Biography
Graham Huntley is a founding partner of Signature Litigation and a specialist commercial and banking litigator. With his time at Signature and previously as a partner in a major international law firm, Graham has 30 years’ experience in commercial litigation.
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”. Graham has also been ranked Band 1 in Chambers Global for Dispute Resolution: Litigation – UK, and has been noted as “a real force of nature” and a “real straight shooter who is supportive of the staff working with him”.
The Legal 500 UK 2021 recognises Graham as a ‘Leading Individual’ for his banking litigation, commercial litigation and civil fraud expertise. He is described as “hugely experienced” and an “exceptional litigator“. Graham is further considered “a leading figure in commercial dispute resolution and widely regarded as a rainmaker” and “a force of nature, a very impressive litigator with a deeply commercial intelligence and a willingness to go more than the extra mile for his clients.” The Guide has also noted Graham is an “extremely creative and lateral lawyer“. The Legal 500 UK 2017 regards Graham as “one of the doyens of the London litigation market” who is “an excellent and careful strategist with unparalleled knowledge of judges, barristers and arbitrators” and also includes him in ‘The Legal 500 Hall of Fame’. In The Legal 500 UK 2016, Graham is commended as a litigator “you would not want to have on the other side” and “one of the most experienced litigators in London”. Graham is praised for his ability to bring “huge experience” to cases. He has also been recognised by Citywealth as a Leading Lawyer, as part of the ‘Citywealth Leaders List’. Graham is also consistently recognised in the Who’s Who Legal Guides for his litigation and asset recovery expertise.
Graham acts for banks, fund managers and life assurers in relation to M&A disputes, public and private investigations, shareholder and joint venture disputes as well as a range of economic tort claims. Graham also has extensive experience of warranty claims and professional indemnity work for a range of corporate and financial institutions as well as for professionals. His experience of ADR includes three of the UK’s most significant mediations involving financial institutions.
Graham Huntley is a Trustee and past President of the London Solicitors Litigation Association and has served as a member of several judicial and professional working parties including the Commercial Court Users’ Group. He has rights of audience in the Higher Courts of England and Wales.
Graham also has a long standing commitment to pro-bono work. He served as International Pro-Bono Partner for ten years at his previous firm and is currently a Director of the London Legal Support Trust as well as Chairman of the Capital Cases Charitable Trust.
Experience
- Advising an investment bank based in London and the CIS in relation to several fee and market practice issues arising under banking mandates and totalling $140 million in unpaid fees and damages.
- Conducting heavy Commercial Court proceedings in relation to a range of financial transactions in respect of which allegations of conspiracy, fraud, breach of tortious duty, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty under English and Luxembourg laws are all in issue.
- Advising authorised persons in relation to an ongoing investigation by US regulators (the SEC and the DOJ) and the UK Financial Conduct Authority into the obligations and practices regarding the mark-to-market of a complex book of credit default swaps involving detailed and expert analysis of the marking of tranche trades and index trades.
Publications
Graham Huntley comments in Legal Week re the recent rise in boutique law firms – Legal Week – 22 March 2021
CONTENTIOUS INSOLVENCY EXPERT JOINS SIGNATURE LITIGATION AND WARNS ABOUT FUTURE OF ECONOMY – Edward Fennell’s Legal Diary – 9 October 2020
Increased insolvency and disputes talent at Signature Litigation – Commercial Dispute Resolution News – 7 October 2020
Signature Litigation Boosts Revenue By Nearly A Third – Legal Week – 1 October 2020
News regarding 2019/20 turnover and Paul Brehony appointment – The Lawyer – 1 October 2020
APPOINTMENT OF THE WEEK – TOM SNELLING AT SIGNATURE LITIGATION – Edward Fennell’s Legal Diary – 4 June 2020
Signature Litigation snaps up Snelling – New Law Journal – 31 May 2020
Signature signs up Snelling – CDR – 28 May 2020
Perfect storms – Cases of the year – Legal Business – 27 March 2020
Signature Litigation welcomes Nicolas Brooke in Paris – CDR – 28 August 2019
Former SocGen GC moves to litigation boutique – Global Investigations Review – 8 May 2019
News regarding Nicolas Brooke’s appointment – The Lawyer – 8 May 2019
Press comments in relation to boutique law firms – The Times – 3 August 2018
Interview regarding pro bono work – The Times Raconteur – 28 June 2018
Law versus reality on solicitors’ bills – New Law Journal – 19 January 2018
Q&A: Signature Litigation’s Graham Huntley on potential mergers and the need for litigators to behave – Legal Business – 21 April 2017
Areas of Expertise
Graham Huntley's Latest Published Articles
@SignatureLitLLP
Senior Associate Kate Gee and Associate Elliott Fellowes outline common types of #crypto #fraud and what businesses can do to protect themselves in @fraudintell bit.ly/3lqgWB0 pic.twitter.com/7Ean0bBmDu
Signature Litigation recognised in The Times Best Law Firms 2019
30 October 2018
Signature Litigation recognised in The Times Best Law Firms 2019
30 October 2018
Signature Partners
Ioannis Alexopoulos
Ioannis is ranked in the Chambers UK Guide for international arbitration and is recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2021 as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for international arbitration. He is praised as a “brilliant advocate” and the Guide also notes that he is “is experienced in cases involving Greece, the Balkans, Russia and Central Asia, the Middle East, Brazil and sub-Saharan Africa“. Ioannis is also ranked in Chambers Global for his international arbitration practice. He has been commended for his ability to “see right to the heart of sprawling banking disputes.”
Paul Brehony
Paul is recognised as a “notable practitioner” in banking litigation by The Legal 500 UK Guide and is also “highly recommended” for commercial litigation expertise. He is further described as “charming, well organised and a pleasure to litigate with.”
Natalia Chumak
Natalia is 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 2021 for his civil fraud and banking litigation expertise. The Legal 500 notes 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”.
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 ‘Next Generation Partner’ 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.”
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 recognises Graham for being a “a leading figure in commercial dispute resolution and widely regarded as a rainmaker.”
Abdulali Jiwaji
Abdul is regarded as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2021 for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail and Commercial Litigation. The Guide notes he “is always on the ball and has a good tactical brain” and recognises he “has always provided sound and very considered advice”. Abdul 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”.
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“.
Hermès Marangos
Hermès is recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2021 for his insurance and reinsurance litigation practice. Hermès is ranked as a Band 3 expert in Chambers Global 2021 and Chambers Latin America 2021 for his Insurance expertise in the region.
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 2021 Guide praises Elliott as “an accomplished litigator, highly experienced, knowledgeable and great to have on your side.“
Flore Poloni
Ranked in Who’s Who Legal Arbitration – Future Leaders, 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 Band 2 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 ‘Leading Individual’ 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 2021 for his Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail and Commercial Litigation expertise.
Daniel Spendlove
The Legal 500 UK Guide describes Daniel as “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, International Arbitration and Professional Negligence categories. He was recently described, by Commercial Dispute Resolution magazine, as “one of a new breed of independent and forceful commercial litigation partners”.
Josh Wong
Josh is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2021 for his international arbitration expertise, and the Guide notes 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.
