Region Area

Barristers

Ruth Bala

Ruth Bala

4 Pump Court, London

Position

Ruth has built up a specialist practice in regulated lending, retail banking and financial services. Ruth has represented banks and finance institutions in a number of the leading cases in the area. She was lead counsel for the creditor in Kerrigan & 11 ors v Elevate Credit International Limited (t/a Sunny) (in administration) [2020] EWHC 2169 (Comm), the payday lending test case litigation on the relationship between the FCA’s Handbook rules and the ‘unfair relationship’ provisions. She also mounted a successful defence of undisclosed PPI commission in the seminal case of Harrison v Black Horse Ltd [2011] Lloyd’s Rep I.R. 455, subsequently overruled by the Supreme Court in Plevin v Paragon Personal Finance Limited [2014] 1 W.L.R. 4222, and appeared in Conlon v Black Horse Ltd [2012] GCCR 11423 (settled three days before the hearing in the Supreme Court). Ruth gives corporate entities in-depth advice on debt portfolio acquisitions and financial regulatory compliance. She is an expert on the detailed rules governing regulated activities in the FCA Handbook, including the CONC, MCOB, ICOBS and DISP modules.

Career

Called 2006, Lincoln’s Inn.

Education

Oriel College, Oxford University (Classics (Greats)); Lord Denning Scholarship, Lord Brougham Scholarship and Hardwicke Award.

Mentions

London Bar

Banking and finance (including consumer credit)

Leading junior2
Ruth Bala – 4 Pump Court ‘Ruth is very switched on and always willing to give a clear early view on merits and direction of travel. She doesn’t sit on the fence. Her advocacy is impressive and she is one of the strongest senior juniors in relation to consumer finance disputes and someone to trust with the most sensitive cases. She is a leader in relation to undisclosed commission claims and one of the best out there.’