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Douglas Grant

Practice Profile

Douglas is a commercial barrister specialising in arbitration, insurance, civil fraud, commodities, shipping and general commercial disputes.

Douglas’ recent led work includes Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) Ltd and others [2021] UKSC 1, a leapfrog appeal to the Supreme Court concerning insurance cover for business interruption losses arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic; and an LCIA arbitration between two Ukrainian businesspeople involving allegations of fraud and forgery.

As sole counsel, Douglas’ recent work includes advising on the effect of US-Iran sanctions on a claim under a marine insurance policy, acting in a multi-million-dollar commodities arbitration, and advising on a breach of warranty claim arising out of the sale of shares in a professional services firm.

Before commencing practice, Douglas spent three months as a Judicial Assistant in the Commercial Court where he worked on Avonwick Holdings Ltd v Azitio Holdings Ltd [2020] EWHC 1844 (Comm), a multi-billion-dollar civil fraud claim concerning the sale of a major Ukrainian corporation.

Douglas has also spent time on secondment at a Magic Circle law firm working on banking and insurance disputes, and in the shipping department of a leading City firm.

Before coming to the Bar, Douglas graduated from the University of Oxford with a First Class degree in Modern Languages. He speaks French, German and Swedish.

  • Acted in a hard-fought LCIA arbitration between two Ukrainian businesspeople involving allegations of fraud and forgery, led by Stephen Hofmeyr QC.
  • Acted as sole counsel in a multi-million-dollar commodities arbitration concerning the effect of a certificate final clause.
  • Acted as sole counsel in a multi-million-dollar commodities arbitration involving a dispute as to whether a binding contract had been concluded.
  • Acted as sole counsel in a GAFTA arbitration, including an appeal to the GAFTA Board of Appeal.
  • Experience of acting in and advising on a number of LMAA arbitrations, including in relation to charterparty and ship sale and purchase disputes.
  • Assisted (as a pupil) in successfully resisting appeals under Sections 67, 68 and 69 of the Arbitration Act against two partial awards relating to the construction of a superyacht.
  • Acted in a hard-fought LCIA arbitration between two Ukrainian businesspeople involving allegations of fraud and forgery, led by Stephen Hofmeyr QC.
  • Advised on a breach of warranty claim arising out of the sale of shares in a professional services firm.
  • Assisted in drafting the respondent’s notice of objections in an appeal to the Supreme Court regarding the enforcement of solicitors’ undertakings and covenants in restraint of trade.
  • Assisted in bringing successful committal proceedings for repeated breaches of a worldwide freezing order.
  • Acted in Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) Ltd and others [2021] UKSC 1, a leapfrog appeal to the Supreme Court concerning insurance cover for business interruption losses arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Acted as sole counsel in a multi-million-pound property insurance dispute.
  • Advised on the effect of US-Iran sanctions on a claim under a marine insurance policy.
  • Advised in relation to professional indemnity cover for cladding-related claims following the Grenfell Tower disaster.
  • Provided evidence to a foreign court on various aspects of the English law of marine insurance and carriage of goods.
  • Assisted in advising on the aggregation of claims arising out of hurricanes in the Caribbean.
  • Assisted in advising on aggregation and cover in relation to the seizure of energy generation facilities by militants in the Middle East.
  • Assisted in a claim arising out of property damage following a landslip, with a particular focus on the issue of insurable interest.
  • Acted in a hard-fought LCIA arbitration between two Ukrainian businesspeople involving allegations of fraud and forgery, led by Stephen Hofmeyr QC.
  • Assisted in the successful appeal from a three-week civil fraud trial in the Commercial Court on the grounds that the judge had failed to give adequate reasons for his decision: Simetra Global Assets Limited v Ikon Finance Limited [2019] EWCA Civ 1413.
  • Acted as sole counsel in a GAFTA arbitration, including an appeal to the GAFTA Board of Appeal.
  • Acted as sole counsel in a multi-million-dollar commodities arbitration concerning the effect of a certificate final clause.
  • Acted as sole counsel in a multi-million-dollar commodities arbitration involving a dispute as to whether a binding contract had been concluded.
  • Advised an EU company in relation to compliance with global anti-corruption and sanctions regimes.
  • Acted in a LMAA arbitration concerning an agreement for the sale and purchase of a ship terminated during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Advised on the negligent management defence under the Hague-Visby Rules.
  • Advised on a dangerous cargo claim relating to the shipment of Indonesian coal.
  • Advised on a charterparty dispute relating to alleged breach of UN sanctions.
  • Assisted in a claim for breach of several long-term charterparties, raising issues as to the enforceability of guarantees under the Statute of Frauds, the construction of jurisdiction agreements, and misrepresentation.
  • Acted for the Financial Reporting Council in an investigation into the audits of a FTSE 100 company, led by Noel Casey.
  • Assisted in a claim regarding auditors’ failure to detect fraud by the company’s director.
  • Assisted in advising on a claim against a solicitor for failure to restrain the presentation of a winding-up petition.
  • Assisted in advising on a claim against the trustees of a pension fund.

  • Bar Professional Training Course, City University, London: Very Competent (2018) Graduate Diploma in Law, City University, London: Distinction (1stin year) (2017) BA Modern Languages, University of Oxford: First Class (2015)

  • Scholarships & Awards Winner, City University Senior Moot (2018) Winner, Lincoln’s Inn Inter-Provider Mooting Competition (2018) Winner, European Law Moot Competition (2017) Winner, QUB/HSF Corporate Law Moot (2017) 3 Verulam Buildings Prize for Best Overall Performance on the GDL (2017) Jean Monnet Prize for Best Performance in EU Law (shared) (2017) Denning, Haldane and Hardwicke Scholarships (Lincoln’s Inn)

  • Languages French, German, Swedish

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