Damien Walker is a senior junior counsel specialising in commercial dispute resolution. He now has 14 years’ experience of major commercial dispute resolution, having been an associate in the litigation and arbitration division of a leading London firm before being called to the Bar in 2006. Damien practises in the English Courts at all levels; in the Cayman Courts; and before international arbitral tribunals operating under various institutional rules, both in London and abroad. He has acted in commercial cases involving a wide variety of subject matter, such as insurance and reinsurance, banking and finance, oil and gas pipelines, mining and wind farm joint ventures, share sale and shareholder agreements, commodity sale contracts, agency agreements, franchise agreements, high-tech, and civil fraud and asset tracing. While the substantive issues in Damien’s cases are often governed by English law, he also has extensive experience of handling cases governed by foreign law such as, for example, Manx, Cayman, French, Greek, Swedish, Ukrainian, Brazilian, Ghanaian, Syrian, Lebanese and Qatari law. By virtue of their international character, Damien’s cases also typically involve jurisdictional battles, conflict of laws issues or questions concerning arbitral procedure, including those which give rise to arbitration-related proceedings in the English Courts. In recent years Damien has been instructed as the sole junior in a succession of complex and very high value arbitrations. His work has led to him being consistently recommended as a leading junior for International Arbitration by both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500, where he has been noted for his technical skills (“a highly intelligent and energetic counsel”), approach to dispute resolution (“highlighted for his maturity and tactical judgment”) and user-friendliness (“works hard, is user-friendly and listens to the client’s needs”).
Called 2006, Lincoln’s Inn; admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales 2006; admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia 2000; Essex Court Chambers 2006, tenant 2006.
French (basic), Mandarin Chinese (elementary).
University of Sydney (1994 Bachelor of Arts (Economics Hons), First Class Hons and university medal (first in year); 1996 Bachelor of Laws, First Class Hons, placed in top five in year)); St Catherine’s College, Oxford (1999 Bachelor of Civil Laws, First Class Hons, Commonwealth Scholarship, Kobe Steel Scholarship).