Humphries Kerstetter LLP > London, England > Firm Profile
Humphries Kerstetter LLP Offices
St Bartholomew House
92 Fleet Street
EC4Y 1DH
England
Humphries Kerstetter LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market Tier 1
Humphries Kerstetter LLP is ‘a top dispute resolution boutique in London’. The 19-strong practice represents UK and internationally-based corporations, banks, funds and HNW individuals in high-stakes disputes; such matters are frequently before the English Commercial Court and involve international parties or coordination with proceedings in other countries. The firm’s sector expertise covers banking, financial services, energy, defence, insurance, IT, international trade, pharmaceuticals, telecoms, media, and construction. As of April 2024, experienced financial services litigator Joanna Pearson, who ‘gets great results’, is the firm’s managing partner, replacing commercial and financial disputes specialist James Russell, whose cases often involve trust and company law issues. The practice also showcases Kristopher Kerstetter, who represents companies from the energy, telecoms, financial services, media, insurance and industrial projects sectors; Toby Starr, who ‘always looks for the best solution’; and veteran litigator Mark Humphries. Other key figures are Robert Javin-Fisher, an expert in contractual and shareholder disputes, as well as professional negligence, group litigation and competition-related follow-on claims; Chris Louth, who is ‘an absolute credit to the firm and himself’; and Harriet Bush, who has notable experience in product liability matters, negligence and shareholder disputes.Practice head(s):
Joanna Pearson
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Excellent knowledge of all legal matters – a pragmatic approach, while always focusing on the client’s interests.’
‘Humphries Kerstetter is a top dispute resolution boutique in London. They are very available and deliver to-the-point and well-reasoned advice. It is a great pleasure to work with them.’
‘The teamwork is seamless and in unison. Very experienced group with a formidable track record. Responsive, knowledgeable and decisive. Their knowledge and personable natures give clients reassurance and confidence during complex, stressful situations.’
‘More than a match for the big firms, Humphries Kerstetter has a sophisticated grasp of international litigation. Its smaller teams mean it can focus with maximum efficiency on the client and their objectives.’
‘Toby Starr always looks for the best solution and not the best way to charge fees.’
‘Chris Louth is possibly one of the best lawyers around. Hugely knowledgeable, capable and insightful. Always available, incredibly helpful and a true support throughout the legal process. An absolute credit to the firm and himself.’
‘Kristopher Kerstetter is superb and a great team player; Joanna Pearson is a hands-on partner who gets great results through careful analysis and identification of the winning point for her clients; and James Russell is outstanding – clever, hard-working and a delight to work with.’
‘Mark Humphries. Kristopher Kerstetter and Toby Starr are all top practitioners, who provide excellent advice in an authoritative, confident and wise manner.’
Key clients
Uro Property Holdings
Grupo TSK
Eville & Jones (Group)
Avatel Telecom
Work highlights
- Acting for Uro Property Holdings in a dispute with BNP Paribas, which relates to the acceleration of a €1.3bn securitised loan.
- Acting for Grupo TSK in an exchange rate dispute with Deutsche Bank.
- Acting for Eville & Jones (Group) in a case that involved allegations of breach of a shareholders’ agreement on the part of the ex-managing director of the claimant group (among others).
Dispute resolution > Group litigation: Claimant Tier 4
Competition class actions are a particularly prolific area for Humphries Kerstetter LLP. The team is active in the ongoing interchange fees litigation against MasterCard and Visa, as well as the anti-competitive ad tech practices claim against Google. Practice head Toby Starr ‘stands out’ for his expertise in financial mis-selling and minibond fraud claims, alongside James Russell, who also boasts a strong background in financial disputes. Mark Humphries plays an active role as consultant, particularly in the representation of the victims of alleged cartels and abuses of dominance in class action claims. Robert Javin-Fisher is another name to note.Practice head(s):
Toby Starr
Other key lawyers:
James Russell; Mark Humphries; Robert Javin-Fisher; Harriet Bush
Testimonials
‘Highly expert boutique team with great experience of group litigation. They know the field intimately and are fully on top of developments as they occur. In this fast-changing environment that is the key to success.’
‘Toby Starr lives up to his name. He is fantastically knowledgeable about group litigation, funding and all aspects of these claims. He is also a complete pleasure to work with, charm personified. I could not rate him more highly. Harriet Bush is knowledgeable and helpful. She is rapidly developing into a class act.’
‘A small but growing specialist competition law firm with real expertise in the burgeoning group claim market.’
‘Robin Javin-Fisher leads a dedicated team of associates. He has excellent judgment and great strategic nous.’
‘Sophisticated, commercially aware, very responsive, creative and tactically astute.’
‘We have worked with partner Toby Starr and Harriet Bush, who are both responsive and very capable. Toby is sensible and highly experienced. Toby is very commercial, and responsive as well as being highly technically capable. Harriet is outstanding.’
‘This firm is a pioneer in large scale competition group litigation. It has a very hands-on group of capable partners and is runs cases very efficiently. The quality of its written work is excellent.’
‘Toby Starr stands out for the commerciality of his approach and for getting deals done.’
Key clients
Group interchange claim with circa 700 claimants, including Co-operative Group Limited, JD Wetherspoons, Coral Racing Limited, Harvey Nichols Group Limited, Associated Independent Stores Limited and 96 local government authorities
Ad tech Collective Action LLP, proposed class representative for 130,000 UK publishers of websites and mobile apps against Google
Series 1 bondholders who had invested in Blackmore Bond
Work highlights
- Acted for around 700 claimants in claims against MasterCard and Visa arising out of the interchange fees that the merchants incur when a MasterCard or Visa branded card is used to purchase goods or services from them.
- Acting for the proposed class representative for 130,000 UK publishers of websites and mobile apps against Google in Ad Tech Collective Action LLP.
- Acting for a group of bondholders to investigate and pursue claims on their behalf arising out of the collapse of Blackmore Bond Plc.
Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail Tier 5
A go-to firm for group litigation in the banking and finance sector, Humphries Kerstetter LLP has a strong track record representing groups of bondholders and shareholders. Acting both for and against banks and financial institutions, the team is also experienced in derivatives disputes, fund mismanagement, and impropriety claims and structured product litigation. Joanna Pearson took over from ‘master tactician’ James Russell as managing partner in January 2024, specialising in disputes around partnership and director duties. Russell focuses on derivative and financial product litigation.Practice head(s):
Joanna Pearson
Other key lawyers:
James Russell; Chris Louth
Testimonials
‘Humphries Kerstetter LLP deliver a highly focused client offering. They are very selective in the cases they take-on, and only assume cases after detailed rigorous analysis of the evidence, merits and potential counterfactuals. HK punches way above its weight.’
‘James Russell senior partner. James’s speciality is contentious litigation often against banks and liquidators. He is fearless and never intimidated. A master tactician.’
‘More than a match for the big firms, Humphries Kerstetter has a sophisticated grasp of international litigation. It’ smaller teams mean it can focus with maximum efficiency on the client and their objectives.’
‘Joanna Pearson is a hands-on partner who gets great results through careful analysis and identification of the winning point for her clients. She is also huge fun to work with.’
‘James Russell is outstanding and leads a strong and capable team.’
‘James Russell is super clever, experienced and a delight to work with.’
‘James Russell: combines mastery of the detail with great strategic insights. He’s all over his matters and gives clients a great sense of confidence that their cases have been gripped. Joanne Pearson: great to work with. A real team player. Very personable and gets the best out of her team.’
‘James Russell is one of the most complete commercial litigators that I have ever worked with. He has high levels of academic and analytic ability; he also sees the big picture and thinks strategically; he is prepared to follow a hunch and back a difficult case.’
Key clients
Uro Property Holdings S.A. (Santander)
Grupo TSK
Series 1 Bondholders in Blackmore Bond Plc
Activist Shareholders in Core Venture Capital Trust plc
Private Equity Investor
Work highlights
- Acting for Uro Property Holdings S.A. in a dispute with BNP Paribas relating to the acceleration of a €1.3bn securitised loan allegedly giving rise to a €250m bond make-whole payment.
- Acting for Grupo TSK in an exchange rate derivative dispute with Deutsche Bank.
- Acting for a group of bondholders to investigate and pursue claims on their behalf arising out of the collapse of Blackmore Bond Plc.
Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 7
Humphries Kerstetter LLP is a City litigation boutique that is mandated for arbitrations under all major international rules. Its expertise covers acting both for, and against, sovereign states, and the firm is additionally experienced in the enforcement of final arbitration awards from a range of international jurisdictions. Representing companies from the energy, telecoms, financial services, media and insurance sectors, Kristopher Kerstetter‘s ‘reputation in international arbitration is stellar’. Toby Starr‘s current practice encompasses LCIA, UNCITRAL and ICSID arbitrations.Practice head(s):
Kristopher Kerstetter
Other key lawyers:
Toby Starr; Robert Javin-Fisher
Testimonials
‘The team attracts high-quality, interesting international work.’
‘Extensive knowledge and precise timing. They always act very fast at every step of arbitration proceedings.’
‘A highly impressive and trustworthy law firm.’
‘HK’s international arbitration team is at the top of its game. They have decades of experience and the firm’s model allows a dedicated but efficient use of resources, which is beneficial to both the case and the client. Collaboration between the HK team and Counsel teams is seamless.’
‘Kristopher Kerstetter and Robert Javin-Fisher understand the procedural intricacies of arbitration and are always thoughtful in their approach. Clients are particularly impressed by their ability to navigate sensitive issues and clients.’
‘Kristopher Kerstetter is superb with clients. He gets straight to the point and his reputation in international arbitration is stellar.’
‘Kristopher Kerstetter is highly skilled in arbitration work and is a great team player and strategist.’
‘Robert Javin-Fisher is a pleasure to work with. Solutions oriented and a great team player.’
Humphries Kerstetter LLP > Firm Profile
Since HK’s establishment in 2009, our clients have trusted us with their most important and difficult business disputes and investigations. Many of our clients are referred to us by full-service international law firms, foreign lawyers and senior members of the English Bar.
We work with clients from a diverse range of industry sectors including financial services, energy, defence, insurance, information technology, international trade, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, media, construction, and extractive projects. Given the backgrounds of our partners, the firm enjoys a particularly strong banking and financial services client base, acting for and against investment banks, private equity houses and fund management companies.
We have particular experience in managing international disputes that require proceedings in foreign courts, arbitration in an international forum, the application of foreign law or the involvement of sovereign state parties. Where matters of foreign law arise we partner with similar market-leading firms with the necessary expertise in the relevant jurisdictions.
Our partners are experienced and technically excellent lawyers all having come from London-based large international law firms.
A number of our lawyers are experienced solicitor-advocates; James Russell and Toby Starr have conducted High Court trials as advocates, and Kris Kerstetter and Robert Javin-Fisher have conducted final arbitration hearings as advocates.
We are conflict-free due to our specialisation in commercial dispute resolution.
Client service: Excellent client service is at the heart of everything we do.
Disputes happen. In today’s fast-paced world, legal issues can arise unexpectedly and evolve rapidly. When they do, we are here to guide our clients through to a resolution, utilising our wealth of experience in the conduct of high-value and complex commercial litigation and arbitration across a range of sectors. We are also at home with the strategic and commercial planning that takes place long before, or instead of, a dispute reaching a court or tribunal.
Our team is dedicated to achieving optimal outcomes through meticulous preparation, innovative problem-solving, and adept negotiation skills. We are relentless in our pursuit of justice and fairness, always seeking to resolve conflicts in a manner that is both efficient and satisfactory for all parties involved. By upholding these values, we foster an environment of trust and respect, which is conducive to reaching resolution. We have an excellent track record of achieving successful outcomes for our clients, whether that be by final determination of the dispute by a court or tribunal or through settlement. Most of our cases are resolved without the need for trials.
No two cases are the same. Recognising that behind every case are individuals facing significant challenges, we offer compassionate, personalised support that respects their needs and perspectives. Many of our lawyers have lived and worked overseas. We understand the influence that local culture can have on the conduct and resolution of disputes, and we adapt our advice and strategy accordingly.
Our lawyers are adept at tailoring our strategies to suit the unique needs of each client and situation. We are not afraid to think outside the box and explore creative commercial solutions to achieve our clients’ objectives. We pride ourselves on our flexibility and agility in handling our clients’ disputes.
Partner availability and personal engagement on all our cases is a key feature of our practice. We avoid inefficiencies and unnecessary cost by deploying streamlined teams dedicated to the case at hand.
Our team is committed to providing a prompt and efficient service, ensuring that our clients’ needs are addressed in a timely manner. Whether it is responding to urgent inquiries or meeting tight deadlines, you can count on us to be there when you need us most.
Our hourly rates are highly competitive relative to other City law firms and litigation boutiques. We use all forms of alternative fee arrangements and are willing to share risk with our clients in appropriate cases.
The firm has consistently been recognised for the quality of its work and client service. We are regularly ranked in The Legal 500 for our expertise in litigation, and are ranked as “Top Tier” for our work in Commercial Litigation (mid-market). Additionally, we have been shortlisted three times by The Lawyer for Boutique Law Firm of the Year, and by Legal Business for Litigation Team of the Year.
Commercial itigation: We have vast experience of court litigation in all levels of the English higher courts. We are also often instructed to manage court litigation relating to international disputes taking place in off-shore or other foreign jurisdictions.
We work closely with our clients in pursuing their commercial objectives in many types of disputes that are subject to court litigation including those that concern:
- Banking and financial services
- Companies (including shareholders and directors)
- Commercial contracts
- Competition (private enforcement actions) and group action (please see our Collective Redress page for further details)
- Fraud and corruption
- IT and technology
- Pharmaceuticals
- Licensing and distribution
- International trade
- Shipping
- Insurance and reinsurance
- Mergers and acquisitions (including claims relating to completion accounts and warranties)
- Funds and private equity
- Private international law
- Professional negligence (particularly accountants and lawyers)
- Senior executive compensation and poaching
International arbitration: We have extensive expertise in acting for clients in arbitrations under all the major international sets of arbitration rules and involving multiple systems of law or even general principles of international law. We develop global strategies and assemble case-specific teams of sophisticated international lawyers in all relevant jurisdictions to handle the most complex cross-border cases. We also act both for and in opposition to sovereign states. We cover all aspects of international disputes including the enforcement of awards wherever counterparties have their assets.
Our expertise includes advising in relation to:
- Mergers and acquisitions (including completion accounts and warranties)
- Complex sale, licencing and distribution agreements
- Joint ventures
- Investment treaty disputes
- Industrial projects
- Government contracts
- Financial instruments
- International trade
This experience spans numerous industry sectors including:
- Oil and gas
- Mining and minerals
- Defence
- Pharmaceuticals
- Shipping
- Media and telecommunications
- Financial services
- International services and consultancy contracts
- Construction
Our partners also accept appointments to act as arbitrators in domestic or international commercial disputes.
Collective redress: HK is a leading London law firm active in ‘class action’ work. Our mandates are typically for businesses and other organisations as claimants against other businesses (although as a firm we remain generally open to acting for claimants and defendants). We work with litigation funders and ATE insurers as appropriate to meet our clients’ requirements and are familiar with market norms for documentation and pricing.
We are currently instructed on behalf of the claimants/proposed class representative in actions concerning Google and Blackmore Bond.
We are actively engaged in a number of further class actions in technology, data and financial services.
HK has an established reputation in this field, being particularly well-known for acting for and ultimately settling the claims of a large group of 700 merchants, local authorities and others in the interchange fees litigation against Mastercard and Visa. The firm has also worked on the investigation or pursuit of class actions involving a range of fraudulent and reckless investment schemes, failed SIPP and property investments, data breaches, failed tax schemes and ‘stock drop’ claims, amongst other work.
We have the legal knowledge, the funding and insurance connections, and the team strength to handle class actions effectively. This means our clients do not need to pay unless and until recoveries are made and only pay out of those recoveries for our fees and all necessary disbursements. We prepare cases to fight to trial but aim to reach earlier settlements in the interests of all concerned.
Investigations: We have performed many internal investigations for clients in a number of sectors. We have advised and represented clients in regulatory investigations and disciplinary and enforcement proceedings such as before the Financial Conduct Authority, the Upper Tribunal and the Financial Reporting Council. We have acted for individuals and institutions in relation to high profile international regulatory investigations including interest rate, FX and overseas corrupt payments.
Representative mandates include conducting an investigation into financial reporting irregularities for a multi-national; an investigation into allegations of bullying and inappropriate conduct by a bank CEO; and an internal investigation of a major utility company in connection with compliance with safety requirements in North Sea oil and gas exploration and storage.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial litigation and arbitration | Kristopher Kerstetter | [email protected] | +44 207 632 6902 |
| Commercial litigation and arbitration | Joanna Pearson | [email protected] | +44 207 438 1125 |
| Commercial litigation and arbitration | Toby Starr | [email protected] | +44 203 960 3990 |
| Commercial litigation and arbitration | James Russell | [email protected] | +44 207 632 6904 |
| Commercial litigation and arbitration | Robert Javin-Fisher | [email protected] | +44 207 438 1129 |
Solicitor Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
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Mr Robert Javin-Fisher | Robert Javin-Fisher is a partner and solicitor-advocate at HK. Rob has over… | View Profile |
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Mr Kristopher Kerstetter | Kristopher Kerstetter is the senior partner of HK with over twenty years’… | View Profile |
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Mr Chris Louth | Chris is a Managing Associate at HK. | View Profile |
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Joanna Pearson | Joanna Pearson is the managing partner at HK with 23 years’ experience… | View Profile |
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Mr James Russell | James Russell is a partner at HK with 20 years’ experience of… | View Profile |
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Mr Toby Starr | Toby Starr is a partner and solicitor-advocate at HK with 30 years’… | View Profile |
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Mr Eraldo d'Atri | Eraldo is a partner and solicitor advocate with over 15 years’ experience… | View Profile |