Charles Dougherty

Call: 1997

Expertise

Banking & Finance
Commercial
Commercial Fraud
Insurance & Reinsurance
Private International Law
Professional Negligence

Qualifications

BA BCL (Oxon)

Winchester College (1985-1990)
Magdalen College; University of Oxford (1990-1994):
Jurisprudence BA; Postgraduate BCL
Middle Temple Astbury Scholar

Practice Profile

Practice Profile

Charles specialises in commercial law, in particular commercial fraud, banking, professional negligence, private international law and insurance. Prior to joining chambers, Charles was a management consultant and a law lecturer. He is recommended in the legal directories for insurance and reinsurance, commercial fraud, travel and professional negligence. He is an assistant editor of European Civil Practice (Sweet & Maxwell, 2nd ed). He has also been called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands.

 

“Impresses solicitors as exceptionally bright and wonderful to deal with” (Legal 500 2006)

Respected” (Legal 500 2007)

“His drafts are bloody good, and his advice is always accurate” and “he can place his knowledge in a commercial context” (Chambers & Partners 2008)

Versatile(Legal 500 2008)

Incredibly switched-on”; "really knows his subject" (Chambers & Partners 2009)

“Recommended” (Legal 500 2009)

“Hugely bright junior”; “technically immaculate and calm under fire”; “just so able and impressive"; “knows the law inside out” (Chambers & Partners 2010)

 

Banking & Finance

Acted in a wide range of banking and financial services claims, including cases involving breach of mandate, mortgages, letters of credit, demand guarantees, bills of exchange, cheques, electronic money transfers, money laundering and prime bank guarantee fraud. He has also been instructed to defend individuals and firms who have been subject to FSA enforcement action.

 

Commercial

Experience of major contractual disputes, in particular cases involving sale and supply of goods and services, director’s duties, director disqualification proceedings, licensing agreements, breach of confidence, breach of fiduciary duty, restrictive covenants, breach of warranty claims, restitution, rectification and misrepresentation. He is also has significant experience of security for costs applications and interim injunctions.

 

Commercial Fraud

Wide experience of handling complex fraud claims (including claims involving deceit, breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty, dishonest assistance, knowing receipt, conspiracy and conversion), in particular cross-border tracing and urgent applications to locate and freeze assets and preserve evidence. He also lectures extensively to solicitors on fraud matters, in particular freezing orders, search orders and asset tracing.He is recognised by both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 as a leading practitioner in the field.

 

Insurance & Reinsurance

Wide experience of insurance/ reinsurance disputes (including Lloyd’s disputes) arising out of a range of different covers, including property, life, fidelity, professional indemnity, jewellers, employer’s liability, public liability, personal accident and business interruption. He has also acted in a large number of cases for and against brokers. He has particular experience of dealing with fraudulent claims and claims with a multi-jurisdictional element. He has also advised a leading insurers on various aspects of the impact of FSMA. He is recommended in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 as a leading insurance junior.

 

Private International Law

Regularly handles cases involving jurisdiction and choice of law disputes. He has particular experience of the Brussels Regulation, the Rome Convention, Rome I, the Private (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1995, Rome II and of anti-suit injunctions. He is an assistant editor of European Civil Practice, Sweet & Maxwell (2nd ed), a major 2 volume work on the Brussels Regulation.

 

Professional Negligence

Considerable experience of claims involving barristers, solicitors and insurance intermediaries. He is an editor of 2tg’s professional negligence journal, On Duty. He is recognised by both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 as a leading professional negligence junior.

 

Notable Cases

Ace European Ltd v Rolls - Royce (Com Ct) [2010] EWHC 1869 [insurance; scope of cover; jurisdiction] (Instructed by Kennedys)

Lockheed Martin Corp v Willis Group Limited (CA/ Com Ct) [2010] EWCA Civ 927; [2010] PNLR 1 [Alleged brokers negligence; wrong party; change of party after expiry of limitation; abuse of process] (Instructed by Ince & Co)

Re Federal Republic of Brazil (Jersey) (2009 - ongoing) [fraud; corruption in public office; bribes; freezing orders] (Instructed by LG)

Kolmar Group v Visen Industries (Com Ct) (2009 - ongoing) [2009] EWHC 3765 [international sale of goods; jurisdiction; Lugano convention] (Instructed by Clyde & Co)

A v B (LCIA Arbitration) (2008 - ongoing) [shareholders dispute; breach of fidiciary duty; deceit] (Instructed by Dewey & LeBoeuf)

Mopani v Cooper Gay (Com Ct) (2008 - 9) [Brokers' negligence] (Instructed by Clyde and Co) 

X v Y (High Court of BVI) (2008- 9) [Alleged US$50m fraud; jurisdiction; forum conveniens; receivership orders; worldwide freezing orders] (Instructed by Norton Rose/ Harneys)

Hornsby v James Fisher Rumic (QBD) (2007-9) [2008] EWHC 1944 (QB) [Private International Law; accident in UAE territorial waters; applicable law of tort; UAE limitation period] (Instructed by Stephenson Harwood)

Gater Assets v Naftogaz (Nos 1,2 and 3) (CA/ Com Ct) [2008] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 479; [2007] 2 Lloyd's Rep. 588;  [2007] 1 Lloyd's Rep 522 [Enforcement of New York Convention arbitration award; freezing order; availability of security for costs against award holder; whether enforcement should be refused on grounds of fraud/ public policy; Judgments Act interest on awards] (Instructed by Clyde & Co)

Raja v Hoogstraten; Tombstone v Healys (CA/ Ch Div) (2006 - 8) [2008] EWCA Civ 1444; [2007]  EWHC 1743 (Ch) [liability of solicitors for procuring writ of sequestration and/or trespass to third party’s property]  (Instructed by Kennedys)

Royal Bank of Scotland plc v Kiely (Com Ct) (2007) [claim under various personal guarantees following collapse of pub property business; allegations of misrepresentation; freezing order] (Instructed by Norton Rose)

Novoship UK v Mikhaylyuk (Com Ct) (2006- ongoing) [fraud; breach of fiduciary duty; bribes; search and freezing orders; multi-jurisdictional relief] (Instructed by Ince & Co)

ING (UK) Ltd v R+V Versicherung AG (CA/ Com Ct) (2004-7) [2006] EWHC 42 (Comm); [2006] Lloyd's Rep IR 653 [Reinsurance; Quota Share treaty; apparent authority; ratification] (Instructed by LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae)

Harding v Wealands (HL/ CA/ QBD) (2004-6) [2006] UKHL 32; [2006] 3 WLR 83 (HL); [2005] 1 WLR 1539 (CA) [Jurisdiction; applicable law; approach to assessment of damages; difference between substance and procedure; ss 11 & 12 of the Private International Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1995] (Instructed by Kennedys)

R+V Versicherung AG v Risk (CA/ Com Ct) (2003-7) [2006] Lloyd's Rep IR 253 [Commercial fraud; Reinsurance; freezing order; conspiracy; estoppel; abuse of process; recoverability of management expenses] (Instructed by LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae)

R+V v Chalhoub (Com Ct) (2005-ongoing) [2005] EWHC 2586 (Comm) [Non party costs; director found to be dishonest at trial; Human Rights Act; CPR 71] (LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae)

Roiter Zucker (a firm) v Minai (QBD) [2005] EWHC 2676 (QB) [Professional negligence; purchase of £7.2m property; allegation of excess of authority] (Instructed by Kennedys)

BCCI v Saadi (QBD) (2005) [2005] EWHC 2256 (QB) [Fraud; breach of fiduciary duty and trust; misappropriation of monies; compound interest; enforcement against third party] (Instructed by Lawrence Graham)

Shamil Bank of Bahrein v Bexinco (Com Ct) (2005) [Freezing order; jurisdiction; Morabaha financing agreements] (Instructed by Norton Rose)

Cartier v Rached (Com Ct) (2004-5) [Fraud; freezing orders, including against third parties;] (Instructed by Clyde & Co)

Nokia v Interstone Trading Ltd (Com Ct) (2003-2005) [Commercial fraud; conflict of laws; freezing and search orders; conspiracy; contempt proceedings; simultaneous HK proceedings] (Instructed by Clyde & Co)

Lindner Plc v WGS (2003-4) (TCC) [Barrister’s and solicitor’s negligence; alleged negligent advice on costs offer in arbitration proceedings] (Instructed by Kennedys)

Pedley v Avon Insurance (Com Ct) [2002] EWHC 2007 (QB) [Insurance; non disclosure, breach of warranty] (Instructed by Barlow Lyde & Gilbert)

Firth v Carib Holdings (QBD) [2003] EWHC 2112 (QB) [Jurisdiction; forum non conveniens] (Instructed by Herbert Smith)

Whiteleys Insurance Consultants v AIG (Com Ct) [2003] EWHC 1613 (Comm) [Search order; fraud of broker; apparent authority; construction of agency agreement] (Instructed by Kennedys)

FSA v X (2002-3) [FSA enforcement powers; prohibition orders] (Instructed by Kendall Freeman)

Thistle Hotels Plc v Orb (Ch Div) (2002 – 2004) [2004] 2 BCLC 174 [breach of warranty; taxation issues; rectification; security for costs] (Instructed by Memery Crystal)

IPC v City of Milan (QBD) (2002) [2002] EWHC 3213 (QB) [Jurisdiction; Brussels Convention; Art 1, 6(1) and 6(2)] (Instructed by Kennedys)

Connollys v Taylor (QBD) (2002) [solicitors negligence; liens over papers] (Instructed by Middleton Potts)

Hulse v Chambers (QBD) [2001] 1 W.L.R. 2386 [Choice of law; Private International Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1995] (Instructed by Kennedys)

Heil v Rankin (CA) [2001] Q.B. 272 [Principles underlying general damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity; relevance of Law Commission report; ECHR Art 6 and Art 1 of First Protocol] (Instructed by MIB)

Burns v General Accident (CA) [1999] 2 All ER 27 [Third Party (Rights Against Insurers) Act 1930; disclosure] (Instructed by Beachcroft Wansbroughs)

Additional Information

Affiliations

  • Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR)
  • Professional Negligence Bar Association (PNBA)
  • British German Jurists Association
  • Commercial Fraud Lawyers Association (CFLA)

 

Publications

  • Harding v Wealands, International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Vol. 56, No. 2. (April 2007), pp. 443-453 (with Lucy Wyles).
  • European Civil Practice, Sweet & Maxwell (2nd ed, 2004.), assistant editor
  • Researching the Legal Web, ed. Delia Venables & Nick Holmes (2nd edn), Butterworths, contributor
  • Expert Witnesses in the Commercial Court (with Michael Black QC) New Law Journal Vol 152 at 264 (2002)
  • Contribution notices against overseas defendants (2002) All England Legal Opinion

 

Languages

  • Fluent French and Swedish. Good German.

 

Previous Positions

  • Lecturer and Researcher in contract and tort at the Free University of Berlin; Management consultant with leading European consultancy, working on strategy consultancy for major multinationals, particularly in the financial services sector.