Joe Johnson
Barrister
Call 2021
Joe’s practice covers the full spectrum of commercial disputes, including litigation, arbitration and advisory work. He has particular experience with complex group litigation and has been instructed on various high profile cases in that area, including the Fundão Dam proceedings, one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2025, and the s90 and s90A FSMA claims brought against Glencore (Aabar & Ors v Glencore Plc).
Joe is regularly instructed as part of very large counsel and solicitor teams, but is also comfortable working as sole counsel, and has appeared unled in the Commercial Court.
Joe’s current and recent instructions include:
- Munícipio de Mariana v BHP
Acting for BHP in the largest ever group action before the English courts arising out of the collapse of the Fundão Dam in Brazil in 2015. - Onecom Partners & Ors v Eve Connect & Ors
Acted for Onecom in conspiracy claims arising out of the sale and purchase of a telecommunications business.
- Various Claimants v Glencore & Ors
Acted for the claimants in multi-party shareholder claims brought under s90 FSMA.
- The Mazda NOx Emissions Litigation
Defending Mazda in claims concerning alleged breaches of emissions requirements relating to the production of diesel vehicles. - Girvan v (1) Paralaw; and (2) BT
Acted (pro bono via Advocate) for Mr Girvan in relation to his claims in breach of contract and conspiracy. Joe conducted the advocacy at a hearing of BT’s application to strike out Mr Girvan’s claim, which he successfully resisted.
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Examples of Recent Cases
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Arbitration
- LCIA Arbitration: acting (led by Ewan McQuater KC and David Quest KC) for two leading Middle Eastern banks in a $500m dispute concerning security arrangements for sharia-compliant financing.
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Banking and Finance
- NMC Group v (1) Dubai Islamic Bank (2) Noor Bank: Acted (led by Ewan McQuater KC and David Quest KC) for Dubai Islamic Bank and Noor Bank in a $400m dispute in the Abu Dhabi Global Markets Courts arising from the NMC Healthcare fraud.
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Insurance
- Advisory matter: advising (with Sonia Tolaney KC) on the applicability of a contractual right of first refusal in respect of the management of assets acquired as a result of a pension scheme’s ‘buy-in.’
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Civil Fraud
- Onecom Partners & Ors v Eve Connect & Ors: acted (with Edmund Nourse KC) for the claimants in conspiracy claims arising out of the sale and purchase of a telecommunications business.
- Paul Girvan v Paralaw and BT: acted (pro bono, via Advocate) for the claimant in respect of breach of contract and conspiracy claims against BT. Joe successfully resisted strike out of Mr Girvan’s claim.
- Onecom Partners & Ors v Eve Connect & Ors: acted (with Edmund Nourse KC) for the claimants in conspiracy claims arising out of the sale and purchase of a telecommunications business.
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Commercial Litigation
- Bardsley v BH Hotels: acted (led by Alexander Brown KC) in relation to a share option dispute arising out of the sale and purchase of a hotel business.
- Capital Garage Doors v Charters of Aldershot Ltd: acted for the claimant in a breach of contract claim arising out of alleged poor workmanship on the claimant’s vehicle.
- Love Bites Ltd v Newrest Inflight UK Ltd: acted for the defendant to a breach of contract claim arising out of the supply of allegedly defective in flight meals.
- McGhee-Sumner and Pritchard v Bullock: acted for the claimants in a breach of contract claim arising out of an oral agreement for construction work on their home. Joe conducted the advocacy at trial.
- Milioto v Event of Champions: acted for the defendant in successfully striking out claims in breach of contract and fraud.
- Mottershead v Story Homes: acted for the defendant in securing strike out of the claims against it, and judgment on the defendant’s counterclaim in breach of contract.
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Company
- Advisory matter: advising (with Sa’ad Hossain KC) a property development company as to the duties of their nominated directors of a joint venture, including the avoidance of conflicts of interest.
- Advisory matter: advised (with Sonia Tolaney KC) in relation to contractual and company law issues relating to the proposed acquisition of shares in a major football club.
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Group Litigation
- The Mazda Nox Emissions Litigation: acted (led by Stephen Auld KC) for Mazda in claims concerning alleged breaches of emissions requirements relating to the production of diesel vehicles.
- Munícipio de Mariana v BHP: Acting for BHP in the largest ever group action before the English courts arising out of the collapse of the Fundão Dam in Brazil in 2015.
- Various Claimants v Glencore & Ors: acted (led by Sonia Tolaney KC and Peter de Verneuil Smith KC) for various institutional investors in claims arising out of alleged misstatements and omissions from the defendant’s prospectuses.
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Jurisdiction and Conflict of Laws
- Mark Denning v Arcem Resources Ltd & Or: acted (led by Niranjan Venkatesan KC) for the Defendant to a commercial debt claim, engaging various issues in relation to jurisdiction and validity of service.
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Academic qualifications
- Non-stipendiary tutor in Constitutional Law, The Queen’s College [2019-2020]
- BPP University, Barrister Training Course (Very Competent) [2020-2021]
- University of Oxford, Bachelor of Civil Law (Distinction) [2018-2019]
- University of Oxford, BA Jurisprudence (First) [2015-2018]
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Awards and prizes
- BTC Excellence Scholarship, BPP University (2020)
- Terence Etherton Scholarship, Middle Temple (2019)
- Honoré Scholarship, The Queen’s College (2018)
- Mander Law Prize, The Queen’s College (2018)
- Michel Scholarship, The Queen’s College (2017)
- Michel Junior Scholarship, The Queen’s College (2016)
