Rob is recognised for his expertise in company law, particularly shareholder disputes. In the 2024 Chambers Bar Guide, Rob was noted as being particularly well regarded for his handling of unfair prejudice petitions and disputes concerning director’s duties.

Recent cases:

• Syspal Capital Ltd v Truman [2024] EWHC 1561 (Ch), [2025] 1 BCLC 424; [2025] EWCA Civ 469: representing the majority shareholders in a dispute about the interpretation of the company’s articles in the Court of Appeal and High Court (sole counsel)
• Re Caprina Trading Ltd: representing two directors of a recycling company defending a claim to a beneficial interest in shares and defending an unfair prejudice petition (sole counsel)
• Loveridge v Povey [2024] EWHC 329 (Ch), [2024] 2 BCLC 253: representing a shareholder in a caravan park company in an unfair prejudice petition (led by John Randall KC)
• Gill v Thind [2022] EWHC 2872 (Ch) and [2023] EWCA Civ 1276, [2024] 1 WLR 2837: representing care home directors in a dispute over the beneficial ownership of shares at an 11-day trial, on appeal and in resisting an application for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court (led by John Randall KC)
• Representing a director-shareholder of a manufacturing company in pursuing an unfair prejudice petition (sole counsel) and defending the company’s cross-claim (sole counsel)
• Re Portbond Ltd [2022] EWHC 3359 (Ch): representing three directors accused of driving two companies into the ground and engineering a pre-pack sale at a £20m undervalue while keeping secret their interest in the buyer (sole counsel)
• Gill v Thind [2020] EWHC 2973 (Ch): representing directors defending derivative claims (led by John Randall KC)
• Acting for the pharmacy company in the trial of a claim against former directors and others arising from the transfer of the company’s business (sole counsel)
• Acting for a 50% shareholder in a telecoms company in an unfair prejudice petition and in a dispute under an unusual shareholders’ agreement (sole counsel)
• Acting for a minority shareholder in a high-value unfair prejudice petition concerning a food supplements manufacturer and in the defence of a £35m crossclaim (led by John Randall KC)
• Acting for a minority shareholder in a high-value unfair prejudice petition concerning a property development company (led by John Randall KC)
• Acting for the 50% shareholder in a construction company in an unfair prejudice petition (leading Natalie Kearney)
• Acting for eight shareholders in a technology company in a just and equitable winding-up petition (sole counsel)
• Representing a telecoms company in a shareholder good-leaver/bad-leaver claim in the Employment Tribunal (sole counsel) and in a linked £4m High Court claim (led by John Randall KC)

Rob is regularly instructed by insolvency practitioners and directors in difficult insolvency-law litigation. The 2024 Chambers Bar Guide described him as “noted for his expertise in claims brought against directors”.

Recent cases:

• Hawksworth v Stanley [2025] EWHC 139 (Ch): representing a floating charge holder alleged to have invalidly appointed administrators in an ongoing multi-million pound breach-of-contract and trespass claim
• Loveridge v Povey [2024] EWHC 329 (Ch), [2024] 2 BCLC 253: representing the applicant member in a case establishing that, in a solvent administration, administrators should have regard to the interests of members in deciding whether a company rescue is “reasonably practicable” (led by John Randall KC)
• Representing a director seeking the retrospective appointment of an administrator
• Re Portbond Ltd [2022] EWHC 3359 (Ch): representing three directors accused of driving two companies into the ground and engineering a pre-pack sale at a £20m undervalue while keeping secret their interest in the buyer (sole counsel)
• Rendle v Panelform [2020] EWHC 2655 (Ch), [2021] BCC 203, [2021] BPIR 31: representing a trustee in bankruptcy at a trial of an unusual transaction-defrauding-creditors claim, which led to the court unwinding the sale of a business (sole counsel)
• Defending a multi-million-pound transaction-defrauding-creditors claim (sole counsel)
• Poole v Hinton [2019] EWHC 2331 (Ch): representing the applicant in a challenge to £21m proof of debt (sole counsel)
• Representing shareholders petitioning for the winding up of a company on just and equitable grounds (sole counsel)
• Interactive Digital Systems Ltd v VST Enterprises Ltd [2021] EWHC 887 (Ch): representing the same shareholders in a linked administration application (sole counsel)
• Representing a liquidator in a £3m-odd claim and in subsequent enforcement proceedings in which a deed was found to be have been forged (sole counsel)
• Representing a claims funder in a £2m+ wrongful-trading and misfeasance claim arising from the avoidance of import VAT (leading Joe Millington)
• Representing an applicant in a challenge to a refusal by liquidators to assign a claim (sole counsel)

Publications:

• Directors’ Duties During Administration and Liquidation (2021) 34(3) Insolv. Int. 58
• Why Statutory Declarations by Video Conference are Lawful (2020) 13(3) CRI 97
• Case Reporter: Walker & Williams v National Westminster Bank plc & The Treasury Solicitor (2016) 9(3) CRI 119
• Case Reporter: Wilson (as liquidator of 375 Live Ltd) v SMC Properties Ltd (2015) 8(4) CRI 171
• TUPE and Mental Gymnastics (2014) 7(1) CRI 31

Rob has experience of a wide variety of commercial fraud cases, particularly cases of fraud, or alleged fraud, by
directors or senior employees on their companies. He is an experienced trial advocate and cross-examiner, and
experienced in prosecuting and defending applications for freezing injunctions and other interim relief.

Recent cases:

• Acasta European Insurance Co Ltd v Emmiera Group Ltd [2025] EWHC 1168 (Ch): representing the defendant to a deceit claim on the return date following the grant of an imaging order (sole counsel)
• Grundy v Aldridge [2025] 5 WLUK 649: representing the defendant to unusual fraud and committal proceedings (sole counsel)
• Jaffé v Greybull Capital Ltd [2024] EWHC 2534 (Comm): representing a German insolvency practitioner in a trial of an £11m deceit claim (led by James Morgan KC)
• Patel v Parker [2023] EWHC 1979 (Ch): representing the principal defendant on cross-applications in a deceit and constructive trust claim (sole counsel)
• Re Portbond Ltd [2022] EWHC 3359 (Ch): representing three directors accused of driving two companies into the ground and engineering a pre-pack sale (sole counsel)
• Representing an engineering company in a £2m+ corporate fraud and asset tracing claim (sole counsel)
• Prosecuting a committal application against a rogue director of a social media company
• Representing two company directors facing a short-notice application for a freezing order (led by John Randall KC)
• Rendle v Panelform [2020] EWHC 2655 (Ch): representing a trustee in bankruptcy at a trial of an unusual transaction-defrauding-creditors claim, which led to the court unwinding the sale of a business (sole counsel)

Rob acts in high-value real estate cases, particularly those involving an overlap with corporate or insolvency law.

Recent cases include:

• Hawksworth v Stanley [2025] EWHC 139 (Ch): ongoing trespass claim against the appointor of administrators
• Representing the administrator of an insolvency estate in a dispute about the beneficial ownership of a family home, involving claims of undue influence and disputes about the principle of overreaching
• Representing a bankrupt and his wife defending a challenge to the transfer of a multi-million pound estate
• Representing an investor mis-sold an interest in a Dubai development
• Advising a property owner about a claim against his surveyor and former solicitors for failing to advise about the risk of subsidence

Rob enjoys the variety and challenge of acting as a mediator. He appreciates that mediation is no panacea, but believes that, if approached with energy, determination and an open-mind, mediation can lead to sensible resolutions of most disputes.