4 Stone Buildings is an impressive chancery set, housing a strong bench of barristers at both senior and junior level who are well versed in high-profile and complex disputes. The team’s expertise spans a wide range of areas, and members routinely undertake cases involving financial services and banking, commercial contracts and insolvency law. Shareholder disputes are also a key area of strength for the team, drawing on the set’s established expertise in company law. The set’s barristers are regularly instructed in litigation arising in the oil and gas sector, and have experience of acting in both domestic and international matters. Commentators say that the set is “peopled with helpful and proactive barristers all of whom are very clever and have a commercial mindset.”
Client service:
“The clerks are excellent – they are fantastic communicators, who are commercial and helpful wherever possible. They are tireless in assisting clients and solicitors alike, taking calls and making arrangements late into the night and throughout the weekend.” “The clerks provide a very efficient service and are very good at what they do.” “They are highly proficient and responsive and provide a great service.” David Goddard is the senior clerk, while Ben Lashmar is the first junior clerk.
George Bompas QC
“He is very astute, hugely experienced, very charming with clients and the court, and excellent tactically.”
Recent work: Acted in Keeping Kids Company, Official Receiver v Batmanghelidjh, advising defendant trustee directors with their defence against director disqualification proceedings
John Brisby QC
“He is a proper heavyweight; you get him in and you’ve got the big guns on your side.” “For the right case you need him on side because just his name and gravitas is enough to bring a whole new level to a dispute.”
Recent work: Represented the defendant in Davies v Monks, a claim concerning the alleged diversion of a waste recycling business from a company of which the defendant was a director into a new company in which the claimant had no interest.
Jonathan Crow QC
“He has a razor-sharp mind and commands a court with elegant simplicity.” “An absolute star. He’s a superb and very versatile advocate.”
Recent work: Acted in the Supreme Court case of Lehtimaki v Cooper. Crow was instructed by Sir Christopher Hohn, the UK’s most generous charitable donor, in relation to a major issue arising in the administration of the charity he founded, concerning a multimillion-dollar proposed grant to another charity.
Richard Hill QC
“A very, very able and highly technical lawyer.” “He is wonderful, insightful, commercial, pragmatic and solutions-driven.”
Recent work: Acted for Dr Michael Lynch in the Hewlett-Packard litigation brought against Dr Lynch in respect of his role as the former CEO of Autonomy Corporation.
Andrew Clutterbuck QC
“A good team player who is very commercial; his advice is always as practical as it is legally sound. He has got a great deal of experience in this area and can cut through a lot of detail to get to the heart of things.” “Andrew has the ability to spot issues and find solutions. He does the analysis really well and he works to an intelligent solution every time.”
Recent work: Acted in re Medlands, advising on proceedings in Bermuda concerning a billion-dollar family trust.
Andrew de Mestre QC
“Very bright and highly strategic in his approach.” “He is effective, always available, hard-working, and on top of all of the detail.”
Recent work: Acted for Global Energy Horizons Corporation in an appeal concerning the obligations of a fiduciary to account for opportunities which he had taken and developed in breach of fiduciary duty.
Sharif Shivji QC
“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.
Hermann Boeddinghaus QC
“He’s fantastic and he makes his points firmly and fairly.” “A brilliant advocate and a real team player.”
Recent work: Represented Mirrorstoke Ltd in a dispute with two Guernsey companies arising out of a hotel construction venture near Stonehenge, successfully claiming damages of approximately GBP2 million.
Christopher Harrison
“A go-to if you want a clear view on strategy and the merits of the case.” “He is very organised, displays strong attention to detail and is technically astute.”
Recent work: Acted for the claimant in Astra Asset Management v The Co-operative Bank, a case concerning the rights to financial instruments controlling the Leeds Hilton Arena development.
Paul Greenwood
“He is unrufflable, and an excellent writer and advocate. A man of sound judgement.”
Recent work: Acted for a former trustee and the estate of one of its directors, accused of having misappropriated assets and acted improperly in excluding and including certain alleged beneficiaries.
Gregory Denton-Cox
“An extremely smart and thorough barrister. He has a strong commercial sense, is exceptionally responsive and is someone who adapts quickly to changing client demands.”
Recent work: Acted in re ETFS Capital, appearing for the minority shareholders in a Jersey exchange-traded funds business, who alleged unfair prejudice and/or that the company ought to be wound up on the just and equitable ground.
Alastair Tomson
“He is phenomenally bright, diligent, practical in his advice and thoroughly user-friendly.”
Recent work: Acted in Singh v Bedi et al, a claim seeking equitable relief and further directions in relation to company shares held on trust by family members.
Tom Gentleman
“A real dispute resolver who is excellent at plotting a route through cases.”
Recent work: Acted for the founder and former CEO of Autonomy Corporation Plc with regard to a USD5 billion accounting fraud claim arising out of Hewlett-Packard’s acquisition of Autonomy in 2011.
Donald Lilly
“He is pretty unflappable and has a very nice manner with clients.” “Donald is absolutely outstanding and just a fantastic team player. His paperwork is absolutely flawless.”
Recent work: Instructed to advise the Government of Bermuda in respect of guarantees given by the Government to the Ritz Carlton hotel development in Caroline Bay, which is located on the island.
Alexander Cook
“Hard-working, thorough and personable, he’s all over the documents in a case.”
Recent work: Represented Antipinsky, a Russian oil refinery defending a claim by the commodities trading arm of the well-known Russian bank VTB.
Nicola Timmins
“She is extremely erudite, always on top of the papers and eternally approachable.”
Recent work: Acted in St Johns Trust Company (PVT) Limited v Medlands (PTC) Limited, advising Medlands, the court-appointed trustee of a Bermuda trust with assets worth billions of dollars settled by a US software tycoon who has been charged with the biggest alleged tax evasion scheme in American history.
James Knott
“Really great to work with as he is very, very responsive, technically excellent and very hands-on. He is definitely counsel you can put in front of clients without hesitation.”
Recent work: Acted for the claimant liquidators in a multimillion-pound negligence claim against HSBC arising against the backdrop of one of the largest Ponzi scheme frauds of recent times.
Eleanor Holland
“Extremely knowledgeable and provides a consistently high service.”
Recent work: Instructed by the claimant in a shareholder dispute concerning a BVI company, which is part of a wider dispute concerning a very substantial Malaysian family conglomerate.
Joseph Wigley
“Extremely able and excellent on paper.” “He has an extremely impressive command of the law and is a devastating advocate.”
Recent work: Instructed as sole counsel in Saboowala v Nair; Veluthedath; RAG Foodstuffs, a claim brought in the Dubai International Financial Centre arising out of a share sale and purchase agreement to purchase the entire shareholding of a commodity trading business.
