Adam Brown
Barrister
Call 2024
Adam has a broad practice, accepting instructions across the full range of Chambers’ practice areas. He has worked on a range of commercial disputes, including in banking and finance, civil fraud, insolvency, arbitration, commercial litigation, and competition law, and he takes a particular interest in cases that engage multiple areas of commercial law.
Adam also advises (including as sole counsel) on issues arising in Chambers’ core practice areas, having previously drafted advice on issues such as the scope of settlement agreements, liability under the Defective Premises Act, and claims involving allegations of fraud.
Examples of notable cases Adam has been involved in include:
- Skatteforvaltningen (The Danish Customs and Tax Administration) v MCML Ltd: Appeal to the Supreme Court on the scope of the doctrine of issue estoppel. The appeal arises out of one of the Danish tax authority’s claims to recover sums wrongfully paid out as tax refunds. Assisted Jamie Goldsmith KC and KV Krishnaprasad (during pupillage).
- Credit Suisse Virtuoso SICAV-SIF and another v SoftBank: Recognised as one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases for 2025, this $440 million Commercial Court claim was brought under s.423 of the Insolvency Act 1986 and arises from the high-profile collapse of the Greensill Group. Assisted (during pupillage) Sonia Tolaney KC, Nehali Shah, Andrew McLeod, and Katherine Boucher.
- Premier League v Leicester City FC: CAS arbitration proceedings concerning the Premier League’s jurisdiction to investigate and proceed against Leicester City FC for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules. The Tribunal held that the English Football League had validly transferred responsibility for its investigation to the Premier League in June 2024, after Leicester City FC’s promotion from the Championship. Assisted Conall Patton KC (during pupillage).
- Process & Industrial Developments Ltd v The Federal Republic of Nigeria: Appeal to the Supreme Court on the question of when a court should make an award of costs in a foreign currency, arising out of the high-profile decision of the High Court to overturn arbitration awards ordering Nigeria to pay US$6.6 billion in damages. Assisted Henry Hoskins (during pupillage).
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Examples of Recent Cases
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Arbitration
- Confidential LCIA Arbitration: A contractual dispute between the CEO and the Board of a multi-billion-pound company concerning the interpretation of a shareholders’ agreement. Assisted Michael Fealy KC and Eleanor Campbell (during pupillage).
- Confidential LCIA Arbitration: A multi-billion-pound claim for unpaid fees under a service agreement. Assisted Conall Patton KC, Henry Hoskins, and Joshua Crow (during pupillage).
- Confidential ICC Arbitration: A dispute involving a multi-billion-pound private company, concerning the ownership of, and rights in relation to, a manufactured material factory in mainland Europe. Assisted Henry Hoskins (during pupillage).
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Banking and Finance
- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) v Various Banks: A claim worth over $200 million, brought against a number of LIBOR panel banks in relation to alleged USD LIBOR misconduct. Assisted Emma Jones (during pupillage).
- Firstsource Solutions v Caroleo: A claim in the Chancery Division for the recovery of over £1 million incorrectly transferred by a bank to a customer, as well as consequent enforcement proceedings. Assisted Eleanor Campbell (during pupillage).
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Civil Fraud
- Firstsource Solutions v Caroleo: A claim in the Chancery Division claim for the recovery of over £1 million incorrectly transferred by a bank to a customer, as well as consequent enforcement proceedings. Assisted Eleanor Campbell (during pupillage).
- UBS Asset Management Switzerland v R.W. Chelsea Holdings: A contractual debt claim for over £12 million arising from the collapse of the Greensill Group, raising issues of bribery, rescission, restitution, and oral contracts. Instructed for the Claimant, led by Daniel Benedyk.
- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) v Various Banks: A claim worth over $200 million, brought against a number of LIBOR panel banks in relation to alleged USD LIBOR misconduct. Assisted Emma Jones (during pupillage).
- Skatteforvaltningen (The Danish Customs and Tax Administration) v MCML Ltd: Appeal to the Supreme Court on the scope of the doctrine of issue estoppel. The appeal arises out of one of the Danish tax authority’s claims to recover sums wrongfully paid out as tax refunds. Assisted Jamie Goldsmith KC and NV Krishnaprasad (during pupillage).
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Competition
- Airwave Solutions v SSHD: A claim for declaratory relief against the Home Secretary and the Health Secretary in relation to the procurement of the emergency services mobile communication network. The dispute arose following the CMA’s decision to impose a charge control order, which was subsequently upheld by CAT and the Court of Appeal. Assisted Henry Hoskins (during pupillage).
- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) v Various Banks: A claim worth over $200 million, brought against a number of LIBOR panel banks in relation to alleged USD LIBOR misconduct contrary to Article 101 of the TFEU and Chapter 1 of the UK Competition Act. Assisted Emma Jones (during pupillage).
- Premier League v Leicester City FC: An arbitration concerning the Premier League’s jurisdiction to investigate and proceed against Leicester City FC for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules. The Tribunal held that the English Football League had validly transferred responsibility for its investigation to the Premier League in June 2024, after Leicester City FC’s promotion from the Championship. Assisted Conall Patton KC (during pupillage).
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Commercial Litigation
- UBS Asset Management Switzerland v R.W. Chelsea Holdings: A contractual debt claim for over £12 million arising from the collapse of the Greensill Group, raising issues of bribery, rescission, restitution, and oral contracts. Instructed for the Claimant, led by Daniel Benedyk.
- Credit Suisse Virtuoso SICAV-SIF and another v SoftBank: Recognised as one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases for 2025, this $440 million Commercial Court claim was brought under s.423 of the Insolvency Act 1986 and arises from the high-profile collapse of the Greensill Group. Assisted (during pupillage) Sonia Tolaney KC, Nehali Shah, Andrew McLeod, and Katherine Boucher.
- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) v Various Banks: A claim worth over $200 million, brought against a number of LIBOR panel banks in relation to alleged USD LIBOR misconduct. Assisted Emma Jones (during pupillage).
- Skatteforvaltningen (The Danish Customs and Tax Administration) v MCML Ltd: Appeal to the Supreme Court on the scope of the doctrine of issue estoppel. The appeal arises out of one of the Danish tax authority’s claims to recover sums wrongfully paid out as tax refunds. Assisted Jamie Goldsmith KC and NV Krishnaprasad (during pupillage).
- DMA Resources v Brazilian Nickel: A claim for introducer fees alleged to be due under an oral or implied services agreement. Assisted Eleanor Campbell (during pupillage).
- Inspired Education Online v Crombie: A claim for alleged breaches of warranties contained in a Share Purchase Agreement, and a successful counterclaim for declaratory relief in relation to deferred consideration under the SPA. Assisted Anna Boase KC and Joyce Arnold (during pupillage).
- Perelman v Kerr: A dispute in the Commercial Court over the validity, interpretation, and enforceability of a share purchase agreement. Assisted Saul Lemer (during pupillage).
- Deutsche Bank v Sebastian Holdings and Vik: A contempt of court application against the former director of a judgment debtor company for failing to provide truthful and correct information in a Part 71 hearing. Assisted James MacDonald KC and Andrew McLeod (during pupillage).
- Airwave Solutions v SSHD: A claim for declaratory relief against the Home Secretary and the Health Secretary in relation to the procurement of the emergency services mobile communication network. The dispute arose following the CMA’s decision to impose a charge control order, which was subsequently upheld by CAT and the Court of Appeal. Assisted Henry Hoskins (during pupillage).
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Company and Insolvency
- Credit Suisse Virtuoso SICAV-SIF and another v SoftBank: Recognised as one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases for 2025, this $440 million Commercial Court claim was brought under s.423 of the Insolvency Act 1986 and arises from the high-profile collapse of the Greensill Group. Assisted (during pupillage) Sonia Tolaney KC, Nehali Shah, Andrew McLeod, and Katherine Boucher.
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Education
2023-2024 - Bar Training Course (Distinction) - BPP London
2022-2023 - Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) (Distinction) - University of Oxford, Wadham College
Modules: Corporate Insolvency, Competition Law, Private Law & Fundamental Rights, Advanced Administrative Law
2019-2022 - BA Law (Double First Class) - University of Cambridge, Queens’ College
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Scholarships and Awards
- Wadham College Examinations Prize for the BCL (2023)
- BPP Career Commitment Scholarship (2023)
- BPP Advocacy Scholarship (2023)
- The Queen’s Scholarship (MT’s single top award for the Bar Course) – Middle Temple (2022)
- Harmsworth Entrance Exhibition – Middle Temple (2022)
- South Square Chambers BCL Scholarship (2022)
- Foundation Scholarship – Queens’ College, Cambridge (2021 & 2022, respectively)
- Redress Solutions Prize for Excellence in Law Exams – Queens’ College (2021 & 2022, respectively)
- Access to the Bar Award – Middle Temple (2021)
- Slaughter and May Cambridge Scholarship (2019-22)
- Smart Start Scholarship - Allen & Overy (2019-22)
- CMS Undergraduate Law Scholarship (2019-22)
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Previous Employment
- Before coming to the Bar, Adam worked as a legal assistant and paralegal in-house at an alternative investment fund manager, specialising in green energy and battery storage.
- Adam has also worked as a research assistant to Prof. Simon Holmes (UKCAT Judge and University of Oxford), Dr Federica Paddeu (University of Cambridge), and Prof. Christian Tams (University of Glasgow), focussing on issues of public international law and competition law.
- Finally, Adam has taught contract, EU, competition, administrative, and insolvency law to undergraduate students.
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Other
- In addition to his practice, Adam is committed to assisting and promoting a range social mobility projects. During his time off, he enjoys running and reading a range of fiction.