Instructed as part of the legal team led by Tim Lord QC in Property Alliance Group v RBS, a banking dispute in the Chancery Division, involving issues as to mis-selling of swaps, LIBOR-rigging, and the Global restructuring Group within RBS.
Chris Greenwood specialises in professional liability, construction, insurance, and mortgage and banking litigation.
“A very user-friendly barrister who is very good in court and not afraid of giving tough advice” – Chambers & Partners, 2022.
“A very impressive, very capable advocate” – Chambers & Partners, 2022.
“High quality, very detailed work. A real team player and a pleasure to work with, which is a view shared by others working with him” – Legal 500, 2022.
“A very personable and responsive junior” – Legal 500, 2022.
“He stood out in a complex accountants’ tax mitigation scheme matter. He’s got a real understanding of the underlying tax matters, and produces very thorough written advice. He’s excellent in conference and is a real team player” – Chambers & Partners, 2021.
“A very tenacious opponent” – Chambers & Partners, 2021.
“Extremely detailed in his advice, both in writing and in conference. His particulars of claim are comprehensive and miss no point. He is extremely empathetic with clients and able to build rapport. His service to solicitors is excellent” – Legal 500, 2021.
“A talented, level-headed and hard-working barrister” who “gives plain, direct advice” – Chambers & Partners, 2020.
“A really skilled strategist and a valuable team player” – Legal 500, 2020.
“He is very hardworking and clever, with a great legal mind” – Legal 500, 2019.
Chris is ranked as a leading junior in professional negligence work by both Chambers & Partners (Band 4) and Legal 500 (Band 4), and also by Legal 500 as a leading junior in construction (Band 4).
Chris is frequently instructed as sole counsel in High Court professional liability claims across the professions, often with pleaded values exceeding £1m, acting on behalf of claimants and defendants. Recent instructions include acting as sole counsel on behalf of financial advisers in Ingenious Litigation [2020] EWHC 235 (Ch), concerning film schemes, and (led by Neil Hext QC) the ‘test case’ of Jago v Mortgage4YouLtd [2019] EWHC 533 (QB), concerning mortgage brokers’ duties in respect of interest-only mortgages. He also appeared as sole counsel in the successful defence of a £10m claim against an insolvency professional, from which permission to appeal was refused in Rushmer v Atkinson [2020] EWHC 524 (Ch).
Prior to 2020, Chris was led in a number of high profile professional liability disputes, including (led by Justin Fenwick QC and Graham Chapman QC) Gemini (Eclipse 2006-3) Plc v CBRE Limited and Warwick Street (KS) LLP, a lender claim for damages in excess of £230m named in The Lawyer’s ‘Top 20 Cases of 2016’, and (led by Graham Chapman QC) the series of claims beginning with Halsall v Champion Consulting Ltd & Ors [2017] PNLR 32, now a leading case on accountants’ liability in respect of tax avoidance schemes.
Chris’ construction practice typically involves claims concerning defective engineering. He is currently (led by Ben Patten QC) acting on behalf of the employer in claims brought against developers, main contractors and construction professionals concerning a commercial warehouse subject to substantial settlement, and (led by Garry Borland QC) on behalf of main contractors in a multi-million pound dispute concerning the defective design and engineering of a retractable seating system. He has experience both as sole and junior counsel in TCC litigation, and also acting as junior counsel in arbitrations.
Chris also frequently acts as sole counsel on behalf of both insurers and commercial insureds in disputes concerning insurance policies, and for lenders in commercial and high value residential mortgage and banking litigation matters. He also has a substantial practice representing claimants and defendants in real estate disputes and commercial litigation.
Immediately before joining 4 New Square, Chris spent 6 months at the Court of Appeal, working as a Judicial Assistant to Lord Justice Mummery and Lord Justice Rix.
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