Tamara Oppenheimer
Fountain Court Chambers
Temple
London , EC4Y 9DH United Kingdom
+44 (0)20 7583 3335
Fax +44 (0)20 7353 0329
Tamara Oppenheimer

Tamara Oppenheimer

Call date

2002

Practice Areas

Tamara Oppenheimer has a broad commercial and civil practice (including all aspects of commercial litigation), specialising in the following areas:

  • Aviation;
  • Arbitration;
  • Banking & Finance;
  • Civil Fraud;
  • Conflicts of law & Private International Law;
  • Financial Services/Regulatory;
  • General Commercial Litigation;
  • Insurance & Reinsurance; and
  • Professional Negligence.

Recommendations (Practitioners' Guides)

Recommended as a leading junior for Commercial Dispute Resolution and Professional Negligence in Chambers and Partners.

Comments in the last few years include:

a “rising star” and “extremely talented”

"always impressive ... a wonderful writer, who is analytical in her approach and highly capable”

“ ‘Clear advice, quality drafting and confident, effective advocacy’ are all guaranteed from this popular lawyer”

“very responsive and easy to get on with”

"highly experienced, represents great value for money and knows how to deal with the demands of a modern commercial practice”

“another of the set’s highly regarded juniors”

“earns praise for her impressive advocacy and responsiveness”   

Education

BCL, Christ Church, Oxford (distinction)
Diploma in Law, City University (distinction)
BA (Hons) Philosophy Politics and Economics, Merton College, Oxford (first class)

Prizes & Scholarships

Exhibition (Merton College, Oxford)
Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Scholarship (Inner Temple)

Other Qualifications

Former solicitor
Appointed to Attorney General's B Panel of Counsel

Professional Experience

Tamara Oppenheimer is a barrister with experience in a number of different areas of commercial and civil law. She was formerly a solicitor at a magic circle firm. She practises in the following areas: aviation, arbitration, banking & finance, civil fraud, conflicts of law & private international law, all aspects of commercial litigation, financial services/regulatory; insurance & reinsurance and professional negligence. Recent examples of her practice are set out below.

Recent Practice

Aviation

  • Acted (with Michael Crane QC) for insurers of a major manufacturer in a 4 week arbitration in connection with a multi-million dollar claim by an airline company arising out of a mid-air plane collision.
  • Acted (with Michael Crane QC) for the defendant in a claim by a major airline in connection with an IT services agreement.

Arbitration

  • Acted (with Michael Crane QC) for insurers of a major manufacturer in a 4 week arbitration in connection with a multi million dollar claim by an airline company arising out of a mid-air plane collision.
  • Acted for a fund manager (with Timothy Howe QC and Patrick Goodall) in arbitration proceedings in connection with claims arising out of the “credit crunch”.
  • Acted (with Mark Simpson QC) in arbitration proceedings for a major insurer in connection with a claim under a business interruption policy.
  • Acted (with Timothy Howe QC) for Cricket Sri Lanka in connection with multi-jurisdictional litigation and arbitration concerning TV rights in respect of Sri Lanka international cricket matches.

Banking & Finance

Tamara frequently acts for banks (both retail and investment) and provides advice in a wide variety of disputes and matters, including the following:

  • Acted for Barclays in FSA v Sinaloa Gold plc and others [2011] EWHC 144 (Ch). Barclays successfully intervened in an application by the FSA to remove the undertaking in damages given to third parties in a freezing order obtained by the FSA against the defendants. The decision was reversed on appeal (FSA v Sinaloa Gold plc [2011] EWCA Civ 1158). Barclays obtained permission to appeal to the Supreme Court and th appeal was heard in December 2012 (where Tamara was led by Richard Handyside QC).
  • Acted/acting for Natwest/RBS in a number of claims in relation to the alleged mis-selling of interest rate swap agreements.
  • Acted (with Guy Philipps QC) for the claimant in a multi-million pound claim against an investment bank and an investment advisory firm for alleged negligence and breach of regulatory duties in connection with the mis-selling of structured products.
  • Acting for the claimant in connection with a claim for payment premium under standard Loan Market Association Terms. Successfully obtained summary judgment before Popplewell J (Tael One Partners Ltd v Morgan Stanley & Co International plc [2012] EWHC 1858 (Comm)). The appeal is due to be heard in March 2013.
  • Acting for Natwest in a claim for breach of contract/negligence arising out of the registration of defaults with credit agencies (Mark Greenwood v Natwest). The 8 day trial has been fixed for May 2013.
  • Acted (with Andrew Mitchell QC) for Clydesdale Financial Services in connection with over 200 claims brought by consumers under s.75 and s.56 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 arising out of alleged mis-selling of timeshares.
  • Acted for Barclays in a claim for recovery of loan repayments in connection with a film finance scheme
  • Acted for the third defendant, Palladio SCI, in Arbuthnot Latham & Co v Tradex (Cayman Islands) Limited and others [2011] EWHC 929 (Comm), a claim concerning monies due under a loan agreement and guarantee.
  • Acted for/advised Barclays in relation to various claims arising out of the sale of payment protection insurance.
  • Acted (with Timothy Howe QC) for a major French bank in connection with the breach of swap agreement.
  • Acted for Capital Home Loans in connection with various mortgage and guarantee related claims.
  • Acted (with Timothy Howe QC) for a foreign telecommunications company in connection with breach of contract claims brought by two major investment banks.
  • Acted for a fund manager (with Timothy Howe QC and Patrick Goodall) in arbitration proceedings in connection with claims arising out of the “credit crunch”.
  • Acted for the Bank of Scotland plc in Bank of Scotland plc v Paul Sutton, a claim in connection with a guarantee.
  • Acted for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (with David Railton QC and Richard Handyside QC) in Financial Services Compensation Scheme v Abbey National Treasury Services and NDF Ltd, a negligence/breach of statutory duty claim relating to the alleged mis-selling of structured capital at risk products to retail investors.
  • Acted (with the late Christopher Carr QC) for Dresdner in connection with a dispute arising out of an Italian securitisation.

Civil Fraud

  • Acted with Brian Doctor QC, Patrick Goodall, Paul Sinclair and Rosalind Phelps in Tajik Aluminium Plant v Ermatov and others, a multi million dollar claim involving allegations of fraud and conspiracy relating to the aluminium industry in Tajikistan.
  • Acted for executor claimants in a professional negligence/fraud claim against a firm of solicitors.

Conflict of laws & Private International Law

  • Acted (with Michael Crane QC) for the first defendant in Excalibur Ventures LLC v Texas Keystone and others [2011] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 289 concerning an application by the claimant for a stay and a cross application for an anti-suit injunction.
  • Acted (with Timothy Howe QC) for the claimants in Corrizen Limited and others v Silverbrook Research Property and Others [2012] EWHC 119 (Comm) concerning an application by two Australian defendants to challenge the jurisdiction of the English Court with respect to a claim for inducing breach of contract.
  • Acted for reinsurers (with Timothy Howe QC) in Carvill America Incorporated and another v Camperdown UK Ltd and others [2005] 2 Lloyd Rep 457.
  • Acted (with Timothy Howe QC) for a foreign telecommunications company in connection with breach of contract claims brought by two major investment banks; including acting in connection with the defendant company’s jurisdiction challenge.
  • Acted (with the late Christopher Carr QC) for Dresdner in connection with an application to resist jurisdiction in the context of a dispute relating to a securitisation.
  • Acted for the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (with Timothy Howe QC) in connection with various jurisdiction applications.
  • Acted for Cricket Sri Lanka (with Timothy Howe QC) in connection with multi-jurisdictional litigation and arbitration concerning TV rights in respect of Sri Lanka international cricket matches; included resisting enforcement of an arbitration award in the UK.
  • Acted for a Belgian company in connection with an application to resist jurisdiction of the English Court.

Financial Services/Regulatory

  • Acted/acting for Natwest/RBS in a number of claims in relation to the alleged mis-selling of interest rate swap agreements.
  • Acted (with Guy Philipps QC) for the claimant in, a multi-million pound claim against an investment bank and an investment advisory firm for alleged negligence and breach of regulatory duties in connection with the mis-selling of structured products.
  • Acted for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (with David Railton QC and Richard Handyside QC) in Financial Services Compensation Scheme v Abbey National Treasury Services and NDF Ltd, a negligence/breach of statutory duty claim relating to the alleged mis-selling of structured capital at risk products to retail investors.
  • Also acted for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (with Richard Handyside QC) in Financial Services Compensation Scheme v GE Life, arising out of similar facts.
  • Acted and advised in connection with various claims involving financial services professionals and financial products.
  • Acting for/advising the SRA in connection with disciplinary proceedings against various solicitors. Acting with Mark Cunningham QC for the SRA in disciplinary proceedings against a partner of a firm in May 2012.

General Commercial Litigation

  • Acting (with Michael Crane QC and Richard Power) for the first defendant (Texas Keystone) in Excalibur Ventures LLC v Texas Keystone and others, a billion pound claim concerning the granting of oil concessions in Iraqi Kurdistan.  In June 2011 Texas Keystone, together with the other defendants successfully resisted the claimant’s application for the stay (and the other defendants successfully obtained an anti-suit injunction): Excalibur Ventures LLC v Texas Keystone and others [2011] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 289. The trial commenced in October 2012 and is due to finish at the end of February 2013.
  • Acted (with Timothy Howe QC) for the Claimants in a multi-million pound claim relating to audit and inspection rights under a joint venture agreement concerning innovative printer technology (Corrizen Ltd and others v Silverbrook Research Property Limited and others). The Claimants obtained summary judgment on part of their claim at a hearing before Coleman J on 23 January 2012.
  • Acted for the defendant in a £1.7m breach of contract claim relating to the supply of allegedly defective marzipan.
  • Acting in a Commercial Court claim for the claimant broker against solicitors in relation to un-paid ATE insurance premiums (BCR Legal Assist Limited v Wilkin Chapman).
  • Acted (with Michael Crane QC) for the defendant in a claim by a major airline in connection with an IT services agreement.
  • Acted (with Michael Crane QC) for insurers of a major manufacturer in a 4 week arbitration in connection with a multi million dollar claim by an airline company arising out of a mid-air plane collision.
  • Acted (with Timothy Howe QC) for the claimants in Boris Berezovsky and others v Edmiston & Co Ltd and others [2010] EWHC 1883 (Comm), [2010] 2 CLC 126 a claim relating to unpaid brokerage in connection with the sale of a yacht.
  • Acted for the third defendant, Palladio SCI, in Arbuthnot Latham & Co v Tradex (Cayman Islands) Limited and others [2011] EWHC 929 (Comm), a claim concerning monies due under a loan agreement and guarantee.
  • Acted for the claimant in Bharwani v Krastev, a claim for monies due under an agreement relating to the purchase of apartments in a seaside resort in Bulgaria.
  • Acted (with Timothy Howe QC) for the defendant in Binyam Mohamed v Jeppesen UK, a damages claim concerning the claimant’s alleged unlawful renditions.

Insurance & Reinsurance

  • Acting in a Commercial Court claim for the claimant broker against solicitors in relation to un-paid ATE insurance premiums (BCR Legal Assist Limited v Wilkin Chapman).
  • Acted for/advised Barclays in relation to various claims arising out of the sale of payment protection insurance.
  • Acted for a major bank in relation to a claim concerning contingent cover insurance.
  • Acting for claimants in a negligence claim against solicitors and insurance brokers relating to the suitability of life insurance policies (Stables v Barker Gotelee and Ryan Insurance Group Limited).
  • Acted (with Timothy Howe QC) for reinsurers in Carvill America Incorporated and another v Camperdown UK Ltd and others [2005] 2 Lloyds Rep 457, concerning a claim brought by reinsurance brokers relating to the payment of brokerage fees.
  • Acted (with Mark Simpson QC) for a major insurer in arbitration proceedings in connection with a business interruption claim.

Professional Negligence

  • Acted/Acting for Natwest/RBS in a number of claims in relation to the alleged mis-selling of interest rate swap agreements.
  • Acted (with Guy Philipps QC) for the claimant in, a multi-million pound claim against an investment bank and an investment advisory firm for alleged negligence and breach of regulatory duties in connection with the mis-selling of structured products.
  • Acted (with Mark Simpson QC) for defendants in a professional negligence claim by the Bank of Ireland against surveyors (The Governor & Company of the Bank of Ireland v Edward Symmons & Partners).
  • Acted for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (with David Railton QC and Richard Handyside QC) in Financial Services Compensation Scheme v Abbey National Treasury Services and NDF Ltd, a negligence/breach of statutory duty claim relating to the alleged mis-selling of structured capital at risk products to retail investors. Also acted for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (with Richard Handyside QC) in Financial Services Compensation Scheme v GE Life, arising out of similar facts.Acting for Natwest in a claim for breach of contract/negligence arising out of the registration of defaults with credit agencies (Mark Greenwood v Natwest).
  • Acting for Natwest in a claim for breach of contract/negligence arising out of the registration of defaults with credit agencies (Mark Greenwood v Natwest). The 8 day trial is fixed for May 2013,
  • Acting for claimants in a professional negligence claim against solicitors and insurance brokers for negligent advice in relation to the suitability of life insurance policies (Stables v Barker Gotelee and Ryan Insurance Group Limited).
  • Acted for a fund manager (with Timothy Howe QC and Patrick Goodall) in arbitration proceedings in connection with professional negligence claims by one of its clients arising out of the “credit crunch”.
  • Acted for Christie’s (with Jonathan Sumption QC and Andrew Onslow QC) in Thomson v Christie Manson & Woods Limited and others [2005] PNLR 38, concerning duties of care of auctioneers. Also acted for Christie’s (with Andrew Onslow QC) at first instance: [2004] PNLR 42.
  • Acted for defendants in a professional negligence claim against pension advisors.
  • Acted for the BMIF in connection with a professional negligence claim against a barrister in connection with the provision of tax advice.
  • Acted for executor claimants in a professional negligence/fraud claim against a firm of solicitors.

Reported Cases

Financial Services Authority v Sinaloa Gold plc [2012] Lloyd’s Rep F.C. 31; [2012] 2 BCLC 130

Excalibur Ventures LLC v Texas Keystone Inc [2011] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 289

Boris Berezovsky and others v Edmiston & Co Ltd and others [2010] 2 CLC 126

Thomson v Christie Manson & Woods Limited and others [2005] PNLR 38 (and at first instance: [2004] PNLR 42)

Carvill America Incorporated and another v Camperdown UK Ltd and others [2005] 2 Lloyds Rep 457

Publications

Co-author of The Law of Privilege (ed. Thanki) (Second edition, 2011, Oxford University Press)

Other Experience

Former solicitor at Allen & Overy: trainee and subsequently assistant in the Litigation Department (Banking and Finance Group) (1998-2001)
Judicial Assistant to Lord Woolf (Master of the Rolls and subsequently Lord Chief Justice) (2000)
Legal assistant at the Treasury Solicitor (Judicial Review division) (1997/1998)
Legal assistant in Italian law firm, Tonon e Associati, Rome (1997)

Languages

Italian (fluent)
Russian (fluent conversational)