8 New Square, Lincoln’s Inn phone +44 (0) 20 7306 0102 London WC2A 3QP fax +44 (0) 20 7306 0095 [email protected] www.wilberforce.co.uk Nikki Singla Clerks’ Details Call: 2000 Colin Everson +44 (0)20 7306 0102 Robert Johnstone [email protected] Billie Poppy Maisie Taylor Qualifications and Appointments • Winchester College and New College, Oxford (Law, BA Hons, First Class, BCL, First Class). Memberships • Commercial Bar Association • Chancery Bar Association [email protected] • Professional Negligence Bar Association “One of the finest junior barristers to be found” The Legal 500 Practice Overview • Business Litigation Barrister of the Year – Corporate LiveWire 2014 • Business Litigation Barrister of the Year – Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards 2015 • Private Client Barrister of the Year – Corporate LiveWire 2015 Nikki is an experienced commercial and trusts litigator instructed in domestic cases and overseas. He is recognised in the directories as one of the leading names at the Bar in commercial and business litigation: the Legal 500 says that in commercial litigation he is “commercially savvy” and “one of the finest junior barristers to be found”. Chambers & Partners ranks him in the very top category of junior barristers for offshore commercial and trust litigation. He has a breadth of expertise covering a wide range of commercial and business disputes particularly in the fields of complex contracts, joint ventures, IP licensing agreements, media and entertainment, and professional negligence. He brings additional depth to his cases with his expertise in equity, equitable remedies including asset tracing, trusts and trusts litigation, and company and partnership law. He is an experienced trial advocate and has appeared in a number of reported cases in the High Court (Chancery Division and Commercial Court) and in other jurisdictions and before arbitrators. He has appeared on his own account before the Chief Justice of the Cayman Islands and is one of the few juniors to appear before the Chief Justice in Bermuda in recent times. He has recently completed a DIAC arbitration in Dubai. Many of his cases have a strong international element particularly in the Caribbean, the Channel Islands and the Middle East. He is recommended in Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading name at the Bar in a number of practice areas: Commercial Litigation • “without doubt one of the brightest juniors”, a “skilful, strategic advocate” with the ability to “cut through the complexities to the core issues” • “knowledgeable and user friendly”, a “rising star” and “an able communicator and litigator for any size of case” • “A real star; very capable indeed and lovely to work with” 01 Nikki Singla – page 02 Call: 2000 Practice Overview continued Commercial Chancery Litigation • “He’s absolutely delightful to be against as he’s utterly fair and charming” • “He gets under the skin of the case and is a very good team player” Company and Partnership Litigation • “Speedy, analytical and honest in his opinion, which is appreciated by the client” Offshore Litigation • “He is excellent with clients, very calm, and he has a great manner to him” • “He is a very bright and impressive junior” Professional Negligence • “Committed, thoughtful, intense and thoroughly committed to winning” Media and Entertainment • “He has very good judgement and is definitely someone you want on your team in a difficult case” He is listed in the Who’s Who Legal: UK Bar 2015 for Private Client. His recent cases include: • ReachLocal UK v Bennett & Others [2015] EMLR 7 (defending corporate concern against social media attack by internet bloggers); [2014] EWHC 2161 (relief from sanctions) • Holliday v Guney & Others (2015) (breach of directors’ duties and application of Part 36 to multi-party claim) • eGain v Barclays Bank, Lloyds Bank and Others (2014) (asset recovery and freezing and proprietary injunctions and claims arising out of internet banking fraud) • A v B (DIAC arbitration in Dubai) (2014) (contractual dispute acting on behalf of the Galadari brothers in relation to the construction of the world’s largest theme park) • Trustees of the Bilton Settlements v RadcliffesLeBrasseur (2015) (trustees’ claims arising out of defective appointments and retirements of trustees) • In the Matter of a Trust [2012] SC (Bermuda) 72 Civ (trust “jurisdiction” clauses and director’s right to information from company) • Re Synergy Capital (Guernsey) (2015) (complex breach of trust claim against former trustees and directors for failed investments and fraud) • Re Capita Trustees (Jersey) (2013) (complex £30m breach of trust claim against former trustees and directors for mismanagement, fraud, and equitable compensation) • IEGL v Zurich Insurance plc [2013] 3 All ER 395 (Court of Appeal, application of equity to recover contribution from co-insurers in EL insurance policy) • Television Autonomica Valenciana SA v Imagina [2013] EWHC 160 (Ch) (concurrent proceedings in Spain and England over Formula 1 licensing agreement, lis alibi pendens) • Arrow Group ApS v Gelmedic Holding ApS [2013] EWHC 4586 (Ch) (limitation defence in respect of a “best endeavours” clause in an IP licensing contract) 02 Nikki Singla – page 03 Call: 2000 Commercial Nikki is recognised in the directories as one of the leading juniors in commercial and business litigation: “The ‘commercially savvy’ Nikki Singla is one of the finest junior barristers to be found”, The Legal 500, Commercial Litigation 2013. He has a breadth of expertise covering a wide range of commercial and business disputes particularly in the fields of complex contracts, joint ventures, IP licensing agreements, media and entertainment, and professional negligence. He brings additional depth to his practice with his expertise in equity, equitable remedies including asset tracing, trusts and trusts litigation, and company and partnership law. His recent cases include: • A DIAC arbitration in Dubai (2014) significant contractual dispute concerning the world’s largest theme park. • eGain v Barclays Bank plc & Others [2014] EWHC 1199 (Comm) asset tracing against Banks and various individual Defendants, freezing and Bankers Trust orders. • In the Matter of a Trust [2012] SC. Bermuda) 72 Civ (application of trust jurisdiction clauses. • IEGL v Zurich Insurance plc [2013] EWCA Civ 39 Court of Appeal, application of equitable contribution in EL insurance policy. • Television Autonomica Valenciana SA v Imagina [2013] EWHC 160 (Ch). Concurrent proceedings in Spain and England over F1 licensing agreement, lis alibi pendens. • Arrow Group ApS v Gelmedic Holding ApS [2013] EWHC 4586 (Ch). Limitation defence in respect of a “best endeavours” clause in an IP licensing contract. • In the Matter of a Trust (Jersey) [2013]. A complex £30m breach of trust claim. • Ackerman v Ackerman [2011] EWHC 3428 (Ch). Trial of a large complex shareholders’ dispute/challenge of an expert’s determination. • Reeves v Sprecher [2008] All ER(D) 311. Company/partnership dispute over a large hedge-fund established in Nevis. • Kingfisher Airlines v Hawker [2010] Commercial Court dispute relating to Vijay Mallya’s jet. • Jenington v Assaubayev [2010] (£200m civil fraud dispute concerning gold mines in Kazakhstan, worldwide freezing and proprietary injunctions and disclosure orders. • British Midland Tool v Midland International Tooling [2003] 2 BCLC 523. Leading case on the extent of directors’ duty not to compete, conspiracy and breach of confidence). • Bouverie v De Vere Hotels [2006] EWHC 2242. Complex intellectual property licensing dispute between the owners and the operators over the management of the Belfrey Hotel. He has also acted in a number of media and entertainment cases; the case against the website owner of ‘Solicitors from Hell’ led to an interview feature of Nikki by The Times newspaper online. • Leeds United FC v Football League [2008] BCC 701 high profile arbitration of dispute over 15-point penalty imposed on club. • Gabbitas Robins v Kordowski [2011] EWHC 981. Acting against website owner of “Solicitors from Hell”. • Reachlocal UK v Bennett [2014} E WHC 2161 CPB) (Acting for listed company against social media ‘campaigns’. 03 Nikki Singla - page 04 Call: 2000 Trusts, Tax, Probate and Estates Nikki is recognised in the top band of Chambers and Partners 2014 for his offshore practice, the majority of which concerns trusts and trusts litigation. He has acted in a number of high profile trust disputes, and has appeared in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands and before the Chief Justice of Bermuda. A substantial amount of his trusts practice is in the Channel Islands. He brings special value to this area of his practice with his additional expertise in commercial litigation and hostile litigation and witness actions. His trusts cases include: • In the Matter of the Bilton Settlements [2014]. ineffective retirement/appointment of trustees. • In the Matter of a Trust [2012] SC (Bermuda) 72 Civ. Application of trust jurisdiction clauses. • In the Matter of a Trust (Jersey) [2013]. A complex £30million breach of trust claim. • Jefcoate v Spread Trustees (Guernsey) [2010]. Breach of trust proceedings against former trustee company in respect of investment policy. • Re a firm of solicitors [2011]. Breach of trust/fraud proceedings against a firm of solicitors for conduct in relation to a very substantial estate, Beddoe relief. • In the Matter of the Bamford family settlements (Bermuda). (Breach of trust proceedings). • In the Matter of Sir Jack Hayward’s