Charles Samek KC is a highly experienced English barrister and King’s Counsel (KC, or Silk). He has been at the Bar since 1989, and has been a KC since 2009. He is recommended in the major legal directories as a leading KC in the following practice areas: (1) commercial dispute resolution; (2) civil fraud; (3) banking and finance; (4) offshore litigation. Charles is first and foremost an advocate, whose expertise lies in presenting a client’s case to the court, whether at first instance or on appeal, and in cross-examination of factual and expert witnesses at trial.
He has been shortlisted (one of three) by Chambers & Partners for ‘2025 Commercial Litigation Silk of the Year’, and by Legal 500 as ‘2019 Commercial Litigation Silk of the Year’.
Charles advises clients with regard to commercial disputes. He appears regularly as an advocate in London’s High Court, principally the King’s Bench Division (Commercial Court), and he has appeared as an advocate over 25 times in the Court of Appeal.
As a self-employed barrister, Charles may accept instructions from solicitors based in England & Wales, and from foreign legal representatives, for advice, drafting and representation in court. He is also able in some cases to accept instructions directly from clients, typically to advise in relation to actual or possible legal proceedings.
Charles was educated at St Paul’s School, London and Oriel College, Oxford University where he read Classics (“Mods & Greats”). He then took a law conversion course at the City University (now part of the University of London) before commencing pupillage at what is now Littleton Chambers.
He speaks excellent Italian; decent French; and some Russian.
A snap-shot of Charles 2026 work as a barrister and King’s Counsel
- Acting on behalf of a Russian individual resisting an appeal in the UK Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal’s dismissal of a bankruptcy order against him (to be heard in June 2026);
- Acting on behalf of a company in hard-fought unfair prejudice proceedings being litigated in the BVI commercial court;
- Advising an offshore shareholder as to the prospects of a claim against it by a foreign European tax authority;
- Acting on behalf of a financial services company in its claim for damages for breach of restrictive covenants against a former director and shareholder;
- Advising a group of minority shareholders in a “quasi-partnership” dispute being fought in the Jersey courts and in England;
- Advising an LLP member as to his rights and entitlement on the sale of interest in the LLP to a third-party;
- Acting for an ex-wife resisting in enforcement of Russian judgments in England in the context of bitter divorce proceedings;
- Acting on behalf of a member of the Mittal family in proceedings brought in the BVI by a foreign liquidator for the recovery of assets;
- Acting on behalf of a Cayman company in proceedings brought against it in the Cayman Islands by a Brazilian liquidator for the recovery of assets.
Charles Samek KC’s experience in foreign law and appearing as an barrister in overseas courts
Charles Samek KC has done many cases involving foreign law. For example: Russian (civil, family and procedural codes), Iranian, Saudi (Hanbali school) (wrongs and damages), Icelandic, Italian, Luxembourg, Vatican, Canon, UAE, US, Lebanese, Ukrainian, New York, Brazilian, Cayman, Jersey & BVI law.
He is called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands and regularly appears in the BVI Commercial Court, including having acted in trials and before the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal (and in what is now the leading case on Section 125 Evidence Act 2006 relating to the admissibility of unlawfully obtained evidence – Capital WWW Investment Limited (in liquidation) v Tall Trade Limited). He has appeared ad hoc in the Cayman Islands and has also acted assisting Isle of Man advocates and Jersey advocates. He also has rights of audience in the Astana International Financial Centre and is currently instructed in financial services litigation there.