David was articled with Edwin Coe and qualified in 1980, becoming a partner in 1984. He was appointed Senior Partner of the Firm in April 2011. David specialises in commercial litigation including competition claims and claims on behalf of shareholders, and is Head of the Group Action Litigation department.He has developed a strong following in contentious competition work being involved in cases in front of the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), High Court and Competition Commission. He has for many years advised sovereign states on disputes in international tribunals and particularly specialises in work involving governments in sub-Saharan Africa.David was appointed by the Lord Chancellor to the Civil Procedure Rules Committee in 1997. He was then appointed in 2002 as a member of the Civil Justice Council. He is the author of “Civil Procedure Rules”, an associate editor of “Civil Practice Manual”, on the editorial board of Butterworths’ “The Civil Court Practice” (“the Green Book”), a contributor to the Law Society’s “Civil Litigation Manual”, and the author of two titles for Atkins Court Forms.
England - London • Dispute resolution
Edwin Coe LLP
'A medium-sized firm with a great reputation in litigation', Edwin Coe LLP regularly acts in actions against major banks, in relation to sizeable commercial losses arising from contracts, failed investments and the mis-selling of financial products. The team also acts in substantial commercial judicial reviews and breaches of confidence claims. Ali Zaidi specialises in fraud-related cases, and insolvency and reconstruction matters; David Greene is 'one of the best litigation solicitors practising in the City'; Zahira Hussain routinely assists with contract-related claims; and elevated to partner in April 2023, barrister Thomas Johnson is experienced in fraud cases, finance disputes, and company law.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Lean and nimble team, which punches well above its weight in heavy-duty commercial litigation. Particular expertise in claimant-side mandates within group actions.’
'David Greene is one of the best litigation solicitors practising in the City who commands the respect, and fear, of his peers.'
'David Green and Fred Sheppard particularly impress with their ability to identify and address quickly the most pressing aspects of very complex transactions involving multi-layer corporate structures. Almost instant availability for discussion of urgent matters despite their significant workload.’
‘Thomas Johnson is one to watch - really gets the issues, cuts to the chase, and has a good instinct for what will matter in court.’
‘Tightly knit, working well together so that the total is greater than the sum of the parts. No wastage and client-focused.’
‘Ian Chai - an enquiring mind, diligent, to the point, and effective.’
‘One of the firm's most outstanding qualities is its ability to handle complex issues at the intersection of various fields of law, such as corporate and finance, and to use its vast collective experience in solving complex, multi-jurisdictional problems.’
‘Edwin Coe is a medium-sized firm with a great reputation in litigation - indeed, the number of reported cases where they are involved illustrates their position in the market.‘
Key clients
- Fuller Smith & Turner PLC
- Poundland Limited
- Lincolnshire Co-operative Limited
- MC Rental Limited
- Somerset County Council
- The Mayor & Commonalty & Citizens of the City of London
- Cemex UK Cement Limited
- Greene King Brewing and Retailing Limited
- Bridgemarts Limited (T/A Gowing & Pursey)
- Gap Group Limited
- BM Advisory LLP
- Sven-Goran Eriksson
- Sir Alex Ferguson
- Klarna Bank
- Conran Holdings Limited
- Royal Opera House
- The Good Law Project
- Fenix International t/a OnlyFans
- Acai Berry Foods Limited
Work highlights
- Acting for a group of 150 claimants, in relation to their claim for damages and interest against various truck manufacturers, following a finding by the European Commission of a price-fixing cartel.
- Representing the laimants who invested in, and became members of the Eclipse Scheme, which was sold as an opportunity to invest in transactions with Disney involving film rights.
- Representing consumers, in relation to the mis-selling of Spanish timeshares.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Next Generation Partners
Zahira has experience of advising Claimants as well as Defendants. She primarily deals with contractual disputes but also has experience of advising clients in professional negligence and judicial review cases.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
David Greene, Ali Zaidi