Kavan Gunaratna

Kavan represents clients in disputes across the full spectrum of commercial-chancery litigation. He is ranked by the legal directories as a leading junior in several disciplines, reflecting his strength and expertise across the board, including in the fields of: insolvency and restructuring; property/ real estate disputes; and chancery-commercial litigation, where he is described as “unfailingly brilliant” and “one of the best barristers in the area” (see below). Kavan’s work is exclusively contentious and he is often on his feet, appearing in the Business and Property Courts of the High Court, in the specialist County Court lists, in Tribunals, and in the Appellate Courts in all of his fields of practice.

Kavan  won Chambers & Partners - Company/Insolvency Junior of the Year award in 2022

Insolvency & Restructuring

Kavan deals with all aspects of corporate and personal insolvency.

His experience includes, all aspects of company, LLP, partnership and individual insolvency. His experience ranges from applications to set aside statutory demands, injunctions, bankruptcy petitions, administration applications, antecedent transaction claims (misfeasance, TUVs, preferences, s.423 IA 1986), unlawful dividends and distributions, wrongful trading and all other areas of insolvency.

Property

Kavan covers all types of real estate litigation, commercial landlord and tenant disputes, and residential lease and tenancy disputes

Commercial

All aspects of general commercial litigation and banking litigation, including commercial fraud, asset recovery, guarantees, secured lending and contractual disputes

Company

All types of company law, including directors’ disqualification, directors’ duties and shareholder’s disputes

Banking and Finance

Kavan has dealt with a range of banking enforcement matters such as guarantees and mortgages acting for both banks and sureties,

Partnership and LLP

Kavan has regularly advised and acted in partnership and LLP disputes. His assistance is often sought in the context of disputes among partners/members of professional partnerships/LLPs.

His multi-disciplinary expertise enables him to give complete advice on other aspects which regularly arise in partnership/LLP disputes, such as contract, insolvency, professional negligence, civil fraud, insurance and commercial property.

Professional Negligence and Disciplinary

As well as acting in cases involving alleged breaches of duties of care and skill by company directors and banks, Kavan regularly acts in professional negligence claims against solicitors, accountants, financial advisers and insolvency practitioners

Kavan read law at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, before being called to the Bar with an ‘Outstanding’ classification (ranking in the top 10 of over 500 pupils in his year at bar school), and was awarded Lord Mansfield, Sir Robert Megarry and Hardwicke scholarships from Lincoln’s Inn as well as its Buchanan prize as the top scholar at his call.