South Square

Phil enjoys a broad practice which encompasses all areas of practice at South Square, with particular specialisms in domestic and cross-border insolvency, chancery and commercial litigation. He is ranked by Legal 500 as a ‘rising star’ – Tier 1 in insolvency and frequently appears unled in the High Court.

Phil has significant advocacy experience, having in his early years of practice appeared in a range of interlocutory applications and multi-day trials as sole counsel. A selection of his recent instructions includes acting for the joint administrators in Re Hartley Pensions and obtaining recognition of significant bankruptcy and corporate insolvency proceedings in Abu Dhabi in Re Almuhairi and Ors.

Before coming to the Bar, Phil graduated with a First Class degree in History from Oxford University (where he placed top of his year in Preliminary Examinations). He then worked in private equity and consultancy in the City, initially working in financial services where he was involved in the largest restructure of a UK bank since the financial crisis, before then spending two years in mergers and acquisitions.

Prior to pupillage, Phil was awarded Middle Temple’s top scholarship for his legal training, and won the Rosamund Smith Moot Competition.