Source: https://www.4newsquare.com/barristers/george-spalton/
Timestamp: 2019-08-26 03:26:41
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George Spalton specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration.
He is one of the most experienced commercial juniors at the Bar and is rated in Chambers and Partners / Legal 500 in the following six areas (as well as being listed as a ‘Future Leader’ by Who’s Who):
International Commercial Arbitration (nominated as Junior of the Year in 2016),
Professional Disciplinary and Regulatory work, and,
George has particular experience of high-value and high-profile international and cross-border work and has been involved in cases in a number of jurisdictions in recent years including BVI (called in 2015), Cayman Islands, Trinidad, Dubai, Oman, Hong Kong and Singapore. He also accepts appointments as arbitrator and has acted as sole arbitrator and co-arbitrator in LCIA and ICAC arbitrations.
Consistent with George’s range of experience, in the last 2 years he has acted in a number of important reported cases, led and unled, including 7 Court of Appeal hearings (5 in England and 2 in the BVI):
A v B [2019] (decision of Jacobs J in Commercial Court) – Successfully obtaining anti-suit injunction restraining proceedings in Tel Aviv in favour of LCIA arbitration.
Al-Hasawi & NFFI Ltd v Nottingham Forest Football Club Limited [2019] EWHC 1287 (Ch) (acting for Nottingham Forest at trial in dispute arising out of an SPA).
Euro Pools Plc v Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Plc [2019] EWCA Civ 808 (Court of Appeal: notification of claims in PI insurance policy).
Law Society v Ete & Others [2019] EWHC 864 (Ch) (urgent application for delivery up under Solicitors Act 1974 on behalf of Law Society).
Palliser v Fate Ltd & Ors [2019] EWHC 43 (QB)
Towergate Financial (Group) Ltd v Hopkinson & Others [2018] (Court of Appeal: concerning construction of an SPA).
Livingston Properties; Nimati & others v JSC MCC Eurochem BVI HCMAP 2016/0042-0046 (BVI Court of Appeal – Jurisdiction Challenge).
Dreymoor Fertilisers Overseas Pte Ltd v Eurochem Trading GMBH & JSS MCC EuroChem [2018] EWHC 2267 – anti-suit and anti-enforcement injunction in Commercial Court (section 44 of the Arbitration Act 1996).
Dreymoor Fertilisers Overseas Pte Ltd v Eurochem Trading GMBH [2018] EWHC 909 (Comm) – jurisdiction challenges under ss. 32 and 67 Arbitration Act 1996.
Euro Pools Plc (In Administration) v Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Plc [2018] EWHC 46 (Comm), an insurance dispute in the Commercial Court.
Premier Motorauctions Ltd (In Liquidation) v PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP [2017] EWCA Civ 1872, important security for costs decision in the Court of Appeal
Dalecroft Ltd v Certain Lloyds Underwriters [2017] EWHC 1263 (Comm), an insurance coverage dispute.
TJH and Sons Consultancy Limited v CPP Group Plc [2017] EWCA Civ 46; construction of consultancy agreement.
Adamovsky and Stockman Interhold SA v Andriy Malitskiy and Igor Filipenko [2017] BVI HC MAP 2014/0031 and 2014/0022 – unfair prejudice petition in BVI.
Wright v Lewis Silkin [2016] EWCA Civ 1308, claim against solicitors arising out of Indian Premier League cricket contract.
In 2012 George was named as one of ten ‘Stars of the Bar’ in a survey by Legal Week, having previously been named in the 2010 version as a ‘Highly Commended’ Junior.
George has been appointed to European Users’ Council of the LCIA for a three year term from 2019 and has been appointed to the Executive Committee of COMBAR (the Commercial Bar Association) for 2019/2020, having previously been elected to the committee from 2013 to 2016 and having acted as Chair of Junior COMBAR from 2011 to 2013. He was on the Executive Committee of the PNBA from 2016-2018.
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George has been ranked for commercial litigation in both major directories for a number of years.
He is regarded as one of the top juniors at the Commercial Bar and was nominated as Junior of the Year in 2016 for International Commercial Arbitration by Chambers and Partners. In addition, George was recognised as one of 10 ‘star’ juniors by Legal Week in their survey ‘Stars at the Bar’ in 2013.
“Easily distils complex issues to client-friendly form, and ready to roll his sleeves up and muck in.” – Legal 500, 2019
“Creative, diligent, always willing and available to assist, and a pleasure to work with.” “He’s very modern and very accessible, and he knows when to lead and when to take a step back.” – Chambers & Partners, 2019
“He’s very good with clients, and he really stands out for his commercial approach.” – Chambers & Partners, 2018
“He has a very effective style of advocacy as well as being strong on paper.’ – Legal 500, 2017
A sizeable portion of George’s work is in the Commercial Court and he has experience of an extremely broad range of commercial disputes, extending from conflicts of law/jurisdictional issues, enforcement, asset tracing, shareholder disputes, insurance and reinsurance, to commodities and civil fraud.
In addition to his work in the Commercial Court in London he has been instructed on disputes in a wide range of jurisdictions including Dubai, Oman, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Trinidad & Tobago, BVI and the Channel Islands.
As well as acting in trials and international arbitrations (as to which please follow the link to ‘Arbitration’), George regularly appears in pre-action and interlocutory hearings such as freezing and proprietary injunctions, pre-action disclosure applications, security for costs applications and jurisdictional disputes.
Examples of recent reported decisions include:
Premier Motorauctions Ltd (In Liquidation) v PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP [2017] EWCA Civ 1872
Towergate Financial (Group) Ltd v Clark & Others [2017] (Comm) (Leggatt J): (led by Christopher Butcher QC)
Dalecroft Ltd v Certain Lloyds Underwriters [2017] EWHC 1263 (Comm)
TJH and Sons Consultancy Limited v CPP Group Plc [2017] EWCA Civ 46.
Harlequin Property (SVG) Ltd & Harlequin Hotels and Resorts Ltd v Wilkins Kennedy [2016] 3188 EWHC (TCC)
Stokors S.A. & Others v I G Markets Ltd; v Craigcrook Management Services Ltd [2013] EWHC 631 (Comm)
George also has particular expertise of disputes in the corporate and offshore context, including civil fraud claims (for example acting for the Central Bank of Trinidad & Tobago in high value claims in the Caribbean), minority shareholder disputes and warranty claims (including a 3 week trial in March 2016 (Axio Data Group Holdings Ltd v UBMG Ltd) instructed by Nabarro LLP and led by Graham Chapman QC); acting for a large conglomerate in relation to a range of alleged breaches of warranties (instructed by Byrne & Partners LLP); and acting for a listed UK entity in a claim for various breaches of warranty (instructed by Herbert Smith Freehills LLP).
In 2016 George was nominated by Chambers and Partners as ‘International Arbitration’ Junior of the Year and he has been listed towards the top of the rankings in international arbitration for several years now (including as one of only 14 juniors listed in Chambers Global). He was recently appointed to the LCIA’s European Users’ Council for a three year term from 2019.
Comments in Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners include:
“Very polished with an excellent focus on what is important.” – Legal 500, 2019
“He is well respected. He has a very sharp mind and has the ability to take a file and learn it thoroughly. A top-notch advocate.” – Chambers & Partners, 2019
“Hungry and motivated, he always goes the extra mile. He is one of those barristers who can pull their sleeves up and get stuck in.” – Chambers Global, 2018
“An excellent advocate, who makes submissions clearly and concisely.” – Legal 500, 2017
He has built up a very strong arbitration practice in recent years – with a range of claims being heard in a wide range of jurisdictions under a wide variety of institutional rules (including claims with seats in Dubai, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore and Egypt). He is now considered to be one of the busiest junior arbitration practitioners at the Bar.
George is a member of a number of arbitration related bodies and has also written on this subject and provides case law updates to various journals.
He also accepts instructions to sit as arbitrator (and is currently acting as sole arbitrator and as a co-arbitrator in ongoing LCIA arbitrations).
Dreymoor Fertilisers Overseas Pte Ltd v Eurochem Trading GMBH & JSS MCC EuroChem [2018] EWHC 2267 – anti-suit and anti-enforcement injunction in Commercial Court (section 44 of the Arbitration Act 1996) (Click here for GAR article).
Dreymoor Fertilisers Overseas Pte Ltd v Eurochem Trading GMBH [2018] EWHC 909 (Comm) – successfully resisting jurisdiction challenges under ss. 32 and 67 of the 1996 Act
Sutton Energy Ltd (BVI) v APMT & Bolloré (ICC arbitration) – Long-running shareholder dispute concerning port in Ghana (Click here for GAR article).
Acting for Albania in a high value ICC arbitration brought by a US firm relating to a concession agreement.
Advising in relation to an ICC arbitration between a Trinidadian holding company and a European investor in relation to an energy dispute.
Acting for an offshore company in relation to minority shareholder dispute concerning an African port (ICC).
Acting for a main contractor in Dubai in long-running ad hoc arbitration against employer (involving five separate hearings in Dubai 2013-2015).
Acting for contractor in defence of claim brought by MEP subcontractor in DIAC arbitration in Dubai (2015).
Acting in high value civil fraud arbitrations before ICC and LCIA (instructed by Russian/Swiss commodities trader).
In addition, George regularly speaks at international arbitration events and conferences. Recent examples include:
GAR Live: Hong Kong, Dubai, London
LCIA IBA Event – Milan, March 2017, LCIA Tylney Hall September 2018, LCIA/YIAG Zurich 2018.
Paris Arbitration Week (Event hosted by Freshfields) – Paris, April 2017
British Virgin Islands Arbitration Week – BVI, May 2017
George has extensive experience of professional liability claims, both in terms of claims involving different professions and in respect of the value and type of claims. He is recommended by both Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners as a leading junior. Amongst other things he is said to be “very bright, thorough and commercial in his approach. He is very good with clients”, “superb on paper and on his feet”, “a top notch advocate“, “a real up-and-coming star” with a “real intellect” and a “very calm manner with clients”.
Examples of reported decisions include:
Harlequin Property (SVG) Ltd v Wilkins Kennedy (A Firm) [2015] EWHC 1122 (TCC)
Planetree Nominees Ltd v Howard Kennedy LLP [2016] EWHC 2302 (Ch)
Webb v (1) JMQC (2) Dakers Green Brett[2010] EWHC 93 (Ch); (2010) NPC 12
Reader v Molesworths Bright Clegg [2007] EWCA Civ 169; [2007] 1 WLR 1082
George is an Editor of “Jackson & Powell on Professional Liability” and from 2013 to 2016 was one of the four co-editors of Sweet & Maxwell’s “Encyclopedia of Financial Services Law”.
His professional liability experience includes offshore work (largely focused on claims involving accountants, auditors and actuaries) – in Cayman, BVI and Trinidad & Tobago.
In 2015 George was called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (BVI).
George has particular experience of claims against accountants and actuaries. He is the editor of the chapter on actuaries in Jackson & Powell and his work in this area is supported by accountancy courses which he took as part of his LLM in New York.
George also has significant experience of tax related claims (whether investment schemes, such as the Ingenious litigation or claims against individual tax advisers). In this regard, he was one of the panel of barristers retained by the Chartered Institute of Taxation for several years.
Examples of recent or current instructions include:
Acting for a top firm in proceedings in Hong Kong
Acting for major city council in claim arising out of negligent audit.
Acting for liquidators of insolvent hedge fund in offshore proceedings.
Acting against a top firm in relation to negligent advice on a share transaction.
Acting for Central Bank of Caribbean Country and liquidators of insolvent multi-national insurance company against top firm relating to alleged failure to warn about a significant fraud.
In addition, George has acted in a number of warranty claims arising out of SPAs which tie in with his accountancy related experience and also disciplinary proceedings involving ATT, ACCA and ICAEW and in high profile proceedings brought by the FRC (defending firm of accountants and actuaries).
George has significant experience of professional liability claims in the financial context. That experience is based both on his accountants/actuaries related work and also work for and against IFAs.
Having worked as co-editor of Sweet & Maxwell’s 5 volume ‘Encyclopedia of Financial Services Law’ he has a very good understanding of the relevant statutory framework.
He has successfully represented an individual said to have given negligent advice in relation to CFDs (contracts for difference) at a five week commercial court trial: (Stokors v IG Markets & Craigcrook [2013] EWHC 631 (Comm)).
George’s experience of insurance broker related work has ranged from claims defending coverholders (e.g. Markerstudy v Synergy) to claims against brokers for advice on cover, e.g. Crowson v HSBC Insurance Brokers Ltd [2010] Lloyd’s Rep. I.R. 441.
His experience of insurance work more generally provides helpful experience for this area of work (see e.g. Dalecroft Ltd v Certain Lloyds Underwriters [2017] EWHC 1263 (Comm) and Euro Pools Plc (In Administration) v Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Plc [2018] EWHC 46 (Comm)).
George has been involved in a substantial number of claims against solicitors and barristers where the underlying subject matter relates to both civil and criminal matters.
He has appeared in a number of significant cases, with three cases in the Court of Appeal on issues relating to lawyers’ liability:
Wright v Lewis Silkin [2016] EWCA Civ 1308 (led by Justin Fenwick QC);
David Frost v Wake Smith & Tofields (A Firm) [2013] EWCA Civ 1960 and
Reader v Molesworths Bright Clegg [2007] EWCA Civ 169; [2007] 1 WLR 1082 (led by Bernard Livesey QC).
His work for firms of solicitors has led him to acting for (and against) magic circle law firms, top tier US firms and a range of smaller firms across diverse practise areas.
George has also acted in a number of cases involving barristers, across a range of areas of expertise (such as company law, criminal law and employment law).
George also has extensive experience of costs related matters on behalf of lawyers, such as wasted costs applications, security for costs in the context of ATE and non-party costs orders (for example he acted for the solicitors in Weddall v Barchester Healthcare Limited; Germany v Flatman [2011] EWHC 2945 (QB), a decision of Mr Justice Eady concerning non-party cost orders against a firm of solicitors under section 51 of the Senior Courts Act 1981).
George has extensive experience of claims against valuers involving both residential and commercial property. He has been instructed both by banks seeking to recover losses caused by negligent valuations and also by valuers defending such claims. He also has been involved in a number of mortgage fraud cases.
George has a very strong construction practice which ranges from international claims (especially in Dubai and in the Middle East) to domestic adjudication.
George has built up experience of PFI related claims, including an ongoing adjudication on a high-value PFI contract worth in excess of £700m.
Harlequin Property (SVG) v Wilkins Kennedy [2016] EWHC 3233 (TCC) (which gave rise to a number of reported decisions, including on security for costs, and which culminated in a seven week trial before Coulson J in the TCC).
Ongoing PFI dispute in the context of the waste disposal industry.
George is a member of the Technology and Construction Bar Association and has experience as an arbitrator in construction disputes (including as sole arbitrator in an ongoing LCIA arbitration).
George has considerable experience of insurance claims, whether advising on questions of policy construction and coverage; non-disclosure and avoidance issues or fighting disputes on behalf of both insurers and insureds at trial.
In terms of recent experience and current cases:
Euro Pools Plc (In Administration) v Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Plc [2018] EWHC 46 (Comm) (led by Jonathan Hough QC)
Acting for Claimant company in coverage dispute concerning range of alleged misrepresentations, non-disclosure and alleged moral hazard in Commercial Court Trial: Dalecroft Ltd v Certain Lloyds Underwriters [2017] EWHC 1263 (Comm)
He was instructed as junior on behalf of RSA in the latter stages of the Coles v Hetherton litigation;
He was instructed in a successful coverage arbitration worth £10m arising out of a fire at a hotel in the Isle of Man.
In the context of professional indemnity insurance, George has experience of issues relating to the Minimum Terms and Conditions for solicitors and has particular experience of acting in coverage arbitrations.
He is listed in Legal 500 in the context of professional disciplinary work as a leading junior. Comments in the directories note his “real intellect”, being “an absolute pleasure to work with”, an “up-and-coming star” who “consistently produces high-quality work” and picks up the “key legal issues very quickly” and a junior who “really stands out for his commercial approach.” He has experience of a wide range of disciplinary bodies and Tribunals – including (in the sporting context) the BHA and tribunals convened pursuant to the Sports Resolutions Dispute Service.
By way of example of the scope of work, he recently acted for Nottingham Forest in a trial in the Chancery Division (Al-Hasawi & NFFI Ltd v Nottingham Forest Football Club Limited [2019] EWHC 1287 (Ch)) and he has built up considerable experience of acting for and against agents and he has in a number of high value Football Association Rule K arbitrations on behalf of agents against current or former Premier League players.
He is also acting for a top six Premier League football club in an ongoing arbitration.
George is also rated in the directories (Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners) for commercial litigation and international arbitration – areas of work which ties in well with commercial and international disputes in the sporting context.
George is ranked as a leading junior for offshore work in the directories. He is called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands) and has been instructed in cases in BVI, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad and Cayman Islands.
George has built up significant experience of acting on cross-border and offshore disputes in recent years with reported cases including:
Livingston Properties; Nimati & others v JSC MCC Eurochem BVI HCMAP 2016/0042-0046 (BVI Court of Appeal – Jurisdiction Challenge)
Acting over the course of several years in high-profile, high-value litigation in Trinidad & Tobago (as lead junior to John Powell QC) on behalf of the Central Bank of Trinidad.
Appearing before the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in the BVI (led by Justin Fenwick QC) in the context of a high-value unfair prejudice dispute between Kyiv-based shareholders (see: Adamovsky and Stockman Interhold SA v Andriy Malitskiy and Igor Filipenko [2017] BVI HC MAP 2014/0031 and 2014/0022)).
Appearing before BVI Commercial Court in JSC MCC Eurochem v Livingstone Properties Equities Inc & Others (May 2017).
Acting for a firm of accountants in proceedings brought by two offshore companies, which involved hearings in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Acting for a BVI based individual in proceedings before the Privy Council.
Acting for a major fund (in liquidation) in proceedings arising out of the collapse of the fund against Cayman Island defendants.
In addition to the above, George was one of the four co-editors of Sweet & Maxwell’s ‘Encyclopedia of Financial Services Law’ for a number of years giving him additional expertise in both financial services and regulatory issues.
“He represents Magic Circle partners in SDT cases.” – Legal 500, 2019
George has been recommended for several years by Legal 500 for his professional disciplinary work.
George enjoys disciplinary and regulatory work, recognising the importance of the cases to the professional bodies and the individuals or firms defending proceedings.
He recently acted for the Law Society in the context of an intervention: Law Society v Ete & Others [2019] EWHC 864 (Ch): urgent application for delivery up under Solicitors Act 1974 on behalf of Law Society).
He has acted on a regular basis as prosecutor and defendant before a number of different tribunals. For example, he has appeared before the Taxation and Disciplinary Board as Prosecutor for the Chartered Institute of Taxation and also the Association of Taxation Technicians and he has also appeared before the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal on behalf of defendant solicitors and he has also acted in a number of complaints brought by the ICAEW and ACCA against individuals and firms.
George has also acted in disciplinary proceedings brought by the FRC and also the Accountancy Investigation and Discipline Board (now the Accountancy and Actuarial Discipline Board) – for example he was instructed by the AADB in proceedings against PriceWaterhouseCoopers and a former director of Mayflower Plc led by Patrick Lawrence QC.
George also acted in the recent proceedings before the SDT involving Clifford Chance LLP on behalf of one of the defendants (led by Roger Stewart QC)
MA Oxon; LL.M Columbia University (New York); Called 2004.
Memberships: COMBAR, LCIA, ChBA, PNBA, TECBAR.
A v B [2019] (Jacobs J): George Spalton has successfully acted for Russian and Cypriot parties in...
George Spalton appointed for three year term to LCIA European Users’ Council
George Spalton appointed for three year term to LCIA European Users’ Council, see link for...
Editor of the 7th and 8th Editions of Jackson & Powell on Professional Liability
Previously Co-Editor of the Enclycopedia of Financial Services Law (Sweet & Maxwell)
"Ethical Obligations of Lawyers Acting as Legal Representatives in Arbitrations" (Lexis Nexis)
"Core Procedural Standards in International Arbitration" (Lexis Nexis)
"ENE Kos v Petreleo Brasileiro SA (The Kos) [2012] UKSC 17" (Case Note) Insurance Law Monthly
"The Business of Sport after the Bribery Act 2010" (S.L.A&P)
"The Cross-Border Mediation (EU Directive) Regulations 2011: Confidentiality, Limitation Periods and Enforcement of Settlement Agreements" – IBA (with Jeremy Stuart-Smith QC)
VAT registration number: 888279156
A rising star with sound commercial acumen and a strong intellect, he's thorough, communicative and a determinedly tough negotiator.
He is very good with clients and really stands out for his commercial approach.
Dedicated and diligent; he is always ready to roll up his sleeves and get involved.