the Lehman officeholders in a challenge to the admission of a creditor proof of over £650 million, Wentworth v Lomas (Lehman Brothers International Europe) [2017] EWHC 3158 (Ch). Sharif has considerable experience in insolvency litigation, including acting in contested administration applications, winding-up petitions, voluntary arrangements, transaction avoidance cases, and applications to restrain presentation and advertisement of petitions. He also has specific expertise in cross-border insolvency including UNCITRAL and the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006.

Many of Sharif’s cases have a significant international element and he has worked on cases involving Singapore, the BVI, Trinidad, Cayman, Guernsey, Jersey, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Qatar and the United States. Sharif has a particular expertise in jurisdictional disputes and issues of forum non conveniens.

Sharif is called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands and also the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”). In the BVI, he has appeared on many occasions at first instance and in the Court of Appeal. His significant cases include in the Court of Appeal include Stanford v (1) Akers (2) Kaupthing, Ben Oldman Special Situations Fund v Karver and Oscar Trustee v MBS Software.

What the Directories say:

• Legal 500 2024 Silk Tier 2 “Sharif is intellectually superb and his clear strategic thinking is remarkable.  His commitment to his clients and cases is unmatched.  He is a pleasure to work with, conscientious, committed and an excellent advocate”.
• Chambers & Partners 2024 Band 3 Sharif Shivji KC delivers standout performances in financial services litigation and has a highly international practice that sees him work in places such as Dubai, the BVI and Trinidad & Tobago. He is well known for his private client work including high-value divorce agreements, where he advises on trust-related issues, among others. “Sharif is an excellent advocate and is highly detail-oriented. He has the precision of a surgeon, with phenomenal mastery over his time when pleading”, “Sharif is an astute advocate”, and previously “Sharif Shivji is intellectually superb”, “He’s super hard-working, very bright and ambitious”, “An eminent junior with a background as a former derivatives trader. He delivers standout performances in financial services litigation”, “Sharif is fantastic and extremely diligent”, and “His cross-examination is incisive, controlled and devastating”.

Offshore Litigation cases of note:

In the DIFC, Sharif is one of the most experienced silks in the jurisdiction and has acted in a large number of leading cases both on his own and with a leader (including the Khorafi v Bank Sarasin litigation [2014] DIFC CFI, [2015] DIFC CA 008, [2016] DIFC CA, Corinth Pipeworks SA Barclays Bank Plc v Afras [2015], Akhmedova v Akhmedov [2018] DIFC CFI 011, [2018] DIFC CA 003, various family trust litigation [2017] CFI 030, Tavira v Re Point and various enforcement claims under the GCC Convention, Bank Sarasin Alpen ).

• Deputy High Court Judge, Chancery Division.
• Chair of Advocate – the Bar’s national pro bono charity (2023 to current).
• Attorney General to HRH The Prince of Wales (2020 to current).
• Attorney General’s B Panel (2010 to 2015).  
• Director of Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund and Chair of the Reserves Committee (2012 – 2024).

• Called to the Bar in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) (2012).
• Called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) (2017).

• BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics. MA in Law from City University (thesis on Equitable Tracing). Wolfson Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn and Sir Walter Wigglesworth Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn.
• Legal 500 Insolvency Junior of the Year 2020, Chambers & Partners Commercial Litigation Junior of the Year 2018, Chambers & Partners Company and Insolvency Junior of the Year 2016, listed in Legal Week’s Future Stars of the Bar and The Lawyer’s Hot 100.

Books:

• Litigation in the Time of Covid-19, 2021 (Co-author).
• Transaction Avoidance in Insolvencies, OUP 2018 (Co-author).
• Annotated Companies Acts, OUP 2012 (Contributor).
• Transaction Avoidance in Insolvencies, OUP 2011 (Co-author).
• Atkins’ Court Forms: Insolvency Volumes (Co-author).
• Atkins’ Court Forms: Company Volumes (Co-author).
• Tolley’s Company Law: Investigations by the BERR (Co-author).

Articles:

• “Cross-border transaction avoidance: Rubin v Eurofinance SA” Insolv. Int. 2010, 23(10), 149- 154
• “Financial collateral: trust issues in the administration of Lehman Brothers” (2010) 25(1) BJIB&FL 11.
• “The Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006: An Emerging Jurisprudence” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal Jan 2008, 40.
• “The Cross Border Insolvency Regulations 2006” (2007) 23(2) IL&P 37

Sharif has demonstrated excellence across a broad range of practice areas and is a leading barrister in eight practice areas in Chambers UK and five practice areas in the Legal 500. His recent directory entries are listed below.

Legal 500 2024

Banking and Finance including Consumer Credit

• Leading Silk Tier 3 “Sharif is a commanding advocate and cross-examiner: always polite, but analytically precise and utterly tenacious”.

Fraud – Civil

• Leading Silk Tier 4 “Sharif is a tremendously-strong, all-round litigator, who is a clear and strategic thinker. Confident, clear and compelling”.

Financial Services Regulation

• Leading Silk Tier 3 “Sharif is a hard-working and highly focused person. He is great at financial services and his written submissions are both detailed and well laid-out”.

Insolvency

• Leading Silks Tier 3 “Sharif has a passion for equality and justice, alongside being brilliantly clever and held in high regard across the breadth of the chancery Bar and particularly in the insolvency field”.

Offshore Middle East the English Bar: Commercial

• Leading Silk Tier 2 “Sharif is intellectually superb and his clear strategic thinking is remarkable. His commitment to his clients and cases is unmatched. He is a pleasure to work with, conscientious, committed and an excellent advocate”.

Legal 500 – previously

Banking and Finance (including consumer credit)

• “Ferociously bright; hard-working, a definite team player and a consummate diplomat.” “Love him when he is for you, hate him when he is against you.”

Commercial Litigation

• “As an advocate, he can simplify very complicated evidence and he is a tenacious cross-examiner.”
• “A highly rated barrister.”

Company and Partnership

• “Sharif is a very strong technical barrister.” “The best junior at the Bar, ferociously clever.” 

Insolvency

• “Proactive, ridiculously intelligent and hard working.”
• Previously: “Encyclopaedic knowledge of the subject and real commercial acumen”, and “He has a brilliantly analytical mind and is able to simplify complex concepts.”

Financial Services Regulation

• “Sharif has a razor sharp intellect and is a brilliant lawyer especially in cases with a financial services element. He must be one of the best in the field”, and previously “A very strong new silk. His advice is commercially savvy and he is very accommodating with clients”, and “A first-choice leading junior.”

Offshore

• “A very strong technical barrister with a great deal of experience dealing directly with commercial clients.”

Chambers & Partners 2024

Chancery: Commercial – London (Bar) Silks Band 2

• “Incredibly intelligent, ferociously hard-working, and well-respected. He talks the language of the clients and understands their business.”
• “He has the ability to formulate a plan to deal with all issues in the dispute and bring in the key elements in submissions and hearings to illustrate the facts and consequences.”
• “An absolute pleasure to work with. He provided excellent, out of the box advice that was very much appreciated by the client. Sharif has particular expertise in DIFC disputes and a massive roll call of experience.”
• Previously: “He has a phenomenal brain which he applies to his high-quality practice”, and “A barrister with a very strong commercial practice, who is exceedingly bright”, “He is extraordinarily hard-working, leaves no stone unturned, and is frighteningly clever.”
• Recent work: Acted for Credit Suisse in a USD2 billion claim against Credit Suisse and others by the Republic of Mozambique.

Banking & Finance – London (Bar) – Silks Band 3

Sharif Shivji KC is a highly skilled practitioner who has solid experience of acting for a wide range of clients, from investment banks to institutional investors. He coordinates cases concerning LIBOR manipulation, mis-selling claims and derivative issues, and also handles matters with offshore elements, including in the Middle East.

• “He is really, really excellent; very composed and modest and sensible in his advocacy.”
• Previously: “Sharif is very hands on, all over the details, has very clear arguments and his advocacy is excellent.”
• Recent work: Defended Credit Suisse in a USD2 billion claim brought by the Republic of Mozambique regarding the ‘tuna bonds scandal’.

Commercial Dispute Resolution – London (Bar) – Silks Band 2

• “User-friendly, calm and reassuring, he finds the commercial angles in the cases he undertakes.”
• “Very commercial in his approach, he’s the epitome of a modern silk.”
• “A barrister with an academic mind who is strong on the legal detail and handles his cases with grace and pragmatism.”
• Previously: “Sharif is very commercial, incredibly diligent and a barrister who really gets into the detail of the case”, and “A disciplined and intelligent lawyer, who works well with international clients and gets what is required in a case straightaway. He has a background in the financial services world which adds further value.”
• Recent work: Acted for Credit Suisse in defending a USD2 billion claim brought by the Republic of Mozambique. The dispute arose out of what the press call the ‘tuna bonds scandal’.

Company – London (Bar) – Silks Band 2

• Sharif Shivji KC is often instructed in high-value shareholder disputes and financial services-related claims. His technical expertise is bolstered by prior experience as a derivatives trader, which he applies to a range of banking and insolvency law matters.
• “Sharif used to be an economist and you can see that in his understanding of the commercial realities of the dispute and in his comprehension of incredibly complex valuation issues.”
• Previously: “Sharif is intellectually superb” and “His attention to detail is phenomenal, and nothing is ever too much trouble. He is very bright and has the ability to see what’s coming in a case.”
• Recent work: Represented General Electric in litigation arising out of the USD3 billion sale to a private equity firm of part of the client’s power division. 

Financial Services – London (Bar) – Silks Band 2

Sharif Shivji KC’s background as a derivatives trader allows him to bring a wealth of direct and professional experience to his highly rated work advising on a range of domestic and international financial regulatory issues. He is also well regarded as an advocate and regularly appears before the Upper Tribunal. His client list includes high-profile investment banks, institutional investors and regulatory bodies.

• “Sharif used to be an economist, so you can see his understanding of the commercial realities of the dispute as well as incredibly complex valuation issues.”
• “He is extremely hard-working, he prepares good submissions and he has drive.”
• “He certainly knows what he is doing in financial services.”
• Previously: “Sharif is exceptional. Extremely clever and combines academic, detail-oriented rigour with pragmatism. He’s also an excellent advocate: quick, precise and collected”, and “He’s a standout person, technically very adept and all over the detail. He’s a very good, responsive advocate and a real pleasure to work with”, “He’s extraordinarily hard-working, he doesn’t leave a stone unturned and he is frighteningly clever.”
• Recent work: Instructed by the former CEO in a case on liability of companies for statements in their accounts under Section 90 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Offshore – London (Bar) – Silks Band 3

Sharif Shivji KC delivers standout performances in financial services litigation and has a highly international practice that sees him work in places such as Dubai, the BVI and Trinidad & Tobago. He is well known for his private client work including high-value divorce agreements, where he advises on trust-related issues, among others.

• “Sharif is an excellent advocate and is highly detail-oriented. He has the precision of a surgeon, with phenomenal mastery over his time when pleading.”
• “Sharif is an astute advocate.”
• Previously: “Sharif Shivji is intellectually superb”, “He’s super hard-working, very bright and ambitious.”
• Recent work: Continued to act in Stephen Akers v Deutsche Bank, most recently achieving the dismissal of an application for special leave before the Privy Council. 

Fraud: Civil London (Bar) – Silks Band 4

Sharif Shivji KC is a well-regarded silk who is regularly involved in complex and high-value fraud litigation. He acts for a broad client base, including several high net worth individuals and financial institutions, and has experience handling cases involving multiple overseas jurisdictions.

• “Sharif is the complete package. He is whip smart, quick on his feet and has excellent client-handling skills.”
• “Sharif is a real asset to any team. He is a strategic thinker and able to provide clear and pragmatic advice under tight timelines.”
• Previously: “Very commercial and incredibly diligent, he really gets stuck into the detail of a case”, and “He is technically very adept and is all over the detail. He’s also a precise advocate and a real pleasure to work with.”
• Recent work: Acted for Credit Suisse in USD2 billion claim brought by the Republic of Mozambique. The claims involved allegations of bribery and corruption.

Restructuring/Insolvency – Restructuring/Insolvency – London (Bar) – Silks Band 5

Sharif Shivji KC is highly sought after for his expertise in insolvency disputes and wider commercial capabilities. He is particularly adept at handling matters arising from the collapse of financial institutions, and his broad experience covers both domestic and offshore insolvencies.

• “He is very smart and switched on. We can rely on Sharif’s advice to get good results.”
• “He is incredibly bright, and his background in banking gives him the edge in cases.”
• Previously: “A very, very technical barrister and a go-to for complex financial disputes.”
• Recent work: Instructed in Stephen Akers v Deutsche Bank, a case relating to the collapse of the Icelandic Bank, Kaupthing and the sale of EUR500 million of highly toxic and complex credit derivative instruments by Deutsche Bank.