Band 3
Band 3
Band 3
Band 4
About
Provided by Lance Ashworth KC
Practice Areas
Lance specialises in commercial dispute resolution (both in the Commercial Court and in the Chancery Division) insolvency and restructuring, company law and civil fraud. With over 37 years’ experience (18 of which have been in Silk), Lance’s breadth of knowledge is substantial. He has litigated in a number of jurisdictions across the world, frequently in the context of insolvent companies and the restoration of their assets from fraudulent officers, including where assets have been hidden in offshore structures. He has received instructions from Jersey, Cayman, BVI, Isle of Man and Gibraltar in addition to those from England & Wales.
In 2024, he persuaded the Court of Appeal to reject 40 years of received wisdom in the context of unfair prejudice petitions (Zedra Trust Company v. THG plc) and also spent a substantial part of the year in one of the Isle of Man’s lengthiest trials in recent years (leading both a local advocate and an English junior), in a case involving alleged fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, breaches of directors’ duties and unlawful distributions in the context of insolvent companies who had undertaken the £280 million redevelopment of super prime properties in London’s Regents Park.
Lance was a trustee of the Access to Justice Foundation for 7 years, was appointed a Recorder in 2005 and a Deputy High Court Judge in 2016 and again in 2023.
Chambers Review
UK Bar
Lance Ashworth KC maintains an active company and insolvency workload within his highly regarded commercial chancery practice. Areas of particular strength include shareholder disputes and unfair prejudice claims.
Lance Ashworth KC is a respected silk noted for his broad knowledge of restructuring and insolvency matters. He has particular expertise in directors' disqualification cases as well as administrations of failed energy companies.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Great for fact-heavy cases. He gets stuck in and is always reliable."
"Lance brings a lot of commerciality to bear and is someone who actually makes a decision. He's great to work with."
"Lance is a pleasure to work with; he's an astute commercial thinker and persuasive advocate, and he's good with clients."
"Lance is a highly creative and commercial barrister who is good to have on side. His understanding is invaluable, and he can utilise his experience as a deputy judge to analyse a case."
"Lance is knowledgeable, intellectually bright and very confident. He anticipates the way the tribunal is going and what it's likely to ask him."
"Lance is really diligent and good with clients, in addition to being a pleasure to work with."
"Lance is an excellent advocate, who is always meticulously prepared."
"Lance is extremely well prepared and always makes himself available. He works very hard and is both extremely knowledgeable and highly intellectually bright."
"An excellent, highly diligent advocate, who is always meticulously prepared."
"Great for fact-heavy cases. He gets stuck in and is always reliable."
"Lance brings a lot of commerciality to bear and is someone who actually makes a decision. He's great to work with."
"Lance is a pleasure to work with; he's an astute commercial thinker and persuasive advocate, and he's good with clients."
"Lance is a highly creative and commercial barrister who is good to have on side. His understanding is invaluable, and he can utilise his experience as a deputy judge to analyse a case."
"Lance is knowledgeable, intellectually bright and very confident. He anticipates the way the tribunal is going and what it's likely to ask him."
"Lance is really diligent and good with clients, in addition to being a pleasure to work with."
"Lance is an excellent advocate, who is always meticulously prepared."
"Lance is extremely well prepared and always makes himself available. He works very hard and is both extremely knowledgeable and highly intellectually bright."
"An excellent, highly diligent advocate, who is always meticulously prepared."
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