Tom Watret

For the successful majority bondholders in a dispute concerning the proceeds of a US$120m bond issuance of an Indian public company, in an interim application concerning mandatory injunctive relief, joinder and collateral use (with Robert Anderson KC and Carmine Conte).

Acting for the defendants in a competition damages claim regarding alleged breach of Brazilian competition law in respect of orange juice production (with Brian Kennelly KC and Paul Luckhurst).

For the claimant, a multinational commodities trading company, in a c. US$50m claim concerning the supply of oil products in Ghana (led by Andrew Trotter).

Acting for the Defendant companies in proceedings before the DIFC Courts, resisting a claim brought by its former CEO seeking damages in excess of US$32 million (with Andrew Trotter and Grant Kynaston).

For the claimant in a £2.6m contract dispute concerning the supply and installation of lighting equipment (unled).

For the claimant in a complex commercial arbitration raising issues of equitable set-off and procuring breach of contract.

Assisted in acting for the claimant in a jurisdiction challenge arising from underlying proceedings for breach of contract and unlawful means conspiracy, involving issues of Saudi and Canadian law (with Shane Sibbel).

Assisted in acting for Binance in an application to the CAT to strike out a claim worth up to £9 billion, concerning the application of the “market mitigation rule” and the loss of a chance doctrine in the collective proceedings context (with Jason Pobjoy and Brian Kennelly KC).

Assisted in acting for the appellant, Elliot Associates, on an appeal to the Court of Appeal in a claim concerning the LME’s decision to cancel nickel futures trades, coupled with a $470m damages claim under the Human Rights Act 1998, one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2023 (with Jason Pobjoy and Monica Carss-Frisk KC).

For the defendant, a well-known sports tour, in a dispute concerning the costs of an arbitration (led by Ravi Mehta).

Acting (unled) for the Defendant in two jointly case managed claims in the London Circuit Commercial Court for c. £4.5m in commission and under a loan agreement, raising issues around anti-corruption investigations in a Middle Eastern country

Assisted Leona Powell in acting for the claimants in a high value contractual dispute with HMRC.

Assisted in acting for a claimant company in a fraud claim against its former partner in an aviation leasing and consultancy joint venture, relating to the value received for the buy‑out (with Harry Adamson).

Assisted in acting for one of several defendants defending an application for a freezing injunction (with Harry Adamson).

Assisted in acting for a defendant to a debt claim also involving a corruption investigation by foreign anti-corruption authorities (with Harry Adamson).

Worked on advice on obtaining interim charging orders enforcement against English property in enforcement proceedings arising from a multi-jurisdictional dispute (with Harry Adamson).

Worked on advice on bringing Part 8 proceedings to obtain declaratory relief to force a contested share sale to complete (with Harry Adamson).

Assisted in acting for the defendants in a claim for alleged unpaid commission arising from the sale of a business (with Harry Adamson).

Worked on advice for HMRC regarding the construction of various intra-group claims and set-offs as part of an investigation into unpaid tax (with Harry Adamson).

Assisted in acting for the claimant, the owner of a catalogue of reggae and dub music recordings, against a multinational record company, seeking declaratory relief as to the status of the licences to the recordings (with Shane Sibbel).

Assisted in acting for the defendants in a fraud claim concerning the acquisition of a villa, involving issues of foreign law (with Shane Sibbel).

Assisted in acting for an investment firm in the oil and gas sector in a summary judgment application for c. US$5 million, raising issues concerning the penalty clause doctrine (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the petitioner in an unfair prejudice petition concerning the fair valuation of the petitioner’s shares (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the defendants in an ongoing dispute relating to a company reorganisation (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the defendants, a technology company and its owner-director, in a c. US$20m claim for alleged fraudulent misrepresentations made in a share sale (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the claimants, a global hotel business, in claims against the licensors of its intellectual property for breach of contract following a complex business acquisition and subsequent restructuring (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the Premier League in an appeal concerning the costs of Section W proceedings against Everton Football Club (with Jason Pobjoy).

Assisted in acting for the appellant, Annington, in an appeal to the Court of Appeal concerning challenges to decisions of the Ministry of Defence relating to enfranchisement of service family accommodation, one of The Lawyer’s Top 10 Appeals of 2024 (with Jason Pobjoy and Monica Carss-Frisk KC).

Acting for the defendants in a competition damages claim regarding alleged breach of Brazilian competition law in respect of orange juice production (with Brian Kennelly KC and Paul Luckhurst).

Assisted in acting for Binance in an application to the CAT to strike out a claim worth up to £9 billion, concerning the application of the “market mitigation rule” and the loss of a chance doctrine in the collective proceedings context (with Jason Pobjoy and Brian Kennelly KC).

Assisted in acting for the British Independent Retailers Association in collective proceedings seeking damages of c.£1 billion in the CAT, relating to Amazon’s alleged use of proprietary seller data for its own product entry strategies (with Jason Pobjoy).

Assisted Leona Powell in acting for the claimants in a high value contractual dispute with HMRC.

Advice to a global firm regarding the availability of freezing injunction and other relief in England .

Assisted in acting for one of several defendants defending an application for a freezing injunction (with Harry Adamson).

Assisted in acting for the claimant in a jurisdiction challenge arising from underlying proceedings for breach of contract and unlawful means conspiracy, involving issues of Saudi and Canadian law (with Shane Sibbel).

Assisted in acting for a claimant company in a fraud claim against its former partner in an aviation leasing and consultancy joint venture, relating to the value received for the buy‑out (with Harry Adamson).

Assisted in acting for a defendant to a debt claim also involving a corruption investigation by foreign anti-corruption authorities (with Harry Adamson).

Worked on advice on obtaining interim charging orders enforcement against English property in enforcement proceedings arising from a multi-jurisdictional dispute (with Harry Adamson).

Acted for the Secretary of State for Transport in response to the claimants’ challenge to the decision to detain the superyacht, the Phi, under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (with Sir James Eadie KC, Jason Pobjoy, and Emmeline Plews). Together with the appeal in Shvidler, this was the first appeal to the UK Supreme Court to consider the application of the Russian sanctions regime.

Assisted in acting for the appellant, Elliot Associates, on an appeal to the Court of Appeal in a claim concerning the LME’s decision to cancel nickel futures trades, coupled with a $470m damages claim under the Human Rights Act 1998, one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2023 (with Jason Pobjoy and Monica Carss-Frisk KC).

Assisted in acting for the Parole Board in a judicial review concerning a decision of the Secretary of State for Justice to terminate the appointment of a member of the Parole Board (with Fraser Campbell).

Successfully acted for the third party rights applicant in obtaining disclosure from the FCA, in the context of an investigation into a private bank and its managers (with Fraser Campbell).

Worked on advice to a regulator on defending anti-publication injunctions (with Harry Adamson).

Assisted in acting for the appellant, Annington, in an appeal to the Court of Appeal concerning challenges to decisions of the Ministry of Defence relating to enfranchisement of service family accommodation, one of The Lawyer’s Top 10 Appeals of 2024 (with Jason Pobjoy and Monica Carss-Frisk KC).

Assisted in acting for the Lord Chancellor in a judicial review concerning the lawfulness of part of the Exceptional Funding Guidance (with Shane Sibbel).

Assisted in acting for the Cabinet Office in proceedings under the Freedom of Information Act (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the Secretary of State for Justice in proceedings concerning the disclosure of information about spent convictions (with Fraser Campbell).

Worked on advice to a public body on various issues concerning disclosure obligations and redactions (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the Attorney General in seeking an order for committal against a person who had repeatedly breached an extended civil restraint order (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the Secretary of State for Justice in proceedings before the Parole Board concerning the imposition of a polygraph condition (with Jason Pobjoy).

Assisted in acting for a public body in relation to a claim seeking additional reasons for a refusal to investigate certain historic allegations (with Jason Pobjoy).

Assisted in acting for a public body in responding to a FOIA appeal concerning a report into alleged misconduct (with Jason Pobjoy).

Advising a Government department on potential amendments to sanctions legislation (with Jason Pobjoy KC).

Advising the FCDO on the possible designation of a foreign financial institution (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice to a designated person on possible divestments of relevant assets and challenging their designation (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice to the Treasury on enforcing certain agreements with a designated person (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice to insolvency administrators in relation to the possible distribution of funds from a company formerly owned by a designated person (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice to OFSI on the interpretation and application of sanctions legislation relating to the concept of ‘economic resources’ (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice to the FCDO on claims for damages under SAMLA (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice on the lawfulness of entering into a settlement agreement with a designated person under UK and EU sanctions law (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice on issues under UK sanctions law arising from the possible distribution of funds from an insolvent person’s estate (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice to UK and EU companies on agreements relating to the export of products from Russia and related transfers of funds (with Jason Pobjoy and Brian Kennelly KC).

Worked on advice to the FCDO on the interpretation of SAMLA (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice to an offshore company providing registered office, agent and trust services on the application of EU sanctions (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice to a law firm regarding the receipt of payments for legal services (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice concerning whether taking certain steps in litigation complied with UK and EU sanctions (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice concerning the compliance with UK sanctions of various contractual mechanisms to set-off and release claims (with Jason Pobjoy).

Acted for the Secretary of State for Transport in response to the claimants’ challenge to the decision to detain the superyacht, the Phi, under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (with Sir James Eadie KC, Jason Pobjoy, and Emmeline Plews). Together with the appeal in Shvidler, this was the first appeal to the UK Supreme Court to consider the application of the Russian sanctions regime.

Assisted in acting for the Parole Board in a judicial review concerning a decision of the Secretary of State for Justice to terminate the appointment of a member of the Parole Board (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the Secretaries of State for Justice and the Home Office in proceedings before the Grand Chamber of the CJEU concerning the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and extradition arrangements between the EU and the UK under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (with Jason Pobjoy and Sir James Eadie KC).

Assisted in acting for the Getty Trust in relation to proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights concerning the application of Article 1, Protocol 1, to an order for the confiscation of an object of cultural heritage (with Jason Pobjoy).

Assisted in acting for the Lord Chancellor in a judicial review concerning the lawfulness of part of the Exceptional Funding Guidance (with Shane Sibbel).

Assisted in acting for the Secretary of State for Justice in proceedings concerning the disclosure of information about spent convictions (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the Secretary of State for Justice in proceedings before the Parole Board concerning the imposition of a polygraph condition (with Jason Pobjoy).

Assisted in acting for a UK media group in defending claims by a religious organisation (with Jason Pobjoy and Ben Jaffey KC).

Assisted in acting for the appellant, Elliot Associates, on an appeal to the Court of Appeal in a claim concerning the LME’s decision to cancel nickel futures trades, coupled with a $470m damages claim under the Human Rights Act 1998, one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2023 (with Jason Pobjoy and Monica Carss-Frisk KC).

Assisted in acting for the Premier League in an appeal concerning the costs of Section W proceedings against Everton Football Club (with Jason Pobjoy).

For the defendant, a well-known sports tour, in a dispute concerning the costs of an arbitration (led by Ravi Mehta).

Assisted in acting for a defendant to a debt claim also involving a corruption investigation by foreign anti-corruption authorities (with Harry Adamson).

Assisted in acting for the FCDO in proceedings before the International Court of Justice seeking an advisory opinion on States’ climate change obligations under international law (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice to a public body on the application of the International Criminal Courts Act 2001 (with Jason Pobjoy).

Worked on advice concerning the International Court of Justice (with Jason Pobjoy).

Acting on an application to the General Court to annul the grant of a conditional marketing authorisation to a medical product.

Assisted in acting for the Secretaries of State for Justice and the Home Office in proceedings before the Grand Chamber of the CJEU concerning the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and extradition arrangements between the EU and the UK under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (with Jason Pobjoy and Sir James Eadie KC).

Assisted in acting for the FCDO in proceedings before the International Court of Justice seeking an advisory opinion on States’ climate change obligations under international law (with Jason Pobjoy).

Successfully acted for the third party rights applicant in obtaining disclosure from the FCA, in the context of an investigation into a private bank and its managers (with Fraser Campbell).

For the successful majority bondholders in a dispute concerning the proceeds of a US$120m bond issuance of an Indian public company, in an interim application concerning mandatory injunctive relief, joinder and collateral use (with Robert Anderson KC and Carmine Conte).

For the claimant in an unfair prejudice petition concerning investments in a chain of cafes (led by Fraser Campbell KC).

Assisted in acting for the defendants in an ongoing dispute relating to a company reorganisation (with Fraser Campbell).

Assisted in acting for the petitioner in an unfair prejudice petition concerning the fair valuation of the petitioner’s shares (with Fraser Campbell).