Gary Oliver
Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7325
Ava has a diverse practice encompassing all areas of Chambers’ expertise, with particular experience in financial services, competition and public law. She is recognised by Legal 500 as a “rising star” in financial services and fintech regulation.
Before coming to the Bar, Ava trained as a solicitor with Linklaters in the financial regulation, commercial and litigation teams. She went on to work as Judicial Assistant to Lady Black in the UK Supreme Court and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, working on complex and high-profile cases across a range of disciplines. She then served as the Policy Analyst to the House of Lords Constitution Committee, where she supported the Committee with its legislative scrutiny of public bills and co-drafted reports on constitutional topics. She has also taught Administrative Law at the University of Cambridge.
Ava accepts instructions in all areas of commercial law.
For Visa in its defence of multiple claims brought by retailers alleging that interchange fees applicable to card transactions are anti-competitive and breach Article 101 and Article 102 TFEU.
For Volkswagen AG in group litigation proceedings, arising out of what is often referred to as "dieselgate", which raise a number of EU and competition law issues, including in respect of the Commission’s decision regarding emission levels (with Brian Kennelly KC, Jason Pobjoy and Rayan Fakhoury).
For the successful respondents to an unfair prejudice petition regarding an English company holding shares in a major Russian insurer. The Court rejected the petitioner's case that it was in truth a 50/50 shareholder and inheritor of a quasi-partnership interest, following evidence regarding discussions between Russian principals over two decades (assisting Fraser Campbell).
For the claimant in respect of an oral contract, alternatively for a quantum meruit, arising from the supply of PPE during the pandemic (assisting Victoria Windle QC).
For the claimant at a one day hearing challenging jurisdiction in a claim involving issues of breach of fiduciary duty, dishonest assistance and conspiracy brought against parties domiciled in five different jurisdictions (assisting Victoria Windle QC).
Dispute regarding ownership of substantial West London property, based on a disputed Declaration of Trust. Preliminary hearings regarding remote attendance, third party disclosure and adjournment on the basis of the disappearance of a key witness (assisting Fraser Campbell).
For the claimants in a multi-jurisdictional fraud claim against 17 separate defendants, for damages of more than $1 billion. The claim raises issued of limitation, characterisation of loss and conflict of laws (assisting Victoria Windle QC).
For a defendant to a claim for fraudulent trading and breach of directors’ duties, valued at over £200 million and brought by administrators (assisting Victoria Windle QC).
For the defendant to claim of misrepresentation regarding the seven-figure sale by auction of a vintage racing car (assisting Fraser Campbell).
For multiple defendants to breach of warranty claims following the sale of a chain of gyms (assisting Fraser Campbell).
Ava accepts instructions in all areas of EU law.
For Visa in its defence of multiple claims brought by retailers alleging that interchange fees applicable to card transactions are anti-competitive and breach Article 101 and Article 102 TFEU.
For Volkswagen AG in group litigation proceedings, arising out of what is often referred to as "dieselgate", which raise a number of EU and competition law issues, including in respect of the Commission’s decision regarding emission levels (with Brian Kennelly KC, Jason Pobjoy and Rayan Fakhoury).
For the Motor Insurance Bureau in the Court of Appeal, in a claim regarding the scope and effect of European Union motor insurance law (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
Ava accepts instructions in all areas of competition law.
For Visa in its defence of multiple claims brought by retailers alleging that interchange fees applicable to card transactions are anti-competitive and breach Article 101 and Article 102 TFEU.
For Volkswagen AG in group litigation proceedings, arising out of what is often referred to as "dieselgate", which raise a number of EU and competition law issues, including in respect of the Commission’s decision regarding emission levels (with Brian Kennelly KC, Jason Pobjoy and Rayan Fakhoury).
Ava accepts instructions in all areas of financial services & banking.
For the FCA (with Andrew George KC and Celia Rooney) in Court of Appeal and Upper Tribunal proceedings concerning the regulator's obligations to adduce factual evidence and the Upper Tribunal's jurisdiction to entertain allegations advanced by the FCA which were not part of its Warning Notice.
For the FCA (with Andrew George KC and Ajay Ratan) in this landmark regulatory case, in which the FCA succeeded on all grounds. The case considered the FCA's powers to impose requirements to pay redress on individual firms (in this case a requirement said to amount to $700m arising out of an alleged failure properly to manage conflicts of interests) and the Upper Tribunal's jurisdiction to permit amendments to the FCA's case after the issuance of a statutory notice and/or during Tribunal proceedings.
Ava accepts instructions in all areas of public & regulatory law.
Advised the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in a proposed judicial review of its alleged failure to properly categorise a biomedical research company under domestic and EU law (assisting Fraser Campbell).
Advising an individual who had been arbitrarily arrested and detained incommunicado. The case raised issues of international law, human rights and torture (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
For the Claimant in a successful claim challenging the Defendant’s operation of a blanket policy to seize, retain and extract data from the mobile phones of migrants arriving by small boat (assisting Jason Pobjoy)
Advised the trustee of a pension scheme in assessment with the Pension Protection Fund regarding its obligations to provide minimum levels of benefits to members of the scheme (assisting Fraser Campbell).
Advising an educational institution on the restrictions on the right to freedom of expression that may lawfully be implemented within an internal misconduct and harassment policy (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
For the Crown Prosecution Service in an action for civil recovery of property suspected to have been obtained through unlawful conduct (assisting Fraser Campbell).
Written advice regarding the right to freedom of expression and the legality of restrictions upon it for the purposes of prohibiting discrimination (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
For the Parole Board in judicial review brought by the first Parole Board member in its 54-year history to be removed for misconduct. Permission was refused in respect of complaints of procedural unfairness after an oral renewal hearing; reasonableness challenge to be heard in due course (assisting Fraser Campbell).
For a family seeking reunion with a family member who had been granted asylum in the UK. The case raised issues regarding the Immigration Rules, Article 8 ECHR, and Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
For the respondent Prime Minister and others in a challenge to the Prime Minister’s decision that the Home Secretary had not breached the Ministerial Code following allegations that she had shouted and sworn at civil servants (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
For Freedom from Torture in challenge to the UK Government’s refugee pushback policy on the basis that it was ultra vires and incompatible with the 1951 Refugee Convention and Articles 3 and 4 ECHR (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
For claimants in a challenge to the delays in NHS trans healthcare provision (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
For the successful respondents in a challenge to Ministerial appointments during the Covid-19 pandemic (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
Advised the respondent public body on the merits of an appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The case raised complex issues concerning ouster clauses, procedural exclusivity, and breach of statutory duties (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
For the BBC in a challenge to its framework for monitoring compliance with its due impartiality obligations (assisting Jason Pobjoy).
VAT registration number: 433899748
Barristers regulated by the Bar Standards Board
Gary Oliver
Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7325
Derek Sutton
Deputy Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7327
Adam Sloane
Deputy Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7326
Dean Tolman
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7331
Billy Brian
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7339
Marc Armstrong
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7330
Adam Fuschillo
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7329
Danny Compton
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7338
Sophie Reeve
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7324
Toby Dennison
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7328
Daniel Higgins
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7322
Lilly-Grace Hilliard
Clerk
+44 (0)20 7822 7234