John Robb

Practice Areas

John specialises in commercial litigation, with a focus on disputes in the fields of banking and finance, civil fraud and shipping. John has been described as being “incredibly hardworking and very bright”, “fiercely intelligent and able to deliver perfectly reasoned and strategic advice quickly“, a “very thoughtful, calm junior with excellent communication and technical skills”, and an “excellent team player”. He is also described as having “an unparalleled ability to deal with difficult clients in highly-pressured situations”, and as “a powerhouse of an advocate”.

John’s banking-disputes practice centres around the following 3 areas:

(1) Heavy finance-related litigation, often involving allegations of fraud, disputes over valuation, and regulatory aspects. Past cases include Tchenguiz v SFO (2013-2014), Tchenguiz v Grant Thornton (2015-2018) and Suppipat v Narongdej (2020-2023).

(2) Guarantees, indemnities and performance bonds. John is co-author of the forthcoming (8th) edition of Andrews & Millett on Guarantees, and of the Guarantee and Indemnity title of Atkin’s Court Forms (2022).

(3) Trade finance. John has a substantial practice in shipping and international trade, and has acted for banks in claims involving bills of lading and documentary credits etc.

John is comfortable acting as sole advocate or as a junior in a team. He has experience of LCIA and LMAA arbitration, though most of his cases are in the Commercial Court.