Mr Bajul Shah > Chambers of Elspeth Talbot Rice KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

XXIV Old Buildings‘s members take instructions spanning the full breadth of aviation matters, covering insurance disputes, leasing issues that range from non-payment of rents to redelivery matters, and other claims arising out of hull losses. Steven Thompson KC is noted for his expertise in matters tied to aircraft maintenance and leasing challenges. Edward Cumming KC is highly sought after by airlines in dispute with lessors regarding aircraft condition, appearing for the airline in Jet2.com v SmartLynx, concerning liabilities resulting from the delivery of allegedly poorly maintained aircraft. Bajul Shah is acting for a number of hull risk reinsurers facing claims in the wake of Russian aircraft seizures, also taking on product liability cases in the sector, while Tom Stewart Coats‘ growing aviation practice encompasses redelivery disputes, acting for major airlines in relation to maintenance obligations.

XXIV Old Buildings is sought after by clients to handle work originating from Gibraltar, Bermuda, BVI, the Cayman Islands, and the Crown Dependencies. Stephen Moverley Smith KC is a key silk at the set and has appeared before the Supreme Court of the Bahamas, the Bermuda Court of Appeal, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and the Privy Council, and has recently been acting alongside Francis Tregear KC for the trust beneficiaries in a case concerning the division of a trust into several, and the related opposition application. Tregear KC is called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean, as is Elspeth Talbot Rice KC, who continues to act for the appellants in the Wong v Grand View case, which concerns the validity and transfer of five purpose trusts, as well as the related use of powers of addition and exclusion. Among the set’s strong bench of juniors, Nicole Langlois is dual qualified to act in England and Jersey, and Bajul Shah is notable for his trust disputes work; he represented the defendant in Pilatus (PTC) Limited v RBC Trutsees (Guernsey) Limited, which concerns a breach of trust claim following the resignation of the trustee. Andrew Holden is another key junior at the set.

The members of XXIV Old Buildings are well-equipped to handle corporate, commercial, and finance-based disputes, including fraud and insolvency matters, before the courts of Gibraltar, Bermuda, BVI, the Cayman Islands, and the Crown Dependencies, including Jersey and Guernsey. Stephen Moverley Smith KC specialises in restructuring, fraud, and insolvency work, as well as cases surrounding allegations of corruption. He represented the successful respondent in the Cayman Court of Appeal in a case which saw, for the first time, an appellant decision confirming the jurisdictional power and scope of the Grand Court when considering injunctions in support of foreign arbitrations (Minsheng Vocational Education Company Limited v Lead Education Holding Limited and Others). Francis Tregear KC has recently been active in major liquidation cases in Cayman, and David Brownbill KC is skilled in fraud and asset recovery claims. He is representing the defendant in the Gibraltar-based case of Ambra and Others v Fiman Limited and Others, which concerns allegations of breaches of statutory, fiduciary, and tortious duties which are said to have caused substantial losses to several offshore companies. International disputes specialist Steven Thompson KC is active in the BVI, where he has appeared before the Court of Appeal and Privy Council. A key junior, Bajul Shah boasts company, commercial, and insolvency expertise.