Biography
Abdul has over 20 years’ experience in litigation, arbitration and contentious regulatory matters, in London and Hong Kong.
He regularly handles disputes relating to investment funds, shareholder agreements, joint ventures and M&A transactions. He also advises on a broad range of commercial disputes, including in the insolvency and insurance context, such as warranty and indemnity claims. On the financial markets side, he has advised on disputes relating to financial products and mis-selling, regulatory investigations and compliance issues, drawing on time spent on secondment to the compliance team of a wholesale bank.
Abdul is regarded as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for Commercial Litigation and a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail. The Guide notes he is “absolutely unflappable” and that he “inspires confidence“. A commentator notes that: “One of the best litigators I have had the privilege of working with is Abdulali Jiwaji.” Abdul is further described as having “a grip of the big picture and the detail; very deft in client handling; tenacious and determined; swift, responsive and clear-thinking“. Previous Guides have noted Abdul “is always on the ball and has a good tactical brain” and recognises he “has always provided sound and very considered advice”. He is also praised for being “a steady hand during turbulent times”. Chambers Global has described him as a “technically sound, sensible and robust litigator who always finds practical solutions”.
Experience
- Acting for members of the Barclay family in claims brought against them in the English High Court by Sir Frederick and Amanda Barclay in relation to recordings of conversations at the Ritz Hotel. The commercial dispute concerned allegations of breach of confidence, misuse of information and breach of data protection rights. Signature advised on the clients’ defence, the wider litigation strategy and confidential settlement.
- Acting for various high net worth individuals in defending claims for enforcement of personal guarantees and indemnity agreements.
- Acting for Bugsby Property LLC, a property developer and sponsor, in the 4 week trial of its c.£300m Commercial Court claim against Legal & General for breach of a contract relating to Bugsby’s bid for the purchase of Kensington Olympia.
- Acting for a substantial property company in a Commercial Court claim against a large UK based banking group following the sale of interest rate swaps. The claim is based on allegations of misselling, misrepresentation, and bad faith.
- Advising a corporate on its claims against an international banking group for alleged irregularities in the sale of various foreign exchange derivatives transactions.
- Assisting a financial institution to obtain freezing orders to preserve assets following a fraud by a former employee, including advising on civil recovery and ongoing criminal proceedings against the fraudster.
- Advising a limited partner on claims against a general partner for breach of duties under a limited partnership agreement governing an investment fund.
- Acting for a reinsurance company in an LCIA arbitration in relation to the enforcement of a multi-million dollar indemnity claim in respect of damages caused to an aircraft by a contractor.
- Acting in a £700m claim for breach of a joint venture agreement for the development of technology for electrical vehicles.
- Acting for the founders of a fintech business focussed on delivering digital banking services in a minority oppression claim brought under the SIAC Rules, with a claim value of over US$100 million.
Publications
The risks of global divergence in Libor transition – The Banker – 8 April 2021
Tough legacy contracts slow transition away from Libor – Global Risk Regulator – 8 March 2021
Europe handcuffed by current corporate liability laws; is change coming? – Compliance Week – 4 February 2021
UK’s financial regulator rapped following LCF collapse – Global Restructuring Review – 22 January 2021
Quincecare, Fraud and Insolvency – Bankers’ Duties and Deep Pockets – Lawyer Monthly – 18 December 2020
Corporate failures – can the UK’s financial regulator lead the charge? – Global Restructuring Review – 11 December 2020
Nigerian Oil Spill Ruling Shows Limits Of UK Class Actions – Law360 – 6 October 2020
JALLA V SHELL: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR REPRESENTATIVE ACTIONS? – Lawyer Monthly – 5 October 2020
A touch of class – Litigation Futures – 29 September 2020
Finding common cause for UK class actions – Energy Voice – 29 September 2020
PRIN, class actions and vulnerable customers at risk during the pandemic – Compliance Matters – 8 September 2020
Mortgage arrears-handling failures cost Lloyds dearly – Compliance Monitor – 14 July 2020
COVID-19 slows pace of existing investigations – LexisNexis – 20 April 2020
COVID-19 slows pace of existing UK investigations – Law360 – 20 April 2020
Legacy Contracts Complicate Libor Transition – Law360 – 2 March 2020
Reference in relation to Barclay brothers litigation – The Lawyer – 26 February 2020
Comments in relation to resolving disputes with banking institutions – The Times – 31 October 2019
Top UK Corporate Crime Decisions Of 2019: Mid-Year Review – Law360 – 12 August 2019
Trading Data Trips SFO Case As Rate Rigging Trials Wrap – Law360 – 5 July 2019
Making shareholder claims under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 – Thomson Reuters – 21 March 2019
Hurdles Remain As UK Pushes On With AML-Fighting Register – Law360 – 8 March 2019
Battle of forms: the construction of competing jurisdiction clauses – Compliance Monitor – 5 November 2018
Sports Direct v the FRC: what it means – economia – 9 October 2018
Court clarifies ‘fair market value’ meaning in LBI vs Raiffeisen Bank case – Global Risk Regulator – 5 July 2018
How Fair Is Fair Market Value In The UK? – Law360 – 4 June 2018
Is there now a definition for “fair market value” in the context of the Global Master Repurchase Agreement 2000 edition? – Global Banking and Finance Review – 16 May 2018
FCA Enforcement Strategy May Influence Litigation Privilege – Law360 – 29 May 2018
Article regarding the FCA Business Plan – FT Adviser – 10 May 2018
Why RBS Might Be Spared Wave Of Litigation By Small Firms – Law360 – 6 March 2018
UK banking litigation: Tale of the tape – Commercial Dispute Resolution – 5 March 2018
Areas of Expertise
Abdulali Jiwaji's Latest Published Articles
@SignatureLitLLP
Partner Simon Fawell comments on the possible expansion of the Quincecare duty, which will be considered by the U.K. Supreme Court in upcoming weeks, in @Law360. Read Simon's comments by following the link here: bit.ly/3JCgCLS #Quincecare #Fraud pic.twitter.com/88rcWkwKny
Signature Partners
Ioannis Alexopoulos
Ioannis is ranked in the Chambers UK 2022 Guide for international arbitration, which notes that he “consistently produces extraordinary, excellent work and he fills the client with great confidence and comfort”. He is further described as “adept at handling BIT claims” and “is very experienced and brings a wealth of knowledge to the field.” He is also recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2023 as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for civil fraud, international arbitration, commercial litigation and banking litigation, and he is praised for his “superb commercial and practical sense.” Ioannis is also recognised in Who’s Who Legal 2022 Arbitration Guide. He has been described as “well recognised for his top-notch arbitration practice among peers who say he is “very experienced and engaging with the tribunal”.”
Paul Brehony
Paul is recognised for his commercial litigation expertise in The Legal 500 UK 2023 Guide. He has also been recommended for civil fraud and banking litigation and is commended as “a highly accomplished insolvency litigator“, who “is fantastic in highly complex insolvency cases where his knowledge and experience put him head and shoulders above others“. Previous guides have described Paul as a “notable practitioner” for banking litigation and “highly recommended” for commercial litigation. He is further praised as “charming, well organised and a pleasure to litigate with.”
Natalia Chumak
Natalia has been ranked in the Chambers UK and The Legal 500 UK Guides for her International Arbitration expertise. She has previously been praised by The Legal 500 and Chambers UK for her “fantastic experience and responsiveness“, for being an “extremely good tactical mind“, a “steely litigator with excellent litigation instincts” and she has been praised for her ability to “remain incredibly calm under pressure“.
Julian Connerty
Julian has been ranked in Chambers for Civil Fraud and the Guide notes he “has considerable expertise in international fraud cases.” Julian is recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for his civil fraud expertise. The Legal 500 has noted that Julian is an “extremely experienced practitioner” and “a specialist in international fraud and asset recovery actions”. Julian is also described as “subtle and meticulous” and “inspires great confidence in all around him”.
Simon Fawell
Simon has been recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK for his litigation and arbitration expertise and is commended as “a strong strategic thinker”, “a real team player” and “very good to work with”. He is also Recommended for insurance and reinsurance litigation.
Sylvie Gallage-Alwis
Sylvie is described by Who’s Who Legal as a “dynamic and determined litigator“, who is “a firm favourite among clients” as “she always goes the extra mile to support her clients, and is proactive in seeking commercial solutions to disputes” and is “analytical, intelligent and responsive“. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ranks Sylvie as a ‘Leading Individual’ for Product Liability Litigation in France and she is recognised for her work on “high-profile toxic tort and product liability cases, handing a number of asbestos claims.”
Becca Hogan
Becca is recognised as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ by The Legal 500 UK 2023 for banking litigation. Becca is described as “exceptional“, with an “excellent grasp of the detail”. She is further praised as a “safe and skilled pair of hands.” She has been described, by previous editions of the Guide, as “stellar“, “calm and strategic“. She has also been praised for her “good instincts” and “commercial approach”.
Graham Huntley
Graham is consistently recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers as one of the UK’s highest ranked commercial and banking litigators and has been involved in some of the most significant cases of recent years. Chambers UK describes him as “an intense and effective solicitor with an incredibly client-focused approach” and he has previously been described as “very bright, very hard-working, a good tactician” and “very committed and driven”. The Legal 500 UK 2023 recognises Graham as a ‘Hall of Fame’ lawyer for both banking litigation and commercial litigation, and a ‘Leading Individual’ for his civil fraud expertise. He is described as “a doyen of London banking litigation” and a “master tactician“.
Abdulali Jiwaji
Abdul is regarded as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for Commercial Litigation and a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail. The Guide notes he is “absolutely unflappable” and that he “inspires confidence“. A commentator notes that: “One of the best litigators I have had the privilege of working with is Abdulali Jiwaji.” Abdul is further described as having “a grip of the big picture and the detail; very deft in client handling; tenacious and determined; swift, responsive and clear-thinking“. Previous Guides have noted Abdul “is always on the ball and has a good tactical brain” and recognises he “has always provided sound and very considered advice”. He is also praised for being “a steady hand during turbulent times”. Chambers Global has described him as a “technically sound, sensible and robust litigator who always finds practical solutions”.
Tsegaye Laurendeau
Tsegaye Laurendeau is recognised as a ‘future leader’ in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide. Peers and clients say he is a “brilliant arbitration lawyer” and “very adept at steering cases and handling experts”. Previous editions of this Guide note that Tsegaye is “one of the best arbitration lawyers of his generation”, “a top-notch attorney” who is “rapidly establishing himself as one of the leading practitioners, notably in Africa-related disputes”. Tsegaye also features in The Legal 500 International Arbitration Powerlist UK, which showcases the UK’s leading arbitration practitioners.
Emmanuèle Lutfalla
Emmanuèle is recognised as a ‘Thought Leader’ in Who’s Who Legal’s France 2020 Guide. She is also ranked as both a ‘National’ (in France) and ‘Global’ Leader for Product Liability Defence in Who’s Who Legal. The Guide notes Emmanuèle “excels in handling disputes at the intersection of product liability and insurance matters, representing clients from the life sciences sector in litigation and product risk management.” The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ranks Emmanuèle as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for insurance and notes she is “very renowned in the insurance sector“. The Legal 500 also ranks the insurance and reinsurance litigation practice very highly in Paris, and also notes the department “unites an impressive bench of stellar litigators“. The Chambers Europe 2022 Guide notes that Emmanuèle noted as “the key point of contact” for insurance at the firm. Chambers ranks Signature Paris’ insurance practice as a leading firm in its Europe Guide and highlights the team’s “knowledge and ability to handle complex and difficult matters“.
Hermès Marangos
Hermès is recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for his insurance and reinsurance litigation practice. Hermès has been ranked as an expert in Chambers Global and Chambers Latin America for his Insurance expertise in the region.
Neil Newing
Neil is regarded as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for international arbitration and banking litigation. He is for his “excellent arbitration experience, and excellent appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of cases.” Previous Guides have described Neil as “a strong lawyer who stands out for the quality and thoroughness of his analysis” and noted for managing “major cross-border disputes“. The Legal 500 UK 2021 recognised him as “an outstandingly clever counsel who will go very far”. Neil is also described as being “an exceptionally talented lawyer, a strategic thinker and a pleasure to work with. The depth and breadth of his experience in international commercial arbitrations is a huge asset to the firm”. He is also ranked in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide as a ‘future leader’.
Elliott Phillips
Elliott is an internationally recognised barrister and specialises in global commercial litigation and international contentious trusts disputes. He has been recognised in The Legal 500 for his experience in dispute resolution work and is also ranked as a Band 2 individual in both Chambers Global and Chambers Europe for General Business Law: Dispute Resolution — Gibraltar. Elliott is also recognised as one of the world’s leading private client lawyers and trusts and estates litigators, and is listed in the Private Client Global Elite community. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide recognises Elliott as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for dispute resolution in Gibraltar, and notes he “is a specialist in international trusts and estates disputes.” A referee in the Guide described Elliott as “an accomplished litigator, highly experienced, knowledgeable and great to have on your side” and another praised his “vast knowledge and experience across an array of different areas” and noted he is “the stand-out practitioner in a hugely talented team.“
Flore Poloni
Ranked in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide, Flore is described as “the most dynamic young arbitration practitioner in Paris“, “a very dynamic and multi-skilled lawyer” and praised for her “excellent communication skills and perfect knowledge of arbitration“. The Legal 500 EMEA 2021 Guide ranks Flore as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for dispute resolution and has been recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ lawyer for International Arbitration. Flore has been praised for her “extensive expertise in international arbitration” and described as “extremely capable”.
Thomas Rouhette
Thomas is ranked as a leading expert by both Chambers Global and Europe for his litigation and aviation law expertise, with sources praising him for his “invaluable” advice, experience and knowledge. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide consistently recognises Thomas as a ‘Hall of Fame’ lawyer for his aviation and commercial litigation practices. Who’s Who Legal regards Thomas as the “finest product liability lawyer in the country and one of the very best on the continent.”
Tom Snelling
Highly ranked in the Chambers UK Guide for his commercial litigation expertise, Tom Snelling is described in the 2020 Guide as “extraordinarily good” and an “utter pleasure to work with and enormously talented, with a sixth sense for where a case is going and very sound judgement”. The Guides have also noted that Tom is “amazingly dedicated with strong credentials in international litigation” and that he is both “practical and commercial”. Tom is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail and Commercial Litigation.
Daniel Spendlove
The Legal 500 UK Guide describes Daniel as “hugely talented“, “with a really creative eye for litigation strategy“, “an exceptionally committed, exceptionally hard working lawyer, with a careful and thorough approach to issues” and “a really effective litigator“. He has also been described as “very smart, client focused and details-oriented” and “excellent, with great attention to detail, wide experience and excellent client care’“. He has also been praised as “highly professional”, and “a strategic thinker” who “brings real energy to cases”. He is highly ranked across the Commercial Litigation, Banking Litigation and International Arbitration categories. He was recently described, by Commercial Dispute Resolution magazine, as “one of a new breed of independent and forceful commercial litigation partners”.
Rory Spillman
Rory is recognised as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ by The Legal 500 UK 2023 for banking litigation and a commentator notes that Rory has “tremendous judgement” is “very hard-working“, and comes “highly recommended for banking disputes.” He has also been described by previous Guides as “impressive“, “excellent” and a “real authority“.
Josh Wong
Described as a “a highly experienced commercial international arbitration expert“, Josh is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for international arbitration and banking litigation. A commentator remarks: “Josh Wong and his colleagues are a highly knowledgeable and intellectually-focused team that fully appreciates and acts upon all the levers within complex litigation, taking full account of the strengths and weakness of all components.” Past guides have also noted that he is “an expert in security, asset tracing and enforcement actions involving multiple jurisdictions”. He has also been ranked in Chambers Global as a ‘Foreign Expert Based in UK’ for his Chinese dispute resolution, arbitration expertise, and as a ‘Foreign Expert for China’ for UK dispute resolution.
