Alexander Cook

Areas of Practice

Litigation and advice in the fields of insolvency & reconstruction, commercial litigation, company law, corporate fraud, asset recovery and public law 

Insolvency & Reconstruction

Alex regularly appears in the High Court on a range of corporate insolvency matters. In particular, he has experience advising and appearing in the Companies Court on winding-up petitions, injunctions to restrain advertisement, disputed debt petitions and validation orders. He also acts on behalf of office holders in proceedings in relation to the insolvent company estate. In addition to his own work, Alex has had experience assisting other members of Chambers on complex litigation arising out of recent large corporate insolvencies, such as those of the international banks during the financial crisis.

Alex also appears regularly in the High Court and the County Court on personal insolvency matters. He has experience acting on behalf of petitioning creditors, debtors and trustees in bankruptcy in a variety of interlocutory and final hearings, such as applications to set aside statutory demands and applications by trustees in bankruptcy to suspend discharge and other estate-preserving relief.

In addition to insolvency litigation, Alex also has a varied advisory practice, in the context of both corporate and personal insolvency. For example, he has recently advised company administrators on antecedent transactions, trustees in bankruptcy on remuneration matters and a firm of solicitors acting for a bankrupt in relation to its costs.

Commercial Litigation

Alex has experience of commercial litigation in both the High Court and the County Court. He has recently appeared in (and advised in connection with) a variety of interlocutory applications, including summary judgment, strike out applications and security for costs. He is currently acting in a number of commercial disputes involving international parties based in overseas jurisdictions. These matters require consideration of a variety of cross-border issues, such as conflict of laws, the Judgments Regulation and service out of the jurisdiction.

Alex also recently appeared in the Court of Appeal, led by George Bompas QC, on a Commercial Court dispute concerning the interpretation and effect of the standard terms and conditions of the British International Freight Association.

In addition to commercial disputes in the High Court and County Courts, Alex has also had experience of commercial arbitration. In particular, he recently assisted two members of chambers in the preparation of a substantial memorial for a large international arbitration involving an overseas insurance group.

Company Law

Since commencing practice, Alex has gained exposure to a broad range of Chambers' company litigation and advisory work. In particular, Alex has experience acting in shareholder disputes, having recently acted for a shareholder in a quasi-partnership defending a petition brought under s.994 of the Companies Act 2006 (formerly s.459 petitions).

As well as company litigation, Alex also has a varied corporate advisory practice. For example, he was recently involved, with another member of Chambers, in advising in connection with an unfair prejudice petition under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance. Alex also has experience of corporate transactional matters, lately advising an international company on its consumer standard contract terms.

Corporate Fraud & Asset Recovery

Alex has experience acting in commercial fraud recoveries involving freezing injunctions and similar injunctive and asset-protection relief. He was recently led by Christopher Harrison in obtaining a substantial proprietary freezing injunction, involving restitutionary remedies, subrogation and proprietary tracing.

Public Law

Alex acts in a variety of matters involving public law. For example, he has advised in connection with proceedings brought by the Secretary of State under the Directors' Disqualification Act 1986 and has assisted several Departments of State in connection with multi-party litigation on behalf of the UK government.

On the public law side of asset recovery, Alex has experience of civil recovery proceedings brought by the Serious Organised Crime Agency under Parts V and VIII of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Cases of Interest

Röhlig (UK) Limited v Rock Unique Limited [2011] EWCA Civ 18

Overseas Qualifications

Admitted to the New York State Bar, 2008

Academic

Education
BA (Hons.) Jurisprudence, University College, Oxford, 2006
LL.M. Washington and Lee University School of Law, Virginia, USA, 2007

Scholarships & Awards
University College, Oxford: Alan Urbach Prize, Simmons & Simmons Prize
Lincoln's Inn: Cholmeley Scholarship, Lord Denning Scholarship and Hardwicke Scholarship. Runner up, Gluckstein Advocacy Prize, 2008

Professional

Member of the Commercial Bar Association and the Chancery Bar Association

Member of the New York State Bar Association