Andrew Thomas' Full CV

Qualifications

Law B.A. (First Class Honours), Balliol College, Oxford

Recipient of Oxford University's Eldon Law Scholarship, and the Slaughter and May prize for the Best Performance in Contract in Finals, and Inner Temple's Princess Royal Scholarship.

Practice Profile

Andrew Thomas has advised on and appeared, both led and unled, in a wide spectrum of commercial litigation and arbitrations including telecoms, aviation, banking, professional negligence, insurance and reinsurance, and jurisdictional disputes. In addition to regularly appearing in the Commercial Court and before other tribunals in England, he has participated in hearings in Zurich and the British Virgin Islands.

He began his career by acting as Junior Counsel in the BSE Inquiry conducted by Lord Phillips and has since been involved in several disputes involving over £100 million (including Bancomext v ETECSA) and many smaller cases (including litigation against Mr Van Hoogstraten). Issues have ranged from abstract points regarding the conflicts of laws to litigation which turned on the duration of a sexual relationship.

Andrew Thomas has recently represented Sir Allen Stanford in relation to a sponsorship dispute over the Stanford 20/20 for 20 cricket series (with Mark Cran QC).

Important Cases:

  • Bancomext -v- ETECSA - involved domestic and worldwide freezing orders for in excess of £100 million
  • Junior counsel for Coopers & Lybrand in the Barings Litigation, involving allegations of negligence by the auditors of Barings in relation to the activities of Nick Leeson.
  • Engaged in litigation against Mr Van Hoogstraten by the estate of Mr Raja, including matters relating to freezing orders and Raja -v- Van Hoogstraten (Court of Appeal) with regard to contempt and abuse of process.
  • Engaged in proceedings by Motorola Credit Corporation against Uzan and others, including issues regarding whole wide freezing orders.
  • Don King Productions Inc -v- Warren and Others [1998] 2 All ER 608, [1999] 3 WLR 276, [1998] 2 Lloyd's Rep 176, [1998] 2 BCLC 132, [1998] RPC 817 regarding contractual assignments and declarations of trust.
  • Junior Counsel to the BSE Inquiry
  • Engaged in proceedings involving damage to oil pipelines, giving rise to various issues of quantification of alleged future losses.
  • Anglo Eastern Trust -v- Kermanshahchi [2003] BPIR 1229m, a commercial dispute involving property transactions.
  • Metal Distributors (UK) Ltd -v- ZCCM Investment Holdings Plc [2005] 2 Lloyd's Rep 37 regarding the jurisdiction of arbitrators.
  • Carnoustie Universal SA and others -v- International Transport Workers' Federation and others [2002] 2 All ER (Comm) 657, involving issues of conflicts of laws, jurisdiction and duress.
  • Junior Counsel on a telecommunications arbitration involving allegations of money laundering and claims for assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
  • J Sainsbury plc -v- Broadway Malyan (a firm) (Ernest Green Partnership Ltd, third party) 61 Con LR 31 - including issues regarding loss of a chance and contribution claims.
  • Representing the General Medical Council in various appeals under the Medical Act.
  • Represented Sir Allen Stanford in relation to a sponsorship dispute over the Stanford 20/20 for 20 cricket series (with Mark Cran QC).

Banking

Engaged on several cases involving various banks (including Barings, NatWest, HSBC and Lloyds) which raised issues regarding:

  • the duties owed to banks by their auditors;
  • the duties owed by banks to its customers;
  • construction of mandates given to banks,
  • liabilities under guarantees to banks;
  • rights and obligations of various banks and other parties under letters of credit;
  • duties of banks under custodian agreements;
  • various demands for banking records

Further Information

Called to the Inner Temple
Other interests - Science fiction and the exploration of space.