“Serle Court is a 'very well-established set' in insolvency and restructuring matters, and is well positioned to handle cases arising in offshore jurisdictions such as the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands and the Caribbean.”
Chambers 2025
Serle Court is considered a go-to set in insolvency and restructuring with members practising across the full spectrum of work. We handle matters from major corporate collapses to personal bankruptcy cases, offering a wide range of clients – including creditors, debtors and insolvency office holders – deep expertise at every stage of the insolvency lifecycle.
Insolvency litigation involving allegations of fraud is a particular strength. Our work draws on Chambers’ outstanding reputation in civil fraud, and our barristers appear before both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
With a strong commercial chancery foundation, our members bring both innovation and excellence in heavyweight, complex and legally multi-faceted cases.
Working with a wide range of stakeholders, our barristers have acted in most of the major insolvencies since the introduction of the Insolvency Act 1986, including Lehman, BCCI and BHS, as well as the collapse of many energy suppliers, advising on both non-contentious and contentious issues from inception to closure.
Our international experience is extensive. Members frequently act in cross-border insolvencies across the Caribbean, the Crown Dependencies and key Asian countries influenced by English law.
We are also highly experienced in directors’ disqualification proceedings, acting both for the Government and the individual directors.
Our members author and contribute to leading practitioner texts, including Lightman and Moss on The Law of Administrators and Receivers of Companies (Sweet & Maxwell, 6th Ed, 2017).
Call: 1982
Silk: 2001
Call: 1987
Silk: 2006
Call: 1992
Silk: 2008
John Machell KC has a broad commercial chancery practice, with particular experience in large-scale litigation involving trusts, fiduciary/director duties, and fraud, particularly with an international dimension.
John is regarded as one of the leading partnership and LLP silks and has experience of a wide range of both contentious and non-contentious matters across the whole range of business sectors. A large part of his work involves issues arising from the use of partnerships and LLPs in hedge fund and private equity structures; in international commercial group structures; and as part of wealth planning strategies.
A substantial part of John’s practice is offshore, and he has appeared in the courts of Grand Cayman, the British Virgin Islands, and Bermuda on several occasions in recent years.
Call: 1993
Silk: 2012
Call: 1995
Silk: 2012
Call: 1992
Silk: 2013
Call: 1997
Silk: 2013
Call: 1996
Silk: 2014
As part of a broad Chancery-Commercial practice, Daniel Lightman KC engages with challenging and novel issues of law and civil procedure, in particular concerning shareholder disputes (having appeared in a number of landmark unfair prejudice petitions and derivative claims), company law (including in matrimonial proceedings), insolvency, civil fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and professional negligence.
Shortlisted for Company/Insolvency Silk of the Year in the Chambers & Partners UK Bar Awards in both 2026 and 2024 and shortlisted for Chancery Silk of the Year in the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2026, Daniel is recommended in Band 1 for Silks for Company by both Chambers UK, 2027 and the Legal 500, 2027 – and in Band 1 for Chancery Commercial by Chambers. Chambers UK, 2027 describes him as “A go-to silk for high value, complex disputes who leads the pack on shareholder disputes. He has great judgement and always furnishes reliable advice” and praises him for “constantly identifying innovative solutions to complex problems” and building “outstanding relationships with the wider legal team.”
Daniel has an extensive international practice, including current or recent shareholder litigation in the courts of Abu Dhabi, Bermuda, Cayman, Guernsey and Qatar, and a multi-shareholder arbitration in Hong Kong.
Call: 1995
Silk: 2016
Timothy Collingwood KC has a broad commercial and chancery practice, with a particular emphasis on litigation concerning commercial agreements, company, insolvency, and international trust matters.
Described in Legal 500 (2025) as “a truly gifted advocate who is totally committed to the case”. The directories recognise him as a leading practitioner in these fields. He has extensive experience of claims concerning breaches of duty, in particular in respect of directors or trustees and frequently involving allegations of fraud, and of shareholder disputes.
Prior to commencing practice in this jurisdiction, Tim was called to the bar in the Cayman Islands and practised as an attorney-at-law. He continues to undertake work in respect of a number of offshore jurisdictions. He is called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands.
Call: 1996
Silk: 2020
Call: 1997
Silk: 2022
Matthew Morrison KC has a broad commercial chancery practice, with particular expertise in civil fraud, company and partnership disputes, and insolvency litigation.
Described by Chambers UK 2027 as an “outstanding barrister” who is “technically brilliant, fantastic with clients and someone whose cross-examination is exceptional”, Matthew regularly appears in the High Court and Court of Appeal and has acted in proceedings before the Grand Court and Court of Appeal of the Cayman Islands, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (BVI), the Supreme Court of Gibraltar, the Isle of Man High Court of Justice and the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts. He also has significant experience assisting advocates before the Royal Courts of Jersey and Guernsey. He is generally admitted to the BVI Bar and is currently admitted ad hoc on a number of matters in the Cayman Islands.
Matthew is an established legal author. He has written widely read PLC practice notes on minority shareholder remedies and edits chapters on directors’ duties and disqualification, and insolvency, in Gore-Browne, Butterworths Corporate Law Service, Tolley’s Company Law Service and Tolley’s Company Law Handbook; and on unfair prejudice, misfeasance and disqualification in the Law of Limited Liability Partnerships (Whittaker and Machell (6th ed.), 2026).
Call: 2004
Silk: 2025
Rob Mundy KC has a wide-ranging commercial practice and has particular expertise in company, commercial fraud, contract and insolvency disputes. He is often instructed in high-value, complex litigation. He has been consistently recommended in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500.
Rob is an experienced trial advocate who enjoys oral advocacy and cross-examination, particularly in document-heavy and forensically complex cases. He is described in the 2027 Chambers UK Bar Guide as “thoughtful, considered and remarkably unflappable, even in high-pressure situations” and as having a “formidable reputation”. He is often instructed to advise on strategy from the outset of a dispute, being described in Legal 2027 as “an excellent lawyer and strategist, and a delight to work with”.
Rob took silk in 2025. He is a practising mediator and also sits as a Recorder of the County Court.
Call: 2008
Silk: 2025
James Weale KC has a very busy commercial chancery practice with a focus on domestic and international commercial and trusts disputes.
He is recognised as a leading practitioner in those fields by Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, Chambers Global, Chambers High Net Worth, and Who’s Who Legal, where they describe him as a “brilliant lawyer” and a “Superstar”. He was Chambers & Partners’ Chancery Junior of the Year in 2023.
He regularly appears (both as sole and junior counsel) in the English High Court and has appeared several times in the Court of Appeal. He also has considerable experience in overseas jurisdictions (including as sole counsel), including Bermuda, the DIFC, the BVI, Cayman, Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar and Panama.
Call: 2007
Silk: 2026
Call: 1994
Call: 1998
Call: 1999
Call: 2006
Call: 2007
Call: 2008
Call: 2008
Call: 2008
Call: 2009
Call: 2010
Call: 2011
Marc Delehanty practises in commercial litigation and civil fraud, with a particular focus on international disputes concerning jurisdiction, foreign law, insolvency and trusts. He regularly acts in urgent injunction applications, particularly in connection with asset recovery. He is experienced in handling matters relating to gambling, cryptocurrency and sanctions.
Marc is sought after for high-value, high-profile and high-stakes disputes. He has appeared twice in the Supreme Court, conducting oral advocacy in BTA Bank v Khrapunov, concerning unlawful means conspiracy, and Invest Bank v El-Husseiny, concerning transactions defrauding creditors under s.423, Insolvency Act 1986. He is currently instructed in the pending Supreme Court appeal of Crescent Gas v NIOC, a $2 billion dispute involving agency, insolvency and trusts law.
Recent instructions include acting for over 3,000 claimants in UK group litigation against Johnson & Johnson concerning alleged fraudulent misrepresentation in marketing talc-based baby powder; defending a $357 million breach of contract claim brought by the Bahamian Government against the Grand Bahama Port Authority; and representing BVI corporate defendants in PrivatBank v Kolomoisky, a $3 billion-plus Ukrainian banking fraud case.
Marc is ranked by Chambers and Partners in Commercial Dispute Resolution, Civil Fraud and Gambling Disputes.
Call: 2011
Call: 2011
Lara Kuehl is a commercial and chancery junior specialising in high-value disputes in England and Wales and offshore. Her practice encompasses commercial litigation and arbitration, company law, restructuring and insolvency, property litigation and civil fraud.
Lara is ranked across five practice areas: Commercial Litigation, Commercial Chancery, Insolvency and Restructuring, Company and Property Litigation, in Chambers UK, Chambers Global, Legal 500 and Lexology UK Bar.
Highly regarded for her advocacy, Lara acts as lead or sole counsel in most cases, frequently appearing unled against senior juniors and KCs. She is equally experienced as junior counsel alongside senior barristers from within and outside chambers in complex domestic and international disputes.
Alongside her private practice, Lara undertakes work for the UK Government. She is a member of the Attorney General’s B Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown, representing the Government in commercial, property, company and insolvency matters.
Before transferring to the English Bar, Lara practised as a solicitor in the London commercial disputes teams at Weil, Gotshal & Manges and McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP. From 2013 to 2015, she practised as a Cayman Islands attorney in the Dispute Resolution and Insolvency group at Maples and Calder, gaining offshore experience.
Call: 2012
Call: 2012
Zahler Bryan has a broad commercial chancery practice, with a particular emphasis on contentious trusts, civil fraud and financial disputes.
She regularly advises on a wide range of matters, with considerable experience in large-scale commercial and trust disputes spanning an extensive range of jurisdictions.
Zahler also has a particular interest in appellate work and has appeared in the Supreme Court and the Privy Council.
Described as “razor smart and a great asset to any team“, Zahler was awarded ‘Chancery Junior of the Year’ at the Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2023.
Call: 2012
Harry Martin has a busy junior practice specialising in chancery, commercial chancery, and art and cultural property work. He advises in relation to contentious and non-contentious matters, both in England & Wales and in other jurisdictions.
Harry is ranked as a leading barrister in the Chambers UK Bar and Chambers High Net Worth guides, which describe him as “a rising star”, and “very bright and commercial in his advice”.
Call: 2012
Oliver Jones is a senior junior with a broad commercial and chancery practice, and particular expertise in private wealth and civil fraud disputes. He is recognised by the directories as a leading junior in these areas.
In addition to his busy practice in England, he regularly works in major offshore jurisdictions, including the Channel Islands, BVI and Bermuda. Ollie was called to the BVI bar in 2019.
In addition to noting his “incredible intellect” and “engaging and persuasive” advocacy, the directories note Ollie’s ability to “roll up his sleeves”, “get on top of huge volumes of work and detail quickly” and build a “great rapport with clients”. In addition to acting unled, Ollie also enjoys working as part of larger teams on large-scale litigation, in which he “consistently delivers impressive results”. Ollie takes pride in his reputation for being “user-friendly” and “great to work with”.
Before coming to the Bar, Ollie spent several years as a management consultant in the financial services, energy, and public sectors. He brings this commercial experience and perspective to bear in his cases.
Call: 2014
Charlotte Beynon has a commercial chancery practice encompassing contentious trusts, civil fraud, insolvency and commercial litigation.
Her clients say, “Charlotte is brilliant. A superstar in the making”, and they also commend her as “pragmatic, responsive and commercial.”
She frequently handles complex, high-value cases, onshore and offshore, often with international elements. She is particularly experienced in acting in high-value offshore trusts disputes and complex fraud claims – often raising issues of private international law.
Charlotte regularly appears in the High Court and County Court both led and as sole counsel. She also appears as specialist chancery counsel in matrimonial proceedings in the Family Division. Her legal writing has been published in Trusts & Trustees.
Call: 2015
Call: 2016
Call: 2017
Sparsh Garg is a chancery and commercial barrister specialising in contentious trusts and estates matters and company disputes. He has acted in complex, high-value trusts and company cases.
Sparsh is recognised in the legal directories for offshore private client and commercial work. He regularly receives instructions in The Bahamas, Gibraltar and Jersey, is called to the BVI Bar, and acts in BVI matters independently and as part of counsel teams.
In England, Sparsh is recognised as a “rising star” and “up and coming” barrister in traditional chancery and private client work. Clients describe him as “intelligent, hard-working, an innovative thinker”, as well as personable and a good team player.
In 2019, Sparsh was seconded to the dispute resolution team of a leading Gibraltar law firm, working on contentious trusts and commercial disputes. He has since continued to develop his offshore practice, acting as sole counsel and alongside other barristers.
His offshore experience includes three Privy Council appeals: Chu v Lau [2020], concerning just and equitable winding-up on grounds of shareholder deadlock; Perry v Lopag [2023], concerning appellate intervention in findings of foreign law; and Dawson-Damer v Grampian Trust Company Ltd, concerning a trustee’s duty of adequate deliberation.
Call: 2017
Jamie Randall has a practice spanning a wide range of disputes concerning commercial and personal interests, and frequently the interconnection between the two. His recent trust and probate work covers the full spectrum of traditional chancery proceedings, including claims for breach of trust, accounts and removal of trustees, proprietary estoppel, 1975 Act claims, and probate disputes. Those cases often have an international element and he has acted on cases in numerous jurisdictions, including Jersey, Guernsey, Singapore, The Bahamas and Bermuda. His commercial work often includes claims for breach of fiduciary duty, deceit, unfair prejudice and insolvency-related issues.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Jamie worked in strategy consulting focused on the financial services sector. He approaches cases with pragmatism and always maintains a focus on the commercial outcome for clients. He also still enjoys being able to apply his financial experience to complex claims concerning valuation and forensic accounting issues.
Call: 2017
Call: 2019
Max Marenbon is a commercial chancery barrister specialising in civil fraud, company and insolvency disputes. He is recognised by the Legal 500 directory as a ‘Leading Junior’ at the London Bar and a ‘Rising Star’ in the Middle East.
Max has appeared as sole counsel in significant cases, including a leading authority on the English courts’ jurisdiction to grant worldwide freezing orders against third parties. He has assisted with cases at all appellate levels. His Middle East practice is centred on the courts of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
He is interested in how the law treats new ways of doing business, has experience of cryptocurrency-related litigation, and is growing a practice in artificial intelligence litigation. He has acted as sole advocate in AI-related cases in the UK and Middle East, including the leading ADGM authority on the use of AI-generated documents in litigation.
Appointed to the UK Attorney General’s Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown in 2024, Max previously qualified as a solicitor at a leading City firm and served as judicial assistant to Lord Wilson at the UK Supreme Court.
Call: 2020
Call: 2020
Call: 2021
Hugh Rowan specialises in property law and regularly acts in property disputes arising within a commercial chancery context.
His practice focuses on real property, enfranchisement, residential and commercial landlord and tenant law, alongside commercial and company disputes. He appears as sole counsel and as part of a team in the High Court, County Court and First-tier Tribunal.
Hugh regularly acts in high-profile cases. In 2025 and 2026, he appeared five times in the Court of Appeal in significant cases concerning damages for disrepair, the scope of the Building Safety Act 2022, the construction of a shareholders’ agreement and the court’s jurisdiction in bankruptcy proceedings.
Clients value Hugh’s collaborative approach and his ability to navigate complex legal and factual issues.
Hugh co-authors five specialist property law books covering service charges, the right to manage, enfranchisement and the Building Safety Act 2022, including one volume that he edits. He also regularly contributes to the Landlord & Tenant Review, writing case digests, topical articles and case commentaries.
During his legal training, Hugh volunteered as a caseworker at the Free Representation Unit and the Blackfriars Settlement Advice Clinic, gaining experience supporting individuals with legal issues.
Call: 2021
Call: 2021
Call: 2008 (Hong Kong, non-practising) 2022 (England & Wales)
Call: 2022
Call: 2023
Call: 2023
Call: 2023
Call: 2023
Call: 2023
Call: 2024
Serle Court has a well-established reputation for company law. We are frequently the first choice for clients involved in contentious disputes – whether as directors, shareholders or stakeholders in complex corporate structures.
Serle Court is widely recognised for partnership and LLP work, with barristers regularly instructed in complex, high‑value disputes in the UK and internationally. Clients value our depth of experience across contentious, advisory and transactional work, combined with strategic judgement and a commercial approach.
![El-Husseiny & Another (Appellants) v Invest Bank PSC (Respondent) [2025] UKSC 4](https://www.serlecourt.co.uk/wp-content/themes/tela_serlecourt/assets/img/default/news-list.jpg)
By a judgment handed down on 19 February 2025, the UK Supreme Court dismissed the […]
By a judgment handed down on 19 February 2025, the UK Supreme Court dismissed the […]
Judgment has been handed down in Re London Resort Co Holdings Ltd [2024] EWHC 3287 […]
Judgment has been handed down in Re London Resort Co Holdings Ltd [2024] EWHC 3287 […]
The number of nominations received this year is a testament to the outstanding work undertaken by everyone in Chambers.
Giselle McGowan and Lara Kuehl, chaired by Lance Ashworth KC, will discuss the practical implications of insolvency for company directors at the final Morning Brief: Insolvency Insights seminar.
Serle Court is launching Morning Brief: Insolvency Insights, a new breakfast seminar series chaired by Lance Ashworth KC, covering the latest developments in insolvency law.
Matthew Morrison KC and Marc Delehanty, chaired by Lance Ashworth KC, will examine key recent cases on section 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986 at the next Morning Brief: Insolvency Insights session.
LEADING SET:
UK Bar 2026
WINNER:
MENA Awards 2026 - English Bar in the Middle East: Commercial Set of the Year
WINNER:
Best Chambers for Work / Life Balance 2026
SHORTLISTED:
UK Bar Awards 2025 - Chancery Set of the Year
SHORTLISTED:
Bar Awards 2025 - Chancery Set of the Year
SHORTLISTED:
Chambers of the Year Award 2025
WINNER:
Bar Awards 2024 - Chancery Set of the Year
WINNER:
Middle East Awards 2024 - Middle East-Wide Dispute Resolution: Leading UK Barristers' Set
SHORTLISTED:
Bar Awards 2024 - Intellectual Property Set of the Year
SHORTLISTED:
Bar Awards 2024 - Commercial Litigation Set of the Year
Contact Us
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Lincoln's Inn
London
WC2A 3QS
Phone: +44 (0)20 7242 6105
Email: clerks@serlecourt.co.uk
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