Leads the London disputes team, and the Firm’s international disputes group
Acts for a range of financial institutions on high-value, complex and cross-border disputes.
Particular experience in distressed debt and contentious restructuring matters.

Richard acts for a range of financial institutions on high-value, complex and cross-border disputes. He focuses his practice on finance and securities law matters, as well as insolvency and restructuring situations.

Richard is particularly skilled at marshalling facts and developing legal strategy in high-stakes disputes that are often emotionally charged. Legal 500 writes in 2020 that clients describe him as “destined for the very top, an absolutely determined streetfighter, someone you’d want on your side if the chips are down.”

With experience in conducting and resolving disputes—both in arbitration and litigation—in the United Kingdom and elsewhere around the world. He has deep experience in representing investment firms in distressed debt and contentious restructuring situations. Richard qualified as a Solicitor Advocate in 2002 and is also qualified as a solicitor in Hong Kong, where he previously practised. Richard is a CEDR accredited mediator.

Representative Work

Advised the provisional liquidators on a range of complex trust and other issues concerning the assets of an estate. The matter involved an intensive evidence-gathering exercise and separate applications to the English court under Sections 168, 234 and 236 of the Insolvency Act 1986. Worked in a concentrated and coordinated fashion to determine a way forward to enable the liquidators to distribute the funds to estate creditors, thus successfully resolving the dispute.
Represented a London-based investment firm to counter efforts of certain minority creditors that were threatening to derail a restructuring led by the client by alleging that the applicable indenture prevented the client from proceeding. Success on the part of the minority creditors could have tipped the company in question into a freefall insolvency with significant job losses and value destruction. The team was able to persuade the English court to determine the relevant legal issues on such a highly expedited basis that the restructuring was completed, and the company averted insolvency.
Advised the administrators of an AIM-listed mining company on a number of high profile litigation issues, including proceedings in the English High Court seeking in excess of US$200m; detailed allegations of fraud relating to a former director amounting to at least US$50m; and advising on a novel scheme of arrangement as a means of transferring a complex cause of action to a creditor-owned vehicle.
On behalf of a substantial Russian oil company, conducting a hugely detailed factual investigation and an extremely complex legal analysis to bring proceedings in England regarding fraud of approximately $350 million committed by four individuals. Argued successfully before the Court of Appeal, which reached a unanimous decision that the claim should proceed to trial in England.

"He is able to think several steps ahead and is great at communicating complex concepts to clients. He is good at developing strategy and has a natural instinct for what will work in court."

Chambers UK, 2022

Education
L.P.C., The College of Law, London, 1997
CPE, The College of Law, London, 1996
B.A., University of Bristol, 1994

Bar Admissions
Solicitor, England and Wales
Solicitor, Hong Kong

Recognitions

Chambers UK, Banking Litigation, 2020-2025.
The Legal 500 UK, Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail; Leading Individual, Commercial Litigation: Premium, 2016-2025.
The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, Restructuring and Insolvency, 2014.
Benchmark Asia-Pacific, Hong Kong, Leading Litigation Star, 2013.

Speeches and Publications

“Funding,” Global Legal Group Global Class Actions Symposium, November 2023, London.
“The Rise of Class Actions in the UK and EU,” Mondaq Webinar, February 2022, London.
“COVID-19 – Financial Restructuring Update and Key Issues for Investors,” ELFA and Akin Webinar, May 2020, London.
“Funding International Collective Proceedings,” ICLG.com Global Class Actions Symposium, November 2021, London.