William Birch

William has a broad and busy commercial practice, covering a wide range of commercial work including company law disputes and cases raising conflict of laws or jurisdictional issues.

His recent work includes:

• Strike out of a claim, on behalf of leading real estate company, for c£650m.
• Proceedings for breach of contract concerning provision of financial services worth c.£3m.
• Complex common law enforcement proceedings in respect of a foreign judgment: Alexander Timokhin v Anna Timokhina [2026] EWHC 439 (KB), including an interim appeal in Timokhina v Timokhin [2025] EWHC 1453 (KB).
• Heavy, £multi-million unfair prejudice petition proceedings following the majority sale of a company based in Jersey.
• Heavy, £multi-million unfair prejudice petition proceedings including allegations of Covid furlough fraud and a breach of sanctions.
• £1m claim for breach of a personal guarantee following the failure of an insurance brokerage.
• Resisting an application for summary judgment against firm of strategic advisors in an unjust enrichment claim worth over £1m.
• Claims under section 90A FSMA alleging dishonesty in connection with information and statements published to the market by a major issuer of securities.
• Acting for a series of Claimants in the substantial s.90/90A FSMA claims against Glencore Plc.
• Resisting an appeal against a mortgage provider: Mortgage Express v Ramsay [2023] EWHC 566 (KB) (Freedman J).
• Trial of a claim for damages for wrongful termination of a services contract: Abbey Wood Services Limited v Intelligent Resource Limited and Ors (21 October 2022, unreported, HHJ Monty KC).
• Assisting in recovery actions for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea arising out of the Grenfell Tower fire.
• Acting for a company director in proceedings involving allegations of dishonesty and breach of sanctions.
• Defending a leading mobile network operator at trial on a claim for breach of a commercial lease.
• Advising on the frustration of a contract for the provision of an online video recruitment platform during the Covid-19 pandemic.