Tim Goldfarb
Barrister
Call 2015
Tim’s broad commercial practice sees him instructed in many of the most complex, high-value disputes before the English courts and in international arbitration. He is described in the directories as an “absolute star”, “very responsive” and “academically excellent”, a “strategic thinker” with a “razor-sharp mind” who is “both pragmatic and commercial” and “exceptionally hard working”.
Tim practises across the full range of Chambers’ work, with particular experience in technology, banking and finance, and M&A litigation and arbitration. Current and recent matters include representing Dr Craig Wright in the high-profile “Satoshi Nakamoto” Bitcoin litigation; defending TSB in the landmark Whistletree mortgage claims; acting for Deutsche Bank in the long-running Lehman “Waterfall” proceedings; acting for Motorola Airwave in litigation concerning the UK’s emergency-communications network; and appearing for the sellers in Travelport v WEX, the precedent-setting MAE dispute arising from the aborted sale of an online travel-payments business during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tim’s current and recent cases include:
- Pipia v BG UK
Tim acted (with Sonia Tolaney KC and Alexander Polley) for the UK holding company of Bank of Georgia, in relation to claims that it or its operating subsidiaries wrongfully deprived the claimant of the benefit of a business in Georgia (one of The Lawyer’s top cases of 2021). BG UK succeeded in striking out Mr Pipia’s claim at the start of trial for non-payment of security for costs. - Warner-Lambert Company LLC and Pfizer Limited [2021] EWHC 2182 (Ch)
Tim is acting (alongside Richard Boulton KC and others) for Warner-Lambert and Pfizer in defending claims (in excess of £700 million) arising from cross-undertakings in damages given by Warner-Lambert in support of injunctions it obtained in proceedings concerning the infringement and validity of the patent for the blockbuster pain drug, Lyrica. A first trial of preliminary issues was heard in June 2021 ([2021] EWHC 2182 (Ch)) and further trials are listed in 2022 and 2023. - Travelport Ltd v WEX [2020] EWHC 2670 (Comm)
Tim appeared with Richard Hill KC, Sa’ad Hossain KC, Seb Isaac and others for the sellers of a travel payments business in a $1.7 billion transaction in the trial of preliminary issues relating to whether the “Material Adverse Effect” clause in the contract releases the buyers from the obligations to close as a result of the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic. - Re Lehman Brothers Holdings Plc (in administration) and LB Holdings Intermediate 2 Limited (in administration) [2020] EWHC 1681 (Ch)
Tim appeared with Sonia Tolaney KC and Richard Fisher KC for Deutsche Bank representing the interests of subordinated bondholders in the administrations of two companies in the Lehman Brothers group. An appeal to the Court of Appeal was listed to be heard over 4 days in October 2024 but settled shortly before the hearing. - Lonestar Communications Corporation LLC v Kaye & Ors [2020] EWHC 1890 (Comm)
Tim acted alongside Sonia Tolaney KC for the third defendant in economic tort claims brought by a Liberian telecommunications company for damages arising from alleged cyber-attacks on its network.
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Examples of Recent Cases
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Arbitration
- Acted for a global asset management firm in the successful defence of a claim by an infrastructure company in an UNCITRAL arbitration.
- Acted for a contractor in an ICC arbitration concerning a major infrastructure project in the Middle East
- Acted in the successful defence of a claim related to the breach of a joint venture agreement in an ICC arbitration.
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Commercial Litigation
- Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright [2024] EWHC 1198 (Ch): Tim appeared (with Lord Grabiner KC, Craig Orr KC and Mehdi Baiou) for Dr Wright in high-profile proceedings in which Dr Wright claimed he is the pseudonymous “Satoshi Nakamoto”, i.e. the creator of Bitcoin. This case was one of ‘The Lawyer’ magazine’s Top 20 Cases for 2024.
- Sousa Enterprises Ltd; (2) Eltstar Ltd v Aspire Global Limited: Tim is acting for the claimant sellers of an online-gaming business in their claim that the defendant breached certain ‘earn-out protection’ covenants in the SPA.
- Airwave Solutions Limited v SSHD: Tim acted for the claimant, Airwave (a subsidiary of Motorola) in a high-profile public procurement and contractual dispute concerning a multi-billion-pound public contract to deliver and operate the current and future emergency radio network used by the UK emergency services.
- Cityfibre Ltd v GCI Network Solutions Ltd [2024] EWHC 1694 (Comm): Tim is acting for the defendant, GCI, in a dispute concerning the UK’s dark-fibre broadband networks. After a preliminary issues trial in 2024, a further trial is listed for July 2026.
- Lyrica’ Litigation: Tim acted for Warner-Lambert and Pfizer in one of the Lawyer ‘Top 20’ cases of 2023 defending claims (in excess of £700 million) arising from cross-undertakings in damages given by Warner-Lambert in support of injunctions it obtained in proceedings concerning the patent for the blockbuster pain drug, Lyrica. A first trial of preliminary issues was heard in June 2021 ([2021] EWHC 2182 (Ch)) and the case settled before further trials in 2023.
- Pipia v BGEO Group Ltd: Tim acted for the UK holding company of Bank of Georgia, in relation to claims that it or its operating subsidiaries wrongfully deprived the claimant of the benefit of a business in Georgia (one of The Lawyer’s top cases of 2021). BG UK succeeded in striking out Mr Pipia’s claim at the start of trial for non-payment of security for costs.
- Travelport Ltd v WEX [2020] EWHC 2670 (Comm): Tim appeared for the sellers of a travel payments business in a $1.7 billion transaction in the trial of preliminary issues relating to whether the “Material Adverse Effect” clause in the contract releases the buyers from the obligations to close as a result of the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic (one of The Lawyer’s top cases of 2020).
- Tran v Farfetch UK Limited: Tim is acting as sole counsel for Farfetch, defending a claim by a former executive arising from the alleged failure to issue valuable shares. A trial in the matter is listed for October 2025.
- Angelini Pharma v Altmeyer and ors: Tim acted for the defendants in a claim for breach of warranty under an SPA for the sale of an innovative pharmaceutical company
- Yodel Delivery Network Limited -v- Magnit Global GRI Ltd: Tim is acted as sole counsel for Magnit in Yodel’s multi-million pound claim for alleged breaches of contract and fiduciary duty and restitution for alleged unjust enrichment. The case raises issues about the treatment of costs and fees charged by the defendant for the provision of temporary workers, which could have implications for the operations of similar contracts across the industry.
- DCAL v Monex: Tim acted as sole counsel for DCAL in its claims against Monex arising out of the purported early termination of foreign-exchange forward contracts.
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Technology and Digital Economy
- Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright [2024] EWHC 1198 (Ch): Tim appeared (with Lord Grabiner KC, Craig Orr KC and Mehdi Baiou) for Dr Wright in high-profile proceedings in which Dr Wright claimed he is the pseudonymous “Satoshi Nakamoto”, i.e. the creator of Bitcoin. This case was one of ‘The Lawyer’ magazine’s Top 20 Cases for 2024.
- Sousa Enterprises Ltd; (2) Eltstar Ltd v Aspire Global Limited: Tim is acting for the claimant sellers of an online-gaming business in their claim that the defendant breached certain ‘earn-out protection’ covenants in the SPA.
- Airwave Solutions Limited v SSHD: Tim acted for the claimant, Airwave (a subsidiary of Motorola) in a high-profile public procurement and contractual dispute concerning a multi-billion-pound public contract to deliver and operate the current and future emergency radio network used by the UK emergency services.
- Cityfibre Ltd v GCI Network Solutions Ltd [2024] EWHC 1694 (Comm): Tim is acting for the defendant, GCI, in a dispute concerning the UK’s dark-fibre broadband networks. After a preliminary issues trial in 2024, a further trial is listed for July 2026.
- Lonestar Communications Corporation LLC v Kaye & Ors [2020] EWHC 1890 (Comm): Tim acted for the third defendant in economic tort claims brought by a Liberian telecommunications company for damages arising from alleged cyber-attacks on its network.
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Banking and Financial Services
- Breeze and ors v TSB Bank plc [2024] EWHC 2427 (Ch): Tim is acting for TSB in a landmark claim by thousands of TSB’s former and existing mortgage customers. The claimants contend that they have overpaid interest, and pursue their claims on a number of different bases, including breach of contract, breach of statutory duty, the unfair relationship provisions of the CCA 1974 and under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations. The issues in the claims are highly significant to the operation of standard variable rate mortgages across the entire residential mortgage market. TSB succeeded in a preliminary issues trial in 2024, and an appeal has been listed for 2026, with further stages in the proceedings to follow the appeal.
- Re Lehman Brothers Holdings plc (In Administration) and LB Holdings Intermediate 2 Limited (In Administration) [2018] EWHC 2017 (Ch); [2020] EWHC 1681 (Ch); [2021] EWCA Civ 1523; [2023] EWHC 3056 (Ch); [2023] EWHC 3317 (Ch) Tim acted or Deutsche Bank AG in a long-running dispute about how the surplus in the Lehman estate – estimated to be between £800m and £1 bn – is to be distributed between its remaining creditors. ECAPS 1: a landmark case turning principally on the contractual interpretation of complex subordination provisions in the competing debt instruments and on novel issues of insolvency law in the context of guarantees. DB succeeded on appeal. ECAPS 2: dealing with important issues concerning the ranking of statutory interest and other priority issues arising from ECAPS 1.
- DCAL v Monex: Tim acted as sole counsel for DCAL in its claims against Monex arising out of the purported early termination of foreign-exchange forward contracts.
- Mr Carl Sterritt v Investec Wealth & Investment Limited Tim acted as sole counsel for Investec in its defence of claims by a former client. The case raised important issues concerning the scope of a bank or broker’s liability when accepting trading instructions, and the quantification of damages arising from a delay in being able to sell securities.
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What the Directories Say
Chambers & Partners 2025 (Banking & Finance) "Timothy's judgement is very reliable."
Chambers & Partners 2025 (Commercial Dispute Resolution) "Tim is an excellent junior. He is really good at what he does, very responsive and quick thinking."
Legal 500 2025 (Banking & Finance Including Consumer Credit) "Very hard working and technically able barrister."
Legal 500 2025 (Commercial Litigation) "Tim has a razor-sharp mind and turns around a mean and lean set of written submissions. His drafting style is light yet precise and punchy. He is truly one to watch in the commercial Bar."
Chambers & Partners 2024 (Banking & Finance) "He is excellent, a really strong junior. Timothy is reliable in his analysis and very hard-working." "He's very bright and very user-friendly."
Chambers & Partners 2024 (Commercial Dispute Resolution) "Timothy Goldfarb is very good on the detail and has a lot of technical ability." "He is bright, exceptionally hard working and a good strategic thinker." "Timothy is astute, practical and user-friendly.
Legal 500 2024 (Banking & Finance) ‘Academically excellent, focused and user-friendly. No obvious weaknesses. He is reliable and absolute star.’
Chambers & Partners 2023 (Commercial Dispute Resolution) "Timothy shows great aptitude beyond his years, and is both pragmatic and commercial. He's all over the factual and legal detail of a case."
Chambers & Partners 2022 (Commercial Dispute Resolution) "A future star with an enormous capacity for work and a talent for distilling complex issues into an intelligible form"
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Education
- BA Jurisprudence, New College, Oxford — First Class (2006–2009)
- LPC (Distinction), College of Law (2009–2010)
- Associate, Weil Gotshal & Manges (2013–2015)
- Judicial Assistant to Lord Mance JSC, UK Supreme Court (2013–2014)
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Professional Experience
Trainee solicitor (rotations in: structured finance, corporate, dispute resolution and tax), Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) [March 2011 to March 2013].
Associate, dispute resolution, Weil Gotshal & Manges [March 2013 to August 2015].
Judicial assistant to Lord Mance JSC, Supreme Court of the United Kingdom [September 2013 to July 2014]. Tim worked as the judicial assistant to Lord Mance JSC. During that time he developed a detailed understanding of all stages of the appeals process in the Supreme Court and Privy Council: from permission to appeal to judgment. In addition, Tim worked closely with Lord Mance and the other Justices in a number of the leading cases in chambers’ areas of practice, including:
- Williams v Central Bank of Nigeria [2014] UKSC 10 (the characterisation under the Limitation Act of a claim for dishonest assistance of a breach of trust and knowingly receipt of trust property);
- Cox v Ergo Versicherung AG [2014] UKSC 22 (the private international law rules on the law applicable to the scope of damages in tort);
- Les Laboratoires Servier v Apotex Inc [2014] UKSC 55 (the illegality defence);
- Aspect Contracts (Asbestos) Ltd v Higgins Construction Plc [2015] UKSC 38 (the effect of adjudication pursuant to provisions implied into construction contracts by statute, raising issues on implied terms and restitution);
- Cavendish Square Holding BV v Talal El Makdessi [2015] UKSC 67 (the doctrine on contractual penalties);
- Fairfield Sentry Ltd (In Liquidation) v Migani [2014] UKPC 9 (contractual interpretation and the interaction between the law of contract and the law of unjust enrichment relating to a claim to recover payments made to a ‘feeder fund’ of Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities LLC);
- Singularis Holdings Ltd v PricewaterhouseCoopers [2014] UKPC 36 (the extent of the common law power to give assistance to a liquidator of a foreign company) and the closely related appeal in Saad Investments Co Ltd [2014] UKPC 35.
Solicitor advocate (admitted with higher court rights of audience (civil)) [2015]
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Other Experience
Anti-suit Injunctions: Expanding Protection for Arbitration under English Law, Dispute Resolution International (Jamie Maples and Tim Goldfarb) [November 2013]
Prudential decision and tax structuring: A cautionary tale, PLC Magazine (Oliver Walker and Tim Goldfarb [April 2013]
Decision making in land law, seminar at the Society of Legal Scholars annual conference (Prof Sue Bright and Tim Goldfarb) [2011]
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Languages
Fluent German and Russian