Dominic Li
Barrister
Call 2024
Dominic’s practice spans all areas of Chambers’ work, with a particular focus on commercial litigation, banking and finance, and civil fraud, often with an international element. He has experience in both litigation and arbitration. In addition to his led practice, Dominic is regularly instructed as sole counsel in the County Court.
Before coming to the Bar, Dominic interned at the International Arbitration Practice Group of WilmerHale London, where he assisted with a US$1bn London seated ICC arbitration concerning a supply and purchase agreement involving a major mining company.
Dominic is a native Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese speaker. He has conducted trial involving documents in Chinese, and cross-examined Mandarin-speaking witnesses (with translation). Having grown up in Hong Kong, he maintains close connections to the jurisdiction.
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Examples of Recent Cases
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Commercial Litigation
- Crane Bank v DFCU Bank: assisted Conall Patton KC and Emma Jones (during pupillage) in defending claims of unlawful means conspiracy arising out of the acquisition of a Ugandan banking business.
- Various Claimants v Glencore Plc & Ors: assisted Andrew Onslow KC, Richard Mott and Usman Roohani (during pupillage) in the market-leading shareholder class action against Glencore Plc. The claims centre on allegations of (in some cases, admitted) unlawful conduct by Glencore’s subsidiaries in multiple countries around the globe, and alleged false statements and dishonest non-disclosures to the market by Glencore in relation to the same.
- Various Claimants v Nissan Motor Co Ltd & Ors: assisted Stephen Auld KC, Anneli Howard KC, Michael d’Arcy and Simon Gilson (during pupillage) in a major group action arising out of alleged breaches of emissions regulations.
- Barry Maloney v Falcon VII Investments Sarl: assisted Lord (David) Wolfson KC, Joyce Arnold and Jarret Huang (during pupillage) in a dispute over shareholder rights and exit provisions in the contractual arrangements underpinning a private equity fund’s investment in a tech “unicorn” valued at around US$2bn. One of The Lawyer’s “Top 20” cases of 2025.
- Air X Charter Ltd v May: assisted Richard Mott (during pupillage) in a claim involving allegations of breach of confidence and unlawful means conspiracy.
- Synthos v Ineos: assisted Conall Patton KC, Simon Gilson and Veena Srirangam (during pupillage) in a claim for breach of warranties under a share purchase agreement.
- recLAW LLP v Mark James Search: acted as sole counsel in a claim for solicitors’ fees due under a conditional fee agreement. The issues included the enforceability of Contentious Business Agreements as defined in the Solicitors Act 1974, and penalty clauses.
- Assisted Richard Mott (during pupillage) in a claim for breach of warranties under a share purchase agreement, involving issues (among others) of construing the notification requirements in the SPA.
- Assisted Richard Mott (during pupillage) in a claim under a share purchase agreement, involving issues of contractual interpretation and rectification, and the grounds of challenging an expert determination.
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Banking and Finance
- LLC Eurochem North-West-2 v Societe Generale & Ors: assisted Neil Kitchener KC, James Weale and Rob Harris (during pupillage) in a substantial claim for payment under performance bonds. The case involves factual issues as to the ultimate ownership and control of the claimant, and legal issues as to the effect of various sanctions regimes.
- Nationwide Building Society v (1) Bank of New York Mellon; and (2) A&O Shearman: assisted Lord Grabiner KC and Simon Gilson (during pupillage) in a £100m claim relating to a series of high-value capital markets transactions and allegations of professional negligence.
- BNP v Uro: assisted Ken MacLean KC, James MacDonald KC, Adam Rushworth and Katherine Boucher (during pupillage) in a c.€250m dispute over whether a bond make whole premium is due in respect of a c.€1.25bn bond issue. Settled just before trial.
- Azzurro Associates Ltd & Ors v Smith & Ors: assisted Richard Mott (during pupillage) in claims by an SME debt purchaser backed by Elliott Investment Management LP. The case involves legal issues of assignment and novation.
- Thickett v Azzurro Associates Ltd: assisted Richard Mott and Lauren Hitchman (during pupillage) in claims involving issues of breach of contract, duty of care, data protection, and complex issues of causation of loss and quantum.
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Civil Fraud
- Crane Bank v DFCU Bank: assisted Conall Patton KC and Emma Jones (during pupillage) in defending claims of unlawful means conspiracy arising out of the acquisition of a Ugandan banking business.
- Air X Charter Ltd v May: assisted Richard Mott (during pupillage) in a claim involving allegations of breach of confidence and unlawful means conspiracy.
- Various Claimants v Glencore Plc & Ors: assisted Andrew Onslow KC, Richard Mott and Usman Roohani (during pupillage) in the market-leading shareholder class action against Glencore Plc. The claims centre on allegations of (in some cases, admitted) unlawful conduct by Glencore’s subsidiaries in multiple countries around the globe, and alleged false statements and dishonest non-disclosures to the market by Glencore in relation to the same.
- SKAT v Solo Capital Partners LLP (in administration) and Ors: assisted Laurence Rabinowitz KC, Charles Graham KC, Jamie Goldsmith KC and others (during pupillage) in a DKK 12bn (c.£1.5bn) fraud claim by the Danish Tax and Customs Administration. The case featured in The Lawyer’s “Top 20 Cases” for 2024 and has been described by Foxton J as “one of the largest and most complex pieces of litigation to be heard in the Commercial Court”.
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Group Litigation
- Various Claimants v Glencore Plc & Ors: assisted Andrew Onslow KC, Richard Mott and Usman Roohani (during pupillage) in the market-leading shareholder class action against Glencore Plc. The claims centre on allegations of (in some cases, admitted) unlawful conduct by Glencore’s subsidiaries in multiple countries around the globe, and alleged false statements and dishonest non-disclosures to the market by Glencore in relation to the same.
- Various Claimants v Nissan Motor Co Ltd & Ors: assisted Stephen Auld KC, Anneli Howard KC, Michael d’Arcy and Simon Gilson (during pupillage) in a major group action arising out of alleged breaches of emissions regulations.
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Professional Negligence
- Nationwide Building Society v (1) Bank of New York Mellon; and (2) A&O Shearman: assisted Lord Grabiner KC and Simon Gilson (during pupillage) in a £100m claim relating to a series of high-value capital markets transactions and allegations of professional negligence.
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Company and Insolvency
Dominic has acted successfully for the petitioner in bankruptcy proceedings.
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Conflict of Laws and Jurisdiction
- BNP Paribas v VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Co: assisted Conall Patton KC and Jarret Huang (during pupillage) in a claim for an anti-suit injunction in relation to proceedings brought in Vietnam. The grounds on which anti-suit relief was sought included an exclusive jurisdiction clause in favour of England, various other contractual provisions, and the “quasi-contractual” basis for anti-suit relief.
- Alimov v Mirakhmedov & ors: assisted Sonia Tolaney KC and Adam Rushworth (during pupillage) in a claim by Genesis Digital Assets, one of the world’s leading bitcoin mining companies, against some of its shareholders. Jurisdiction challenges were heard in December 2024 ([2024] EWHC 3322 (Comm)).
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Education & Scholarships
Education:
- Bar Vocational Studies, City, University of London (Distinction)
- Bachelor of Civil Law, Keble College, University of Oxford (Distinction)
- BA in Law with Senior Status, St John’s College, University of Cambridge (Double First)
- BA in History, Exeter College, University of Oxford (Double First)
Selected Scholarships:
- Awarded the Jardine Foundation Scholarship, a full-ride scholarship for the History BA at Oxford
- Awarded the Lui Scholarship in Law and the McMahon Scholarship for the BCL at Oxford
- Awarded the Lord Denning Scholarship of Lincoln’s Inn
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Languages
Dominic speaks native Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese, and can read and write both traditional and simplified Chinese. He has conducted trial involving documents in Chinese, and cross-examined Mandarin-speaking witnesses (with translation).