Catherine Newman QC
Call 1979
Silk 1995
cnewman@maitlandchambers.com
Catherine is a leading silk at the commercial Chancery Bar who has a strong practice both domestically and internationally.
Peer reviews say of her:
"She is a joy to work with and always delivers."
"She has a razor-sharp mind and is a great tactician."
"Grasps complex financial situations easily"
"She has a certain grace in court which is very effective."
"A thorough and extremely commanding courtroom advocate."
"Formidable advocate, who has sound judgment and a creative approach to problem solving."
"She is a lateral thinker who offers very tactical advice and is a very effective advocate. She has the ability to take the fight to the other side."
"Formidable intellect"
“Her preparation and attention to detail are incredible."
“Works extremely hard and gives first-class advice."
"She is extremely good at managing client expectations and relationships."
She is a multi specialist with considerable experience of cases of business disputes particularly those which may have equity aspects (contracts, warranties, tort, agency, fiduciary duties, restitution and the like), civil fraud, insolvency, asset tracing, trusts, joint ventures, partnership, LLPs, corporate and shareholder and investor disputes in many areas of business (including mining and many types of chemical and industrial processes), hedge fund and private equity fund investments, foreign exchange and derivatives. Her work has included: acting for the successful Appellants in Smith and Others v Molyneux [2016] UKPC 35 (overturning the decision of the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal); acting for Shell Pension Fund in BVI litigation (subsequently heard in the Privy Council) brought by the Liquidators of Fairfield Sentry (a Madoff feeder fund); advising an Antiguan creditor of Stanford Development Company; advising the UK arm of a US monoline insurer on its rights in relation to a suite of loan documentation and associated bonds issued by a state owned utility in a failing Eurozone jurisdiction; litigation on behalf of an investor in Russian assets purchased from a Dutch bank which are now alleged to be part of the insolvent estate of Mr Ablyazov; acting for an Italian commune claiming to have been mis-sold complex derivatives by a trio of international banks; the first reported case on the duties of partners in a LLP inter se; a dispute concerning trading in metals and another concerning the ownership of residues, and their quality, from the smelting of copper ores; banking matters arising out of the Pedersen group collapse and, in Jersey, litigation by a group of siblings in relation to the dividend policy of a valuable investment company holding assets for a series of charitable trusts set up following the compromise of earlier litigation about the validity of a will.
Catherine acted for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham at all stages of the litigation concerning the capacity of Local Authorities to engage in swap transactions and for several local authorities in the subsequent stages of that particular debacle where banks and local authorities alike claimed restitution from one another.
She has acted in many other well known cases including BCCI (first for a Saudi Sheikh in litigation brought against him personally and his family bank NCB by the Liquidators), Maxwell and Madoff. She was Leading Counsel advising the Inspectors inquiring into the flotation of Mirror Group Newspapers. In November 2005 she led the team acting for the English Creditors’ Committee of BCCI SA in the private application to the Chancellor which immediately preceded the discontinuance of the Liquidators’ litigation against the Bank of England.
Catherine has been in practice at Maitland Chambers (and its predecessor set 13 Old Square) since 1980, following specialist pupillages in company law and trusts after graduating from University College London with First Class Honours in Law, winning the Andrews Medal and Prize for the most outstanding performance in the final Law examinations in 1978. She was awarded a prestigious Harmsworth Scholarship by the Middle Temple and now chairs their Scholarship Fund Appeal.
She is recommended by Chambers UK Bar Guide in Chancery: Commercial, Chancery: Traditional, Company, Fraud: Civil, Offshore and Partnership, she is also listed as a leading silk by Chambers Global in Dispute Resolution and Offshore and by The Legal 500 in Commercial Litigation, Company and Partnership, Insolvency, Offshore and Private Client: Trusts and Probate. She was also recommended in Chambers UK Bar Guide for Restructuring/Insolvency in 2013 and prior years (in 2014 her insolvency practice had a more international flavour and led to a new listing in offshore work). In Insolvency her peer reviews include the following:
"A very good lawyer who is technically very good."
"Excellent at assimilating information quickly" and is "not afraid to take a novel approach to an issue."
"Wonderfully calm and incredibly precise."
Together with Rebecca Stubbs QC, she is the Consulting Editor of French on Winding Up.
Judicial Appointments: Deputy High Court Judge (QB & Chancery Divisions), Recorder of the Crown Court (authorised to sit at the Old Bailey)
Lieutenant-Bailiff of the Royal Court of Guernsey (2001-10th June 2014)
Notable Cases
Trilogy Management Ltd v Harcus Sinclair (2017)
In the Matter of TPD Investments Ltd Sub Nom Destiny Investments (1993) Ltd v TH Holdings Ltd (2017)
Smith and Others v Molyneux [2016] UKPC 35
Rawlinson & Hunter Trustees SA v Director of the Serious Fraud Office & Ors (2015)
Robert Tchenguiz v Serious Fraud Office & Ors (Dec 2014)
Stichting Shell Pensioenfonds v Krys & Anor (2014)
Robert Tchenguiz v Serious Fraud Office & Ors (Nov 2014)
Robert Tchenguiz & Ors v Serious Fraud Office & Ors (Oct 2014)
Robert Tchenguiz & Ors v Serious Fraud Office & Ors (2014)
Robert Tchenguiz & Ors v Serious Fraud Office & Ors (16 July 2014)
JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov & Ors (2014)
Intesa Sanpaolo SPA v Regione Piemonte (2013)
JD Wetherspoon PLC v Jason Harris & Ors (2013)
Sycamore Bidco v Breslin & Dawson No. 1 (2012)
Shiraz Boghani v Bashir Nathoo (2011)
F&C Alternative Investments (Holdings) Ltd v Francois Barthelemy & Anthony Culligan (2011)
Revenue & Customs Commissioners v Noorasa Begum (Rep. Of The Estate Of Mohammed Uddin) (No 2) (2010)
Liquidators of Madoff Securities International v Yacht Bull Corp & Financier Meeschaert SA (2010)
Howell & Ors (Trustees of the Joicey Settlements) v Marcus Lees-Millais & Ors (2009)
JD Wetherspoon PLC v Van de Berg & Co Ltd [2009]
John David Curtis v Lockheed Martin UK Holdings Ltd (2008)
Mission Capital PLC v Sinclair (2008)
Gamlestaden Fastigheter AB v Baltic Partners Limited & Ors (2007)
J D Wetherspoon PLC v Van De Berg & Co Ltd (2007)
Apex Frozen Foods Ltd (In Liquidation) v Abdul Ali (2007)
Hill (As Trustee In Bankruptcy Of Nurkowski) v Spread Trustee Company Ltd & Anor (2006)
Mahme Trust v Lloyds TSB Bank PLC (2004)
GE Capital Commercial Finance Ltd v Sutton (2004)
Somerset-Leeke & Anor v Kay Trustees & Anor (2004)
Michael Bernand Worwood & Paul Edward Pike v Leisure Merchandising Services Ltd & 8 Ors (2001)
Profinance Trust SA v Gladstone (2001)
Satnam Investments Ltd v Dunlop Heywood & Ors (1998)
Re Hamlet International PLC (1998)
Richbell Strategic Holdings Ltd v Harpur Group (1997)
McMahon & Smith as Liquidators of NEMGIA Ltd v AGF Holdings (UK) Ltd & Others (1996)
Transit Casualty Co v The Policyholders’ Protection Board (1991)
Hazell v Hammersmith & Fulham LBC (1991)
Barclays Bank PLC v Hammersmith LBC (1991)
Memberships
Catherine is a member of the Chancery Bar Association, COMBAR, ACTAPS and the Professional Negligence Bar Association.
Qualifications
LLB Hons (Lond) First Class