Duncan Matthews QC

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Duncan Matthews QC practises principally in all types of international and domestic commercial matters including in particular international trade and carriage of goods, oil and gas, construction, conflict of laws, insurance and reinsurance, banking, financial services and professional negligence.

He advises and acts in English Court proceedings and has appeared before the High Court, Court of Appeal, House of Lords and a variety of commercial arbitration tribunals both in England and abroad including UNCITRAL, ICC, LCIA, LMAA and various trade bodies as well as ad hoc. He also acts as arbitrator and mediator in commercial disputes.

He has wide experience advising in connection with on-shore and off-shore oil and gas drilling contracts, terminal operations, carriage, sale and purchase of oil and gas.

Duncan also enjoys a niche IT specialism and has recently conducted a substantial hearing in the TCC about a failed Europe-wide intergrated computerisation project. He has also been instructed on a number of telecoms and satellite disputes. Recommended by: Legal 500 (2003, 2004 & 2005) for Commercial Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Shipping and Commodities. Legal Experts (2004 & 2005) for Commodities and Futures, Insurance/reinsurance, international commercial arbitration and shipping. Chambers UK (2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006) for International Arbitration, Shipping and Commodities.

Specialisations: 

  • International Trade and Carriage of Goods
  • Oil and Gas
  • Construction
  • Conflict of laws
  • Insurance and Reinsurance
  • Banking
  • Financial Services
  • Telecommunications
  • Professional Negligence

Principal Cases: 

House of Lords

The Maria D [1992] 1 AC 21.

The Naxos [1990] 1 WLR 1337.

Privy Council

The Mahkutai [1996] AC 650.

Court of Appeal

Allianz Insurance Co Egypt -v- Aigaion Insurance Co SA The Times 20 Jan 2009
The Good Challenger [2004] 1 Ll Rep 67
The "Aeolian" [2001] 2 Ll Rep 64
AIG Group (UK) Ltd -v- Ethniki [2000] Ll Rep IR 343
The Berge Sund [1993] 2 Ll Rep 453.
Soules v Intertradex [1991] 1 Ll Rep 378.
Dole Dried Fruit v Trustin Kerwood [1990] 2 Ll Rep 309.
Medway v Meurer [1990] 2 Ll Rep 112.

1st Instance

Demco Investments & Commercial SA -v- SE Banken [2005] 2 Ll Rep 650 SEB
Trygg Holding Aktiebolag -v- Manches & Others [2005] 2 Ll Rep 129
The P&O Nedlloyd Marseilles [2003] 1 WLR 503
Linea Naviera Paramaconi S.A. -v- Abnormal Load Engineering Ltd [2001] 1 Ll Rep 763.
Aktieselskabet Dampskibsselskabet Svendorg and another v Mobil North Sea Ltd and others [2001] 2 All ER (Comm) 553
KBC Bank v Industrial Steels (UK) Ltd [2001] 1 All ER (Comm) 409
Sinochem International Oil (London) Co. Ltd -v- Fortune Oil Co. Ltd. [2000] 1 Ll Rep 682.
Vale do Rio Doce Navegacao SA & Anr -v- Shanghai Bao Steel Ocean Shipping Co Ltd & Anr. [2000] 2 Ll Rep 1.
Minmetals -v- Ferco Steel [1999] AER (D) 7
Glencore International AG -v- Shell International Trading and Shipping Co Ltd [1999] 2 Ll Rep 692
The "TJASKEMOLEN" (Now Named "VISVLIET")[1997] 2 Ll Rep 476
The "TJASKEMOLEN" (Now Named "VISVLIET")[1997] 2 Ll Rep 465
Toepfer v Molino Boschi [1996] 1 Ll Rep 510.
Aratra v Taylor Joynson Garrett [1995] 4 AER 695.
Swiss Bank Corporation v Premier League The Times 9 February 1995.
Kaufmann v Credit Lyonnais Bank The Times 1 February 1995.
The Andreas P [1994] 2 Ll Rep 183.
The Giannis NK [1994] 2 Ll Rep 171.
The Cebu (No 2) [1993] QB 1.

Education and Career: 

Born in 1961, he was educated at Westminster School (1974-79),

Dante Alighieri School, Florence (1980) (Diploma in Italian),

Magdalen College, Oxford (1981- 84) (BA Hons) (MA 1996),

City University (1984-85) (Diploma in Law) and Council of Legal Education (1985-6) (Bar Finals).

1986 Birkenhead, Karmel, Holker (Senior) and Mould scholarships.

He was called to the Bar at Gray's Inn in 1986 and appointed Queen's Counsel in 2002 and admitted to the Bar of the East Caribbean Supreme Court, British Virgin Islands.

Appointments and Society Memberships: 

Member of LCIA, COMBAR and London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association, Franco British Lawyers Society, British Italian Law Association, British German Jurists Association and Anglo-Russian Law Association and supporting member of the LMAA . Chairman LMAA Supporting Members Liaison Committee.

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