Overview
Richard has a busy commercial chancery practice and is regularly instructed in a wide variety of commercial and chancery disputes, providing advice and representation with a particular focus on:
- Company Law, including unfair prejudice petitions, derivative claims (under the Companies Act 2006 and under the Common Law), as well as other shareholder disputes and claims relating to directors’ breaches of duty.
- Insolvency, including claims relating to antecedent transactions and asset recovery on behalf of office holders (with a particular focus on misfeasance, TUVs and preferences as well as claims in respect of transactions defrauding creditors). As part of this practice Richard is regularly instructed on urgent applications for injunctive relief to restrain the presentation or advertisement of winding up petitions, as well as urgent applications for validation orders.
- Commercial Disputes, including claims for breach of contract, claims under royalty agreements, agency disputes and claims relating to guarantees.
- Civil Fraud, including claims relating to breaches of duty on the part of company directors and other fiduciaries, claims relating to the liabilities of accessories (including dishonest assistance and knowing receipt claims) as well as asset tracing and recovery.
- Contentious Trusts, including Probate Claims, claims relating to constructive and resulting trusts (often with an overseas/offshore element) as well as regularly appearing in a wide variety of applications under the court’s supervisory jurisdiction, such as Beddoes and blessing applications.
Richard is an experienced advocate, appearing regularly as sole counsel and as part of a wider counsel team (either being led or as leader). He is frequently instructed in relation to urgent interim relief, including Proprietary and Freezing Injunctions (and applications against connected third-parties under the Norwich Pharmacal and Chabra jurisdictions).
He also has significant appellate experience, appearing both as sole counsel and as part of a wider counsel team in the Court of Appeal, as well as in appeals in the High Court and Upper Tribunal.
Richard also has a busy overseas practice representing clients in the Channel Islands and Caribbean.
Areas of expertise
Cases of interest
Some examples of Richard’s work include:
Global Steel Holding Limited (in Liquidation & Ors v Direct Investments Limited & Ors) [2025]
Richard acted as sole counsel for the First Defendant in a High Court claim. The claim concerned allegations that various inter-company transactions totalling c.US$200million were transactions at an undervalue or transactions defrauding creditors (contrary to ss. 238 & 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986). Alternatively it was alleged that the First Defendant assisted the company to conduct fraudulent trading, and/or assisted a director dishonestly breaching his fiduciary duties. It was also alleged that certain parties were unjustly enriched by the transactions and/or that there was an unlawful means conspiracy between the First Defendant and others, with the intention to cause injury to the claimants.
Segulah Medical Acceleration AB v Tripathi [2025]
Continuing to appear on behalf of the First Respondent in an unfair prejudice petition (led by Mike Todd KC and James Couser), opposing buy-out relief estimated to be in the region of US$42.5 million. Richard has been acting as sole counsel on the last two occasions the matter has been before the court including [2025] EWHC 1228 (Ch).
Re A Company [2025]
Led by Ben Lynch KC in a multi-day application to restrain advertisement in respect of two linked winding up petitions. The alleged debt on each petition was in excess of US$48m.
Re Node Living Limited and Re Node Europe Holdings Limited [2025]
An application made in the Royal Court in Jersey for the just and equitable winding up of two Jersey Companies. These companies held significant numbers of group companies which were located globally.
Sandbrook v Direct Collections Bailiffs Limited [2023]
Leading Harry Bithell in a 7-day High Court Trial in Manchester. The trial involves certain breaches of contract arising in a relationship between a High Court Enforcement Officer and her chosen Enforcement Agents.
Astute Capital Plc v Countrylarge 444 Ltd [2023 and 2024]
Led by Adam Chichester-Clark in relation to a secured lender’s rights in certain properties. This included protecting the lender’s position by obtaining interim freezing/proprietary relief to prevent the borrower from disposing of assets, and other related third-party applications. This was reported as [2024] EWHC 75 (Ch) and [2023] EWHC 1851 (Ch).
Cuckow v AXA Insurance UK Plc [2023]
Led by John McDonnell KC on the test case relating to a claim being brought against the insurers of a bankrupt energy installation company under the Third Party (Rights Against Insurers) Act 1930. The issue was whether the certain breaches of conditions precedent and failures to comply with an obligation to preserve documents by the insured would provide a defence to the insurers in a claim brought by the third party. Reported [2023] EWHC 701 (KB).
Harrington Scott Ltd v Coupe Bradbury Solicitors Ltd [2022 and 2023]
Sole counsel in a 7-day summary judgment/strike out application relating to the alleged negligence of a firm of solicitors, with a focus on the issues of causation and the viability of the claims that had been lost. Reported [2023] EWHC 294 (Ch) and [2022] EWHC 2275 (Ch).
Glocin Ltd v Bancibo SE [2022]
Sole counsel in the High Court application to restrain presentation of a winding up petition. This application included significant issues of Czech law, and matters relating to whether or not that gave rise to a dispute of fact. Reported as EWHC 1858 (Ch).
Prinse v Landmasters (Overseas) Ltd and Ors [2022]
Sole counsel in a double derivative claim arising in unusual circumstances where the claimant was a majority shareholder of a Cypriot Company which pursued double derivative relief in England and Wales relating to properties held by its English subsidiary. Numerous freezing and proprietary injunctions were sought and obtained during the course of these proceedings. Reported as [2022] EWHC 1921 (Ch).
Shichuang Xie v Qingheng Meng [2022]
Led by John McDonnell KC in a two week unfair prejudice petition trial in the High Court relating to the UK’s largest Bubble Tea brand. Reported as 2022 EWHC 1819 (Ch)
Clarkson v Future Resources FZE [2022]
Sole counsel in the Court of Appeal on an appeal relating to whether or not the Appellant was entitled to withdraw certain pleaded admissions. Reported as [2022] EWCA Civ 230.
Adepoju (Deceased), Re [2020]
Sole counsel in this High Court trial relating to whether a portfolio of properties fell within the Deceased’s estate, or was held on constructive trust for her life partner. Reported as [2020] EWHC 2038 (Ch).
Hurst v Green [2020]
Sole Counsel in a long running High Court proceedings, culminating in an appeal brought by a bankrupt against the decision not to annul his bankruptcy. The issue was whether new evidence adduced by the bankrupt was sufficient to undermine the original decision. Reported at [2020] EWHC 344 (Ch).
Prinse v Landmasters (Overseas) Ltd [2020]
Sole Counsel in the High Court in relation to certain applications to rectify and/or vary previous orders of the court and an application for declaratory and monetary relief in the light of certain defendants breaches of previous court orders. Reported at [2020] EWHC 281 (Ch).
Wolloff v Patel [2019]
Sole counsel on Appeal to the Upper Tribunal in relation to the interaction of the provision of the Insolvency Act 1986 and the Land Registration Act 2002, and the appropriate forum to resolve certain disputes around a bankrupt’s property. Reported at [2019] UKUT 333 (LC).
Fraser Turner Ltd v PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP [2018 and 2019]
Led by David Lord KC in the first instance and on appeal to the Court of Appeal in a matter relating to the scope of the duties owed by Administrators to individual creditors, and whether a contractual duty to pay royalties survived the sale of the business by its administrators to a third-party. This involved considering the construction of certain royalty agreements relating to mining rights in the Marampa region of Sierra Leon, following the collapse of London Mining. Reported at [2019] EWCA Civ 1290 and at first instance [2018] EWHC 1743 (Ch).
Singh v Dehal [2018]
Sole Counsel in the High Court on an appeal hearing from the County Court. The issue at the hearing was whether a now dissolved company’s appeal should be adjourned pending the outcome of its application to be reinstated to the register. Reported at [2018] EWHC 884 (QB).
NRC Holding Ltd v Danilitskiy [2017]
Led by David Lord KC in a High Court trial to determine whether certain property was beneficially held by a company which was in turn held in various overseas trusts, or whether that property was actually held on a resulting/constructive trusts for a high-net worth individual who controlled the company. Reported at [2017] EWHC 1431 (Ch).
Breyer Group Plc v RBK Engineering Ltd [2017]
Sole Counsel in the High Court on a disputed winding up petition where the creditor’s standing was in issue. Reported at [2017] EWHC 1206 (Ch).
Adepoju v Akinola [2016]
Sole counsel in a probate claim relating to the competing interests of the Deceased’s daughter and life partner. This raised significant issues of Nigerian Law and questions relating to whether a marriage conducted by way of “tribal” marriage proceedings in Nigeria were recognised as a marriage for the purpose of English Law. Reported at [2016] EWHC 3160 (Ch).
Education & achievements
- University of Oxford, Worcester College – BA English Language and Literature
- The City Law School – GDL
- Kaplan Law School – Bar Professional Training Course
Personal interests
Sailing, Cricket, Running, Art/Photography, and History