London Bar
Commercial litigation
HALL OF FAME6Michael Ashcroft KC – Twenty Essex 'A superb operator who knows the law inside out. Judges feel comfortable following his propositions - he is the voice of reason.'
Michael Ashcroft KC
Civil fraudcommercial arbitrationcommoditiesfinancial derivativesgeneral commercial litigationinsurance/reinsuranceinternational tradeinvestment disputesjurisdictional disputesminingoffshore/energyoil rig/drilling disputesship sale contractsshipbuilding contracts and other construction contractsshippingsuper yacht disputes, Twenty Essex
- Phone020 7842 1200
- Email[email protected]
Work Department
Civil fraud
Commercial arbitration
Commodities
Financial derivatives
General commercial litigation
Insurance/reinsurance
International trade
Investment disputes
Jurisdictional disputes
Mining
Offshore/energy
Oil rig/drilling disputes
Ship sale contracts
Shipbuilding contracts and other construction contracts
Shipping
Super yacht disputes
Position
Michael is an experienced silk with a broad commercial practice, specialising in high value and complex (often highly technical) commercial contractual disputes. He took silk in 2011, at only 38 years of age. He is very well set-up to work remotely in these challenging times, and successfully represented Trafigura in one of the first applications (for a mandatory injunction requiring payment of US$76m security) dealt with under the Covid-19 Protocol in the Commercial Court.
He was awarded the prestigious “International Arbitration Silk of the Year” by Chambers & Partners in 2016 and also won Chambers “Shipping Silk of the Year” in 2019. He has been shortlisted multiple times for other awards by Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500.
Over recent years, he has been ranked as a leading silk by Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 in the following practice areas: shipping, commodities, energy, civil fraud and international arbitration.
Michael has vast experience of jurisdictional disputes, having appeared in several of the leading cases. He is also regularly involved in applications for injunctions and for the enforcement of judgments and arbitration awards. His most recent ongoing work includes advising in relation to offshore decommissioning contracts, acting for a Gulf based bank in a very substantial ICC arbitration concerning bonds, acting for Sunderland FC in a professional negligence dispute in the Commercial Court and advising in relation to multiple mortgage contracts.
He appears regularly in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. Michael also has a wide range of experience of cases before, and on appeal from, arbitration tribunals in various jurisdictions (including Singapore, Hong Kong, Sweden, Malaysia, Paris and New York) and he has been admitted to the Bar of St Kitts and Nevis (on an ad hoc basis). He is a team player and has led large teams of counsel in significant cases; he works frequently as co-counsel with lawyers qualified in other jurisdictions. Michael also has significant experience of mediation.
Michael accepts appointments as an arbitrator both in London and abroad. He is a member of the MOOGAS panel of international arbitrators and mediators. Michael also acts as an expert on English law in foreign proceedings.
https://www.twentyessex.com/people/michael-ashcroft/
Mentions
London Bar
Commodities
HALL OF FAME1Michael Ashcroft KC – Twenty Essex ‘Encyclopaedically brilliant, Michael is very quick to pick up the issues and identify the key point, and exhibits strong and persuasive advocacy.’
London Bar
Construction
HALL OF FAME5Michael Ashcroft KC – Twenty Essex ‘Michael remains as grounded and user-friendly now as he was when he was a junior, which is a great attribute when combined with his considerable intellectual power. He gets to the crux of a problem very quickly and offers sound, practical and very well-considered advice.'
Asia Pacific: The English Bar
Construction, energy and infrastructure
HALL OF FAME2Michael Ashcroft KC – Twenty Essex 'His legal analysis is very succinct and practical.'
London Bar
Energy
HALL OF FAME3Michael Ashcroft KC –Twenty Essex ‘Incredibly bright, cool, calm and collected under pressure, Michael is a very polished and persuasive advocate.’
London Bar
Insurance and reinsurance
HALL OF FAME4Michael Ashcroft KC –Twenty Essex ‘Very competent insurance lawyer who is hugely in demand.'
London Bar
International arbitration: counsel
HALL OF FAME2Michael Ashcroft KC –Twenty Essex ‘Incredibly clever, focussed, hard-working, absolutely first-rate. He must be one of the best KCs at the commercial and shipping Bars. His submissions are well-presented and forceful but never over the top.’
London Bar
Shipping
HALL OF FAME1Michael Ashcroft KC –Twenty Essex ‘A superb strategist and a specialist on letter of indemnity cases.’
Asia Pacific: The English Bar
Shipping and commodities
HALL OF FAME1Michael Ashcroft KC–Twenty Essex 'He has a wonderful courtroom manner.'