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Richard Eschwege KC

Richard Eschwege KC

YEAR OF CALL: 2008    YEAR OF SILK: 2023

“Very experienced in long trials as well as in interlocutory applications.” "Richard will be a star silk. He is massively hard-working & extremely smart. He's who you want in the trenches with you"
Chambers & Partners 2025
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Richard Eschwege KC practises in heavyweight litigation and arbitration; he has acted in some of the highest profile and most significant cases of recent years. He has a broad, predominantly commercial, practice, and has advised on and acted in a spectrum of disputes, including energy and natural resources, banking and financial services, civil fraud, insurance and reinsurance, professional negligence, telecommunications, conflicts of interest, conflicts of laws, and jurisdiction battles. He has appeared in the national courts at all levels and before many international arbitral tribunals.

Richard is ranked in the legal directories as a leading silk in Commercial Dispute Resolution, Energy and Natural Resources, Banking and Finance, Civil Fraud, Insurance and Reinsurance, and International Arbitration. He was one of Legal Week’s ‘Stars at the Bar’ and was Banking Barrister of the Year at Lexology's European Awards 2025. He was shortlisted for Barrister of the Year in The Lawyer Awards 2025 and in Commercial Dispute Resolution by Chambers and Partners 2025.

Richard has a particularly strong practice in disputes relating to energy and natural resources, banking and finance, reinsurance/insurance and civil fraud matters.

He has acted in numerous substantial oil and gas, mining or infrastructure disputes across the globe, including in the North Sea, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, central Asia, the Americas and central and west Africa. He has appeared in many of the major energy and natural resources cases of recent years, including Excalibur Ventures. Richard has appeared in Município de Mariana v. BHP, a £36 billion claim arising from the collapse of a Brazilian dam; it is the largest group litigation ever before the English Court. He successfully defended the principal defendant CEO and CFO in Alta Trading (formerly known as Arcadia Petroleum) v. Bosworth, a US$500m alleged fraud concerning West African oil trading. After a 10-year battle fought in courts in England and abroad and a three-month trial, the Commercial Court dismissed the fraud claim against Richard’s clients on all grounds. Richard then obtained for his clients the largest ever award of damages under the cross-undertaking given for a freezing order.

Richard has worked on a variety of banking litigation matters, often involving complex financial products. He has acted for lenders, borrowers, hedge funds and other fund management companies, in a wide range of financial disputes, including asset and security enforcement, the restructuring of facility agreements, repos, disputes under bank guarantees, disputes involving bond issues and clearing systems, LIBOR manipulation, swaps mis-selling cases, and payments under letters of credit. He has experience of insolvency matters and had involvement in proceedings arising under the Takeover Code or investigations involving regulators.

Richard also has extensive experience of civil fraud matters, both for claimants and defendants, and frequently in the context of multi- jurisdictional disputes. In addition to his work in Alta Trading, he currently acts in a number of other substantial fraud cases before the English court.

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  • Commercial M

    Recent court matters on which Richard Eschwege has been instructed include:

    • Alta Trading UK Ltd (formerly known as Arcadia Petroleum) v. Bosworth & Ors [2025] EWHC 91 (Comm.); [2026] EWHC 2767 (Comm.); [2025] EWHC 2724 (Comm.); [2025] EWHC 1097 (Comm.); [2021] EWCA Civ. 687; [2020] EWHC 2757 (Comm.); CJEU [2019] ILPr. 22; Supreme Court, April 2017; [2016] EWCA Civ. 818; [2016] EWHC 2527 (Comm.); [2015] EWHC 3700 (Comm.); [2015] EWHC 1030 (Comm.): Richard successfully acted for the principal defendants in a three-month trial in respect of an alleged oil trading fraud in West Africa. The Claimants alleged that the principal defendants had dishonestly diverted profits of US$325m as part of a massive fraud; with interest on the alleged diverted profits, the Claimants claimed US$502m. The Commercial Court dismissed the fraud claim on all grounds, describing the Claimants’ allegations as ‘untenable’. There followed an inquiry under the cross-undertaking in damages; after a five-week trial, the Court awarded the defendants the largest ever sum under a cross-undertaking in damages. This matter was previously the subject of a complex and long-running jurisdiction challenge (which went to the Court of Appeal twice, the Supreme Court and the CJEU) concerning the interpretation of matters relating to employment contracts. There have been numerous interlocutory applications including in respect of disclosure and enforcement of freezing orders outside the jurisdiction.
    • Berebon & Ors v. Renaissance Africa Energy Company (formerly known as Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria). (TCC). Richard acts for the defendant in a US$588m oil spill claim relating to the Bodo region of the Niger Delta.
    • Instituto De Salud Para El Bienestar v. Viva Enterprises Ltd [2026] EWHC 1380 (Ch): Richard acted for the defendant in an US$40m dispute concerning alleged fraudulent misrepresentations and the delivery of medical ventilators to Mexico during the Covid-19 pandemic.
    • Arnage Holdings v. Walkers [2025] CICA (Civ) 7: Richard acted in a US$400m dispute before the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal concerning claims for breach of trust and confidence owed by solicitors to their clients and former clients.
    • Município de Mariana v. BHP Group (UK) Limited [2023] EWHC 2607 (TCC); [2023] EWHC 2030 (TCC); [2023]  EWHC 1134 (TCC); [2022] EWHC 330 (TCC): Richard acted for one of the defendants in a £36 billion dispute, the largest group litigation before the English court, arising out of the collapse of a Brazilian dam. In addition to defending the substantive claim, Richard acted in a jurisdiction challenge and arbitration stay application.
    • MWB Group Holdings (Takeover Panel, July 2024): Richard acted in disciplinary proceedings brought by the Takeover Panel for breaches of the Takeover Code arising out of the dealings in shares of MWB Group Holdings Plc. The proceedings were the most substantial and complex set of proceedings that the Panel   has ever brought.
    • Kireeva v. Zolotova [2024] EWHC 2705 (Ch): Richard acted in bankruptcy proceedings arising from a £1.34bn fraud. This particular dispute was a sub-set of the bankruptcy and related to the ownership of a valuable Italian villa; claims made for relief as to the beneficial ownership and/or in respect of transactions at an undervalue for the purposes of s.423 Insolvency Act 1986.  
    • Verlox v. Antoshin [2023] EWHC 86 (Comm.); [2022] EWHC 3182 (Comm.); [2022] EWHC 2667 (Comm.): jurisdiction challenge in US$40m dispute over an alleged shareholding agreement; setting aside claim form because change of jurisdictional basis for service out was an abuse of process; striking out contempt applications.
    • Maranello Rosso v. Lohomij [2022] EWCA Civ. 1667; [2021] EWHC 2542 (Ch): scope and effect of a settlement agreement compromising claims in alleged £70m conspiracy relating to a rare collection of Ferrari classic cars; rights and obligations of secured creditors.
    • Bank St Petersburg v. Arkhangelsky [2022] EWHC 2499 (Ch) [2020] EWCA Civ. 408; [2018] EWHC 1077 (Ch.): Richard acted for the successful bank in a substantial and long-running dispute concerning the enforcement of bank guarantees and alleged US$380m fraudulent banking 'raid' on companies' assets.
    • The Kingdom of Sweden v. Serwin [2022] EWHC 2706 (Comm.); [2020] EWHC 1251 (Comm.): Richard acts for the claimant in a €120m pension fraud in Sweden and Malta; enforcement of worldwide freezing orders and proprietary injunctions in foreign jurisdictions.
    • Elias v. Mamistvalov [2022] EWHC 1930 (Ch): dispute concerning beneficial ownership of company; alleged sham transaction; nominee arrangement and resulting trust.
    • Illiquidx v. Altana Wealth [2022] EWHC 126 (Ch): dispute concerning a valuable business opportunity to invest in illiquid assets and financial instruments and alleged breach of confidence.
    • Akhmedova v. Akhmedov [2021] EWHC 545 (Fam); [2020] EWHC 2527 (Fam); [2020] EWHC 2235(Fam): Richard acted for Liechtenstein trusts in a dispute relating to the enforcement of UK’s largest divorce award of £450m against assets in Liechtenstein; transactions at undervalue and application under s.423 Insolvency Act 1986.
    • Teesside Gas Transportation Limited v. CATS North Sea Ltd [2020] EWCA Civ. 503; [2019] EWHC 1220 (Comm.): Richard acted for the successful defendant in a £40m dispute relating to the interpretation of a capacity reservation agreement and the allocation of costs of the maintantenace of the CATS pipeline. The CATS pipeline is the pipeline that brings gas into the UK from the North Sea.
    • TAQA Bratani v. RockRose UKCS8 LLC [2020] EWHC 58 (Comm.); [2019] EWHC 2382 (Comm.): dispute over the removal of an operator of oil and gas fields in the North Sea and interpretation of a joint operating agreement.
    • PJSC Commercial Bank Privatbank v. Kolomoisky [2019] EWCA Civ. 1708; [2018] EWHC 3835 (Ch.): US$1.9 billion alleged banking fraud and misappropriation; jurisdiction challenge and challenge to freezing injunction.
    • Blue Power Group SARL v. Eni Norge SA [2019] EWHC 2269 (Ch.); [2018] EWHC 3588 (Ch.); [2018] EWHC 2212 (Ch.): energy dispute relating to compressed natural gas technology in the North Sea, and alleged breaches of exclusive service agreement and alleged breach of confidence; application to obtain Norwich Pharmacal relief
    • United Co Rusal Plc v. Crispian Investments Ltd [2018] EWHC 2415 (Comm.): shareholder dispute relating to sale of shares in major nickel company and exercise of a right of first refusal.
    • UMS Holdings v. Great Station [2017] EWHC 3330 (Comm.); [2017] EWHC 2473; [2017] EWHC 2398 (Comm.): enforcement of US$306 million LCIA arbitration award and challenge to the award under section 68 of the Arbitration Act 1996; post-judgment freezing orders; confidentiality of arbitration awards.
    • Petrosaudi Oil Services v. Novo Banco SA [2017] EWCA Civ. 9: circumstances in which the ‘fraud exception’ to a bank’s obligation to make payment under a letter of credit applies.
    • Excalibur Ventures LLC v. Texas Keystone & Ors [2016] EWCA Civ. 1144; [2015] EWHC 566 (Comm.); [2014] EWHC 3436 (Comm.); [2013] EWHC 2767 (Comm.); [2013] EWHC 4278 (Comm.) [2011] EWHC 1624 (Comm.): Richard acted for the successful principal defendant to defeat a claim for US$1.6 billion in respect of oil production sharing contracts in Kurdistan. There were substantial further issues as to litigation funding and non-party costs orders. At the interlocutory stage, there was the award of an anti-arbitration injunction. An appeal concerned the rights and liabilities of litigation funders to pay costs.
    • Scottish Power UK v. BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd [2016] EWCA Civ. 1043; [2016] EWHC 3569 (Comm.); [2015] EWHC 2658 (Comm.): interpretation of long-term gas sales contracts for the sale of gas from the North Sea, including exclusion clauses.
    • Bonhams v. Lawson & Ors [2015] EWHC 3527 (Comm.): dispute over the auction and ownership of very rare £11m  Ferrari car, one of the world’s most expensive classic cars
    • Peak Hotels v. Tarek Investments [2015] EWHC 1997 (Ch.): breakdown of a joint venture in a luxury hotel business.
    • CF Partners v. Barclays Bank & Ors [2014] EWHC 3049 (Ch.): banking dispute involving hedge fund and breach of confidence in relation to valuable M&A opportunity.
    • Georgian American Alloys v. White & Case LLP [2014] EWHC 94 (Comm.): acting for claimant to obtain an injunction to restrain solicitors from acting against former client; important case on conflicts of interest.
    • Berezovsky v. Abramovich [2012] EWHC 2463 (Comm.); [2011] EWHC 1777 (Comm.): high-profile dispute in respect of the ownership of oil and aluminium interests.
    • Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines v. Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association (Bermuda) Limited [2011] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 195: application of sanctions and alleged frustration of mutual indemnity insurance contract.
  • Arbitration M

    Recent arbitral matters on which Richard Eschwege has been instructed include:

    • Government of The Bahamas v. Grand Bahama Port Authority. Ad-hoc arbitration in $1bn dispute concerning reimbursement of government costs/expenditure.
    • LCIA arbitration involving US$20m credit insurance and banking dispute, involving the use of reinsurance arrangements and ‘fronting’.
    • LCIA arbitration involving fund management company and calculation of commission payments.
    • ICC arbitration involving major oil concession in central Africa; emergency relief from tribunal.
    • Challenge under sections 67, 68 and 69 of the Arbitration Act 1996 to an award concerned with a reinsurance dispute.
    • LCIA arbitration concerned with a major luxury hotel located in central Europe.
    • LCIA arbitration concerned with a US$47m repo transaction under a global master repurchase agreement
    • ARIAS arbitration concerned with the reinsurance to close provisions in the Lloyd’s market.
    • UMS Holdings v. Great Station [2017] EWHC 3330 (Comm.); [2017] EWHC 2473; [2017] EWHC 2398 (Comm.): enforcement of US$306 million LCIA arbitration award and challenge to the award under section 68 of the Arbitration Act 1996; post-judgment freezing orders; confidentiality of arbitration awards.
    • ICC arbitration relating to a mining dispute in India.
  • Qualifications M

    Bencher, Gray's Inn

    Education

    Balliol College, Oxford

    City University

    Inns of Court School of Law

    Qualifications

    M.A. (Oxon)

    Literae Humaniores (2006) - First Class (Congratulatory)

    Honour Moderations (2004) - First Class

    Bar Vocational Course (2008) - Outstanding

    CPE (2007) - Distinction

  • Directory Quotes M

    • "Richard is an exceptionally good barrister who works phenomenally hard." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard is detail-oriented and engaged with the facts of the case. He gets stuck into the documents and drives valuable lines of enquiry." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard's written work is brilliant." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard is an absolute nightmare to be against as he is so bright. A brilliant strategist and a very confident advocate, he is several moves ahead of most people." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard is an outstanding barrister. He handles difficult clients with great skill and judgement and his standards are consistently exceptionally high. As solicitors, we always feel that he has our backs. He is exceptionally intelligent, but wears his intellect lightly." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard is just excellent; so clever, but also very good with difficult clients. He has such high standards, and we feel he has our backs. He is strategically clever but wears it lightly and has an exceptional brain." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard Eschwege is very good." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard is supremely intelligent and has unparalleled knowledge of the law." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard is an excellent young silk for complex reinsurance issues." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard is incredibly clever and can deal with every situation." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard is fantastically intelligent and really intellectually capable. He sees points even some of his peers would not see." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "He is very precise and a real details man. He gets into the granular details of the issue and really punches it through." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "Richard Eschwege is very bright. He manages to do things by himself and does the work of three people." (Chambers & Partners 2027)

    • "A brilliant lawyer with an immense capacity for hard work. An authoritative and compelling advocate with a formidable intellect, speed of reaction, and a devastating ability to dismantle opposing arguments." (Legal 500 2027)

    • "Ferociously clever and able to digest vast quantities of complex data incredibly swiftly. Also a pleasure to work with." (Legal 500 2027)

    • "A rising star silk, with a particular gift for civil fraud. I rate Richard very highly indeed. As good on his feet as he is on paper." (Legal 500 2027)
    • "Richard is extremely intelligent and has a superb knowledge of banking law. He is also very good to work with." (Legal 500 2027)
    • "Richard Eschwege KC possesses considerable expertise in fraud claims arising in the banking and energy sectors. He is regularly instructed in disputes concerning allegations of conspiracy and fraudulent misappropriation, and has considerable experience handling cases involving overseas jurisdictions." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "Richard Eschwege KC attracts significant praise from solicitors and barristers alike. He handles a substantial caseload of disputes in the oil and gas industry and has multi-jurisdictional expertise. He is noted for his capacity to handle disputes concerning oil and gas production in Africa." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "Richard has huge capacity for cutting through the necessary work." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "Richard is an incredibly hard worker, he is also very comfortable on his feet and a terrific trial advocate." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "Richard is an awe-inspiring advocate. He is meticulous, focused and has an uncanny gift for seeing each case's centre of gravity early on." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "He is ferociously intelligent and tenacious." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "His attention to detail, energy and work ethic are really impressive." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "Richard Eschwege KC is experienced in a wide array of banking and finance disputes and general commercial litigation. He acts in matters involving the enforcement of guarantees, breaches of confidence, restructuring, LIBOR manipulation and hedge fund disputes. Eschwege impresses with his appetite for complex cases that raise novel points of law." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "His attention to detail and energy and work ethic are really impressive." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "He's got an immense brain and a huge capacity for cutting through the work." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "Richard is very good and very clever. He is a real fighter." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "Richard is super smart but also has the sort of brain that will look round corners." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "He is a great tactician. Richard sees the shape of litigation and can see the wood for the trees." (Chambers & Partners 2026)
    • "A stellar young silk, ferociously bright and forensically gifted." (Legal 500 2026)
    • "Richard is an authoritiative and persuasive advocate." (Legal 500 2026)
    • "Richard is going to be a star silk. He is massively hard-working and extremely smart. He's who you want in the trenches with you." (Chambers & Partners 2025)
    • "Richard is incredibly hard-working and his ability to get on top of huge amounts of material is second to none in my view. He is an extremely good advocate." (Chambers & Partners 2025)
    • "Richard is extremely bright and he has stepped up to silk very well. He has a bright future ahead of him." (Chambers & Partners 2025)
    • "Richard is extremely bright, even by commercial Bar standards, and has stepped up to silk very well." (Chambers & Partners 2025)
    • "Richard is excellent. He has a mind like a steel trap and his submissions are wonderfully clear. He adds huge value, and I love working with him." (Chambers & Partners 2025)
    • "Richard is extremely quick and very experienced in long trials." (Chambers & Partners 2025)
    • "Richard Eschwege is extremely bright." (Chambers & Partners 2025)
    • "Richard's work is brilliant. He is efficient." (Chambers & Partners 2025)
    • Richard is one of the brightest barristers of his generation. He is very driven and hard working and is committed to achieving success for his clients. He is also good fun to work with." (Legal 500 2025) 
    • "Richard is one of the brightest barristers of his generation. He is very driven and hard-working and is committed to achieving success for his clients." (Legal 500 2025) 
    • "An absurdly industrious barrister with extraordinary command of the details - he really understands which points will fly." (Legal 500 2025) 
    • "He is a tenacious and tough advocate, who is willing to take the fight to opponents." (Legal 500 2025) 
    • "A towering intellect with a prodigious work rate and a joy to work with." (Legal 500 2025) 
    • "Richard is a lawyer’s lawyer. He is absolutely first rate." (Legal 500 2025) 
    • "Richard is incredibly technically minded and adept at drawing together themes in case prep. His advocacy is extremely effective and extremely precise." (Chambers & Partners 2024)
    • "He is an extremely clever advocate, but also an excellent black letter lawyer." (Chambers & Partners 2024)
    • "Richard is all over the detail with excellent legal analysis." (Chambers & Partners 2024)
    • "He is an extremely clever advocate but also an excellent black-letter lawyer." (Chambers & Partners 2024)
    • "Richard is incredibly clever; his analysis and written work is unparalleled." (Chambers & Partners 2024)
    • "Richard has a big brain and is very thoughtful and tenacious." (Chambers & Partners 2024)
    • "Richard Eschwege is very hard-working, thorough and diligent. He's excellent." (Chambers & Partners 2024)
    • "He's absolutely top drawer; a very quick worker, and very smart." (Chambers & Partners 2024)
    • "Richard is phenomenally bright." (Chambers & Partners 2024)
    • "Richard is very thorough, able and bright." (Chambers & Partners 2024)
    • "Richard is a first-rate lawyer with sound judgment. He is a pleasure to work with and very clear in his views." (Legal 500 2024) 
    • "Richard has a prodigious intellect, but also an unbelievable capacity for sheer hard work.  He has a complete mastery of the technical aspects of the insurance and reinsurance industry, and is a pleasure to work with." (Legal 500 2024) 
    • "Hugely intelligent, with unparalleled drafting skills; Richard is able to assimilate vast quantities of complex material and produce outstanding skeleton arguments." (Legal 500 2024) 
    • "‘Richard is superb." (Legal 500 2024) 
    • "He has a massive brain and demonstrates judgement beyond his years." (Legal 500 2024) 
    • "Richard is extremely hard-working and immensely bright. He is a very safe pair of hands." "He is like a machine. He produces high-quality work at an astonishing rate." "Richard has a calm and measured advocacy style." (Chambers & Partners 2023)
    • "Richard Eschwege is incredibly bright and detail-orientated." (Chambers & Partners 2023)
    • "He is excellent and one of the top senior juniors at the Bar." "Richard is really bright and doesn't take hostages when in court." (Chambers & Partners 2023)
    • "He is head and shoulders above the rest." "He's really bright, works really fast and is part of the team with you as well." (Chambers & Partners 2023)
    • ''He should be on everyone’s list as a senior junior of choice because he is able to digest vast amounts of material at short notice and produce excellent and comprehensive arguments.’' (Legal 500 2023) 
    • ‘'Exceptionally hard-working and fast to produce very high-quality written work product. Very experienced in long trials as well as in interlocutory applications. Frequently appears unled in matters where a Silk is instructed on the other side.'’ (Legal 500 2023)
    • '‘Top level commercial junior. Hugely intelligent; unparalleled drafting skills; able to assimilate vast quantities of complex material and produce outstanding skeleton arguments.'' (Legal 500 2023)
    • '‘Richard should be on everyone's list as a senior junior of choice for commercial matters. He is able to digest vast amounts of material at short notice, produces excellent and comprehensive written arguments, and is the go-to person for the facts on any case in which he is involved.'' (Legal 500 2023)
    • "One of the finest lawyers of his generation. He is destined for great things." (Chambers & Partners 2022)
    • "He is brilliant, very clever and very hard-working." "He is extremely talented." (Chambers & Partners 2022)
    • "An extremely good lawyer." "His ability to get on top of complex law and facts and present them in a digestible fashion is truly impressive." (Chambers & Partners 2022)
    • "His drafting skills are really good and he is very bright." (Chambers & Partners 2022)
    • "The mighty Eschwege is absolutely brilliant. Solicitors have never known anyone with his ability to absorb the material, analyse it and present it in a way that is clearly understood by the courts and the legal team." (Legal 500 2022)
    • "One of the fastest and hardest workers at the commercial Bar, which is full of hard workers. Richard does not let commitment to the client’s case cloud his judgement about where the merits lie." (Legal 500 2022)
    • "Fantastically forensic, a great jurist and hugely dynamic." (Legal 500 2022)