Adam is instructed in disputes covering the full spectrum of commercial law.

Adam is typically instructed on cases demanding a team of counsel, but he also advises and represents clients as sole counsel. He has appeared both with and without a leader in the High Court and in international arbitration. He also has substantial experience of appearing without a leader in the county courts, where he frequently appears on behalf of banks.

Before coming to Chambers, Adam was a Lecturer in Law at Brasenose College, Oxford, where he taught the final-year Commercial Law course to students from various colleges.

BCL (Distinction), 2007 (Conflict of Laws; Restitution; Jurisprudence)

BA Oxon Law (First Class), 2006

Lecturer in Law, Brasenose College, Oxford, 2007-8

Senior Hulme Scholarship, Brasenose College, Oxford, 2006

Gibbs Book Prize, University of Oxford, 2006

BCL and Finals prizes, Brasenose College, Oxford, 2006-2007

Hardwicke, Denning and Shelford Scholarships, Lincoln’s Inn

• General Commercial Disputes
• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Shipping
• Banking and Finance
• Jurisdiction/Conflicts of Laws
• Injunctions & Arrests
• Entertainment & Sport
• Distributorship and Franchise

Adam is instructed in disputes covering the full spectrum of commercial law.

Selected cases:

• Instructed by the producers of the James Bond film ‘Casino Royale’ in a dispute with Pinewood Studios. The case involves the fire on set that was responsible for the destruction of the ‘007’ stage at Pinewood Studios. Adam has settled pleadings and  worked with construction consultants in relation to the quantum of loss incurred. Instructed as a junior to Tim Kenefick.
• Instructed by a multinational construction group in a dispute arising from its takeover of a regional UK firm. The case involves the interpretation and application of warranties in a share-purchase agreement. Adam has advised; settled pleadings; worked with quantity surveyors in order to ascertain the proper costing of certain construction projects; and appeared at a case management conference. Instructed as a junior to Rebecca Sabben-Clare.
• Instructed by an Integrated Lloyd’s Vehicle and various of its shareholders in a multi-faceted dispute with minority shareholders. The case involves a shareholders’ agreement and contracts of loan and employment, and raises various questions of contract formation (in particular, agency) and the interpretation of contract terms. Adam has advised; settled pleadings; appeared in the High Court defending a Summary Judgment application; and appeared in an interlocutory application in the arbitral reference. Instructed as a junior to Tim Kenefick.
• Instructed by a supplier of mobile phone handsets in a dispute with its UK distributor. The case involves the proper interpretation and application of the terms of a distributorship agreement. Adam has advised and settled pleadings. Instructed as a junior to Jawdat Khurshid.
• Instructed by a multinational bank in a dispute with a merchant relating to ‘chip-and-pin’ handsets. The case involves the interpretation and application of terms in the bank’s customer agreement and merchant agreement. Instructed as sole counsel.
• Instructed by an individual investor in a dispute relating to the formation of a commercial contract. The case involved the ascertainment of intention to create legal relations in circumstances where parties had assented to ‘Heads of Agreement’. Instructed as sole Counsel. 

Adam has substantial experience of this core area of Chambers’ practice, both as a junior and as sole counsel.

Selected cases:

• Instructed by a Lloyd’s reinsurer in relation to Exxon/Kuwait-tainted losses. Adam provided advice on coverage, in light of the important recent decision in Equitas v R&Q, and on subsidiary limitation and compromise issues. Instructed as a junior to Jonathan Gaisman QC.
• Instructed by a shipowning company in a dispute with war risks underwriters in relation to the arrest of a tanker overseas. The case involves questions of actual and constructive total loss and the application of policy exclusions relating to ‘ordinary judicial process’. Adam settled pleadings and assisted with the preparation of expert and witness evidence. Instructed as a junior to Christopher Butcher QC.
• Instructed by an English company in a dispute relating to indemnity against asbestosis liabilities. Adam advised in relation to a claim for contribution and the application of the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 1930. Instructed as a junior to David Allen QC.
• Instructed by a Lloyd’s insurer in a dispute with the supplier of faulty electric blankets in relation to products liability coverage. The case involves the interpretation and application of a policy exclusion. Adam settled pleadings. Instructed as a junior to Stephen Phillips QC.
• Instructed by a P&I club in a dispute relating to environmental liabilities incurred upon the grounding of a tanker. Adam advised in relation to the application of the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 1930. Instructed as a junior to Charles Priday.
• Instructed by a Lloyd’s insurer in a dispute arising from a fire that destroyed a substantial fridge recycling plant. The case involved issues of misrepresentation and non-disclosure in the context of property and business interruption insurance. Adam advised, settled pleadings, and assisted with the preparation of expert evidence. Instructed as a junior to Richard Waller.
• Instructed by an Integrated Lloyd’s Vehicle and various of its shareholders in a multi-faceted dispute with minority shareholders. The case centres upon a shareholders’ agreement and contracts of loan and employment, but demands a careful appreciation of practices at Lloyd’s and the business transacted in the Lloyd’s market. Adam has advised; settled pleadings; appeared in the High Court defending a Summary Judgment application; and appeared in an interlocutory application in the arbitral reference. Adam is instructed as a junior to Tim Kenefick.
• Instructed by a Lloyd’s insurer in a dispute involving a series of proportional reinsurance treaties. The case involved a reinsurer’s attempt to use rights of inspection under reinsurance treaties to block the reassured’s recovery in respect of paid inwards claims. Adam advised and settled pleadings. Instructed as sole counsel.
• Instructed by a foreign state insurance company in a dispute relating to reinsurance treaties. Adam prepared an application to the High Court under s.18 of the Arbitration Act 1996. Instructed as sole counsel.

Adam has substantial experience of this core area of Chambers’ practice, both as a junior and as sole counsel. He regularly advises and settles pleadings in relation to claims under contracts of affreightment. He has also been involved in cases involving shipbuilding, competing claims to the ownership of vessels, and liability for the escape of fire from vessels.

Selected cases:

• Instructed by the charterers of a geared bulk carrier in a 3-day arbitration relating to liability under an amended NYPE form (which included a modified version of clause 35 of the NYPE 1993 form) for the costs of a collision between a shore gantry and one of the vessel’s cranes. Instructed as sole counsel.
  
• Instructed by buyers in a dispute in arbitration over the sale and purchase of ice-classed chemical parcel tankers. The case raised various questions of the proper construction of a modified SAJ form. Adam advised; settled pleadings; drafted written submissions; and appeared at a two-day hearing of preliminary issues. Instructed as a junior to Charles Priday.
• Instructed by an individual in a High Court dispute relating to a loan agreement and the ownership of a yacht. Adam has advised; settled pleadings; and appeared at a case management conference. Instructed as sole Counsel.

Adam regularly provides services in this area as an advisor and as an advocate:

Selected cases:

• Instructed by a multinational bank in a dispute with a merchant relating to ‘chip-and-pin’ handsets. The case involves the interpretation and application of terms in the bank’s customer agreement and merchant agreement. Instructed as sole counsel.
• Provided assistance in various cases involving derivative products, gaining experience of FFAs, Pivots, TARNs, Knock-Out Forwards and the ISDA 1992 Master Agreement.
• Instructed in various County Court matters on behalf of banks.

Adam has experience of advising on questions of jurisdiction, choice of law, and the recognition and enforcement of judgments (domestic and foreign) and arbitral awards. He was examined in these areas as part of the Conflict of Laws component of his BCL degree.

Selected cases:

• Instructed by a shipowning company in a dispute relating to repudiatory breach of a period time charter. The case involves claims brought against the charterers and their guarantors, in the Commercial Court, in arbitration, and in the courts of a foreign jurisdiction. Adam advised on the jurisdiction of the High Court; the commencement of foreign proceedings and the compatibility of such proceedings with those in the High Court; the doctrine of election between proceedings; and the likelihood of a judgment in the foreign jurisdiction being recognised. Instructed as a junior to Stephen Phillips QC.
• Instructed by a P&I club in a dispute relating to environmental liabilities incurred upon the grounding of a tanker. The case involves parties from various jurisdictions, and Adam advised on the jurisdictional provisions of Regulation 44/2001 (the ‘Judgments Regulation’). Instructed as a junior to Charles Priday.

Adam has experience of advising on the availability of interlocutory relief and preparing evidence and submissions in support of claims for such relief.

Selected cases:

• Instructed by a shipowning company in a dispute relating to repudiatory breach of a period time charter. The case involves claims brought against the charterers and their guarantors, in the Commercial Court, in arbitration, and in the courts of a foreign jurisdiction. Adam appeared on an application to the High Court for a $70million worldwide freezing order; advised on the application of the Dadourian guidelines, which govern the grant of permission to seek similar relief in the courts of a foreign jurisdiction; and appeared on an application to the High Court for permission to seek a domestic freezing order in the courts of the relevant foreign jurisdiction. Instructed as a junior to Stephen Phillips QC.
• Instructed by a shipowning company in a dispute with war risks underwriters in relation to the arrest of a tanker overseas. The case involves questions of actual and constructive total loss and the application of policy exclusions relating to ‘ordinary judicial process’. Adam has settled pleadings and been involved in the preparation of expert and witness evidence, including substantial expert evidence in relation to the law of ship arrest in the relevant overseas jurisdiction. Instructed as a junior to Christopher Butcher QC.
• Instructed by an English individual in a dispute relating to a loan agreement and the ownership of a yacht. Adam has advised in relation to injunctive relief that was obtained against his client before he was instructed. Instructed as sole counsel.

Selected cases:

• Instructed by the producers of the James Bond film ‘Casino Royale’ in a dispute with Pinewood Studios. The case involves the fire on set that was responsible for the destruction of the ‘007’ stage at Pinewood Studios. Adam has settled pleadings and  worked with construction consultants in relation to the quantum of loss incurred. Instructed as a junior to Tim Kenefick.
• Instructed in various disputes relating to the loss and destruction of property by bailees, including a dispute relating to the destruction of master video footage by a UK broadcaster. Adam has advised and settled pleadings. Instructed as sole counsel.

Selected cases:

• Instructed by a supplier of mobile phone handsets in a dispute with its UK distributor. The case involves the proper interpretation and application of the terms of a distributorship agreement. Adam has advised and settled pleadings. Instructed as a junior to Jawdat Khurshid.