Asfandyar Qureshi

Scott Hersey

Team Leader

Email: scott@littletonchambers.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)20 7797 8620

Daniel Tidnam

Practice Manager

Email: dtidnam@littletonchambers.co.uk
Phone: 020 7797 8609

Practice areas

Asfandyar is an established “go-to” early junior for commercial dispute resolution, particularly in matters with an international element. He acts both as junior counsel to silks, and unled as sole counsel (including in trials against silks). Asfandyar’s recent work includes:

Acting as sole counsel in a four-day trial against a Band 1 KC in a case concerning disputed loan agreements and serious allegations of fraud: Ogunjobi v Ogunyanwo.
Acting for a foreign energy company in LCIA proceedings on a c.$150m dispute with a major global investment bank, arising out of disputed financial agreements (with Rupert D’Cruz KC).
Acting for a foreign bank (via its receiver in bankruptcy) in LCIA proceedings on disputes totalling c.$200m, involving complex financial instruments, commodities trading and serious allegations of fraud and money laundering (with Rupert D’Cruz KC).
Acting in LCIA proceedings on a c.$55 million dispute concerning an African banking merger & acquisition (with Louis Flannery KC).
He has a burgeoning commercial-employment crossover practice, with instructions on several business protection and partnership matters, both domestic and foreign. Recent work includes:
Acting for a senior trader in High Court proceedings on a restrictive covenant and bonus dispute arising out of the trader’s move between rival hedge funds (with Niran de Silva KC): Jump Trading International Ltd v (1) Damien Couture (2) Verition Advisors (UK Partners) LLP.
Acting for a Swiss consultancy company in its dispute with an offshore shipping company arising out of alleged breaches of contract and directors’ duties (with Mohinderpal Sethi KC): Seahorn Sarl v Navios Corporation.

Asfandyar does a significant amount of offshore work, particularly in the DIFC (which he visits frequently). His recent work includes:

Acting for a steel company in a DIFC jurisdiction challenge on a c.$35 million dispute (with Mohinderpal Sethi KC): Paramjit Kahlon v Liberty Steel Group Ltd.
Advising on the drafting of a settlement agreement between two management consultancy firms on an 8-figure USD dispute involving team move and bonus issues across multiple Middle Eastern jurisdictions (with James Bickford Smith).
He accepts instructions through the full range of statutory employment and sports law. He has acted as sole counsel in multiple trials before the Employment Tribunal, and is currently acting for an EFL Championship club in a case concerning allegations of discrimination raised by a former player.

Asfandyar has a stellar academic record, having graduated with First Class Honours (and equivalent) from both Oxford and Cambridge, as well as from City Law School. Prior to his work as a barrister, he was the judicial assistant to Lord Justice Coulson in the Court of Appeal, and an analyst at an international commercial litigation firm. In the latter, he was primarily involved in the representation of an international businessman in high profile litigation across multiple jurisdictions arising out of the alleged “1MDB” fraud, concerning several billions of USD in controversy.

Commercial Dispute Resolution

Asfandyar is an established “go-to” early junior for commercial dispute resolution, particularly in matters with an international element. Highlights include:

Acting as sole counsel in a four-day trial against a Band 1 KC in a case concerning disputed loan agreements and serious allegations of fraud: Ogunjobi v Ogunyanwo.
Acting for a foreign energy company in LCIA proceedings on a c.$150m dispute with a major global investment bank, arising out of disputed financial agreements (with Rupert D’Cruz KC).
Acting for a foreign bank (via its receiver in bankruptcy) in LCIA proceedings on disputes totalling c.$200m, involving complex financial instruments, commodities trading and serious allegations of fraud and money laundering (with Rupert D’Cruz KC).
Acting in LCIA proceedings on a c.$55 million dispute concerning an African banking merger & acquisition (with Louis Flannery KC).
Assisting in relation to the dispute about the sale of 60 Sloane Avenue to the Vatican’s Secretariat of State of the Holy See (with Charles Samek KC): Athena Capital v Secretariat of State of the Holy See.
Acting for a steel company in a DIFC jurisdiction challenge on a c.$35 million dispute (with Mohinderpal Sethi KC): Paramjit Kahlon v Liberty Steel Group Ltd.

Acting for a Swiss consultancy company in its dispute with an offshore shipping company arising out of alleged breaches of contract and directors’ duties (with Mohinderpal Sethi KC): Seahorn Sarl v Navios Corporation.

Assisting the market leader in the appliance protection insurance market in claims against rogue traders of fraud and conspiracy (with Nicholas Goodfellow): Domestic & General Group Ltd v Premier Protect Holdings Ltd and others.
Advising on the drafting of an agreement for the distribution of manufacturing tools involving multiple jurisdictions (the UK, Germany and Jordan).
Various insolvency proceedings.
Assisting in the representation of an international businessman in litigation across multiple jurisdictions arising out of the alleged “1MDB” fraud, involving several billions of USD in controversy.