One Essex Court

Veena is recommended as a ‘Rising Star’ by the Legal 500 and as ‘Up and Coming’ in Chambers & Partners in commercial litigation, commercial dispute resolution, banking and finance and group litigation.

Veena is regularly instructed in complex and high-value commercial disputes. She has appeared before a range of courts and tribunals including the Court of Appeal and the Competition Appeal Tribunal. Veena’s recent instructions include acting for Mastercard in interchange fee litigation and BHP in Municipio de Mariana v BHP Group (UK) Ltd (recognised in The Lawyer’s Top 10 Appeals of 2022 and Top 20 cases of 2020) which is one of the largest group actions (by number of claimants) brought in the English courts. Alongside cases where she acts as part of a counsel team, Veena regularly acts as sole counsel especially for financial institutions. Her recent sole counsel instructions including acting for HSBC and Santander.

Before coming to the Bar, Veena taught Administrative Law at Cambridge University and has a particular interest in cases raising public law issues. Veena maintains an active interest in academic law and has published in areas including civil procedure, conflict of laws, contract, and public law.

Veena’s recent and notable instructions include:

Municipio de Mariana & ors v BHP Group Plc and BHP Group Ltd: Acting (with Charles Gibson KC, Daniel Toledano KC, Shaheed Fatima KC and others) for BHP in the group action brought by over 200,000 claimants against BHP Group Plc and BHP Group Ltd, at first instance and in the 5-day appeal before the Court of Appeal. Judgments include [2023] EWCA Civ 1388; [2023] EWHC 2607 (TCC); [2023] EWHC 2030 (TCC); [2022] EWHC 330 (TCC); [2022] EWCA Civ 951; [2021] EWHC 146 (TCC); [2020] EWHC 2471 (TCC); [2020] EWHC 928 (TCC).

Commercial and Interregional Card Claims I Ltd & Commercial and Interregional Card Claims II Ltd v Mastercard Inc & ors: Acting (with Sonia Tolaney KC and Matthew Cook KC) for the Mastercard defendants in proposed collective proceedings seeking damages for interchange fees. The CAT refused to certify the claims and has granted a stay for the PCRs to indicate whether they will submit revised proposals: [2023] CAT 38.

Hashwah & ors v Qatar National Bank & ors: Acting (with Hannah Brown KC and Sandy Phipps) for a Gulf financial institution in Commercial Court proceedings alleging involvement in terrorist financing in Syria. The Court declared that one set of proceedings brought by the Claimants was barred by state immunity: [2022] EWHC 2242 (Comm).

BB & Ors v Al Khayyat & Ors: Acting (with Hannah Brown KC and Sandy Phipps) for a Gulf financial institution in King’s Bench Division proceedings alleging involvement in terrorist financing in Syria. Judgments include: [2023] EWCA Civ 253 [2020] EWHC 3567 (QB); [2021] EWHC 2551 (QB).

Astor v Atalaya: Successfully acted for Astor (with Anna Boase KC) in the trial of Astor’s claim for outstanding consideration for the sale of the Rio Tinto Mine.[2022] EWHC 628 (Comm):

ICC Proceedings: Acted (with Alex Gunning KC and others) for a Dutch infrastructure investment company in a dispute worth over $2bn with its joint venture partner in relation to the building of a deep water grain terminal on the Russian Black Sea coast. Veena cross-examined an expert in the field of marine infrastructure.

Advising (with Sebastian Isaac KC) shareholders in substantial claims against a technology company and its former directors alleging deceit and liability for false and misleading statements under FSMA.

Advising (with Alain Choo Choy KC and Nehali Shah) a number of investment funds and asset managers in claims alleging interference with A1P1 rights.

Called 2017, Lincoln’s Inn

COMBAR

BA Law (Cantab) (First class); LLM (Harvard)