Contact details

Paul Phillips

T: +44 20 7809 2302 M: +44 7734 135 401 Email Paul | vCard Office: London

Awards

Aviation

Aviation

Aviation: Dispute resolution

Aviation: Dispute resolution

Transport law firm of the year

Transport law firm of the year

Paul Phillips Partner

Contact details

Paul Phillips

Paul Phillips
Partner

T: +44 20 7809 2302 M: +44 7734 135 401 Email Paul | vCard Office: London

Paul is a very experienced commercial litigation partner, who has represented clients across many sectors in most types of commercial and civil disputes over the last 25 plus years. Clients value his strategic and tactical advice in guiding them to a successful resolution of their disputes. He has particular expertise and experience in litigating and arbitrating disputes in the aviation, funds, and broader financial sectors. Paul heads up our international aviation litigation and regulation team and has been recognised for many years by the legal directories as one of the top specialist aviation litigators in the UK.
  • Profile
  • Services
  • Sectors

Paul has been involved in some of the highest profile reported court cases and investigations over the last 25 years, including the Lockerbie trial, the largest class action in the UK in the pharmaceutical sector, the Shard of Glass litigation, the Oil for Food Programme investigation, the BTA Bank v Ablyazov case, the split capital trust investment litigation, the worldwide deep vein thrombosis litigation, and some of the leading cases in the field of aviation law. He is a very experienced trial lawyer, and also has in-depth experience of international arbitration.

Paul has acted for foreign governments, sovereign wealth funds, financial regulators, hedge funds, the Jersey Financial Services Commission, local authorities, major corporates, banks, major airlines and high net worth individuals, and he has spent considerable time working for clients in Asia, the Middle East and Africa over the course of his career. Paul is a member of the firm’s Africa group and has particular experience of working in Libya, Nigeria and various other African countries.

Paul is also ranked as one of the leading specialist aviation litigators in the UK. He represents some of the world’s largest airlines, lessors and transportation banks. The Legal 500 commends him as having “tremendous litigation experience and wisdom, allied with a clear understanding of the industry”.

"Paul Phillips is outstanding. He is a delight to work with and provides clients with an exceptional service."

The Legal 500 UK 2023
  • Aviation litigation and regulation
  • International arbitration
  • Fraud and asset recovery
  • Finance litigation
  • Commercial litigation

Paul heads up the firm’s aviation litigation and regulation team. He has acted for airlines, lessors, transportation banks, airports, aviation insurers and an array of other clients operating in the aviation sector for over 25 years.

Deep vein thrombosis litigation

Acted for US airlines in the worldwide deep vein thrombosis litigation.

Pindell and BBAM v Air Asia

Acted in the landmark UK Commercial Court case of Pindell and BBAM v Air Asia, concerning claims brought by a lessor arising from the loss of an onward sale contract following the late redelivery of an aircraft.

Lockerbie/air accident investigations

Acted on numerous accident investigations, minor incidents and major air disasters, including the Lockerbie investigation and trial.

Redelivery disputes and arbitrations

Acted for numerous lessors and airlines in redelivery disputes litigated in the High Court in London and in international arbitrations involving return conditions of both engines and airframes.

Repossessions, restructuring and insolvency

Acted for both lessors and airlines on repossessions, restructuring and insolvency issues.

Regulatory issues and claims

Advised numerous airlines on regulatory issues, and on claims of both regulatory and commercial nature including EC 261 claims and advice on compliance with various EU Regulations.

More: Aviation litigation and regulation

Paul has extensive experience of international arbitration, on large scale complex disputes, investment arbitrations, and in the field of aviation. He has acted as counsel under the rules of all the major arbitration institutions, including the ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, ICSID, AAA and the arbitration rules of various trade associations.

ICSID arbitration

Kuwait investor v The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Libyan arbitrations

Several ICC and LCIA arbitrations involving Libyan companies against third parties.

Aviation related arbitrations

Numerous ICC and LCIA arbitrations between airlines and lessors (largely redelivery and commercial agreement disputes).

Commodity disputes and arbitrations

Several commodity dispute arbitrations.

Ad hoc arbitrations

Various ad hoc arbitrations in seats including Hong Kong, New York and Paris.

More: International arbitration

Paul has extensive experience in commercial fraud investigations and cases, and asset tracing actions, having been involved in some of the seminal “Mareva” or worldwide freezing order cases

JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov

Acted for Mukhtar Ablyazov in multi-million dollar claims brought against him by BTA Bank (Kazakhstan)

Ryanair v BTVOL International Trading Limited

Acted for Ryanair in multimillion dollar cyber fraud perpetrated by Chinese fraudsters.

Central Bank Of Northern Cyprus v Polly Peck International

Acted for Central Bank of Cyprus following the collapse of Polly Peck and ensuing claims.

Derby v Weldon (reported)

Obtaining pre-judgment Mareva injunction/freezing order.

Arab Monetary Fund v Hashim

Acted for Dr Jawad Hashim-former director general of the AMF accused of defrauding the AMF of over US$50 million

Oil for Food Programme global investigation

Acting for several Indian individuals accused of being beneficiaries of oil contracts.

More: Fraud and asset recovery

Paul has extensive experience in financial disputes and litigation, involving hedge funds, investment funds and trusts, private equity funds, and has extensive knowledge of certain financial products and structures. He has acted for hedge funds and hedge fund managers in litigations and regulatory matters in the UK, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.

FSA v Dynamic Decisions/Alberto Micalizzi

Acted for fund manager Alberto Micalizzi following the collapse of Dynamic Decisions.

Split capital investment trust UK litigation

Acted for BFS Investments/Tony Reid.

Millennium Global Feeder/Master Fund v Balboa, de Charsonville et al (Bermuda)

Acted for local authority investor in Feeder Fund.

Regents Park Relative Value Master Fund v Jae Wook Oh et al

Acted for fund manager Jae Oh.

Fortress Value Recovery Fund LLC v Blue Skye Special Opportunities Fund

Acted for several defendants in the litigation surrounding the restructuring of a distressed debt fund structure.

Jersey Financial Services Commission v Alternate Insurance Services Limited

Acted for the JFSC in investigation and claims against Alternate arising from mis-selling second hand with profit endowment policies/traded endowment policies.

More: Finance litigation

Paul is a very experienced litigation partner, mediator and trial lawyer who has been involved in over 45 trials over his career to date. He has litigated across many different sectors, providing advice in some very high profile cases both in the UK as well as other jurisdictions.

Re Teighmore, Shard of Glass litigation (Royal Courts of Jersey)

A three way dispute between shareholders of the holding company that owned and developed the Shard of Glass.

Glaxo corticosteroid group litigation

This was the largest multi plaintiff group action in the UK pharmaceutical sector.

Lockerbie investigation and trial

Jointly led team acting for second defendant, Lamin Fhimah.

The Spycatcher case

Acted for The Times Newspaper in the case.

Libyan Investment Authority

Acted for LIA chairman Abdulmagid Breish in dispute over competing claims to chairmanship of LIA against Hassan Bouhadi.

More: Commercial litigation
  • Aviation

Paul heads up the firm’s aviation litigation and regulation team. He has acted for airlines, lessors, transportation banks, airports, aviation insurers and an array of other clients operating in the aviation sector for over 25 years.

Deep vein thrombosis litigation

Acted for US airlines in the worldwide deep vein thrombosis litigation.

Pindell and BBAM v Air Asia

Acted in the landmark UK Commercial Court case of Pindell and BBAM v Air Asia, concerning claims brought by a lessor arising from the loss of an onward sale contract following the late redelivery of an aircraft.

Lockerbie/air accident investigations

Acted on numerous accident investigations, minor incidents and major air disasters, including the Lockerbie investigation and trial.

Redelivery disputes and arbitrations

Acted for numerous lessors and airlines in redelivery disputes litigated in the High Court in London and in international arbitrations involving return conditions of both engines and airframes.

Repossessions, restructuring and insolvency

Acted for both lessors and airlines on repossessions, restructuring and insolvency issues.

Regulatory issues and claims

Advised numerous airlines on regulatory issues, and on claims of both regulatory and commercial nature including EC 261 claims and advice on compliance with various EU Regulations.

More: Aviation

Awards

Aviation

Aviation

Aviation: Dispute resolution

Aviation: Dispute resolution

Transport law firm of the year

Transport law firm of the year

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© Stephenson Harwood LLP 2016. Any reference to Stephenson Harwood in this document means Stephenson Harwood LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings. Any reference to a partner is used to refer to a member of Stephenson Harwood LLP.