The Lawyer has recognised William Hooper as its “Barrister of the Week” for his role in the Court of Appeal’s recent decision in the long-running Gregor Fisken Limited v Bernard Carl dispute, one of The Lawyer’s Top 15 appeals for 2021, which was about the ownership of the original gearbox of a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold for US$ 44m in 2018. See website news 28 May.

The Lawyer article leads on the fact that Will, at just seven years call, “pulled off a remarkable result by defeating not just one experienced silk in a high-profile dispute, but two.” Will trusted his long-standing familiarity with the matter: “I had to be adaptable and flexible,” he said. “Speaking of the the degree of press attention the case had attracted, Will said “I had done the prep and I knew the case backwards. I just had to focus on my submissions and treat it like any other case.”

“Barrister of the Week” is selected by The Lawyer’s Litigation Tracker team. Subscribers can access the full article here.

Drew Holiner has been appointed to the Panels of Arbitrators of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board International (KCAB International), with immediate effect.

The SIAC commenced operations in 1991 as an independent, not-for-profit organisation, and has since established itself as one of the world’s leading arbitration institutions providing services to the global business community.  On 20 May 2021, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation granted approval for the SIAC to be registered as a permanent arbitral institution under Russia’s Federal Law on Arbitration.  Read more here.

The KCAB was founded in 1966 and over the past 50 years has handled about 7,000 arbitration cases and 15,000 conciliation cases marking itself as a leading alternative dispute resolution centre.  On 20 April 2018, KCAB International was established as an independent division of the KCAB to meet the growing demand for cross-border commercial dispute resolution and focuses exclusively on international disputes, with offices in Seoul, Los Angeles, Hanoi and Shanghai.

The Lawyer has recognised Julianne Kerr Morrison as its “Barrister of the Week” for her role in the Court of Appeal’s recent decision to uphold Ofcom’s £50m fine of Royal Mail and its finding that Royal Mail abused its dominant position by obstructing rival Whistl from breaking into the wholesale market for bulk mail delivery services (See website news 07 May.) Julianne joined the dispute, three years ago, back when Ofcom was still drafting a decision in its initial investigation.

Julianne appeared for Ofcom alongside leading counsel Josh Holmes QC and Nikolaus Grubeck in the proceedings in which all parties– Royal Mail, Ofcom and Whistl – were represented by leading and junior counsel from Monckton Chambers. Julianne is reported as commenting that such in-chambers combat, common in competition disputes, is no more than “healthy rivalry” that makes you work harder. “It’s great to be up against your colleagues. You know what they’re capable of, so it really makes you focus on doing the job well when you know people that you respect and like are going to be putting their best foot forward as well.”

The Lawyer article also highlights Julianne’s varied caseload which includes working on an anti-trust claim involving Google’s shopping service, data protection matters involving sexual violence victims, and citizenship deprivation cases in which British individuals are being stripped of their citizenships due to alleged association to certain terror groups or for time spent in ISIS controlled areas.

“Barrister of the Week” is selected by The Lawyer’s Litigation Tracker team. Subscribers can access the full article here.

In the latest edition of WWL:UK Bar, the researchers have identified Monckton Chambers as one of seven sets, with the most individual listings. “Monckton Chambers is a market-leading set which demonstrates the strength and depth of its offering with an impressive 57 listings across 10 different practice area chapters this year.” 33 individual members are recognised across 10 practices.

This is what the analysis highlights about Monckton Chambers:

“Competition is a key area in which the set excels, with an impressive total of 23 listings for its silks and juniors. These practitioners are recognised for their outstanding expertise across contentious M&A and state aid matters as well as complex cartel investigations.

The set distinguishes itself with a further 10 listings in our telecoms chapter, cementing its place as a go-to establishment for sector-related licensing, contractual and broadcasting disputes.
Government contracts is another area in which the set is highly esteemed, with 12 barristers noted in our corresponding chapter for their excellence in domestic and cross-border public procurement disputes.

Standout figures at the set include George Peretz QC, who is highlighted as a Global Elite Thought Leader for his encyclopaedic knowledge of competition and state aid law. Jon Turner QC and Anneli Howard QC are also highly regarded for their expertise in competition disputes, while Daniel Beard QC enjoys a strong reputation for his work on complex cases arising from the telecoms sector.”

The editorial also includes the following comments on individual members under the practice area analyses:

UK Bar 2021 – Arbitration
Steven Gee QC with Monckton Chambers is celebrated as “a brilliant strategist and advocate with very deep knowledge of law and industry”. One peer adds, “His knowledge of injunctions and pre-emptive remedies is second to none.”
Thomas Sebastian is recognised as a “star practitioner” who shines in domestic and international arbitration.

UK Bar 2021 – Competition
George Peretz QC is a “market-leading silk for state aid matters” according to impressed sources.
Daniel Beard QC is a “formidable adversary” and “effective litigator” who takes an “impressive strategic approach” to complex international competition disputes.
The “superb” Jon Turner QC is highlighted for his “unrivalled expertise”, with one peer adding, “The courts love him for his clear and robust submissions.”
Josh Holmes QC is regarded as an “excellent silk” with a highly sought-after competition practice.
Anneli Howard QC has amassed a stellar reputation for her “excellent work” and “pragmatic approach” in complex competition cases.
Paul Harris QC is a leading silk who excels in damages claims and abuse of dominance trials.
Mark Brealey QC is highly acclaimed for his strong advocacy in damages actions and pricing disputes.
Kassie Smith QC is recognised for her significant experience and expertise in high-profile damages cases and CAT appeals.
Alan Bates is recognised for his expansive knowledge of European competition law.
Anneliese Blackwood garners plaudits as a go-to competition specialist with deep expertise in damages claims and cartel investigations.
The “absolutely terrific” Ligia Osepciu applies a “practical approach” and “powerful but accessible intellect” to complicated competition cases.
Julianne Kerr Morrison is an “extremely impressive” junior who is “incisive and careful” and a “real star in the making” according to impressed peers.
Philip Woolfe is an “experienced and hard-working junior”, lauded for his “excellent work ethic” and expert handling of complex damages claims and telecoms disputes.
Tim Ward QC, Meredith Pickford QC, Robert Palmer QC, Ronit Kreisberger QC, Rob Williams QC, Alistair Lindsay, Ben Rayment, Laura Elizabeth John, Alison Berridge and Stefan Kuppen are also recognised.

UK Bar 2021 – Government Contracts
Michael Bowsher QC is considered the “Grandfather of procurement law” by peers who laud his “strategic view of complex matters” as well as his “deep knowledge of the field”.
The “excellent” Philip Moser QC is distinguished by his “lovely, smooth advocacy style” and is highly sought after for his expansive knowledge of domestic and EU trade law.
Valentina Sloane QC is a “very strong advocate” who draws high praise for her expertise in transport-related procurement disputes.
Rob Williams QC is highly esteemed for his in-depth understanding of complex procurement matters including damages claims and regulatory issues.
Fiona Banks is an “absolute star” who is “particularly good at getting up to speed very quickly in document-heavy cases” and applying “in-depth knowledge of complicated case law” to her “swift and accurate legal advice”.
Ewan West is lauded for his profound knowledge of regulatory law and is highly sought after by claimants and defendants in high-profile procurement disputes.
Anneliese Blackwood is a “very intelligent and hardworking junior” who regularly provides an array of clients with top-tier advice regarding government contracts.
Alan Bates is revered for his deep expertise in EU and domestic procurement law as well as complex telecoms regulations and state aid issues.
Ligia Osepciu receives plaudits for her “excellent work rate and clarity of analysis” and is regularly engaged in complex PPP and PFI disputes.
Ben Rayment is highly commended for his profound understanding of utilities regulations and EU procurement law.

UK Bar 2021 – International Trade & Commodities
Peers say Thomas Sebastian from Monckton Chambers is “very experienced in WTO matters” and recently acted for Gazprom in a multi-billion-dollar arbitration.

UK Bar 2021 – Sports
Fiona Banks at Monckton Chambers is “a really fantastic sports specialist” who regularly represents national governing bodies, individual players, managers and clubs in disciplinary issues, arbitration proceedings and High Court matters.
Paul Harris QC is also ranked.

UK Bar 2021 – Telecoms
Daniel Beard QC is renowned for representing high-profile clients in complex telecoms appeals.
Josh Holmes QC is held in high esteem by sources thanks to his “incredibly personable advocacy style” and strong expertise in telecommunications regulation and related disputes.
Jon Turner QC is an accomplished silk with a well-developed practice, which sees him regularly representing big-name clients in telecoms disputes.
Meredith Pickford QC is a prominent name in the TMT space where he regularly represents high-profile clients in regulatory proceedings.
Tim Ward QC is recognised for his expansive knowledge of competition and public law, earning him a strong reputation as as a go-to barrister in the telecoms sector.
Anneli Howard QC is revered for her in-depth understanding of EU and public administrative law, with one peer adding, “Her reputation precedes her as an outstanding barrister in the telecoms field”.
Alan Bates from Monckton Chambers is an exceptional junior who “always does an excellent job” for clients in complex telecoms cases.
Stefan Kuppen garners widespread plaudits for his profound knowledge of competition and regulatory law issues facing clients in the telecoms sector.
Fiona Banks is a standout junior, widely acclaimed for her first-rate work acting for telecoms companies and regulators in complex disputes.
Ligia Osepciu is also recognised for the practice.
Members are also recognised in the following categories but without editorial comment:
UK Bar 2021 – Energy & Natural Resources – Kassie Smith QC
UK Bar 2021 – Corporate Tax – Melanie Hall QC and Valentina Sloane QC
UK Bar 2021 – Environment – Jon Turner QC, Gerry Facenna QC, Alan Bates
UK Bar 2021 – Media & Entertainment – Jon Turner QC

Who’s Who Legal is published by Law Business Research, an independent London-based publishing group, which provides research, analysis and reports on the international legal services marketplace.

Congratulations to Daniel Witt for taking the prize for best overall mooter at the annual Ian Hutton Memorial Moot held on 23 March 2021. Owen Sparkes and Sophie Clay represented the appellant, and Lea As and Daniel Witt represented the respondent in the online moot, using a criminal law problem which required competitors to grapple with abuse of process and the law of attempts. The audience was made up of NLS students and friends and Monckton’s Andrew Macnab and Tom Sebastian acted as judges.

For further information on the moot please click here.