Maria has a broad commercial practice with a particular focus on fraud, insolvency, jurisdiction, service, and international arbitration. She frequently appears both led and as sole counsel in the High Court and arbitral proceedings.
Before coming to the Bar, Maria was a qualified solicitor-advocate. She spent five years working at a top international law firm, where she specialised in commercial litigation. During this time, she gained first-hand experience in oral and written advocacy. She also spent six months in the firm’s Singapore office and worked on cases in Russia, Norway and Zambia.
Maria speaks fluent Russian and has lived and worked in Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. She has a double first class degree in Modern and Medieval Languages from the University of Cambridge.
Maria is admitted to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, British Virgin Islands.
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Example cases
- Provided ongoing advice and advocacy in multiple cryptocurrency fraud proceedings, including considering breach of confidence, equitable proprietary claims and various ancillary orders.
- Represented the claimant in High Court proceedings in respect of unlawful means conspiracy, breach of confidence and intellectual property claims and an application to use an alternative method of service (with Lawrence Akka QC and Josephine Davies).
- Representing various applicants in jurisdiction and service related applications (with Paul Lowenstein QC).
- Advised trustees-in-bankruptcy in a complex high profile bankruptcy proceedings on the recovery of assets and potential claims against third parties.
- Advised trustees-in-bankruptcy in respect of a potential transaction defrauding creditors (with Tony Beswetherick).
- Represented owners of vessel in arbitration proceedings involving bribery, unseaworthiness, and breach of unsafe port warranty allegations (with Tim Hill QC and Socrates Papadopoulos).
- Represented a major shipyard in a series of disputes arising out of the termination of shipbuilding contracts with the owners, including on the basis of insolvency (with Duncan Matthews QC).
- Represented claimants in LCIA arbitration proceedings concerning the rectification of a settlement agreement (with Lawrence Akka QC and Josephine Davies).
- Provided advice to the UK Department of Trade on the impact of Brexit on EU-derived legislation.
- She is also in a pool of barristers engaged to provide advice to the Department of Trade relating to ongoing trade negotiations and their implementation into English law.
Fraud
- Provided ongoing advice and advocacy in multiple cryptocurrency fraud proceedings, including considering breach of confidence, equitable proprietary claims and various ancillary orders.
- Represented the claimant in High Court proceedings in respect of unlawful means conspiracy, breach of confidence and intellectual property claims and an application to use an alternative method of service (with Lawrence Akka QC and Josephine Davies).
Jurisdiction and service
- Representing various applicants in jurisdiction and service related applications (with Paul Lowenstein QC).
Insolvency and asset recovery
- Advised trustees-in-bankruptcy in a complex high profile bankruptcy proceedings on the recovery of assets and potential claims against third.
- Advised trustees-in-bankruptcy in respect of a potential transaction defrauding creditors (with Tony Beswetherick).
- Currently drafting a chapter on the impact of foreign insolvencies on English seated arbitration for a textbook on insolvency and arbitration.
Shipping
- Represented owners of vessel in arbitration proceedings involving bribery, unseaworthiness, and breach of unsafe port warranty allegations (with Tim Hill QC and Socrates Papadopoulos).
- Represented a major shipyard in a series of disputes arising out of the termination of shipbuilding contracts with the owners, including on the basis of insolvency (with Duncan Matthews QC).
Commercial disputes and public law
- Represented claimants in LCIA arbitration proceedings concerning the rectification of a settlement agreement (with Lawrence Akka QC and Josephine Davies).
- Provided advice to the UK Department of Trade on the impact of Brexit on EU-derived legislation.
- She is also in a pool of barristers engaged to provide advice to the Department of Trade relating to ongoing trade negotiations and their implementation into English.
