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Christopher Pymont KC*

Call: 1979 | Silk: 1996

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Overview

Christopher has practised from what is now Maitland Chambers since 1980 and was elected Head of Chambers in 2012. He was appointed QC in 1996 and is a Deputy High Court Judge for the Chancery Division of the High Court.

Christopher is regarded as one of the leading Commercial Chancery silks. His practice encompasses both the traditional Chancery fields of property, company, partnership and insolvency law and also commercial disputes of all kinds, including banking, financial services and professional negligence.

 

His recent important cases have been concerned with commercial fraud and asset recovery, breach of trust and fiduciary duties, the rights of minority shareholders, solicitors’ and bankers’ negligence, proprietary estoppel, restrictive covenants, repairing, user and alienation covenants and break clauses in leases, jurisdictional issues and the proper construction (and possible rectification) of various kinds of commercial documents. His strong reputation is evidenced by his consistent recommendation over many years in the standard directories, particularly for commercial Chancery and property litigation (recent comments are cited opposite).

Over the last couple of years Christopher has appeared in the Commercial Court and Chancery Divisions, before the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the Privy Council. He also regularly appears in both international and domestic arbitrations.

Much of Christopher’s practice has an international dimension. He has recently appeared before the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal in the BVI, St Lucia and Anguilla and in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal in the Bahamas. His recent international arbitration work includes a SIAC arbitration in Singapore.

Christopher also sits as an Arbitrator.

Terms of Business 

The clerks are happy to discuss the basis on which Christopher will act in any given matter. In the absence of express written agreement otherwise, the terms under which Christopher accepts instructions are The Standard Contractual Terms for the Supply of Legal Services By Barristers to Authorised Persons 2020 (as updated from time to time) referred to in the BSB Handbook.

“A top silk ” (2023)

Legal 500
Commercial Litigation

“Very competent, very articulate and someone with good judgement." "He is very impressive as he's so thoughtful and has great presence when in court.” (2022)

Chambers UK
Chancery: Commercial

“He is just exceptional. He is excellent and able to summarise matters.” (2022)

Chambers UK
Real Estate Litigation

“Christopher’s courtroom skills are legendary.” (2022)

Legal 500 UK
Company

“A very good advocate.” (2022)

Legal 500 UK
Commercial Litigation

Expertise

Commercial Disputes 

Overview

Christopher's notable cases are as follows: 

  • FHR European Ventures LLP v Cedar Capital Partners LLC [2015] AC 250 (Supreme Court): the leading authority now establishing the availability of proprietary remedies for breach of fiduciary duty
  • Krys v New World Value Fund (Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal, on appeal to Privy Council (ref 2014/0089) – heard in June 2015, PC judgment 19.11.15): whether carried interest said to be worth some $300 million is payable on the liquidation of a BVI limited partnership holding assets formerly owned ultimately by Boris Berezovsky and others
  • Asia Resource Minerals PLC (previously known as Bumi PLC) v Roeslani  (SIAC arbitration, award Dec 2014): whether settlement agreement in respect of claims against a director for misfeasance for $173 million was enforceable (see press reports in Times and FT for further information)
  • Ivey v Genting [2015] LLR 98 (QB, currently the subject of an appeal to the CA to be heard Dec 2015): whether C had cheated in purporting to win some £7.7 million playing baccarat at a casino
  • In re Leeward Isles Ltd (Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal, Jan and June 2014): two separate appeals as to matters arising in the liquidation of an Anguillan company, including a stay of arbitration proceedings brought against the company by a creditor
  • Sharab v Prince Al-Waleed  [2013] EWHC 2324 (Ch Div): whether commission was payable to C on the sale of the Prince’s Airbus to Col Gaddafi (jurisdictional issues decided at [2009] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 160 and [2012] CLC 612)
  • Payne v Strand Investments (Bahamas Supreme Court): continuing action for recovery of assets and compensation for fraud by a solicitor on his client

 

Private Client 

Overview

Christopher's notable cases are as follows: 

  • Sheffield v Sheffield [2014] WTLR 1039 (Ch Div): claim for trustees to account for breach of an express private trust
  • Howard v Howard-Lawson [2012] 3 All ER 60 (CA): construction and effect of a “name and arms” clause in a will

Real Estate 

Overview

Christopher's notable cases are as follows:

  • Ridgewood Properties v Valero [2013] Ch 525: whether a series of option agreements for the development of petrol stations had been breached by the owner
  • Parshall v Hackney [2013] Ch 568 (CA):  deciding the effect of a mistake by the Land Registry in separately registering two persons as owners of the same piece of land
  • Woodford Land Ltd v Persimmon Homes Ltd [2011] EWHC 984 (Ch Div) and CA May 2012 (settled after hearing and before judgment): rectification of a contract for the development of a large housing estate (part of a wide-ranging dispute in relation to this contract)

Directory quotes

Legal 500
Commercial Litigation

“A top silk” (2023)

Chambers UK
Dispute Resolution: Commercial

“He is very good and very easy to work with.” (2023)

Chambers UK
Dispute Resolution: Commercial Chancery

“Very competent, very articulate and someone with good judgement." "He is very impressive as he's so thoughtful and has great presence when in court.” (2023)

 

Chambers UK
Real Estate Litigation

“He is just exceptional. He is excellent and able to summarise matters.” (2022)

Chambers UK
Commercial Dispute Resolution

“He is very good and very easy to work with.” (2022)

Legal 500 UK
Company

“Christopher's courtroom skills are legendary.” (2022)

Chambers UK
Chancery: Commercial

“An understated but extremely effective barrister." "Entirely unflappable - clients really like his style.” (2021)

Legal 500 UK
Private Client: Trusts and Probate

“One of the leading silks in the Chancery Bar.” (2021)

Chambers UK
Real Estate Litigation

“An established and well-known advocate.” (2021)

Chambers UK
Commercial Dispute Resolution

“He is knowledgeable and a safe pair of hands." "His advocacy is so persuasive it is hypnotic.” (2021)

Legal 500 UK
Commercial Litigation

“Amazing advocate – can change the weather in a hearing.” (2021)

Legal 500 UK
Company

“Well ordered, old-school court style goes down well with judges – taken seriously and trusted.” (2021)

Legal 500 UK
Property Litigation

“Well-versed in proprietary estoppel, restrictive covenants and break clauses.” (2021)

Chambers UK
Chancery: Commercial

“A magnificent advocate." "He has a brilliant strategic brain and a commanding courtroom presence. He's quietly spoken but authoritative." "A brilliant mind and a brilliant barrister.” (2020)

Chambers UK
Real Estate Litigation

“Has an extremely impressive ability to identify the issues in a dispute and present the client's case in its most positive light." "An excellent tactician who is very attuned to the likely approach of the court." "Able to deal with extremely sensitive matters.” (2020)

Chambers UK
Commercial Dispute Resolution

“He's very calm and low-key, but very effective and really excellent at hearings.” (2020)

Legal 500 UK
Property Litigation

“A star name in the property litigation field.” (2020)

Legal 500 UK
Commercial Litigation

“An excellent commercial litigator.” (2020)

Legal 500 UK
Company

“He is absolutely first rate.” (2020)

Legal 500 UK
Property Litigation

“Excellent on both the law and strategy, superb with clients.” (2019)

Chambers UK
Real Estate Litigation

“He is calm, unflappable and very user-friendly." "Calm and authoritative.” (2019)

Chambers UK
Chancery: Commercial

“Has a nice rapport with the court and presents things in a calm way, with a view to what the judge is going to be interested in." "He is so clear on his feet, and very concise. Judges are eating out of his hand by the end.” (2019)

Chambers UK
Chancery: Commercial

“Has a really lovely courtroom manner. He doesn't take bad points, and he gets the reality of the position across." "A top advocate for very, very high-profile cases, who speaks beautifully.” (2018)

Chambers UK
Real Estate Litigation

“Pragmatic, proactive and brilliant, he is a go-to adviser for heavy property-related disputes, and a real team player." "He has a marvellous bedside manner with clients; he is measured and very charming, and he never inflates expectations.” (2018)

Legal 500 UK
Company

“He is measured, methodical and a hugely impressive advocate.” (2018)

Chambers UK
Chancery: Commercial

“Christopher is calm, serene, and never gets flustered. He can understand what the client's objectives are, and has an uncanny ability to spot the points that would be of interest to the court." "He's a really smooth, calm presence, and brilliant with clients.” (2017)

Chambers UK
Real Estate Litigation

“Excellent under pressure and great with clients.” (2017)

Legal 500 UK
Company

“He is super-bright and handles complex areas of law better than anyone else.” (2017)

Legal 500 UK
Property Litigation

“An excellent advocate, who is marvellous with clients.” (2017)

Legal 500 UK
Private Client: Trusts and Probate

“He is authoritative, clear and exudes calmness.” (2017)

Memberships

  • COMBAR
  • Chancery Bar Association
  • Property Bar Association

Qualifications

  • MA (Oxon)

 clerks@maitlandchambers.com                                                                  

  +44 (0)20 7406 1200

Christopher Pymont KC*

Call: 1979 | Silk: 1996

cpymont@maitlandchambers.com

“A top silk ” (2023)

Legal 500

Commercial Litigation

Overview

Christopher has practised from what is now Maitland Chambers since 1980 and was elected Head of Chambers in 2012. He was appointed QC in 1996 and is a Deputy High Court Judge for the Chancery Division of the High Court.

Christopher is regarded as one of the leading Commercial Chancery silks. His practice encompasses both the traditional Chancery fields of property, company, partnership and insolvency law and also commercial disputes of all kinds, including banking, financial services and professional negligence.

His recent important cases have been concerned with commercial fraud and asset recovery, breach of trust and fiduciary duties, the rights of minority shareholders, solicitors’ and bankers’ negligence, proprietary estoppel, restrictive covenants, repairing, user and alienation covenants and break clauses in leases, jurisdictional issues and the proper construction (and possible rectification) of various kinds of commercial documents. His strong reputation is evidenced by his consistent recommendation over many years in the standard directories, particularly for commercial Chancery and property litigation (recent comments are cited opposite).

Over the last couple of years Christopher has appeared in the Commercial Court and Chancery Divisions, before the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the Privy Council. He also regularly appears in both international and domestic arbitrations.

Much of Christopher’s practice has an international dimension. He has recently appeared before the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal in the BVI, St Lucia and Anguilla and in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal in the Bahamas. His recent international arbitration work includes a SIAC arbitration in Singapore.

Christopher also sits as an Arbitrator.

Terms of Business 

The clerks are happy to discuss the basis on which Christopher will act in any given matter. In the absence of express written agreement otherwise, the terms under which Christopher accepts instructions are The Standard Contractual Terms for the Supply of Legal Services By Barristers to Authorised Persons 2020 (as updated from time to time) referred to in the BSB Handbook.

Memberships

  • COMBAR
  • Chancery Bar Association
  • Property Bar Association

Qualifications

  • MA (Oxon)

Commercial Disputes

Christopher's notable cases are as follows: 

  • FHR European Ventures LLP v Cedar Capital Partners LLC [2015] AC 250 (Supreme Court): the leading authority now establishing the availability of proprietary remedies for breach of fiduciary duty
  • Krys v New World Value Fund (Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal, on appeal to Privy Council (ref 2014/0089) – heard in June 2015, PC judgment 19.11.15): whether carried interest said to be worth some $300 million is payable on the liquidation of a BVI limited partnership holding assets formerly owned ultimately by Boris Berezovsky and others
  • Asia Resource Minerals PLC (previously known as Bumi PLC) v Roeslani  (SIAC arbitration, award Dec 2014): whether settlement agreement in respect of claims against a director for misfeasance for $173 million was enforceable (see press reports in Times and FT for further information)
  • Ivey v Genting [2015] LLR 98 (QB, currently the subject of an appeal to the CA to be heard Dec 2015): whether C had cheated in purporting to win some £7.7 million playing baccarat at a casino
  • In re Leeward Isles Ltd (Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal, Jan and June 2014): two separate appeals as to matters arising in the liquidation of an Anguillan company, including a stay of arbitration proceedings brought against the company by a creditor
  • Sharab v Prince Al-Waleed  [2013] EWHC 2324 (Ch Div): whether commission was payable to C on the sale of the Prince’s Airbus to Col Gaddafi (jurisdictional issues decided at [2009] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 160 and [2012] CLC 612)
  • Payne v Strand Investments (Bahamas Supreme Court): continuing action for recovery of assets and compensation for fraud by a solicitor on his client

 

Private Client

Christopher's notable cases are as follows: 

  • Sheffield v Sheffield [2014] WTLR 1039 (Ch Div): claim for trustees to account for breach of an express private trust
  • Howard v Howard-Lawson [2012] 3 All ER 60 (CA): construction and effect of a “name and arms” clause in a will

Real Estate

Christopher's notable cases are as follows:

  • Ridgewood Properties v Valero [2013] Ch 525: whether a series of option agreements for the development of petrol stations had been breached by the owner
  • Parshall v Hackney [2013] Ch 568 (CA):  deciding the effect of a mistake by the Land Registry in separately registering two persons as owners of the same piece of land
  • Woodford Land Ltd v Persimmon Homes Ltd [2011] EWHC 984 (Ch Div) and CA May 2012 (settled after hearing and before judgment): rectification of a contract for the development of a large housing estate (part of a wide-ranging dispute in relation to this contract)
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