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About
Provided by Peter de Verneuil Smith KC
Practice Areas
Peter practises in Banking & Finance, Chancery Commercial, Commercial Litigation, Civil Fraud, Group Litigation, Financial Services, Arbitration, Professional Negligence and Offshore Litigation.
Career
Peter is well known for his excellent advocacy and client skills. He is frequently the lead advocate in large and complex litigation. His practice spans pure banking disputes (including derivative, mis-selling, duties of care owed by a bank, and unjust enrichment) and banking related litigation such as shipbuilding finance, performance bonds and guarantees. He is a go-to silk for group litigation for both claimants and defendants and acted in major group litigation relating to banking (PPI), securities (s.90 & 90A FSMA), financial services (collective investment schemes), product liability (NOx emissions) and data breach. He has an extensive commercial arbitration practice with experience of mining and energy disputes as well as arbitration related litigation (ASIs and enforcement proceedings). He has appeared in major fraud cases (including Group Seven Ltd v Nasir, Tatneft v Bogolyubov and NML v Chapman Freeborn), identity-based frauds and often seeks urgent injunctive relief to support domestic and foreign proceedings. His commercial work includes company disputes (unfair prejudice, derivative actions, breach of director duty) and breach of trust claims. He is regularly involved in financial services disputes including tax scheme litigation (the GlobalCure scheme), collective investment schemes and FSMA related claims. He is often involved in offshore disputes and has appeared in Hong Kong, Guernsey, the Cayman Islands, BVI, and Bermuda.
Professional Memberships
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Personal
Selwyn College Cambridge.
Chambers Review
UK Bar
Peter de Verneuil Smith KC has an extensive group litigation practice and has come to be regarded by some as a go-to resource in the area. He is known for his work in important financial services group claims, some of which have tested the ability of shareholders to bring securities class actions in the UK.
Peter de Verneuil Smith KC is a well-regarded silk whose strong commercial chancery practice and expertise in fraud have gained him a burgeoning reputation in finance cases. He is adept at handling large-scale shareholder disputes, cases around securitisations (such as disputes concerning the correct construction of swap terms), and matters regarding loans and guarantees.
Peter de Verneuil Smith KC is a skilled barrister whose mandate of commercial cases extends beyond the UK to such jurisdictions as Switzerland and the UAE. He acts for both claimants and defendants, and is noted for his expertise in obtaining and opposing injunction applications such as freezing orders.
Peter de Verneuil Smith KC is highly sought after for his broad expertise in commercial international arbitrations and related court matters, including enforcement. He is no stranger to advising on billion-dollar disputes, acting in several significantly high-value arbitrations over his career. He is considered a go-to silk for international shareholder disputes. He is called to the Bar of Hong Kong and the BVI.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Peter is a superstar silk. He is fantastic with clients, the court and solicitors. He just gets results and is not afraid to cut through the detail."
"Peter is a go-to silk. He has a calm, unflappable demeanour and has both eyes on the court's viewpoint at all times."
"He is very sharp-witted, personable and user-friendly."
"Peter has a magisterial grasp of the complex dynamics of group litigation. With a razor-sharp intellect, his strategic decision-making is second to none."
"Peter has a burgeoning reputation in class actions. He is very easy to work with on big and small cases."
"Peter gets on top of things quickly and makes himself a part of the team. He is a go-to in the class action space."
"His cross-examination is devastating and a joy to watch."
"Peter is one of the go-to barristers in the group litigation space, having worked on both the claimant and defendant sides."
"Peter is a very strong advocate. He steamrolls his opposition and he's fantastic with a tribunal."
"Peter's a real technical expert with a very nice courtroom manner. He's quietly understated but he's in command of the room."
"Peter is highly intelligent and is able to deploy clear and persuasive arguments both in writing and orally. He is an impressive advocate - persuasive, assertive and clear."
"Peter is extremely bright and quick on the uptake, and gets into the detail. He's charming with clients and easy to get on with, and is willing to get stuck into the detail and to give a clear view."
"Peter is robust, commercial and very smart, and has really carved out a niche in the class action space."
"Peter is communicative and very knowledgeable. He is a pleasure to work with."
"Peter has strong commercial sense and offers great strategic guidance in a case."
"Peter is a clear thinker with an excellent ability to apply complex legal concepts on the fly.He is extremely responsive and friendly to deal with."
"He is second to none on complex issues in securities litigation. He provides fantastic advocacy. He doesn't beat around the bush and gets to the point well."
"Peter is a superstar silk. He is fantastic with clients, the court and solicitors. He just gets results and is not afraid to cut through the detail."
"Peter is a go-to silk. He has a calm, unflappable demeanour and has both eyes on the court's viewpoint at all times."
"He is very sharp-witted, personable and user-friendly."
"Peter has a magisterial grasp of the complex dynamics of group litigation. With a razor-sharp intellect, his strategic decision-making is second to none."
"Peter has a burgeoning reputation in class actions. He is very easy to work with on big and small cases."
"Peter gets on top of things quickly and makes himself a part of the team. He is a go-to in the class action space."
"His cross-examination is devastating and a joy to watch."
"Peter is one of the go-to barristers in the group litigation space, having worked on both the claimant and defendant sides."
"Peter is a very strong advocate. He steamrolls his opposition and he's fantastic with a tribunal."
"Peter's a real technical expert with a very nice courtroom manner. He's quietly understated but he's in command of the room."
"Peter is highly intelligent and is able to deploy clear and persuasive arguments both in writing and orally. He is an impressive advocate - persuasive, assertive and clear."
"Peter is extremely bright and quick on the uptake, and gets into the detail. He's charming with clients and easy to get on with, and is willing to get stuck into the detail and to give a clear view."
"Peter is robust, commercial and very smart, and has really carved out a niche in the class action space."
"Peter is communicative and very knowledgeable. He is a pleasure to work with."
"Peter has strong commercial sense and offers great strategic guidance in a case."
"Peter is a clear thinker with an excellent ability to apply complex legal concepts on the fly.He is extremely responsive and friendly to deal with."
"He is second to none on complex issues in securities litigation. He provides fantastic advocacy. He doesn't beat around the bush and gets to the point well."
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