Joseph Curl KC specialises in insolvency litigation. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2021.
He is currently ranked as a leading silk in both the major legal directories. Chambers and Partners 2024 describes him as follows:
“He has forensic attention to detail and extensive expertise, combined with a highly persuasive and compelling advocacy style.”
“He is extremely user-friendly, down to earth, practical and accessible.”
“His advice covers all legal bases but also takes into account commercial realities.”
“He is exceptionally bright and a clear and convincing advocate.”
Legal 500 2024 says:
“Tenacious and courteous advocacy style, really fights his clients’ corner, deep expertise and specialist knowledge of insolvency law.”
Immediately prior to taking silk, he was ranked Band 1 as a junior for Restructuring and Insolvency by Chambers and Partners 2021. He was Company/Insolvency Junior of the Year at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2019.
Joseph’s recent work includes successfully leading for the joint liquidators of the BHS Group in a five-week trial before Leech J in proceedings brought against a number of former directors: Re BHS Group Limited (in liquidation); Wright v Chappell [2024] EWHC 1417 (Ch). The award in this case is reputed to be the largest ever entered for wrongful trading under s.214 of the Insolvency Act 1986.
Other recent highlights include two appeals on standing to challenge an office-holder’s conduct, which are now the leading authorities on this question in corporate and personal insolvency respectively: in the Court of Appeal in Re Edengate Homes (Butley Hall) Ltd; Lock v Stanley [2022] EWCA Civ 626, [2022] 2 BCLC 1; and in the Supreme Court in Brake v Chedington Court Estate Ltd [2023] UKSC 29, [2023] 1 WLR 3035, [2023] 4 All ER 1021.
Joseph is one of the General Editors (with Louis Doyle KC and Professor Andrew Keay) of Doyle, Keay and Curl: Annotated Insolvency Legislation 2024 (12th edition). He is also the co-author (with Professor Andrew Keay and Professor Peter Walton) of Corporate Governance and Insolvency: Accountability and Transparency, published in 2022.
He was appointed a Deputy Insolvency and Companies Court Judge in 2020.
Between 2001 and 2007, Joseph worked in the restructuring department of DLA Piper UK LLP.