Mark Howard KC KC > Brick Court Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile

With ‘strength in-depth in sanctions as well as insurance,’ members of Brick Court Chambers continue to be instructed on significant and high profile cases within insurance and reinsurance, with members acting on a broad range of claims, ranging from cases related to the Russian aviation claims, to the Covid-19 business interruption cases. Noted for ‘having the court’s ear in a way that other silks do not,’ Mark Howard KC, alongside Tony Singla KC, Stephen Midwinter KC and Edward Ho  have been involved in AerCap v AIG (& Others) involving imposed sanctions prohibiting AerCap and other lessors from continuing the leasing of aircraft and parts to Russian airlines. Michael Bolding and Tom Wood are further key names from the set.

Noted for being ‘one of the top chambers with a hugely impressive array of silks and juniors,’ Brick Court Chambers continues to receive instructions for its members in significant and high-profile cases including Various Claimants v Glencore Plc in which Helen Davies KC led Tony Singla KC and Kyle Lawson in acting for a FSTE 100 Plc in defence of a S.90/90A FSMA claim brought by a number of large investor groups against the Plc, its CEO and CFO. Tim Lord KC is routinely sought out by both investors and banks for cases involving litigation in banking and finance, and Mark Howard KC is experienced in commercial and city litigation both in trial and appellate advocacy. Charlotte Tan has been instructed in banking disputes involving civil fraud, including The Republic of Mozambique v Credit Suisse & Ors, which raised allegations of bribery and corruption. Richard Blakeley KC and Fred Hobson KC were made silks in 2024.

Brick Court Chambers is described as a ‘one-stop shop’ when it comes to international arbitration and its members are regularly instructed in high-value international arbitrations seated across the globe, arbitration related court cases and in investor-state disputes. Clients turn to the set for their ‘huge strength in depth’, where at Silk level, members often handle high profile and politically sensitive cases, such as Mark Howard KC leading a team representing the Nigerian government in the Process and Industrial Developments Ltd v Federal Republic of Nigeria case, setting aside an arbitration award which the court found to be procured by falsified and the use of documents which should not have been disclosed to P&ID; Harry Matovu KC represented Nigeria in earlier stages of the dispute. Juniors in the set equally have strength in investment treaty proceedings, an area in which Zahra Al-Rikabi and Edward Ho have recently been active.

Brick Court Chambers is ‘a go-to set‘ with ‘huge depth of talent in its barristers at all levels‘, and garners praise for its ‘depth of experience in the energy sector‘. Helen Davies KC continues to advise Prysmian on an application for CPO on behalf of all purchasers of electricity in the UK, in relation to cartel claims concerning the supply of high-voltage underground and submarine power cables. Mark Howard KC has an excellent reputation for handling a broad spectrum of contentious energy and natural resources work. Among the juniors, Edward Ho has a strong track record in handling investment arbitration cases in the energy and mining sectors, and Tom Pascoe is sought after for his experience in advising on high-profile, high-value arbitration cases.

As a ‘premier commercial set with real strength-in-depth’, Brick Court Chambers continues to impress with its routine involvement in big-ticket cases. In Privatbank v Kolomoisky, Mark Howard KC represents former bank owner Igor Kolomoisky against the bank’s claims that he misappropriated US$2.4bn by arranging fraudulent loans, leading Michael Bools KC, Alec Haydon KC, Geoffrey Kuehne, and Ben Woolgar. Simon Salzedo KC leads a team including Richard Eschwege KC, Michael Bolding, and Tom Wood, representing mining company Vale SA in Municipio de Mariana v BHP Group, a significant group action with over 800,000 claimants seeking £36bn in damages for the Fundão Dam collapse in Brazil. Roger Masefield KC represents the Nigerian government in Nigeria v Tibit, a case concerning an attempt to recover a private jet, alleged to have been purchased by late kleptocrat Sane Abacha’s oil minister with the proceeds of corruption. Richard Blakeley KC took silk in March 2024.

Brick Court Chambers is home to numerous reputable silks who regularly conduct a wide range offshore commercial disputes. Vernon Flynn KC is a notable commercial silk at the set who is representing the Government of Pakistan in BVI litigation concerning the enforcement of an ICSID award in favour of Tethyan Copper Company. Mark Howard KC has substantial experience in handling cases in offshore jurisdictions, especially the BVI, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands – he is representing CL Financial Limited in a case concerning allegations that the sale of shares from his client to Proman Holding (Bermuda) Limited was done without authority, and also at a major undervalue (Proman Holding (Bermuda) Limited v CL Financial Limited). Stephen Midwinter KC frequently represents clients in the BVI Commercial Court, while Simon Salzedo KC is especially skilled in Cayman Island appraisal litigation and representing dissenting shareholders. Among its juniors, Edward Ho and Ben Woolgar are particularly active.