Biography
Paul is a partner and has nearly 30 years’ experience in complex multi-jurisdictional commercial and insolvency related disputes and has acted in some of the largest and highest profile insolvencies of recent times.
Paul’s work is generally claimant focused, often with a heavy investigative bias. His clients include many of the leading accountancy firms and their officeholders, as well as individuals and corporates across a range of specialist sectors.
Prior to joining Signature Paul was a partner in the commercial litigation team at Stewarts for 10 years and before that he was at PwC Legal where he led the Commercial Litigation team. Previously Paul was at Simmons & Simmons and SJ Berwin.
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.”
Paul is a member of the Association of Business Recovery Professionals (R3) and the International Bar Association and is also a Board Trustee of a charity focused on enfranchising marginalised young women in India through education.
Experience
- Acting for large French insurer in proceedings arising from the Lehman Brothers’ Administration in respect of various claims and counterclaims concerning Forward Financial Instruments made under FBF Master Agreements.
- Acting for a minority shareholder in s.994 and employment proceedings against the off-shore owners of a Data Centre business.
- Acting for the Applicant liquidators in Akers and Anr v Deutsche Bank AG (Re Chesterfield United Inc and Partridge Management Group SA) [2012] EWHC 244 (Ch). A cross border insolvency case in which the Court confirmed that the liquidators of Chesterfield and Partridge, two BVI registered companies in liquidation, could rely on the broad powers afforded to British insolvency office holders under section 236 Insolvency Act 1986, in an application brought under Article 21 of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross Border Insolvency (under the CBIR 2006).
- Acting for the liquidators of Stanford International Bank Ltd in regard to claims against HSBC arising from the fraud perpetrated by Robert Allen Stanford and others which resulted in an estimated USD 4,4bn loss.
- Advising Cayman based liquidators in AHAB v SICL in relation to the nature and propriety of certain esoteric financial instruments (Accreting Strike Options).
Publications
Is the FRC on track to become a new, more resilient regulator? – Accountancy Daily – 24 May 2021
LIBOR transition: the final countdown – PLC Magazine – 25 February 2021
High Court Ruling Checks Growth Of Bank Protection Duty – Law360 – 24 February 2021
Clarity on Quincecare duty for banks – The Law Society Gazette – 15 February 2021
Failure to prevent economic crime legislation – where are we now? – Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence – 2 February 2021
UK’s financial regulator rapped following LCF collapse – Global Restructuring Review – 22 January 2021
Corporate failures – can the UK’s financial regulator lead the charge? – Global Restructuring Review – 11 December 2020
Emerging banking compliance litigation risks: SIB v HSBC – A curate’s egg – Thomson Reuters – 16 October 2020
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 – CDR News – 7 October 2020
News regarding Paul Brehony’s appointment – The Lawyer – 1 October 2020
Signature Litigation Boosts Revenue By Nearly A Third – Legal Week – 1 October 2020
Areas of Expertise
Latest news
@SignatureLitLLP
Partner Emmanuèle Lutfalla and Associate Déborah Azerraf will be speaking tomorrow at 9 am on the declaration of risks at the time of underwriting, at the Panorama du Droit des #assurances #IARD conference, organised by @EFEmanagement bit.ly/3nc47ZZ pic.twitter.com/R2hu1CDeKC
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.
