Senior Associate Steven De Lara appointed as an Insolvency Practitioner by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission
Josh is a highly experienced commercial and corporate litigation and international arbitration lawyer, with a particular focus in security, asset tracing and enforcement actions which involve multiple jurisdictions.
Prior to joining Signature, Josh was a partner at DLA Piper and led on matters involving Europe and China, and was head of the UK China Desk. Prior to this, he was a Senior Associate at Herbert Smith Freehills.
Josh acts for a broad range of clients, focusing particularly on Chinese-based organisations, utilising his in-depth knowledge and experience of practicing in both China and Hong Kong. He regularly acts for clients in the financial services, insurance, manufacturing and retail sectors.
He has extensive expertise representing clients in ad hoc arbitrations and arbitrations under the ICC, LCIA, SCC and UNCITRAL rules and also specialises in security, asset tracing and enforcement actions involving Russia, Ukraine, India, China and offshore jurisdictions such as BVI, Cayman and Belize.
Josh is native Chinese, speaks fluent Cantonese and good Mandarin, and is a regular speaker on issues relating to China at events organised by the China Britain Business Council, UK Trade and Investment and China Britain Law Institute. Josh is Chair of the Northern Chapter of Hong Kong UK Business Forum.
Josh is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2017 for his civil fraud, banking litigation, commercial litigation and insurance and reinsurance litigation expertise, and is 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.
EXPERIENCE
Commercial Litigation
Advised a Chinese international company on a significant claim arising from an abortive acquisition in Israel.
Acting for major Chinese Airline in relation to multi-million pound damages for breach of contract in relation to supply of equipment.
Advising a large Chinese Auto manufacturer on claims arising from contractual disputes and regulatory issues following the acquisition of a global autoparts company.
Instructed on behalf of a Russian bank in relation to asset tracing and injunctions against major debtor including actions in Belize, Liechtenstein, Cyprus and Luxembourg.
Acted for a Fortune 500 company in respect to investigation and actions arising from a complex fraud in India.
Advised a US insurance and investment company in respect to freezing injunctions against two employees in respect to multi-million fraud.
Advised the world leading UK suitcase retailer on termination of contractual arrangements with six Chinese manufacturers and four agents in UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings in Stockholm.
Acted for a Chinese entrepreneur on a large scale claim against a pharmaceutical company for breach of trading agreement and misrepresentation in High Court proceedings in London.
International Arbitration
Acted for an investor in ICC proceedings in London against a Russian Investment Management Company in respect to professional negligence and breach of contract including issues of conflict of laws between UK, Russian and Cayman.
Instructed on behalf of a Swiss-based insurance company in LCIA Arbitration proceedings in London in relation to a breach of indemnity in Sale and Purchase Agreement.
Acted for City of St Petersburg in its defence against UNCITRAL Arbitration proceedings in Stockholm in relation to alleged breaches of public international law in respect to an investment contract.
Represented Eastern European government authority in respect to claims by investors in the construction sector under a bilateral investment treaty for expropriation and unfair and inequitable treatment
Acted for a Chinese purchaser in relation to claims by a supplier for rejection of rapeseed due to alleged poor quality, and confidential FOSFA Arbitration proceedings in London.