Lance Ashworth KC


Year of Call: 1987 Year of Silk: 2006

Lance is “a superb advocate, and penetrating cross-examiner” who “is absolutely fantastic with clients and is down-to-earth. He also retains knowledge to an incredible extent - he knows documents inside out the second he reads them.”

Portrait of Lance Ashworth KC

Practice Overview

Lance is recommended by Chambers and Partners, the Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal and The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom.  He is recognised as a leading silk with a commercial and chancery practice, having a particular focus on international litigation, civil multi-jurisdictional fraud, company and insolvency cases.  He has a firm grasp of the commercial realities of any litigation and understands clients’ needs and wishes.

Lance’s fraud practice is both international and domestic and at present includes acting for a Malian gold mine seeking to set aside a settlement agreement on the grounds of it having been induced by fraud; Hummingbird Resources, and acting for clients who are alleged to have defeated a claim by the production of forged documents; Taylor v. Khodabakhsh listed for October 2024.   He has dealt with a substantial number of freezing orders, again both domestic and international.

Lance has substantial expertise both at first instance and on appeal in company and commercial matters including unfair prejudice petitions, having been successful in 2 of the leading Court of Appeal cases in the last 3 years: Loveridge v. Loveridge and The Hut Group; breach of duty claims including being instructed in Wickers v. Humbles which is due to be heard in 2024 for 10 weeks in the Isle of Man, which will be one of the longest cases in the Isle of Man in recent years; share warranty claims, hedge fund claims and professional negligence cases.

In insolvency matters, Lance deals with both corporate and personal insolvency.  In 2022, he undertook the energy suppliers’ failure case: Croxen v. GEMA dealing with liabilities of the failed companies for renewables obligations and Suppliers of Last Resort, and was successful in Orca v. Dusoruth in establishing that where a bankruptcy order was made on the basis of what turned out to be an unliquidated debt, the Court retained a discretion not to annul the bankruptcy.  He acts both for and against insolvency practitioners in claims against former directors, accountants and others, as well as having done a substantial number of cases involving more technical issues that arise under the Insolvency Act 1986.

In addition, Lance has substantial expertise of the use of insolvency tools and section 423 Insolvency Act 1986 in order to effect recovery of assets both pre- and post-judgment, currently being instructed on several matters in this area.

Lance was appointed a Recorder in 2005 and a Deputy High Court Judge of the Chancery Division from 2016 and sits in both the civil and criminal jurisdictions.

News & Events

  • News

    Who’s Who Legal publishes its rankings for Asset Recovery – England for 2024.

    Who's Who Legal has just published its rankings for Asset Recovery – England for 2024. Ten of the Silks and... Read More

    News

    ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes - 60 Second Interview with Lance Ashworth KC

    Lance Ashworth KC features in the latest edition of the ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes Magazine Issue 13 ‘International Insights; Q2’s... Read More

  • Events Hub

    Serle Court Company Conference 2024

    Location:
    Read More

    Events

    ThoughtLeaders4 FIRE KC Surgery: Asset Recovery

    Location: DoubleTree Tower of London
    Read More

  • "Lance is really diligent and good with clients, in addition to being a pleasure to work with."

    Chambers & Partners, 2025
  • "Lance is extremely well prepared and always makes himself available. He works very hard and is both extremely knowledgeable and highly intellectually bright."

    Chambers & Partners, 2025
  • "Lance is incredibly well prepared, conscientious and deliberate, and his advocacy is potent and polished."

    Legal 500, 2025
  • "Lance is incredibly bright and has a ferocious work ethic. Excellent at cross-examination and judges respect him."

    Legal 500, 2025

Education & Qualifications

Pembroke College, Cambridge - MA

Oundle School

Appointments

Deputy High Court Judge (Chancery Division) 

Recorder, Crown Court and County Court

Memberships

Chancery Bar Association

COMBAR

Midlands Chancery and Commercial Bar Association

Languages

German

VAT Number

487181612

Other Information

Bar Council Trustee on the Access to Justice Foundation: 2014-2021
Former Chairman of the Midlands Legal Support Trust
Chairman of Middlesex Lord's Taverners' Committee
Founder trustee of the Medical Research Fund Coventry & Warwickshire
ADR Group Accredited Mediator

In the Press

Comments: "New evaluator role in pre-pack scrutiny too vague" in Accountancy Age, October 2020

Comments;"Thomas Cook's ghost hotels - what will happen to its empty holiday resorts?" The Telegraph, October 2019

Comments; "Public sector outsourcing giant Interserve stares into the abyss, 14 months on from Carillion's collapse" - CityAm, 14 March 2019

Comments; "Homebase faces make-or-break vote on rescue plan- The Independent, 1 September 2018

Comments; "The use of CVAs and the shape of the high street" - The Independent, 10 June 2018

Comments; "The use of CVAs and the shape of the high street" - City A.M., 8 June 2018

Comments; "The use of CVAs and the shape of the high street"  - The Barrister, 7 June 2018

Comments; "High Court judgment shines light on shadow directors" - Accountancy , 18 April 2018

Comments; "High Court rules on duties of 'shadow directors" (with Matthew Morrsion) - Estates Gazette, 16 April 2018

News & Events

  • News

    Who’s Who Legal publishes its rankings for Asset Recovery – England for 2024.

    Who's Who Legal has just published its rankings for Asset Recovery – England for 2024. Ten of the Silks and... Read More

    News

    ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes - 60 Second Interview with Lance Ashworth KC

    Lance Ashworth KC features in the latest edition of the ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes Magazine Issue 13 ‘International Insights; Q2’s... Read More

  • Events Hub

    Serle Court Company Conference 2024

    Location: Read More

    Events

    ThoughtLeaders4 FIRE KC Surgery: Asset Recovery

    Location: DoubleTree Tower of London Read More