King's Counsel: Barristers

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.

John Machell KC

Call: 1993
Silk: 2012

Hugh Norbury KC

Call: 1995
Silk: 2012

David Blayney KC

Call: 1992
Silk: 2013

Jonathan Adkin KC

Call: 1997
Silk: 2013

Rupert Reed KC

Call: 1996
Silk: 2014

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.

Timothy Collingwood KC

Call: 1996
Silk: 2020

Giles Richardson KC

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).

Matthew Morrison KC

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.

Robert Mundy KC

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.