Richard Hill

Areas of Practice

Richard Hill is a litigation specialist focusing on commercial, company, insolvency and banking litigation. In addition to his High Court practice he appears in international arbitrations and before Financial Services regulatory tribunals. Richard Hill is regularly instructed in large-scale litigation both on his own and with leading silks at the commercial and commercial chancery Bar. He has particular experience in city-based litigation, and of conducting litigation for and against Government Departments.

Junior Counsel to the Crown (A Panel)

Recommendations in Directories

Chambers & Partners

In recent years Richard Hill has been nominated as a "Star of the Bar", being ranked in 7 Practice Areas. In each of these years he has been the only Junior at the Bar, or one of only 2 or 3 Juniors ranked as a Star of the Bar. This year's entry reads:

"Richard Hill is a "star of his generation who is in a position to take silk whenever he feels like it" A darling of the Chancery Commercial Bar, he sit on the Treasury's A Panel, and, when not acting for the government, attends to a client base rich in shareholders, banks, business and funds. Noted or his "intense focus and vast intellect", he is an adaptable brief who is also fast becoming recognized for his efforts in insolvency-related matters. As a rule, he maintains a strong focus on work in and around the City, and recently formed part of the team dealing with the fallout from the Lehman Brothers administration. Commentators speak of his "punchy style and hugely responsive and commercial approach" as being key factors in his success. He is, as one solicitor commented, "a cocktail of all the right ingredients who simply makes the solicitor's job a lot easier."

Richard Hill is ranked as a Leading Junior in the following practice areas:
Commercial Dispute Resolution: "... "...an impressive character and a real team player"".
Company: "When it comes to pure company matters, solicitors appreciate his "impressive drafting style""".
Commercial Chancery: "Applauded both for his Treasury Counsel an commercial chancery work, "leading light" Richard Hill...makes his mark as someone who is "aware of his capacities even when he is being led on a case, and will one day make a fantastic silk"."
Banking: "has an "outstanding intellect" and comes highly recommended as a young up-and-comer noted for the intense focus he applies to a case."

Fraud: "has an extensive civil fraud practice, and recently acted in the Centenary Holdings III matte"."
Restructuring/Insolvency: "...is a highly respected junior who maintains a broad practice. He combines "technical excellence with punchy and effective advocacy skills".

Legal 500

Recommended in the Company, Banking and Finance, Fraud (Civil), Insolvency and Treasury Counsel (Chancery) sections.

Cases Of Interest

Re Lehman Brothers International Europe (2010): successfully representing the Appellants in the Lehman client money appeal;
Re Golden Key (2009): successfully representing the "short" noteholders of an insolvent SIV at both first instance and on appeal;
Sinclair v Versailles Trade Finance Ltd (2010): successfully represented the Claimant in this leading recent case involving competing priorities and tracing claims in a receivership;
Kaupthing, Singer & Friedlander v SportsDirect.com Retail Limited (2010): successfully representing Sports Direct in its claim against the administrators of Kaupthing
Benedetti v Sawiris (2008-2010): large-scale commercial litigation arising out of the acquisition of a telecommunications company.
International arbitrations: Many international arbitrations between (2005-2010 in particular, including LCIA, ICC, UNCITRAL, with seats both in London and other jurisdictions.
Abeles v Equitable Life Assurance Society (2005-7): Representing ELAS in defence of a substantial class action brought by a group of policy-holders
Shell West Manzala v Centurion Petroleum (2008-2010): successfully represented the respondent in an arbitration and subsequent litigation arising from the termination of an oil and gas farm-in agreement.
Gallaher International Limited v Tlais Enterprises Ltd (2005-7): Acted as lead Counsel for the defendant in a 4-month witness action in the Commercial Court in 2007
Pershing Securities Ltd v Eagle & Ors (2004-6): Junior for the Claimant in a substantial market-abuse claim
Re BCCI: Morris v Bank of America National Savings Association & Ors (2000-2004): Junior for Bank of America in large-scale litigation brought by the liquidators of BCCI
Restructurings: Re Barings Plc (2002): Junior for the bondholders and the bond trustee; Restructurings also include: British Energy (for the bondholders); Marconi (for the bond trustee); TXU (for the bondholders).

Publications

Contributor to OUP's Annotated Companies Acts

Professional

Member of the Commercial Bar Association, Chancery Bar Association.