William Kitchen

William has significant experience of commercial disputes, including heavy international matters:

• Assisting with a claim concerning the beneficial ownership of a multi-jurisdictional corporate structure holding a substantial commodities enterprise. (As a pupil, assisting Alexander Cook KC.)
• Adie v Ingenuity Digital Ltd [2024] EWHC 2902 (Ch): Drafting a skeleton argument for a Part 8 disposal hearing regarding an M&A dispute in which the sellers challenged the calculation of deferred consideration. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)
• Assisting with a complex jurisdiction challenge under the LCIA Arbitration Rules arising out of inconsistent arbitration / exclusive jurisdiction clauses. The underlying dispute regarded the sale of a company for an alleged undervalue of US$ 85 million and involved serious allegations of conspiracy, fraud, and dishonesty. (As a pupil, assisting Donald Lilly KC.)
• Drafting Particulars of Claim for a breach of contract claim against a provider of vehicle auditing services. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)
• Advising on an appeal under sections 67-69 of the Arbitration Act 1996 in relation to an ad hoc arbitration concerning the construction of an oral contract. (As a pupil, assisting James Knott.)
• Assisting with the cross-examination of a foreign law expert witness in relation to a major international patent dispute. (As a pupil, assisting James Knott.)
• Assisting with proposed anti-suit injunctive proceedings in an offshore jurisdiction. (As a pupil, assisting Alexander Cook KC.)
• Drafting a Defence and Counterclaim for a breach of contract claim regarding a disputed SPA. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)

William has experience of a variety of company law matters, especially those regarding the authority and fiduciary duties of directors:

• Drafting an unfair prejudice petition involving allegations of misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty, and quasi-partnership in relation to a property development group. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)
• Assisting with a dispute over the governance of a substantial offshore company with its business in the People’s Republic of China. (As a pupil, assisting Alexander Cook KC.)
• Advising on fiduciary duties in relation to climate change. (As a pupil, assisting Sharif Shivji KC.)
• Advising a company on the validity of convertible notes issued in excess of its authorised share capital. (As a pupil, assisting James Knott.)

Further to his experience working as an interest rate derivatives trader, William has practical experience of banking & finance litigation:

• Drafting a skeleton argument for a hearing to determine disclosure and strike out applications in relation to a multi-million dollar claim in the DIFC for the misselling of investment products. (As a pupil, assisting James Knott.)
• Power Projects Sanayi Insaat Ticaret Ltd Sirketi v Star Assurance Co Ltd [2024] EWHC 2798 (Comm): Assisting with a hearing to resist an application to convert a claim for the payment of a performance bond into a Part 8 claim. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)
• Drafting Particulars of Claim for a proposed claim to redeem a mortgage over shares. (As a pupil, assisting James Knott.)

William has had significant exposure to insolvency cases, including those with an international element:

• Re Petropavlovsk plc [2025] EWHC 1147 (Ch): Drafting a skeleton argument for a contested application to discharge the former joint administrators of a company from liability following the sale of the company’s assets for US$ 619 million. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)
• Assisting with a claim in ongoing multi-billion dollar insolvency proceedings in the BVI. (As a pupil, assisting Alexander Cook KC and Andrew Rose.)
• Re Pan Sutong: Assisting with a contested application in what is believed to be the largest deficit bankruptcy in the world (c. £14 billion) for the recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings under the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006. The purpose of the application was to investigate whether a £55 million flat in Knightsbridge fell within the insolvent estate. (As a pupil, assisting Donald Lilly KC.)
• Advising on a potential application for the suspension of discharge from bankruptcy under section 279 of the Insolvency Act 1986. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)
• Advising a company on the scope of insolvency set-off and strike out for want of prosecution. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)
• Advising a company on the power of a sole director to appoint an administrator out of court. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)
• Assisting with a US$ 17 million contested winding-up petition in Antigua. (As a pupil, assisting Alexander Cook KC.)
• Advising joint liquidators on the scope of their investigatory powers under sections 234-236 of the Insolvency Act 1986. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)

William has worked on several matters with a civil fraud element:

• Barclays Bank plc v Dylan [2025] EWCA Civ 265: Drafting a skeleton argument in opposition to an appeal against the appellants’ committal for contempt of court for breach of freezing orders. (As a pupil, assisting James Knott and Karl Anderson.)
• Assisting with a complex jurisdiction challenge under the LCIA Arbitration Rules arising out of inconsistent arbitration / exclusive jurisdiction clauses. The underlying dispute regarded the sale of a company for an alleged undervalue of US$ 85 million and involved serious allegations of conspiracy, fraud, and dishonesty. (As a pupil, assisting Donald Lilly KC.)
• Assisting with advice in connection with a proposed claim in which it was alleged that a purchase agreement had been induced by deceit. (As a pupil, assisting James Knott.)
• Drafting an unfair prejudice petition involving allegations of misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty, and quasi-partnership in relation to a property development group. (As a pupil, assisting Joseph Wigley.)

William has had significant exposure to disputes in several offshore jurisdictions:

• Assisting with a claim in ongoing multi-billion dollar insolvency proceedings in the BVI. (As a pupil, assisting Alexander Cook KC and Andrew Rose.)
• Drafting a skeleton argument for a hearing to determine disclosure and strike out applications in relation to a multi-million dollar claim in the DIFC for the misselling of investment products. (As a pupil, assisting James Knott.)
• Assisting with proposed anti-suit injunctive proceedings in an offshore jurisdiction. (As a pupil, assisting Alexander Cook KC.)
• Assisting with a US$ 17 million contested winding-up petition in Antigua. (As a pupil, assisting Alexander Cook KC.)
• Assisting with a dispute over the governance of a substantial offshore company with its business in the People’s Republic of China. (As a pupil, assisting Alexander Cook KC.)

• ‘The Hamblin Cases – a Solution to a Puzzle?’ (JIBFL) (forthcoming, co-authored with George Bompas KC)
• ‘Beyond Physical Integration: Distinguishing ‘Other Property’ from the ‘Thing Itself’’ (2022) 11 Oxford University Undergraduate Law Journal 129

Qualifications

• ICCA Bar Course
• BA Law with Senior Status, Oxford University (First Class)
• BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Oxford University (First Class)

Academic Prizes (Law)

• Gibbs Prize for best overall performance in private law (Contract, Tort, Land and Trusts)
• Law Faculty Prize for best performance in Constitutional Law
• Falcon Chambers Prize for best performance in Land Law
• Second Undergraduate Degree Scholarship

Academic Prizes (Philosophy, Politics and Economics)

• College Prize for best overall performance in Finals
• College Prize for best performance in Economics Finals
• Academic Exhibition

Other Awards

• Lord Bowen Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
• Lord Denning Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
• Times Law Awards 2022 (2^nd place)