Alex has a busy practice spanning Chambers’ core areas of shipping, commercial arbitration/litigation, and public international law (including investor-State arbitration). He has been involved in dozens of arbitrations under a variety of rules, including LMAA, SCMA, HKMAG, GAFTA, LCIA, ICC, SIAC, UNCITRAL, and ICSID, as well as proceedings in the High Court. He is regularly instructed as sole counsel (often against more senior opponents), but equally enjoys working as part of a team, especially co-counselling together with law firms.
Alex is swiftly developing a specialism in relation to sanctions, which cuts across all of his practice areas. He is instructed in some of the most significant and high-profile ongoing international law disputes with a sanctions element, including ABH Holdings S.A. v. Ukraine (ICSID Case No. ARB/24/1), which concerns the nationalisation of a leading Ukrainian bank on the basis that some of its ultimate beneficiaries were subject to foreign sanctions, and Fridman v. Luxembourg (PCA Case No. 2025-42), which concerns the (un)lawfulness of EU sanctions imposed on the Claimant as a matter of international law. In relation to English law-governed disputes, Alex is acting in, among others, a US$800 million SIAC arbitration which turns on (among other issues) whether sanctions imposed against the buyer constitute a force majeure event, as well as several LMAA arbitrations concerning vessels alleged or suspected to be part of the so-called “shadow fleet”.
Other recent and ongoing instructions, which illustrate Alex’s varied caseload, include:
- A v. B (Commercial mediation): Acted for the Claimants against a KC in a 1-day mediation of a 8-figure claim that involved a novel point of law and was scheduled for a 3-week High Court trial; dispute amicably settled.
- Investor v. State (UNCITRAL): Acting for the Claimant in a multi-billion dollar claim for alleged expropriation of investments in the real estate sector; cross-examined multiple fact witnesses (including State officials) and the Respondent’s legal expert at the hearing.
- The Manta Penyez [2025] EWHC 353 (Comm): Acted as lead counsel in obtaining final (and before that, interim: [2024] EWHC 3109 (Comm)) anti-suit injunctions in the High Court to restrain foreign proceedings that had reached the apex court in Djibouti and the appellate courts in Yemen; advocacy described by Mrs. Justice (now Lady Justice) Cockerill as “excellent and careful”.
- A v. B (LMAA): Acted for the respondent in a US$10 million shipbuilding arbitration; conducted 5-day hearing unled against a counsel team led by the head of chambers of another shipping chambers. Secured the full dismissal of all claims against the respondent.
- A v. B (LMAA): Acting as lead counsel in an arbitration arising out of breaches of a ship sale agreement that raises highly complex and novel issues of law, before a tribunal comprised of former High Court judges.
Prior to joining Chambers, Alex studied law at the University of Oxford, where he came top of his year overall. He maintains a strong academic interest in law and his contributions have been published in leading academic journals. He regularly gives guest lectures on international arbitration and public international law at leading law faculties around the world, including Columbia Law School and the Peking University School of Transnational Law.
Alex is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, having grown up in Singapore, and is particularly valued for his experience in cross-examining Chinese-speaking witnesses (without the aid of interpretation) in front of English-language tribunals. He frequently travels to Asia for hearings, and maintains a keen interest in the region.
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Arbitration
- Instructed in an ad hoc US$100 million arbitration in relation to a pipeline construction project against a leading oil and gas company.
- Acted (as sole counsel) for the claimant in confidential s.67/s.68 Arbitration Act 1996 proceedings to challenge a 7-figure award on the basis that the contract under which the underlying claim was brought did not incorporate any arbitration agreement; advocacy praised by High Court Judge as “able”.
- Instructed (as sole counsel) by the defendant to resist a s.68 Arbitration Act 1996 challenge to an award made on the basis of an alleged fraud on the tribunal.
- Acted (as sole counsel) in relation to a three-party arbitration; successfully persuaded the tribunal to find that it had no jurisdiction on the basis that the claimant’s single notice of arbitration against two respondents was invalid.
- Advised on multi-jurisdictional enforcement proceedings arising out of two arbitral awards valued at over US$50 million (led by Paul Lowenstein KC and Jonathon Redwood SC).
Banking and financial services
- Advised a multinational payment services company on the merits of a dispute in relation to a six-figure sum allegedly owed by a digital wallet provider.
- Represented (as sole counsel) debtor in bankruptcy proceedings in the High Court; successfully obtained validation order to permit disposal of property.
- Advised on the merits of a dispute in relation to a six-figure commercial mortgage.
- Drafted submissions in relation to claims for relief arising out of allegedly unfair credit relationships under s.140B of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
- Drafted (as a pupil) pleadings for an unjust enrichment claim in relation to a foreign bank’s failure to comply with a payment order.
Civil fraud
- Instructed by the claimants in a seven-figure, multi-jurisdictional fraud claim scheduled for a two-week High Court trial in early 2025 (led by Simon Milnes KC).
- Instructed in relation to Commercial Court proceedings for the setting aside of judgments obtained by fraud (led by Josephine Davies KC).
Commercial litigation
- A v. B (High Court): Acted as sole counsel in obtaining two interim anti-suit injunctions to restrain foreign court proceedings in a 7-figure claim brought in breach of arbitration agreements. Shortly after the injunctions were obtained, the respondent withdrew the foreign court proceedings and the dispute was subsequently settled.
- Successfully resisted (as sole counsel) a High Court application brought by a judgment debtor for an injunction to restrain the judgment creditor from presenting a winding up petition against it.
- Instructed (as sole counsel) in relation to a High Court claim in relation to a 7-figure guarantee.
- Instructed in relation to a successful application under s.44 of the Arbitration Act 1996 for a 7-figure freezing injunction in aid of arbitration (led at various points by Henry Byam-Cook KC and David Davies KC of Essex Court Chambers).
- Drafted (as a pupil) pleadings and advice in relation to several applications for freezing injunctions/security for costs.
Commodities and international trade
- Acting (as sole counsel) in a seven-figure LMAA arbitration concerning a long-term contract for the supply of gasoil to a mining complex in West Africa; difficult facts including allegations of attempted bribery.
- Acted for the buyers in a seven-figure LCIA arbitration concerning contracts for the sale of diesel oil.
- Acted (as sole counsel) in a s.69 Arbitration Act 1996 application arising out of a GAFTA award in relation to the buyer’s breach of its payment obligations under a CIF contract.
- Acted (as sole counsel) in a s.69 Arbitration Act 1996 application arising out of a GAFTA award in relation to the seller’s breach of its delivery obligations under a FOB contract.
- Acted (as sole counsel) in relation to a GAFTA dispute arising out of the assignment to a sanctioned entity of the seller’s rights under a contract of sale.
- Acted (as sole counsel) in relation to a GAFTA arbitration concerning alleged short landing of cargo.
- Instructed in relation to multi-party LMAA proceedings arising out of shipowners withholding delivery of a high-value cargo on the basis of an asserted common law lien (led by Chirag Karia KC of Quadrant Chambers).
Public international law
- Acting for the claimants in High Court proceedings against a State in respect of the alleged hacking of the claimants’ mobile devices for surveillance purposes (with Professor Philippa Webb).
- Acting for the claimant investor in a confidential multi-billion dollar treaty claim against a State for alleged expropriation of investments in the real estate sector; cross-examined multiple fact witnesses (including State officials) and the Respondent’s legal expert at the hearing.
- Acting for the claimant investor in a confidential multi-billion dollar treaty claim against a European State for alleged expropriation and breach of the FET standard.
- Acting for the claimant investor in ABH Holdings S.A. v. Ukraine, ICSID Case No. ARB/24/1, concerning the nationalisation of a leading bank in Ukraine, and for the claimant investor in the factually overlapping case of E.M.I.S. Finance B.V. v. Ukraine, ICSID Case No. ARB/25/10 (led by Baiju Vasani).
- Acting for the claimant investor in CTF Holdings S.A. v. Ukraine, ICSID Case No. ARB/24/35, concerning investments in the food and beverage sector (led by Baiju Vasani).
- Acted for the claimant investors in Ye and Yang v. Kingdom of Cambodia, ICSID Case No. ARB/21/42, concerning an investment in the telecommunications sector; examined quantum experts at the hearing.
- Instructed in the M/T “Heroic Idun” (No. 2) case currently pending before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), concerning the circumstances under which a coastal State may take enforcement action against a foreign-flagged vessel in its exclusive economic zone.
Shipping
Alex is regularly instructed as sole counsel in relation to charterparty disputes such as those concerning off-hire, underperformance, laytime/demurrage, and short loading/landing of cargo. He also has experience with disputes in respect of shipbuilding, ship sales, and shipping-related financing arrangements. Representative instructions include:
Ship arrests/maritime letters of indemnity
- The Manta Penyez [2025] EWHC 353 (Comm): Acted as lead counsel in obtaining final (and before that, interim: [2024] EWHC 3109 (Comm)) anti-suit injunctions in the High Court to restrain foreign proceedings that had reached the apex court in Djibouti and the appellate courts in Yemen; advocacy described by Judge as “excellent and careful”.
- Advised shipowners on potential claims under a letter of indemnity issued in their favour for delivering cargo to a party that was not the consignee named in the bills of lading.
- Provided English law expert opinion to the Shanghai Maritime Court on the enforceability of a letter of indemnity issued by shippers in favour of shipowners, in respect of the shipowners issuing “clean” bills of lading for allegedly unsound cargo (with Simon Milnes KC).
Time charters/trip time charters
- Advised the time charterers of a vessel that has come under armed attack in the Gulf of Aden.
- Instructed by the time charterers in a high-value LMAA arbitration involving multiple alleged instances of underperformance and deviation.
- Instructed by the time charterers of a bulk carrier in an LMAA arbitration arising out of the vessel’s cranes all suffering breakdowns while loading, resulting in significant consequential losses.
- Instructed by the owners of a bulk carrier in an LMAA arbitration arising out of allegations that the Master had failed to comply with loading instructions and port regulations.
- Advised shipowners in relation to their time charterers supplying off-specification bunkers, leading to consequential losses.
- Advised shipowners in relation to their entitlement to withdraw the vessel from their time charterers’ service upon the late payment of hire.
- Advised time charterers in relation to the validity of redelivery notices sent “without guarantee”.
- Advised time charterers in relation to the proper construction of a bespoke quarantine clause.
Voyage charters/contracts of affreightment
- Instructed by the shipowners in a High Court claim in respect of unpaid demurrage.
- Instructed by the charterers of multiple vessels in an 8-figure LMAA arbitration concerning the alleged repudiation of long-term consecutive voyage charters and unpaid demurrage.
- Instructed by the shipowners in an LMAA arbitration concerning demurrage which raised complex factual issues involving inconsistent laytime statements/statements of facts and conflicting weather data.
- Instructed by the carriers in an LMAA arbitration concerning alleged breaches of a booking note.
- Instructed by the shipowners in an LMAA arbitration concerning the alleged frustration of the voyage charter due to the closure of the UN-administered Ukraine grain corridor.
- Instructed by the shipowners in a high-value LMAA arbitration concerning the calculation of demurrage, involving the prolonged detention of the vessel at the loading port.
- Advised shipowners on their entitlement to terminate a voyage charter where the charterers failed to provide a cargo to load.
Bill of lading/cargo claims
- Advised shipowners on their entitlement to “clause” bills of lading in circumstances where the charterers insisted on the issuance of “clean” bills.
- Advised shipowners in relation to a claim by cargo interests arising out of two different liquid cargoes being mixed at the discharge port.
- Advised shipowners in relation to their liability to cargo interests in a dispute over whether the bills of lading were owners’ bills or charterers’ bills.
Shipbuilding/sale of ships
- A v. B (LMAA): Acted in a US$10 million shipbuilding arbitration; conducted 5-day hearing unled against a counsel team led by the head of chambers of another shipping set.
- A v. B (SIAC): Acting in a US$800 million arbitration in relation to the alleged repudiation of multiple high-value shipbuilding contracts.
- A v. B (LMAA): Acting as sole counsel in an arbitration arising out of breaches of a ship sale agreement that raises complex and novel issues of law, before a tribunal comprised of former High Court judges.
- Acted for the buyers of a second-hand vessel in an LMAA arbitration commenced by the sellers; obtained favourable award on jurisdiction.
- Advised the buyers of a second-hand vessel in relation to a claim by the sellers over the unpaid deposit.
- Advising shipbuilders in relation to delays under multiple shipbuilding contracts caused by late delivery by sub-contractors.
- Instructed by the buyers in relation to an eight-figure LMAA arbitration arising out of a shipbuilding contract, involving the arrest of the vessel over alleged non-payment.
- Instructed by the buyers in relation to a high-value LMAA arbitration arising out of a shipbuilding contract, involving allegations of a defective vessel being delivered (led by Rupert Hamilton).
- Advised the buyers of a second-hand vessel in relation to latent defects in circumstances where the buyers had waived the right to physically inspect the vessel prior to delivery.
