Adam Zellick QC

Adam Zellick KC

Call 2000 | Silk 2017

"He is a hugely enjoyable person to work with. His strategic strengths are remarkable in being able to analyse the legal arguments. He is incredibly approachable as a leading counsel and silk."


Chambers & Partners

For enquiries please contact

Katie Szewczyk

Katie Szewczyk
Deputy Senior Clerk
+44 (0)20 7842 3710
Click here to email

Oliver Duane
Team Leader
+44 (0)20 7842 3779
Click here to email

Expertise

Notable AI, Crypto & Technology Cases


LICT v VTBC

Acting (with Tim Howe KC) in a €400 million dispute over the Bulgarian mobile phone network (Commercial Court).

Notable Aviation & Travel Cases


Re Air France AF447

Acting for Air France in relation to the loss of Flight AF447 in the Atlantic.


AWAS v Jordan Aviation

Acting for Jordan Aviation in proceedings relating to the lease of an Airbus A330-200 aircraft (Commercial Court).

Notable Banking & Finance Cases


AXA v Genworth v Santander

Leading for Santander (with David Murray) in +£600 million proceedings relating to responsibility for PPI losses (Commercial Court, including [2019] EWHC 3376 (Comm); and [2018] EWHC 2898 (Comm)).


SKAT v Solo Capital

Leading (Ian Bergson) for a number of Defendants defending the Kingdom of Denmark’s +£1.5 billion claim relating to dividend arbitrage and cum ex trading and allegations of fraudulent withholding tax reclaim applications (Commercial Court).


Palladian Partners v Republic of Argentina

Leading for the Trustee (with Ian Bergson) in relation to +€1 billion proceedings concerning GDP-Linked Securities issued by the Republic of Argentina (Commercial Court).


High Commissioner for Pakistan v National Westminster Bank

Leading for NatWest in the Hyderabad Funds Case, multi-party proceedings including Pakistan, India, and the family of one of India’s former Royal dynasties as to the entitlement to a large sum of money transferred to NatWest in London in 1948 as India was being partitioned and amid the clash of arms (Chancery Division, judgments in the case include: [2015] EWHC 55 (Ch), [2015] EWHC 1616 (Ch), [2015] EWHC 3052 (Ch), [2016] EWHC 1465 (Ch), [2018] EWHC 3715 (Ch), [2019] EWHC 2551 (Ch)).


Mattheou v Republic of Turkey

Leading for Ziraat Bank in relation to whether the bank accounts of the Turkish Embassy in London could be frozen and enforced against.


Ventra Investments Ltd v Bank of Scotland Plc

Acting (leading Rupert Allen) for Bank of Scotland on aspects of defending proceedings relating to alleged financial mis-selling and LIBOR manipulation (Commercial Court).


Deutsche Bank v Unitech

Acting (with Richard Handyside KC) for ten claimants on an international $150 million syndicated lending and credit contingent USD range accrual swap, including in relation to allegations of mis-selling and LIBOR manipulation (Commercial Court and Court of Appeal, including [2016] EWCA Civ 119, [2016] 1 WLR 3598, [2013] EWCA Civ 1372).


Access Bank v Akingbola

Acting for the Claimant at trial and in the Court of Appeal (with Simon Browne-Wilkinson QC) with judgment for over £900 million for the Claimant bank defrauded by the First Defendant, its former chief executive, by various different complex fraudulent transactions and an illegal share purchase scheme, with the proceedings also involving pre- and post-judgment freezing injunctions, Norwich Pharmacal relief, declaratory and trust-related relief, and international asset tracing and following (Commercial Court and Court of Appeal).


Societe Generale v Saad Trading

Acting for the Defendant in $50 million proceedings on international letters of credit and issues of the requirements of documentary compliance/discrepancy in international banking practice (Commercial Court, Court of Appeal, on application to the Supreme Court, European Court of Human Rights).


Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector v Tuwairqi Steel Mills Limited

Acting for the Claimant international financial institution in obtaining judgment for over $105 million pursuant to the terms of an Islamic finance transaction which advanced funds for the development of steel mills in Pakistan (Commercial Court).


Spliethoff's Bevrachtingskantoor v Bank of China

Acting (with Richard Handyside KC) defending the Bank of China against substantial claims on two ship-building guarantees and where the Chinese Courts had injuncted any payment by BoC (Commercial Court).


Arbuthnot Latham & Co Ltd v Amundi Funds

Acting for Amundi in defending a claim by (and counterclaiming against) a London private bank for a negative declaration that it was not liable to pay for a £60 million trade which it had placed with the Amundi fund (Commercial Court).

Notable Civil Fraud Cases


SKAT v Solo Capital

Leading (Ian Bergson) for a number of Defendants defending the Kingdom of Denmark’s +£1.5 billion claim relating to dividend arbitrage and cum ex trading and allegations of fraudulent withholding tax reclaim applications (Commercial Court).


Premier Motorauctions v PwC & Lloyds

Acting for Lloyds Bank in the High Court and Court of Appeal in defending proceedings alleging fraud and conspiracy against PwC and Lloyds – the litigation resulted in the withdrawing of the allegations (Chancery Division and Court of Appeal, including [2017] EWCA Civ 1872, [2018] 1 WLR 2955).


Alliance Bank v Arip

Acting (together with Stephen Rubin KC) for the Third Defendant in defending a £150 million claim brought by a Kazakh bank alleging serious fraud (Commercial Court).


Latvijas Naftas Tranzits - Re Antonio Gramsci Shipping Corporation v Recoletos Limited

Acting for LNT, a Latvian company, in respect of large sums misappropriated from LNT and connected to the Antonio Gramsci litigation relating to a £140 million fraud arising out of the Latvian shipping industry.


Access Bank v Akingbola

Acting for the Claimant at trial and in the Court of Appeal (with Simon Browne-Wilkinson QC) with judgment for over £900 million for the Claimant bank defrauded by the First Defendant, its former chief executive, by various different complex fraudulent transactions and an illegal share purchase scheme, with the proceedings also involving pre- and post-judgment freezing injunctions, Norwich Pharmacal relief, declaratory and trust-related relief, and international asset tracing and following (Commercial Court and Court of Appeal).


Adena Estate Inc v Metcalfe & Others

Acting for the Claimant in proceedings relating to a sophisticated fraud involving an investment scheme that did not exist, with the proceedings including freezing injunctions and disclosure orders, judgment against the defendants and one of the defendants being committed for contempt with the contempt held so serious as to warrant a sentence of imprisonment (Commercial Court).

Notable Commercial Disputes Cases


SKAT v Solo Capital

Leading (Ian Bergson) for a number of Defendants defending the Kingdom of Denmark’s +£1.5 billion claim relating to dividend arbitrage and cum ex trading and allegations of fraudulent withholding tax reclaim applications (Commercial Court).


Premier Motorauctions v PwC & Lloyds

Acting for Lloyds Bank in the High Court and Court of Appeal in defending proceedings alleging fraud and conspiracy against PwC and Lloyds – the litigation resulted in the withdrawing of the allegations (Chancery Division and Court of Appeal, including [2017] EWCA Civ 1872, [2018] 1 WLR 2955).


High Commissioner for Pakistan v National Westminster Bank

Leading for NatWest in the Hyderabad Funds Case, multi-party proceedings including Pakistan, India, and the family of one of India’s former Royal dynasties as to the entitlement to a large sum of money transferred to NatWest in London in 1948 as India was being partitioned and amid the clash of arms (Chancery Division, judgments in the case include: [2015] EWHC 55 (Ch), [2015] EWHC 1616 (Ch), [2015] EWHC 3052 (Ch), [2016] EWHC 1465 (Ch), [2018] EWHC 3715 (Ch), [2019] EWHC 2551 (Ch)).


Morris v Swanton Care & Community Ltd

Leading at trial and in the Court of Appeal for Swanton in proceedings relating to earn-out consideration and the enforceability of agreements to agree, with the claim against Swanton being dismissed (King’s Bench Division and Court of Appeal, including [2018] EWCA Civ 2763).


LICT v VTBC

Acting (with Tim Howe KC) in a €400 million dispute over the Bulgarian mobile phone network (Commercial Court).


Re Dewey LeBoeuf - Barclays Bank v McMillan

Acting (with Guy Philipps QC) for Barclays Bank in claims to recover the outstanding debt from the former Dewey & LeBoeuf partners, following the collapse of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP on which over 200 partners owed over $60 million to Barclays (Commercial Court, including [2015] EWHC 1596 (Comm)).


Peak Hotels v Tarek Investments

Acting on behalf of the Sherway Group in proceedings (in London and the BVI) concerning the ownership and rights to the Aman Resorts, the super luxury hotels and villas, following a $400 million joint venture acquisition and subsequent dispute (Chancery Division).


Latvijas Naftas Tranzits - Re Antonio Gramsci Shipping Corporation v Recoletos Limited

Acting for LNT, a Latvian company, in respect of large sums misappropriated from LNT and connected to the Antonio Gramsci litigation relating to a £140 million fraud arising out of the Latvian shipping industry.


Messerer v NatWest

Acting for the Bank in defending a claim by a ballet star for the alleged loss of valuable jewellery from a safe deposit box (Commercial Court).


Merchant International v Naftogaz

Acting for BNYM caught up in a heavy decade-long dispute between MIC and the National Oil and Gas Company of Ukraine (Commercial Court and Court of Appeal).


Spliethoff's Bevrachtingskantoor v Bank of China

Acting (with Richard Handyside KC) defending the Bank of China against substantial claims on two ship-building guarantees and where the Chinese Courts had injuncted any payment by BoC (Commercial Court).

Notable Financial Services Cases


AXA v Genworth v Santander

Leading for Santander (with David Murray) in +£600 million proceedings relating to responsibility for PPI losses (Commercial Court, including [2019] EWHC 3376 (Comm); and [2018] EWHC 2898 (Comm)).


SKAT v Solo Capital

Leading (Ian Bergson) for a number of Defendants defending the Kingdom of Denmark’s +£1.5 billion claim relating to dividend arbitrage and cum ex trading and allegations of fraudulent withholding tax reclaim applications (Commercial Court).


Ventra Investments Ltd v Bank of Scotland Plc

Acting (leading Rupert Allen) for Bank of Scotland on aspects of defending proceedings relating to alleged financial mis-selling and LIBOR manipulation (Commercial Court).


Deutsche Bank v Unitech

Acting (with Richard Handyside KC) for ten claimants on an international $150 million syndicated lending and credit contingent USD range accrual swap, including in relation to allegations of mis-selling and LIBOR manipulation (Commercial Court and Court of Appeal, including [2016] EWCA Civ 119, [2016] 1 WLR 3598, [2013] EWCA Civ 1372).

Notable Insurance Cases


AXA v Genworth v Santander

Leading for Santander (with David Murray) in +£600 million proceedings relating to responsibility for PPI losses (Commercial Court, including [2019] EWHC 3376 (Comm); and [2018] EWHC 2898 (Comm)).

Notable International Arbitration Cases


Leading (Patricia Burns) in a confidential international arbitration concerning claims amounting to c. US$300 million on contractual warranties after the sale and purchase of certain +$1billion oil/gas interests.


Leading for the claimant on a confidential international arbitration relating to an oligarch dispute and resulting in a final award for about $55 million for the claimant.

Adam’s sport-related experience includes in relation to boxing, football, horseracing, rugby and Olympic sports. He has particular experience of contractual disputes in the sports context and of sponsorship, advertising and broadcasting rights issues, including in relation to Premier League football and the Olympics. Much of Adam’s sports practice is confidential by nature but he is currently acting for Nottingham Forest FC on advertising rights following Nottingham Forest’s promotion to the Premier League.

"He has a superb knowledge of the law, and is an excellent, measured advocate on his feet and a great drafter. He has taken to Silk like a duck to water."


Legal 500

"Intelligent, cooperative and thorough." "He stands out as being someone who judges trust. When he makes an argument, it has lots of support."


Chambers & Partners

"A QC without an ego - extremely bright and hardworking, and a pleasure to work with."


Legal 500

"A highly adept silk who co-ordinates a broad array of banking cases, including those involving derivatives, swaps and LIBOR manipulations. He is frequently sought out to handle both substantial, highly publicised litigation and cases that are reputationally sensitive."


Chambers & Partners

"Ferociously bright, really commercial and utterly sensible." "He is one of the loveliest people to work with, as he is extremely helpful and goes above and beyond the call of duty."


Chambers & Partners

"… silk who has a burgeoning reputation among peers and clients alike for his accomplished advocacy in a wide range of financial disputes. He has acted successfully in cases addressing diverse issues such as derivatives and swaps and the manipulation of Libor."


Chambers & Partners

"He is hard-working and he has excellent advocacy and drafting skills." "Adam is extremely personable and is a pleasure to work with. He brings intellect and good commercial sense to the table."


Chambers & Partners

"His strategic sense is the best among the silks I have worked with. But he also operates as a team player and understands the stresses and pressures of the clients."


Chambers & Partners

"At ease handling large-scale, high-value fraud litigation that often involves freezing injunctions."


Chambers & Partners

Chambers & Partners – Global
  • Dispute Resolution: Commercial (UK)
Chambers & Partners – UK
  • Banking & Finance
  • Commercial Dispute Resolution
Legal 500
  • Banking & Finance
  • Commercial Litigation

  • MA (Cantab)

  • Called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands

  • Middle Temple:
    • Queen Mother Scholar, 1999
    • Sachs Prize, 2000
  • Cambridge University:
    • Squire Scholar, 1997, 1998
  • Caius College:
    • Tapp Postgraduate Scholar in Law, 1999
    • Senior Scholar, 1998
    • Scholar, 1997
    • Frere Smith Prize for Law, 1999
    • Sir William McNair Law Prize, 1997, 1998
    • Sir William McNair Mooting Prize, 1997
  • COMBAR
  • LCLCBA
  • South-Eastern Circuit
  • BILA
  • British Association for Sport and Law
  • Called to the British Virgin Islands Bar
  • Supervisor in Law, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (2001–02)
  • Research Assistant, Law Commission of England and Wales (2000–01)
  • Vice-Chairman, Burma Justice Committee, 2007–
  • Amicus Curiae (with others) to the United States Supreme Court in the cases of Rasul v Bush, Hamdan v Rumsfeld and Boumediene v Bush
  • Author, Bar Council evidence to Parliament on the Constitutional Renewal Bill, 2008
  • Member, Bar Council Working Group on the Governance of Britain and Constitutional Reform, 2007–08
  • Instructed by the Bar Council to advise in relation to the creation of the Ministry of Justice, 2007
  • Occasional lecturer/instructor, College of Law

  • Author, Civil Aviation, Atkin’s Court Forms (2006 and 2010)
  • Contributor, Bullen and Leake and Jacob’s Precedents of Pleadings (14th edn, Sweet & Maxwell, 2000)
  • Former contributor and law reporter, Civil Procedure Reports (“The White Book Law Reports”, Sweet & Maxwell)
  • Occasional contributor to journals and magazines
  • The Law of Habeas Corpus
  • The “Civil Aviation” section in Atkin’s Court Forms

  • French (reading)
  • Hebrew (working knowledge)

For enquiries please contact

Katie Szewczyk

Katie Szewczyk
Deputy Senior Clerk
+44 (0)20 7842 3710
Click here to email

Oliver Duane
Team Leader
+44 (0)20 7842 3779
Click here to email

"He has a superb knowledge of the law, and is an excellent, measured advocate on his feet and a great drafter. He has taken to Silk like a duck to water."


Legal 500

"Intelligent, cooperative and thorough." "He stands out as being someone who judges trust. When he makes an argument, it has lots of support."


Chambers & Partners

"A QC without an ego - extremely bright and hardworking, and a pleasure to work with."


Legal 500

"A highly adept silk who co-ordinates a broad array of banking cases, including those involving derivatives, swaps and LIBOR manipulations. He is frequently sought out to handle both substantial, highly publicised litigation and cases that are reputationally sensitive."


Chambers & Partners

"Ferociously bright, really commercial and utterly sensible." "He is one of the loveliest people to work with, as he is extremely helpful and goes above and beyond the call of duty."


Chambers & Partners

"… silk who has a burgeoning reputation among peers and clients alike for his accomplished advocacy in a wide range of financial disputes. He has acted successfully in cases addressing diverse issues such as derivatives and swaps and the manipulation of Libor."


Chambers & Partners

"He is hard-working and he has excellent advocacy and drafting skills." "Adam is extremely personable and is a pleasure to work with. He brings intellect and good commercial sense to the table."


Chambers & Partners

"His strategic sense is the best among the silks I have worked with. But he also operates as a team player and understands the stresses and pressures of the clients."


Chambers & Partners

"At ease handling large-scale, high-value fraud litigation that often involves freezing injunctions."


Chambers & Partners

Chambers & Partners – Global
  • Dispute Resolution: Commercial (UK)
Chambers & Partners – UK
  • Banking & Finance
  • Commercial Dispute Resolution
Legal 500
  • Banking & Finance
  • Commercial Litigation

  • MA (Cantab)

  • Called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands

  • Middle Temple:
    • Queen Mother Scholar, 1999
    • Sachs Prize, 2000
  • Cambridge University:
    • Squire Scholar, 1997, 1998
  • Caius College:
    • Tapp Postgraduate Scholar in Law, 1999
    • Senior Scholar, 1998
    • Scholar, 1997
    • Frere Smith Prize for Law, 1999
    • Sir William McNair Law Prize, 1997, 1998
    • Sir William McNair Mooting Prize, 1997
  • COMBAR
  • LCLCBA
  • South-Eastern Circuit
  • BILA
  • British Association for Sport and Law
  • Called to the British Virgin Islands Bar
  • Supervisor in Law, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (2001–02)
  • Research Assistant, Law Commission of England and Wales (2000–01)
  • Vice-Chairman, Burma Justice Committee, 2007–
  • Amicus Curiae (with others) to the United States Supreme Court in the cases of Rasul v Bush, Hamdan v Rumsfeld and Boumediene v Bush
  • Author, Bar Council evidence to Parliament on the Constitutional Renewal Bill, 2008
  • Member, Bar Council Working Group on the Governance of Britain and Constitutional Reform, 2007–08
  • Instructed by the Bar Council to advise in relation to the creation of the Ministry of Justice, 2007
  • Occasional lecturer/instructor, College of Law

  • Author, Civil Aviation, Atkin’s Court Forms (2006 and 2010)
  • Contributor, Bullen and Leake and Jacob’s Precedents of Pleadings (14th edn, Sweet & Maxwell, 2000)
  • Former contributor and law reporter, Civil Procedure Reports (“The White Book Law Reports”, Sweet & Maxwell)
  • Occasional contributor to journals and magazines
  • The Law of Habeas Corpus
  • The “Civil Aviation” section in Atkin’s Court Forms

  • French (reading)
  • Hebrew (working knowledge)

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