Lauded by clients for his willingness to get 'stuck-in', Richard Perkoff is an expert advocate in general company and commercial law and has a wide range of experience in dealing with purchase and sale of companies, directors' duties and shareholder disputes, conflict of laws, banking and financial services.

Leading legal directories have highlighted Richard's prowess in cases which involve 'three dimensional, chess-type' strategic thinking. Called to the bar in 1971, Richard has acted on high profile cases involving the enforcement of foreign judgements and arbitration awards and pre-emptive relief. He has been listed as a leading Banking junior in the Legal 500 since 1999, in Legal Expert since 2001 and, most recently, as a leading commercial litigator in Chambers & Partners. He is an experienced mediator.

Richard acts for one of the world's largest futures, options and derivatives brokers on their UK and worldwide operations with leading expertise in dealing with 'swaps', contracts for differences and 'exotic' financial instruments. He has extensive experience in all aspects of partnership law and solicitors' practice from undertakings to the drafting of partnership agreements.

Richard contributes the sections on Banking, Financial Services and Insurance to the leading work on Civil Appeals

Education & Training

William Ellis School, Highgate.
Brasenose College, Oxford M.A.
CEDR accredited mediator: 1997
Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Member of the London Court of International Arbitration

Professional Experience

Richard's wide-ranging experience as a commercial and company litigator has encompassed litigation in jurisdictions all over the world. He has represented clients in courts from the Isle of Man (where he is a Licensed Advocate) to the US Federal Court in Chicago and also has a working knowledge of the Russian civil code and company law. He was appointed a Department of Trade Inspector in 1996. He is the Senior Adjudicator for the Channel Island Splits Adjudication Scheme and a long-standing committee member of the Commercial Bar Association. Leading cases include:

Purchase and Sale of Companies, Directors' duties and shareholder disputes

Thomas Witter & Co Ltd v TBP Industries Ltd [1996] 2 All ER 573
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry v Jabble [1998] BCC 39

Banking & Financial Services

Fielding v Royal Bank of Scotland (CA) ( "The Times" 26 Feb 2004)
United Bank of Kuwait v Hammoud et ors ( CA) [1988] 1WLR 1051
Refco Inc v Eastern Trading Company and Others [1999] 1 Lloyds LR 159

Enforcement of Foreign Judgements and Arbitration awards, Pre-emptive relief

Soinco SACI v Novokuznetsk Aluminium Plant [1998] QB 406 and [1998] 2 Lloyds Rep 346
Refco Inc v Eastern Trading Company and Others [1999] 1 Lloyds LR 159

Partnership law and Solicitors' Practice

Buller v Fulford (HH Judge Weeks QC, ChD, 16/3/99 Lawtel)
United Bank of Kuwait v Hammoud et ors ( CA) [1988] 1WLR 1051

EU Law

Mayne & Chitty Wholesale v Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food ("The Times" 12th October 2000)

Mediator Profile

A committed mediator, Richard was accredited by CEDR in 1997, is a Member of the London Court of International Arbitration, an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is a director of Littleton Dispute Resolution Services Limited. He has conducted numerous mediation workshops and training sessions for solicitors and their clients. He has also drafted and advised on mediation and other ADR agreements and drafted the rules for a pilot "fast track" disputes resolution scheme for low-value medical negligence claims for a consortium of NHS Trusts.

MEDIATION AREAS

Recent Mediation Experience includes:

professional negligence
solicitors
bankers
financial advisers
architects
wrongful and unfair dismissal
building and design contracts
company and shareholder disputes
joint ventures and partnership
commercial contract
commercial fraud
banking and financial services
regulatory and disciplinary issues
pension and investment mis-selling
negligence
employment
agency
landlord and tenant
contentious probate

What Parties and their Advisers say:

"He was a star on the day - his sleeves rolled up style was very helpful. I would recommend him as a mediator, having been recommending him as counsel for years."

"He grasped the issues that the parties needed to resolve very quickly without becoming too "bogged down' in the peripheral matters."

"The mediator dealt with the competing emotions of both parties very well."

"This was a particularly sensitive matter and the mediator’s understanding of this was greatly appreciated."

"Excellent, particularly where the parties were very emotionally charged."

"Very good manner -understood client frustrations and responded well to them"