Sean practises across all of chambers’ areas of work, with a particular focus on commercial disputes, public and regulatory law, and sanctions law. He is or has been instructed in the following significant matters:

  • Commercial: acting for Pfizer in its dispute with Moderna over the legal effect of Moderna's public pledge not to enforce its COVID-19 related patents for the duration of the pandemic.
  • Public/Regulatory: acting for the administrators of Bulb in the judicial review/subsidy control challenge brought by various energy companies in relation to the Secretary of State's decision to approve and provide funding for the sale of Bulb to Octopus.
  • Sanctions: advising a group of companies on the commencement, scope and effect of EU and UK sanctions on certain of their shareholders.
  • Competition: acting for the individual Defendants in a claim brought against them in respect of an alleged orange processing cartel in Brazil; for the Volkswagen in its claim against providers of RoRo services; and for Stellantis in its claim against manufacturers of occupational safety system components.
  • Sport: acting for Cardiff City FC in relation to its breach of the EFL's "30-day rule".

Prior to coming to the Bar, Sean taught contract law at UCL. He was the Judicial Assistant to the Master of the Rolls in the Court of Appeal (2018-19), where he assisted the court with deciding a number of significant cases. 

Sean's studies at St Andrews and Oxford focussed on constitutional theory, moral and political philosophy, philosophy of law and commercial law. His academic background gives him a particular interest in constitutional issues and complex statutory and contractual interpretation. 

Experience

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Commercial

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Commercial law.

Prior to commencing practice, Sean taught Contract Law at UCL. 

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Public & Regulatory

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Public and Regulatory law.

While a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal, he assisted the Master of the Rolls with deciding a number of significant public law cases, including R (Campaign Against Arms Trade) v Secretary of State for International Trade [2019] EWCA Civ 1020.

Sean has a particular interest in constitutional issues. He was awarded the Law Faculty Prize for Constitutional Theory during the BCL.

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Sanctions

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Sanctions law. He has advised extensively in relation to matters arising out of the sanctions regime created by the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 ("SAMLA") and the EU sanctions regime.

He has advised a number of companies on the implications of the asset freezes and other measures imposed by the Russia Sanctions Regulation, in particular on the issues of ownership and control under that Regulation. He is currently instructed by the FCDO in a challenge to a designation under the Belarus Sanctions Regulation.

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Competition

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of competition law. He is currently instructed in a number of high-profile competition cases, and appears regularly in the Competition Appeal Tribunal.

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Sport

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Sports law.

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Employment

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Employment law.

During pupillage, Sean assisted with a number of employment matters, including a two-week trial in the Employment Tribunal. As a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal, Sean assisted with deciding Uber v Aslam [2018] EWCA Civ 2748 (which concerned whether Uber drivers are workers).

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Financial Services & Banking

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Financial Services Law.

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Civil Liberties & Human Rights

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Civil Liberties and Human Rights.

While a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal, he assisted with deciding a number of human rights cases, including Dulgheriu v London Borough of Ealing [2019] EWCA Civ 1490 (which concerned the ECHR compatibility of a Public Spaces Protection Order banning anti-abortion protests outside a family planning clinic) and Butt v SSHD [2019] EWCA Civ 256 (which concerned the compatibility of the Government's PREVENT duty guidance with Articles 8 and 10).

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Civil Fraud, Asset Recovery & Injunctive Relief

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Civil Fraud.

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EU & Competition

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of EU and Competition law.

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Public International Law

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Public International Law.

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Achievements

Education

  • City University, BPTC (Outstanding) 
  • University of Oxford, BCL (Distinction)
  • University of Oxford, BA Jurisprudence (First Class)
  • University of St Andrews, MA Philosophy (First Class — top of Faculty, top of year)

Prizes and Awards

City University, Bar Professional Training Course, 2019-20

  • Wilfred Watson Scholarship (awarded by Gray’s Inn).
  • City University BPTC Scholarship. 

Somerville College, University of Oxford, Bachelor of Civil Law, 2017-18
Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, BA (Hons.) Jurisprudence, 2014-2017
University of St Andrews, MA (Hons.) Philosophy, 2010-14 

  • Law Faculty Prize for best performance in Constitutional Theory.
  • Oxford-Margaret Thatcher Graduate Scholarship (full-fee and stipend) awarded for academic merit.
  • Archibald Jackson Prize for performance on the BCL.
  • Second Undergraduate Degree Scholarship (full-fee for two years) awarded for academic merit.
  • Ashtiany Collection Prize performance in college exams (EU Law and Commercial Law).
  • College prizes for academic performance in first and second year.
  • University Miller Prize (Arts) for the best graduating student in the Faculty of Arts.
  • Deans’ List for academic excellence in every year.
  • Sir Henry Jones Memorial Prize for the best student in Honours-level Moral Philosophy.
  • Honours Prize for the best student in Honours-level Philosophy.
  • Class Medal for History of Philosophy. 
  • Summer Internship Bursary supporting a 10-week independent research project over the vacation. 
  • Grieve Prize for the best student in first year Moral Philosophy. 
  • Module prizes for Mediaeval History and English Literature.

Publications

  • 2018The Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration: A Preliminary Rule of Law Analysis’, Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law Report (with JS Caird and J Stefanelli). 
  • 2014 ‘Subsistence as a basic human right: a defence of Henry Shue’ in British Journal of Undergraduate Philosophy, Vol. 8(1), 2014, pp.1-12. 
  • 2013 ‘Can an expressivist explain how normative claims feature in reasoning?’, in The Undergraduate Awards Journal, Vol. 5, 2013, pp. 347-366

Professional Experience

  • 2019-20 Teaching Fellow, University College London (Faculty of Laws)
  • 2018-19 Judicial Assistant to the Master of the Rolls, Court of Appeal of England and Wales
  • 2018 Summer Research Fellow, Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law
  • 2017-18 Volunteer Researcher, Oxford Pro Bono Publico
  • 2012 Summer Academic Research Intern, Department of Philosophy, University of St Andrews.

Mooting 

  • 2017 Winner, Herbert Smith Freehills Disability Mooting Championship 
  • 2017 University of Oxford-Travers Smith Commercial Law Moot
  • 2016 Semi-Finalist & Runner-Up Best Oralist, 7 King’s Bench Walk Commercial Law Moot
  • 2015-16 Winner, Maitland Chambers Intercollegiate Mooting Competition 2016
  • 2014-15 Winner, Maitland Chambers Intercollegiate Mooting Competition 2015 

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