"A star of the future who performs well above the level of his year of call"
Kyle Lawson’s practice covers all aspects of commercial litigation and international arbitration.
Kyle is identified as a leading junior by Chambers & Partners UK in the fields of Commercial Dispute Resolution and Banking and Finance and by Legal 500 for Professional Negligence. He has been described in the legal directories as:
- “A star of the future who performs well above the level of his year of call”.
- “He is absolutely fantastic and will be a real star of the future. He is very hard-working, incredibly calm and unflappable. He works really seamlessly in a team. He takes good points and has great judgement”.
- “He is fiercely bright, highly industrious and with a strategic vision far in advance of his years. He writes beautifully and has a charismatic presence”.
- “fantastic, responsive and clearly very bright – a junior to watch".
- “Excellent with clients and very quick – that means he has a bright future”.
- “very impressive and absolutely terrific”.
- “super smart and very easy to interact with".
- “impressive, insightful and really responsive".
- "He gets to the bottom of issues so quickly, his work is of a very high quality, and he's just a really pleasant person to work with".
Kyle has extensive experience of acting in high-profile, high-value, heavy-weight commercial disputes, including cases featured in The Lawyer’s “Top 20 Cases” of 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022. His previous cases include the first shareholder group action ever to go to trial in England & Wales and the first civil trial to arise out of the “LIBOR-fixing scandal”.
Kyle Lawson’s practice covers all aspects of commercial litigation and international arbitration.
Kyle is identified as a leading junior by Chambers & Partners UK in the fields of Commercial Dispute Resolution and Banking and Finance and by Legal 500 for Professional Negligence. He has been described in the legal directories as:
- “A star of the future who performs well above the level of his year of call”.
- “He is absolutely fantastic and will be a real star of the future. He is very hard-working, incredibly calm and unflappable. He works really seamlessly in a team. He takes good points and has great judgement”.
- “He is fiercely bright, highly industrious and with a strategic vision far in advance of his years. He writes beautifully and has a charismatic presence”.
- “fantastic, responsive and clearly very bright – a junior to watch".
- “Excellent with clients and very quick – that means he has a bright future”.
- “very impressive and absolutely terrific”.
- “super smart and very easy to interact with".
- “impressive, insightful and really responsive".
- "He gets to the bottom of issues so quickly, his work is of a very high quality, and he's just a really pleasant person to work with".
Kyle has extensive experience of acting in high-profile, high-value, heavy-weight commercial disputes, including cases featured in The Lawyer’s “Top 20 Cases” of 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022. His previous cases include the first shareholder group action ever to go to trial in England & Wales and the first civil trial to arise out of the “LIBOR-fixing scandal”.
Examples of notable recent instructions include:
A significant part of Kyle’s commercial disputes work also takes place in arbitration. Kyle has acted in numerous international arbitrations under a wide variety of institutional rules (including LCIA, ICC, DIFC, UNCITRAL and the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration), as well as in ad hoc proceedings. In addition, he is frequently instructed to act in court proceedings arising out of arbitrations (whether seated in England or abroad), including applications for interim relief under section 44 of the 1996 Act (e.g. injunctive relief), seeking or resisting the enforcement of foreign or domestic awards under section 66 or the New York Convention, and challenging or defending arbitration awards under sections 67, 68 and 69.
By its nature, Kyle’s international arbitration practice is mostly confidential, but recent highlights include:
Much of Kyle’s work (whether before domestic courts or in arbitration) has an international or cross-border dimension. He is regularly instructed to act in cases involving foreign parties, foreign courts and tribunals and foreign governing laws. In recent years, for example, Kyle has acted in cases subject to the laws of New York, Cayman, BVI, Bermuda, Barbados, Mauritius, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Cyprus, Israel, Liberia, Dubai, the DIFC and the UAE (amongst others). In addition, many of Kyle’s cases involve issues of both public and private international law (including, in particular, issues relating to jurisdiction, the conflict of laws, and sovereign or state immunity).
Kyle is equally at home acting unled in his own right as he is working as part of a large litigation team, and he is increasingly instructed as sole counsel. He has appeared as sole counsel in the Court of Appeal, in all of the civil divisions of the High Court in which members of Chambers regularly appear (including the Commercial Court, Chancery Division and Queen’s Bench Division), as well as in arbitral proceedings (under a variety of different institutional rules).
In addition to his work before the English courts, Kyle has also appeared in proceedings before the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands and the Dubai International Finance Centre Courts.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Kyle read law at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a Double First and was ranked first in his year in 2009 and seventh in 2010. He obtained an LLM from Harvard Law School in 2011, where he specialised in private law, public international law and international arbitration.
Kyle is a member of the Sports Resolutions Pro Bono Panel, through which he provides pro bono legal advice and representation to athletes and players in relation to contractual disputes, anti-doping cases, athlete selection and eligibility issues, and disciplinary matters.
Kyle is recommended by Chambers & Partners UK as a leading junior in the field of commercial dispute resolution.
"A star of the future who's capable of performing well above the level of his year of call" (Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2019 – Commercial Dispute Resolution)
Kyle has a wide-ranging commercial practice. He is regularly instructed to advise and represent clients in commercial disputes of all kinds, big and small, international and domestic, arising out of all sectors and industries, in both litigation and arbitration. In recent years, Kyle has acted in some of the largest cases to come before the English Courts (including ENRC v Dechert & the SFO, The Lloyds/HBOS Group Litigation and PAG v RBS). As a result, he is very familiar with the demands of heavy trials, particularly those involving extensive factual and expert evidence, as well as the wide variety of interlocutory applications to which such litigation frequently gives rise (including jurisdiction challenges, disputes about disclosure/privilege, injunctions, freezing orders and other associated forms of interim relief).
Almost all of Kyle’s work can broadly be described as ‘commercial litigation’. He has particular experience and expertise in relation to disputes involving banking and financial services, civil fraud, professional negligence and energy and natural resources. Kyle’s sector specific experience is described in more detail in the relevant sub-sections below. However, examples of other general commercial litigation cases in which Kyle has acted include:
In addition to appearing in court (both in England and abroad), a very significant part of Kyle’s commercial disputes work takes place in international arbitration. Kyle has acted in numerous arbitrations under a wide variety of institutional rules (including LCIA, ICC, DIFC, UNCITRAL and the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration), as well as in ad hoc proceedings. In addition, he is regularly instructed to act in court proceedings arising out of arbitrations (whether seated in England or abroad), including applications for interim relief under section 44 of the 1996 Act (e.g. injunctive relief), seeking or resisting the enforcement of foreign or domestic awards under section 66 or the New York Convention, and challenging or defending arbitration awards under sections 67, 68 and 69.
By its nature, Kyle’s international arbitration practice is mostly confidential, but recent highlights include:
Kyle is also a contributing author to “SIAC Rules: An Annotation”, an annotated guide to the arbitration rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.
Kyle is recommended by Chambers & Partners UK as a leading junior for disputes relating to banking and financial services.
"He is absolutely fantastic and will be a real star of the future. He is very hard-working, incredibly calm and unflappable. He works really seamlessly in a team. He takes good points and has great judgement". "He is very impressive and absolutely terrific". (Chambers & Partners 2022 – Banking & Finance)
Kyle has extensive experience of acting and advising in relation to banking and financial services disputes of various kinds (both led and unled). His practice covers the full spectrum of banking and finance work, including investment banking, investment and asset management, sovereign wealth, capital markets, M&A, derivatives, as well as private and retail banking.
In recent years, Kyle has acted in a number of landmark banking and finance related cases, including (amongst other things) acting for the successful defendants in the first shareholder group action ever to go to trial in England and Wales (The Lloyds/HBOS Group Litigation). The claim was dismissed following a 5-month trial: see [2019] EWHC 3096 (Ch). In addition, Kyle also acted in the first civil trial to arise out of the well-publicised “LIBOR-fixing scandal” (PAG v RBS), and the leading case on the test for reliance in implied misrepresentation claims (Leeds City Council & Ors v Barclays Bank Plc). Kyle also has experience of regulatory proceedings in the banking and finance context, including proceedings before the Takeover Panel.
Kyle has particular experience of group litigation/class actions in the banking and finance context, having previously acted in the Lloyds/HBOS Group Litigation. He is currently acting in relation to a number of other prospective claims under s.90/s.90A of FSMA 2000.
Examples of recent work in the banking and finance field include:
Many of the commercial disputes in which Kyle acts involve allegations of civil fraud. As a result, Kyle has extensive experience of cases which involve allegations of fraud, deceit, dishonesty, misrepresentation and misstatement, economic/intentional torts (in particular, lawful and unlawful means conspiracy and inducement of breaches of contract), breaches of fiduciary duties (and their statutory equivalents), as well as equitable claims and remedies.
Examples of recent work in the civil fraud field include:
Kyle is recommended as a leading junior by Legal 500 for professional negligence.
"He is fiercely bright, highly industrious and with strategic vision far in advance of his years. He writes beautifully and has a charismatic presence". (Legal 500 2022 – Professional Negligence)
Kyle is regularly instructed to act in both professional negligence claims and in professional disciplinary proceedings before a variety of different disciplinary bodies (including the Financial Reporting Council, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and the Takeover Panel). His previous clients include, amongst others, the directors of a FTSE 100 company, a ‘Big Four’ accountancy firm, a US law firm, accountants, auditors, solicitors and investment banks.
Examples of recent notable work in this field include:
Kyle is also member of the Sports Resolutions Pro Bono Panel, through which he provides pro bono legal advice and representation to athletes and players in relation to contractual disputes, anti-doping cases, athlete selection and eligibility issues, and disciplinary matters.
Many of the commercial disputes in which Kyle acts, both in court and in arbitration, arise out of, or in connection with, substantial international energy projects. In addition to raising complex issues of contractual construction, these disputes are often governed by foreign law and Kyle has extensive experience of dealing with expert evidence in relation to such issues.
Examples of recent notable work in this field includes:
Kyle has experience of acting in number of insurance and reinsurance disputes, including:
Kyle is a member of the Sports Resolutions Pro Bono Panel, through which he provides pro bono legal advice and representation to athletes and players in relation to contractual disputes, anti-doping cases, athlete selection and eligibility issues, and disciplinary matters.
"The Remoteness Rules in Contract: Holmes, Hoffmann and Ships that Pass in the Night" – King's Law Journal, April 2012
Contributing author to "SIAC Rules: An Annotation" (edited by Heilbron, Hirst and Reichert)
Education
Daniel Stewart's and Melville College, Edinburgh (1997-2007)
Pembroke College, University of Cambridge (2007-2010)
Harvard Law School (2010-2011)
BPP Law School (2011-2012)
Qualifications
BA (Hons) Law (2010) (Double First, 1st in year 2009; 7th in year 2010)
LLM (2011) (Private Law, International Commercial Arbitration, Public International Law)
Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) (2012)
Scholarships and Prizes
LINCOLN'S INN
Lord Mansfield Scholarship
Hardwicke Entrance Award
UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
The Clifford Chance David Gottlieb Prize (for the best overall performance in Part IB of the Law Tripos)
The E.C.S. Wade Prize (for the best performance in Administrative law)
James William Squire Scholarship
Harvard Scholarship
PEMBROKE COLLEGE
The Ziegler Prize (for the best overall performance in law)
The Blackburne Daniell Prize (for the best second-year performance in any subject)
Foundress Prize
Foundation Scholar
OTHER
The Times/One Essex Court Law Awards (Runner Up, 2012)
The Royal Historical Society's Beazley Prize
Professional Memberships
COMBAR (Commercial Bar Association)
LCLCBA (London Common Law & Commercial Bar Association)
YFLA (Young Fraud Lawyers Association)
Further Interests
Kyle is a keen sportsman and, prior to coming to the bar, he played golf for the Cambridge University 'Stymies' (2nds) and rugby for Pembroke College and the Harvard Business School.
Kyle is a member of the Sports Resolutions Pro Bono Panel, through which he provides pro bono legal advice and representation to athletes and players in relation to a variety of contractual disputes and disciplinary matters.
"He is absolutely fantastic and will be a real star of the future. He is very hard-working, incredibly calm and unflappable. He works really seamlessly in a team. He takes good points and has great judgement." "He is very impressive and absolutely terrific." (Chambers & Partners 2022 – Banking & Finance)
"A good, bright and personable barrister." (Chambers & Partners 2022 – Commercial Dispute Resolution)
"He is fiercely bright, highly industrious and with strategic vision far in advance of his years. He writes beautifully and has a charismatic presence." (Legal 500 2022)
"A star of the future who performs well above the level of his year of call." (Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2021 – Banking & Finance)
"He churns out documents, and the quality of his work is very good." (Chambers & Partners 2021 – Commercial Dispute Resolution)
"He provides excellent, reliable advice wrapped up in thorough and carefully drafted documents." (Legal 500 2021)
"He is fantastic, responsive and clearly very bright – a junior to watch” (Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2020 – Banking & Finance)
"Kyle is super smart and very easy to interact with” (Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2020 – Banking & Finance)
"He gets to the bottom of issues so quickly, his work is of a very high quality, and he's just a really pleasant person to work with” (Chambers & Partners UK Bar & Global 2020 – Commercial Dispute Resolution)
"Kyle is impressive, insightful and really responsive" (Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2020 – Commercial Dispute Resolution)
"A star of the future who's capable of performing well above the level of his year of call" (Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2019 – Commercial Dispute Resolution)
"Excellent with clients and very quick – that means he has a bright future" (Legal 500 2017)