Giles is recognised as a robust, thorough advocate. He has a clear grasp of commercial issues and how best to overcome them. He works with his clients, favouring a team approach, particularly when faced with complex issues. With an in-depth understanding of the commercial world, he is adept at keeping his clients informed and aware of any issues that may arise at the earliest opportunity. Giles is a truly commercial litigator in terms of approach to his cases and his clients’ interests and needs. He recognises the importance of achieving his clients’ aims and objectives (whether at trial or through ADR) as quickly and as cost effectively as possible.
Giles is consistently noted as a leader in his field, is highly regarded for his ‘technical knowledge and commercial know-how’, and has a wealth of experience dealing with substantial commercial litigation. Over the last 28 years he has appeared at all levels up to and including the Court of Appeal and even in the Supreme Court of the Seychelles and in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar.
His practice has a particular emphasis on civil and corporate fraud, company and contentious insolvency work, professional negligence (claimant and defendant) and banking.
Before taking Silk, Giles was Junior Counsel to the Crown (Regional Panel A) and his work for the Secretary of State focused on contentious public interest winding up petitions, including the appointment of provisional liquidators and appropriate injunctive relief, and disqualification applications under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.
In recent years he has successfully completed a number of high profile high value corporate fraud cases, leading other junior Counsel, and has successfully acted as the leading Counsel for the Secretary of State in what was then the largest public interest petition brought by Companies Investigations.
Giles has also recently appeared in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar, where he successfully appealed against a decision of a liquidator of a foreign insurance company in order to confirm a substantial proof of debt based on a UK judgment; and has dealt with the high profile insolvency of the Redcar based steel business operated by SSI UK Ltd, now in liquidation.
He has also represented over 300 claimants in a multi-million pound corporate fraud case in the Cayman Islands.
Giles was appointed Queen’s Counsel in December 2020, with effect from 15 March 2021.
Client/solicitor testimonials recommendations
“I have worked with Giles for a number of years, and he is my first choice barrister for complex disputes. My clients always warm to him as he displays exceptional attention to detail and superb commercial awareness. On his feet, Giles is an extremely proficient advocate; and he is a great team player. I have no doubt that he will prove to be a great QC”.
Marc Yaffe Head of Commercial Litigation, JMW Solicitors LLP
“A fantastic advocate. Extremely bright and able to grasp the facts of the case quickly even when technically demanding. Tenacious. Commercially astute. Easy to work with and always impresses the client / business.”
Darren Hill, Head of Claims and Debt Recovery, United Utilities Legal Service
“I have known and used Giles over the last 10 years on a variety of high value and/or complex commercial disputes, including professional negligence, breach of contract and tort cases, and actions involving fraud. He has an insatiable appetite for work and will leave no stone unturned in his desire to do the best job possible for a client. At the same time, he is very much a team player and adopts a pragmatic, commercial approach to the matter at hand and never loses sight of the client’s stated goal.”
Steve Morris, Commercial Litigation Partner, JMW Solicitors LLP
- What the directories say
- He is excellent with clients, and solicitors really rate his service levels.
He is a very good advocate – aggressive when he needs to be and very confident when he speaks in court.
Very detailed and thorough.
He’s always a great opponent because you know you’re going to be meeting the strongest case that can be met.
Giles provides enthusiastic input and takes on a prominent team role – he is happy to roll his sleeves up.
He is thorough in his preparation, an excellent strategist, and an effortless advocate who is good at thinking on his feet.
He is great with clients and rolls his sleeves up and gets stuck in.Chambers & Partners UK 2021 - Giles is an exceptional advocate. I have now seen him on his feet numerous times and his advocacy is as good as any I have seen from any of the top silks at any of the leading sets. Giles tells you how it is. His advice is straight and to the point. He does not sit on the fence.
Technically very able; clear and persuasive advocate; proactive, responsive and team focused. Drives cases forward and reads judges well.Legal 500 2021 - He is tenacious and a very good cross-examiner.
He is notable for his assertive courtroom presence and is always ready to take on cases that require those sorts of skills.
He has got a very good head for the commercial perspective on a case.
He is very fair, concentrates on the issues and is very easy to deal with.
An excellent advocate who is very good at dealing with clients and gives strong commercial advice.
He gives a very honest assessment of the case and he is not afraid to make the right judgement call.Chambers & Partners UK 2020 - Pugnacious, great with clients and very hard working.Legal 500 2020
- Highly experienced, good with clients and an excellent advocate.
Hard-working and tenacious.
He has a tenacious and enthusiastic approach to litigation and always impresses the client. He is very much a details man when it comes to preparation and is a pleasure to work with.
He is excellent with clients, manages expectations and is always prepared. He’s a skilled advocate and a good team player.Chambers and Partners 2019 - He’s exceptionally diligent, exhaustive in his preparation and an impressive trial advocate who receives high praise from clients.
He’s an excellent advocate, particularly when dissection of an opponent’s argument is required.
Ability is a prerequisite, but I have never known a harder-working and more responsive barrister who goes beyond what you expect.
He does not stand any nonsense and is extremely tenacious.
An excellent senior junior, he is exceptionally diligent and exhaustive in his preparations as well as an impressive trial advocate who receives high praise from clients.Chambers & Partners 2018 - A master tactician.Legal 500 2018
- He is technically brilliant, aggressive when he needs be, and very commercially minded.
Time and time again, he achieves results beyond the clients’ expectations.
Technically brilliant, aggressive when he needs to be and commercially minded.
He provides well-considered, practical advice and is good with clients.
He is not only a technically strong barrister, but a commercial and tenacious advocate.Chambers & Partners 2017 - Very good on his feet and with clients alike.Legal 500 2017
- He is a robust, commercial advocate.
He inspires a lot of confidence through his focus on the case at hand - you know he's on top of absolutely everything.Chambers & Partners UK 2016 - A fantastic advocate, who is commercially astute and easy to work with.Legal 500 2016
- In addition to his obvious technical ability, he has great commercial awareness.Legal 500 UK 2015
- Strong in company, insolvency and professional negligence matters.Legal 500 2014
- He is excellent with clients, and solicitors really rate his service levels.
- Cases of interest
- David Hugh Carr & 16 Ors v Formation Group PLC & 5 Ors[2018] EWHC 3116 (Ch)
- McConomy and another v ASE plc[2017] EWHC 92 (Ch)
- Turvill v Bird[2016] EWCA Civ 703
- SSI UK Ltd v Hewden Stuart Ltd[2015] EWHC 2726 (Ch)
- Secretary of State for Business Innovation & Skills v Pawson[2015] EWHC 2626 (Ch)
- LSC Finance Ltd v Abensons Law Ltd[2015] EWHC 1163 (Ch)
- Overfinch Bespoke Vehicles Ltd (in Liquidation) v Freddie White as Liquidator of Lemma Europe Insurance Company Ltd[13/5/15] Gibraltar
- Secretary of State v Combined Maintenance Services Ltd(2015) LTL 7/1/15
- Qualifications & appointments
- KC (2021)
- Accredited Mediator
- Junior Counsel to the Crown (Regional Panel A) (2005 -2021)
- Memberships
- Chancery Bar Association
- R3
- Northern Circuit Commercial Bar Association
- Northern Chancery Bar Association
- Education
- Lancaster University
- Inns of Court Law School
- Personal interests
Outside work Giles is a family man but in his spare time he enjoys running, F1, football and Rugby Union.
Share thisLast updated: 09 Sep 2022.