EXPERTISE
Partner in the Commercial Litigation team at Addleshaw Goddard and experienced in a broad range of commercial disputes with particular expertise in antitrust/competition litigation and large scale group litigation. Recent work includes group actions, multi-party lead case litigation, representative actions, GLOs and includes three of the most significant UK competition litigation cases of the last 10 years (the National Grid/GIS, Power Cables, and Air Cargo damages claims). Over the last 15 years Paul's work has covered a wide spectrum of business sectors, especially those that are consumer-facing, with a particular focus on cases in the transport/automotive, energy and financial services sectors.
- Experience
Competition litigation
- Gas Insulated Switchgear and Power Transformers - Advising GE/ALSTOM in a series of multi-party antitrust damages claims in the UK and Netherlands, arising from the Commission's cartel finding in the Gas Insulated Switchgear and Power Transformer markets.
- Power Cables - Advising Safran in a multi-party antitrust 'follow-on' damages claim arising from a European Commission cartel finding in the Power Cables market.
- Car Emissions - Defending two German car manufacturers in relation to a series of group actions brought concerning diesel emissions and the Commission's Decision re Car emissions.
- Air Cargo - Defending Korean Air in a series of English, Dutch and German antitrust multi-party damages claims brought in relation to a EC Decision on the air cargo sector concerning breaches of Article 101 TFEU and an alleged global tortious conspiracy.
- Advising BAT in a number claims before the Tbilisi City Court and Court of Appeal (Georgia) by two local cigarette producers concerning allegations of predatory pricing and abuse of dominance.
- Acting for an interested party in relation to Ofcom’s 2018 decision which found that Royal Mail abused its dominant position by discriminating against its only competitor (Whistl) in relation to the supply of bulk mail services in the UK as well as the level of fine imposed by Ofcom.
- Advising DFDS before the CAT, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court in a case concerning the acquisition in July 2012 by Eurotunnel of certain assets of SeaFrance and whether it was a "relevant merger situation" under s.35 of the Enterprise Act 2002.
- Acting for a staged digital wallet and disruptor banking platform against a global payments and technology company including allegations of abuse of dominance.
- Advising DCC in a distribution agreement dispute and securing judgment for approximately £10.2 million plus interest and costs against a Taiwanese manufacturer. The case raised contractual issues as well as alleged breaches of Article 101 TFEU and the English doctrine of restraint of trade.
Commercial Litigation and arbitration
- Defending a $30m claim brought by a former employee of United Al Saqer Group for compensation after alleging he was forced out of the Abu Dhabi conglomerate and threatened with deportation. The claim, brought against UASG and HE Sheikh Mohammed and others, successfully challenged the English Court's jurisdiction arguing that there was no evidence that the criminal justice system in the UAE was susceptible to manipulation by the Defendants and that there was no real risk that the Claimant would not receive a fair trial in the UAE.
- Acting for a global commodity trading company in an arbitration concerning a dispute regarding iron ore mining rights in Sierra Leone.
- Acting for NATS in a dispute against a low cost airline regarding outstanding landing charges at UK airports.
- Bringing a successful Judicial Review on behalf of the Pension Protection Fund in a £1 billion claim regarding the PPF’s statutory obligations under retained EU law when assessing compensation, including interpreting and applying a series of Judgments of the Court of Justice of the EU, the Court of Appeal.
- Advising the independent trustees of a very large pension scheme in relation to State Aid issues and the statutory interpretation of a Crown Guarantee. The case involved Part 8 proceedings, an application for proceedings without a Defendant, and a trustees' Beddoe application.
Financial Services Disputes
- Advising an international investment bank with its internal review into the international regulatory investigations carried out concerning the alleged manipulation of LIBOR submissions.
- Advising a High Street bank in relation to an Enforcement Action brought by the FCA in relation to the bank's remuneration and reward policies and practices for the sale of its assurance, protection and investment products. The FCA's investigation was focused on the bank's governance and controls, including a review of the bank's internal management structures and processes in relation to those sales
- Defending a claim brought by Cantor Fitzgerald against Yes Bank regarding the fees relating to a US$373 million investment in Yes Bank.
- Advising an investment bank in relation to a dispute over the embedded security in a credit agreement.
- Advising a mutual assurance society on a series of claims for mis-selling and misrepresentation arising from the sale of pensions and annuity related policies. This included the defence of a group action brought by several hundred existing policyholders.
- Advising a merchant bank in complex multi-party proceedings involving claims against, inter alia, the directors of a company, the company's auditors and its financial adviser. The case included claims for negligent misstatement and misrepresentation.
- Education
- Durham University – BA (1999)
- University of St Andrews – MLitt (2000)
- University of Law (York) – PgDL (2001)
- University of Oxford (OXILP) – PgDLP (2002)
- Professional Memberships
- The Law Society of England and Wales
- Law Society of Ireland
- Law Society of Scotland