Craig Orr QC
Call Date
1986
Silk date
2006
Practice Areas
Craig Orr has a wide-ranging litigation practice with particular experience and expertise in the following practice areas:
- Arbitration
- Banking & Finance
- Civil Fraud
- Conflict of Laws & Private International Law
- Insurance & Reinsurance
- Professional Negligence
- Other Commercial Litigation; and
- Costs
Recommendations (Practitioners' Guides)
Craig Orr is recommended as a leading silk. in Chambers’ Guide to the Legal Profession (in the categories of commercial litigation and civil fraud) and The Legal 500 (in the categories of commercial dispute resolution and civil fraud) and in The Legal 500 (in commercial litigation). He is recommended as one of the ‘Leaders in the UK Bar’ in Chambers Global Directory of The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business. He is cited in the Commercial Litigation, Banking, Professional Negligence and Insurance/Reinsurance sections of Legal Business’ Legal Experts directory.
Education
Downing College, Cambridge: MA (Hons);
University College, Oxford: BCL (Vinerian Scholar)
Prizes & Scholarships
Harmsworth and Fox Scholarships, Middle Temple
Appointments
CEDR qualified mediator
Professional Experience
Craig Orr’s practice is broadly-based. He has extensive experience of large-scale litigation (including the Barings litigation; the Lloyd’s litigation and the British & Commonwealth litigation), but he equally thrives on dealing with smaller disputes requiring quick and cost-effective resolution. Being a qualified mediator, he understands the mediation process and is regularly asked to advise clients in relation to this increasingly popular form of ADR.
Recent Practice
Banking & Finance
Craig Orr regularly acts in banking, financing and related matters. He has recently acted for a number of institutions caught up in 'credit crunch' disputes and is currently involved in a number of banking and financial disputes arising out of IPO's, both in England and other Community jurisdictions. He acted for Close Brothers Corporate Finance in defending a claim for £180m arising out of UGC's take-over of Partco plc. Other banking and finance cases in which he has been involved include JP Morgan v PrimaCom AG (2005); Domicrest v Swiss Bank Corporation [1999] QB 542; Askin v ABSA [1999] I.L.Pr 471; Eagle Trust v SBC Securities [1996] 1 BCLC 121; and British v Commonwealth v Quadrex and Samuel Montagu (1988-1995).
Civil Fraud
Craig Orr has experience of acting for both claimants and defendants in complex fraud disputes. Most recently, he has acted for the former Chairman and Chief Executive of Akai Holdings in fraud proceedings arising out of Akai's collapse. His cases include Kuwait Oil Tanker Corporation v Al-Bader [2000] 2 All ER (Comm) 271; Sheikh Mohammad v Ayas (1997-2000); State of Qatar v Shiekh Khalifa (1996); Arab Monetary Fund v Hashim [1993] 1 LR 543 (Evans J), [1996] 1 LR 589 (CA); Cowan de Groot v Eagle Trust [1991] BCLC 1045; Boden v Inca Gemstones (1991). He also has experience of acting alongside criminal practitioners in criminal fraud proceedings, especially cases raising issues of commercial or insurance law.
Insurance & Reinsurance
Craig Orr has wide experience of all aspects of insurance law, ranging from coverage disputes to negligence claims concerning insurance professionals. He recently represented insurers, both at first instance and in the Court of Appeal, in HLB Kidsons v Underwriters [2007] EWHC 1951 (Comm), an important case concerning notification under professional indemnity policies. He is currently acting for insurers and reinsurers in connection with claims arising out of the collapse of Enron; and for excess of loss reinsurers contesting claims on a substantial public liability treaty. His recent arbitration work in the insurance field includes financial 'spread loss' reinsurance and Enron-related claims. Past reported insurance cases in which he has appeared include Bhopal v Sphere Drake [2002] LRIR 413; Quinta v Warrington [2000] LRIR 81; Society of Lloyd’s v Leighs [1997] CLC 1398; Society of Lloyd’s v Clementson [1995] LRLR 307; and Capel-Cure Myers v McCarthy [1995] LRLR 498.
Professional Negligence
Craig Orr has acted for both clamaints and defendants in a wide range of professional negligence matters. He has particular expertise in claims against accountants, both in relation to audit and other issues, including tax. Other categories of professional defendents for (or against) whom he has acted include investment bankers, insurance brokers, solicitors, surveyors, stockbrokers and other investment advisers. His past reported cases include Close Brothers Corporate Finance v UGC (2002-2005); Barings plc v Coopers & Lybrand [2003] EWHC 1319; Eagle Trust v SBC Securities [1996] 1 BCLC 121; British v Commonwealth v Quadrex and Samuel Montagu (1988-1995) and Caparo v Dickman [1990] 2 AC 605.
Conflict of Laws & Private International Law
Much of Craig Orr's work has an international element and he is well-versed in dealing with jurisdictional and other conflict of law issues arising out of multi-national litigation. He has been involved in a number of cases raising difficult and complex jurisdictional issues, both within and without the European Community, including Brown v Benard (2007), Ark Therapeutics v True North Capital [2006] 1 All ER (Comm) 138 and JP Morgan v PrimaCom AG (2005). Other cases in this area include Askin v ABSA [1999] I.L.Pr 471; Domicrest v Swiss Bank Corporation [1999] QB 542; and Arab Monetary Fund v Hashim [1993] 1 LR 543 (Evans J), [1996] 1 LR 589 (CA).
Other Commercial Litigation
Craig Orr has experience in a broad range of other commercial and civil disputes, including disputes concerning outsourcing contracts (Vertex Data Science Ltd. v Powergen [2006] 2 lloyd's Rep 591), agency contracts (Worldwide Corporation v GPT [1998] EWCA Civ 1894; [1999] EWCA Civ 601 and 1636) and financial services issues (Securities and Investments Board v Hamilton Hourse).
Arbitration
In addition to his work in the Courts, Craig Orr has extensive experience of acting in international and domestic arbitrations. He regularly acts for London market insurers and reinsurers in arbitration disputes and is currently involved in along-running and complex UNCITRAL arbitration concerning the designm installation and supply of telecommunication systems.
Publications
Co-author of Carriage by Air by Fountain Court Chambers;
Contributor to Professional Negligence and Liability