Adam Sher
Call date
2007
Practice Areas
Adam Sher has a broad commercial and civil practice in line with Chambers' profile, with experience in the following areas:
- Commercial Litigation and Arbitration
- Conflict of Laws and Jurisdiction
- Aviation
- Banking and Financial Services
- Employment
- Insurance and Reinsurance
- Professional Negligence
- Civil Fraud
Education
BA Law, Oriel College, Oxford (First Class)
BCL, Oriel College, Oxford (Distinction)
LLM, Harvard Law School
BVC, BPP Law School (Outstanding, Highest mark in year)
Prizes & Scholarships:
Sunley Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn, 2007)
Buchanan Prize (Lincoln’s Inn, 2007)
Lord Mansfield Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn 2005)
Hardwicke Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn 2002)
Clarendon Scholarship (Oxford University, 2003)
Prize for best performance in Commercial Law finals paper (Oxford University, 2003)
College Prize for Finals results (Oriel College, 2003)
Lady Norma Dalrymple-Champneys Prize (Oriel College, 2002)
College Prize for final year student (Oriel College, 2002)
College Scholarships (Oriel College, 2001-2)
First Prize, The Times Law Awards (2003)
Recent Practice
Banking and finance
Adam is currently instructed (with Richard Handyside QC) for a subsidiary of a major investment bank in a substantial dispute relating to the sale of complex Russian securities.
Adam frequently appears on behalf of major retail banks and finance institutions in the county courts and High Court in relation to repossessions, enforcement of loans and guarantees and orders for sale, and including applications for summary judgment and strike out. Adam has also considerable experience of “bank charges” related matters, including opposing claims for interim injunctions and lifting of stays.
Commercial litigation
Adam recently acted (with Bankim Thanki QC and Derrick Dale) for Deutsche Bank in Deutsche Bank v APBW, a US$200+ million dispute with a Taiwanese telecommunications company. The case, which raised complex issues of authority, knowing/dishonest assistance and restitution, settled shortly before the 10-week trial was due to commence in the Commercial Court.
Other matters in which Adam has been involved include:
- Advising in relation to a claim for wrongful termination of an insurance intermediary agreement.
- Advising as to termination rights in relation to a contract for the provision of security services.
- Acting for an accountancy firm in relation to unpaid fees in a dispute which raised issues as to the proper interpretation of CPR Part 36.
- Acting for a “Big 4” accountancy firm in relation to a claim for substantial unpaid fees arising out of a dispute as to the scope of the retainer;
- Acting for a foreign bank in a dispute with a supplier of public relations and entertainment services;
- Acting for a telecommunications company in a contractual dispute with another telecommunications operator in a claim raising inter alia issues relating to champerty and maintenance.
- Acting for a company in a dispute with a law firm over fees alleged to be owed in the context of an unsuccessful merger.
Conflict of laws / jurisdiction
Adam has a good working knowledge of the conflict of laws, including issues of jurisdiction, choice of law and recognition of foreign judgments, having previously taught the subject to undergraduates at UCL and having published in this area. Examples of work involving conflicts issues include:
- Assisting (during pupillage) in the jurisdiction dispute in Deutsche Bank v APBW, involving the scope of Art 23 of the Brussels Regulation, and in particular in relation to its applicability to claims in restitution.
- Advising on jurisdiction in relation to complex claims of breach of fiduciary duty and foreign company law provisions.
Civil Fraud
Adam is currently instructed (with Simon Browne-Wilkinson QC) by two defendants in relation to an alleged VAT “missing trader” / carousel fraud.
Employment
Adam has been instructed by the Treasury Solicitor to settle responses to employment tribunal claims brought by former employees of government departments as well as witness statement for employment tribunal hearings.
Aviation
Adam has been involved in a number of aviation disputes, including acting for the defendant in a multi-million pound claim under an aircraft lease.
Adam also regularly acts for and advises airlines in relation to issues arising from EC Regulation 261/2004 and the Montreal Convention.
Publications
‘The National Minimum Wage: Under Threat From An Unlikely Source’ (2006) 35 Industrial Law Journal 289 (with Sarah Fraser).
‘Consensus, separability and Article 23 of the Brussels Regulation‘ [2009] LMCLQ 275
Other Experience
Research Assistant in the Commercial and Common Law Team at the Law Commission of England and Wales (2004-5).
Teaching Fellow in the Conflict of Laws, University College London (2004-5).
Teaching Fellow in Contract Law, University College London (2006-7).