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Adam Ibrahim

He/himSocio
UK Co-Head Litigation & Arbitration
Has an encyclopaedic knowledge and has been there and done that on everything that can come up. He is a seasoned litigator who is pragmatic and someone you really want on your side.
Chambers UK 2022
About

Adam Ibrahim is a specialist Financial Services litigation and dispute resolution lawyer, with over 25 years experience representing large financial institutions (both international and domestic) in all of their contentious legal requirements - across investment banking, corporate and retail finance.

Adam’s clients include all major UK clearing banks, as well as a large number of commercial lenders, investment banks, global financial services companies, and building societies. He focuses on complex high profile litigation, class actions, cross border fraud cases, investment banking claims (including derivative mis-selling), conspiracy to defraud allegations, contractual/commercial disputes, and injunctive relief.

Adam is also co-leader of the UK's Litigation & Arbitration team, and leads the International Financial Services Disputes initiative.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • An ongoing matter for a UK bank in the defence of an alleged defective loan portfolio (widely reported including in FT) relating to serious allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation, and conspiracy to defraud. arising out of the interest rates offered by the bank to Tailored Business Loans customers and liability for break costs upon early termination of a Loan.
  • A UK bank in a high profile GBP85 million claim by the liquidators of a property investment company (reported) for damages for (a) alleged fraudulent misrepresentations made in the sale of a series of multimillion-GBP swap transactions, (b) LIBOR manipulation, and (c) alleged intermeddling by the bank in the administration.
  • A major UK clearing bank on all key aspects of its cybercrime project following a very substantial increase in attacks on the customers’ online banking operations to divert large sums to overseas accounts - either using “Man in the Browser” malware or “Vishing” attacks.
  • A UK clearing bank on its portfolio of claims alleging the mis-sale of Interest Rate Hedging Products to SMEs, with multiple multimillion-GBP claims typically alleging that the bank was negligent in its role as advisor to the borrower and/or misrepresented the benefits of the IRHP, and/or breached various of the FCA’s Conduct of Business Rules.
  • A global bank in respect of a complex fraud regarding the finance of a large commercial and residential property in the heart of Soho, London, with two commercial and 14 residential properties. The case includes injunctive relief, overseas enforcement action, negligence claims against solicitors and valuers, financial regulatory advice regarding anti-money laundering, and reports to the Serious Organised Crime Agency.
  • An international bank on a landmark case potentially impacting on the enforceability of a loanbook with a value in excess of GBP500m, involving detailed arguments regarding the interpretation of the Consumer Credit Act, inevitably resulting in a precedent setting judgment in the Court of Appeal/Supreme Court.
  • A major UK clearing bank on strategic issues relating to the bank charges project, as well as liaising with the FSA and handling the complex litigation issues that spun off the test case against the OFT. As is apparent from the media coverage, this has been the biggest single contentious matter for the banking sector, with over GBP100bn at stake, with final resolution in the Supreme Court.
  • A leading investment bank in defending a multimillion-GBP fraud claim involving the provision of venture capital for the purchase of three leisure properties in Cornwall, which was resolved following a successful judgment in the Court of Appeal. (Reported).
  • A global investment bank in relation to a dispute arising out of the non-payment of monies by the Bank as intermediary bank, to a bank account in UAE on sanctions grounds. The ultimate beneficiary was a consultancy advising multinational companies on IP rights in Iran. The company has instructed lawyers and threatened to bring a claim for breach of Iran sanctions regulations.
  • Successfully making a challenge under S423 of the Insolvency Act 1986 to avoid the effects of a security frustration scheme involving a Delaware corporation, which resulted in the bank obtaining full value for its security. (Reported).
Education
  • University of Manchester LLB (Hons)
  • The College of Law, Chester, CPE and LPC

Awards

  • “Adam Ibrahim heads up the practice and is singled out for handling disputes involving complex financial products including derivatives and foreign exchange transactions, cyber crime issues and related fraud matter. Praised by clients as ‘one of the strongest banking litigation practices outside London’.” – Legal 500, UK 2020, Banking Litigation – Tier 1
  • “Head of the Leeds litigation and regulatory team Adam Ibrahim has strong experience in acting for financial institutions on fraud and mis-selling claims, as well as litigation relating to asset finance and complex financial products. A client says: ‘He is extremely responsive, practical and commercial and very good on banking law’.” – Chambers, UK 2020, – Banking Litigation – Tier 1

In both Chambers and Legal 500 Adam has consistently been listed as a leading expert in banking litigation. Adam is ranked in the top category as an individual, with the specialist team which Adam leads also ranked in the top tier.

Publications

Adam regularly produces articles and bulletins on issues surrounding litigation and dispute resolution, including 'Agriculture Farm Tenancy Schemes - Transactions at Undervalue' (Insolvency Law & Practice) and Barclays Bank v Bean (Landlord & Tenant Review).

  • Coronavirus COVID-19 impact on derivative agreements: To margin call or not to margin call (UK)?, 30 March 2020.
  • No end in sight for mass financial services Class Actions in the UK, 30 March 2020.
  • Every little helps: High Court declines to strike out group shareholder litigation against Tesco, 5 March 2020.
  • How product liability Class Actions are growing in the UK, 18 December 2019.
  • Transaction monitoring – practical guidance for financial institutions from three recent cases, 2 December 2019.
  • Human Rights and Climate Change Class Actions in the UK, 18 November 2019.
  • How litigation funding is driving Class Actions in the UK, 26 September 2019.
  • Six predictions for Class Actions in the UK, 23 August 2019.
  • Our UK Class Actions film series, 17 July 2019.
  • Our UK Class Actions film series - Introduction, 3 July 2019.
  • Indian Judgment can be enforced against English assets, 11 September 2018.

Seminars

Adam has given a large number of presentations at seminars and conferences on issues surrounding complex contentious banking issues, receivables finance and recoveries, freezing injunctions and interim remedies, cheque payment/collection problems, asset finance - third party claims, Sale of Goods Act, and guarantees and indemnities.

Interim remedies, cheque payment/collection problems, asset finance - third party claims, Sale of Goods Act, and guarantees and indemnities.

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