Brick Court Chambers

Sophie Shaw

Sophie Shaw

YEAR OF CALL: 2015

"She is very clever and easy to work with – on her way to high places." 
Legal 500 2021
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Sophie has a broad practice across the range of work undertaken in Chambers, with a particular focus on commercial litigation and arbitration.

Examples of current and recent instructions include:

  • Privatbank v Kolomoisky and other: acting for the first defendant, Mr Kolomoisky in defence of a claim by the bank alleging the misappropriation of $1.9bn (led by Mark Howard QC, Michael Bools QC and Alec Haydon QC).
  • Slater & Gordon (UK) 1 Ltd v Watchstone Group plc: acting for Watchstone in defence of a £640m claim alleging fraud and breach of warranty arising in the context of a well-publicised acquisition by the claimant of certain of Watchstone’s businesses. Watchstone was granted permission to pursue a counterclaim arising from the alleged participation of the claimant’s advisers in an illicit “back channel” with Watchstone’s advisors (led by Tim Lord QC).
  • Manchester Building Society v Grant Thornton [2018] EWHC 963 and [2019] EWCA Civ 40: acting for an auditor who admitted liability but was held liable at triable for less than 1% of the sum claimed, principally concerning the application of the “SAAMCO” principle (led by Simon Salzedo QC).
  • Single Buoy Moorings v Zurich Insurance and others: acting for an insured owner of an offshore oil storage platform in a claim worth around $1 billion arising out of abandonment due to safety concerns (led by Mark Howard QC, Neil Calver QC and Stephen Midwinter QC). 
  • Acting for Ingenious Media in litigation concerning the sale and promotion of film finance investment schemes (led by Tim Lord QC and Simon Birt QC).
  • Contact v Travelers [2018] EWHC 83 (TCC): a dispute concerning the liability of an insurance company to indemnify the claimant for losses arising from damage to a printing press (led by Thomas Plewman QC).

Sophie read law at Clare College, Cambridge.  She gained the top first in Part II, winning prizes for Equity and EU law, and subsequently achieved a first on the LLM.

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  • Commercial M

    Sophie practices across the full range of the commercial work in Chambers, and has appeared led and unled in the High Court and County Court.

    Examples of current and recent instructions include:

    • Privatbank v Kolomoisky and other: acting for the first defendant, Mr Kolomoisky in defence of a claim by the bank alleging the misappropriation of $1.9bn (led by Mark Howard QC, Michael Bools QC and Alec Haydon QC).
    • Slater & Gordon (UK) 1 Ltd v Watchstone Group plc: acting for Watchstone in defence of a £640m claim alleging fraud and breach of warranty arising in the context of a well-publicised acquisition by the claimant of certain of Watchstone’s businesses. Watchstone was granted permission to pursue a counterclaim arising from the alleged participation of the claimant’s advisers in an illicit “back channel” with Watchstone’s advisors. The claims were settled shortly before a 9 week trial was due to commence for £11m with no admissions of liability under either the claim or counterclaim (led by Tim Lord QC).
    • Manchester Building Society v Grant Thornton [2018] EWHC 963 and [2019] EWCA Civ 40: acting for an auditor who admitted liability but was held liable at triable for less than 1% of the sum claimed, principally concerning the application of the “SAAMCO” principle (led by Simon Salzedo QC).
    • Single Buoy Moorings v Zurich Insurance and others: acting for an insured owner of an offshore oil storage platform in a claim worth around $1 billion arising out of abandonment due to safety concerns (led by Mark Howard QC, Neil Calver QC and Stephen Midwinter QC). 
    • Acting for Ingenious Media in litigation concerning the sale and promotion of film finance investment schemes (led by Tim Lord QC and Simon Birt QC).
    • Contact v Travelers [2018] EWHC 83 (TCC): a dispute concerning the liability of an insurance company to indemnify the claimant for losses arising from damage to a printing press (led by Thomas Plewman QC).
    • An arbitration concerning the handling and settlement of claims made under medical malpractice insurance policies issued in Italy pursuant to a series of binding authority agreements (led by Stephen Midwinter QC).
    • An SCC arbitration concerning the copying of a technical specification for a chemical plant (led by Charles Hollander QC and Nicholas Saunders).
    • Marashen v Kenvett [2017] EWHC 1706 (Ch): an appeal concerning service out of the jurisdiction and alternative service in a case to which the Hague Service Convention is applicable (led by Simon Salzedo QC).
    • Advising on a possible arbitration for an unfair prejudice petition against partners in an EIS investment partnership (led by Charles Hollander QC).
    • Advising an NHS Trust on the strength of its claim for breach of contract against a supplier of locum staff.
    • Phonographic Performance Limited v Ioannou: successfully defending an application for default judgment in the High Court against an employee said to have infringed the rights of PPL.
  • Competition M

    As a pupil, Sophie assisted with the following matters:

    • SeaFrance v CMA, an appeal to the Supreme Court concerning when the merger control rules apply to dormant/insolvent companies under the Enterprise Act 2002 (as a pupil sitting with Kelyn Bacon QC).
    • Accord v Astellas, a case in the High Court concerning the legality of reliance on German reference product to obtain a marketing authorisation in the United Kingdom (as a pupil sitting with Kelyn Bacon QC).
  • Public Law M

    While sitting with Kelyn Bacon QC as a pupil, Sophie assisted with Tann UK Limited and others v Secretary of State for Health, a judicial review concerning the lawfulness of the 'Plain Packaging' Regulations in the United Kingdom.

  • Education & Qualifications M

    Education

    2015-16 Pupillage, Brick Court Chambers

    2014-15 BPTC, BPP Law School (Outstanding)

    2013-14 LLM, Clare College, Cambridge (1st Class)

    2009-13 BA (Hons) Law, Clare College, Cambridge (1st Class, 1st in year)

    2011-12 Erasmus Exchange, Utrecht University

    Scholarships and prizes

    University of Cambridge:

    • Slaughter and May Prize for Best Overall Performance in Part II Law (2013)
    • Clifford Chance Prize for European Union Law (2013)
    • 3 Verulam Buildings Prize for Equity (2013)
    • Rebecca Flower Squire Scholarship (2013)

    Clare College, Cambridge:

    • Clare College LLM Scholarship (2013-2014)
    • William Senior Prize for Law, Clare College, University of Cambridge (2013)

    Middle Temple:

    • JJ Powell Prize, Middle Temple (2015)
    • Certificate of Honour, Middle Temple (2015)
    • Queen Mother Scholarship, Middle Temple (2014)

    Other:

    • Bar European Group Phoenicia Scholar (2016)
    • BPP Excellence Award (2014)
  • directory quotes M

    "She is everything you want from a junior. Technically brilliant, calm under pressure and someone who has an adept way of dealing with complex points. She always manages to find a way through." Chambers & Partners 2024 

    "Sophie has a brilliant legal mind, stunning knack for finding the key facts and documents, and the most calm presence. She is truly a star of the Bar." Legal 500 2024

    "Sophie is a fabulous junior – highly intelligent, dedicated, exercises good judgement, is personable and has a great attention to detail. She has been involved in many large matters which bodes well for her future. She is excellent on paper and has great client skills." Legal 500 2024

    "A very bright barrister with massive potential. She is very commercial and really understands the support you need from junior barristers." Chambers & Partners 2023

    "Sophie is very sharp-witted, very user-friendly and someone with a good ability to articulate the strongest and weakest points in a case." "Her written work is of the highest quality." "She successfully masters large volumes of documentation and works well as part of a team." Chambers & Partners 2023

    "Easy going as part of a team but expresses her views with real conviction – a great person to have on your side in a big case." Legal 500 2023

    "She is a tremendous asset to the counsel team, completely on top of her cases and gives sound and practice advice." Legal 500 2023

    "Sophie has a rare talent for finding the key point on which the case turns, and then serving it up in the most persuasive manner imaginable. Real star quality." Legal 500 2023

    "Produces high-quality work and is both very responsive and excellent with clients." Chambers & Partners 2022

    "Fantastic – very able and responsive, a very able drafter and a very good all-round lawyer."  Legal 500 2022

    "Very responsive, dependable and a purveyor of robust advice." Chambers & Partners 2021

    "She is very thorough and successfully masters large volumes of documentation, working well as part of a team." Chambers & Partners 2021

    "Great attention to technical detail balanced by a clear communication style. Sophie has a collaborative way of working that made it really easy and a pleasure to instruct her." Legal 500 2021

    "She is very clever and easy to work with – on her way to high places." Legal 500 2021