Practice Overview
Giles is Head of the Business and Property Department and Head of the Insolvency Team at Exchange Chambers. Recognised as a robust, thorough advocate, he has a clear grasp of commercial issues and how best to overcome them. He works with his clients, favouring a team approach, particularly when faced with complex issues. With an in-depth understanding of the commercial world, he is adept at keeping his clients informed and aware of any issues that may arise at the earliest opportunity. Giles is a truly commercial litigator in terms of approach to his cases and his clients’ interests and needs. He recognises the importance of leading a legal team in order to achieve his clients’ aims and objectives (whether at trial or through ADR) as quickly and as cost effectively as possible.
Giles is consistently noted as a leader in his field, is highly regarded for his ‘technical knowledge and commercial know-how’, and has a wealth of experience dealing with substantial commercial litigation. Over the last 30 years he has appeared at all levels up to and including the Court of Appeal and even in the Supreme Court of the Seychelles and in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar.
His practice has a particular emphasis on civil and corporate fraud, company and contentious insolvency work, professional negligence (claimant and defendant) and banking.
Before taking Silk, Giles was Junior Counsel to the Crown (Regional Panel A) and his work for the Secretary of State focused on contentious public interest winding up petitions, including the appointment of provisional liquidators and appropriate injunctive relief, and disqualification applications under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.
In recent years he has successfully completed a number of high profile high value corporate fraud cases, leading other junior Counsel, and has acted as the leading Counsel in a number of high value international arbitrations.
Giles has also recently appeared in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar, where he successfully appealed against a decision of a liquidator of a foreign insurance company in order to confirm a substantial proof of debt based on a UK judgment; and has dealt with the high profile insolvency of the Redcar based steel business operated by SSI UK Ltd, now in liquidation.
He has also represented over 300 claimants in a multi-million pound corporate fraud case in the Cayman Islands.
His most recent work includes the successful defence of a £125M claim against a high-profile fashion and internet entrepreneur, which was dismissed as being fraudulent.
Giles won and was awarded the accolade of ‘Barrister/KC of the Year’ at the Manchester Legal Awards 2023.
