Barrister specialising in banking and finance; commercial litigation; company law; civil fraud; insolvency; and offshore disputes.

Called 2017 (Queen Mother scholar of Middle Temple). Karl is a commercial chancery barrister who is frequently instructed both as sole counsel in the High Court and County Court, and as part of a wider counsel team in heavy commercial litigation. He maintains a broad practice, specialising in banking, civil fraud, company, insolvency and general commercial disputes. Karl has been instructed on several high-profile civil fraud disputes, such as JTrust Asia PTE Ltd v Konoshita (2023, DIFC), Autonomy v Lynch [2022] EWHC 1178 (Ch) (3-week quantum trial in 2024) and a multi-million pound fraud claim in the High Court concerning the sale of mini-bonds to consumer investors. Company and general commercial litigation are a mainstay of Karl’s practice: recent instructions include Chambi v Aristodemou [2024] EWHC 1610 (Ch) (unled 5-day High Court trial in unfair prejudice proceedings) and GTC Trading SA v Hazem Abdolshahid Mahmoudi Rashed and Ors (2024, DIFC). Karl has also developed an established offshore practice. He has particular experience with disputes in the Middle East, including in the DIFC, ADGM and QFC. He has also been instructed on multiple cases in the BVI, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

Publications

Textbooks

‘International Law and Jurisdiction’ in Daniel Clarry (ed), The UK Supreme Court Yearbook, Volume 10: 2018–2019 Legal Year (Appellate Press 2021) 707 (co-authored with Jonathan Crow QC). Zuckerman on Civil Procedure 4th Ed. (2021) (Sweet & Maxwell) (editor) Loose and Griffiths on Liquidators 9th Ed. (LexisNexis 2019) (contributor) ‘Equity’ in Daniel Clarry (ed), The UK Supreme Court Yearbook, Volume 9: 2017–2018 Legal Year (Appellate Press 2019) 510 (co-authored with Jonathan Crow QC)

Articles & Case Notes

‘Question of Proof’ (2023) CLJ 82(2), 216-219 ‘Identifying the Complainant in PPI Mis-Selling Complaints Brought by Trustees in Bankruptcy’ (2023) JIBFL (7), 494-495 ‘Lost luggage and judicial baggage: Harb v HRH Prince Abdul Aziz’ [2016] EWCA Civ 556, (2016) CJQ 35(4) (cited in De Smith’s Judicial Review (8th Ed)) Regular contributor to LexisPSL Case Analysis and Q&A

Other

Contributor to Practical Law Corporate: Questions for Counsel Lexis PSL Practice Notes concerning compulsory winding-up (co-authored with Eleanor Holland) Lexis PSL Practice Notes concerning creditors’ voluntary liquidation Contributor to 4 Stone Buildings publications ‘Litigation in the Time of Covid-19’ (2021) and ‘Commercial and Insolvency Litigation in the DIFC’ (2022)

Spanish.

Chancery Bar Association; COMBAR; Insolvency Lawyers’ Association, Financial Services Lawyer Association.

Queens’ College, University of Cambridge (2015) BA (Hons) Law; Christ Church, University of Oxford (2016) BCL.

Triathlon, Cycling, Ultrarunning, Golf.