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Charles Samek KC

Charles Samek KC

Silk: 2009 | Call: 1989

King’s Counsel

"Charles Samek is an exceptional talent and a really big brain."

(Chambers & Partners 2024)

"Charles is a colossus in legal practice. Profoundly intelligent strategist and very persuasive to the judiciary."

(Legal 500 2024)

"Charles Samek KC is a sound choice for high-profile fraud claims with multi-jurisdictional complexities. He is especially effective at applying for and obtaining interim relief in the form of freezing and disclosure injunctions. His cases relate to various allegations including conspiracy and breach of fiduciary duty."

(Chambers & Partners 2023)

“He's a brilliant tactician.”

(Chambers & Partners 2023)

“Charles is very responsive.”

(Chambers & Partners 2023)

“He is robust and effective.”

(Chambers & Partners 2023)

“Charles is a strong advocate and an excellent cross-examiner.” / “He's a brilliant tactician.”

(Chambers & Partners 2023)

“Charles is a robust advocate and quite fearless in court with a good turn of phrase. He is respectful and incisive and good to work with. Client like his no-nonsense approach and keen intellect especially on cross border-litigation. Charles is often against banks, acting for investors who may have been let down or mis-sold complex financial instruments.”

(Legal 500 2023)

“Charles is super clever and he combines his intellect with a street brawlers animus. The perfect fist in a silk glove.”

(Legal 500 2023)

“Charles has tremendous energy and is 100% committed to the cause. He works very well as part of a team and is excellent on his feet.”

(Legal 500 2023)

"A very hands-on, thorough and forensic lawyer." "A fantastically robust cross-examiner and advocate who you want by your side in any civil fraud challenge."

(Chambers & Partners 2022)

"Really sharp-witted and punchy, he has seen it all and has the trust of clients." "He is very good at handling the most difficult cases."

(Chambers & Partners 2022)

"A powerful advocate with a memorable turn of phrase. A great tactician capable of navigating a path through to the desired final goal."

(Legal 500 2022)

"A superb advocate. Extremely supportive. Very positive in his advice, whether good or bad. A real fighter who it is an enormous advantage to have on your team."

(Legal 500 2022)

"A sophisticated advocate who is good on the detail." "He is clever and willing to go the extra mile."

(Chambers & Partners 2021)

"Strong tactician, team player, great on his feet, fights for the win."

(Legal 500 2021)

"A fantastic civil fraud practitioner." "He is a great advocate in court and is very effective. He really knows his stuff and is very direct." "He works very hard and is always well prepared."

(Chambers & Partners 2021)

"A combative advocate who commands the stage in any hearing."

(Legal 500 2021)

"A very accomplished client lawyer and he has a tremendous bedside manner, even when imparting hard truths."

(Legal 500 2021)

"A very good advocate, strong on the law and with good commercial sense." "Tells it like it is and does not sugar-coat his advice, that means clients trust him."

(Legal 500 2020)

"Charles is decisive, his arguments are confidently put, and he has good, sound judgement." "Charles Samek QC is a tenacious, creative and determined fraud lawyer." "A formidable opponent."

(Chambers & Partners 2020)

Charles Samek KC

"Charles Samek is an exceptional talent and a really big brain."

(Chambers & Partners 2024)

"Charles is a colossus in legal practice. Profoundly intelligent strategist and very persuasive to the judiciary."

(Legal 500 2024)

"Charles Samek KC is a sound choice for high-profile fraud claims with multi-jurisdictional complexities. He is especially effective at applying for and obtaining interim relief in the form of freezing and disclosure injunctions. His cases relate to various allegations including conspiracy and breach of fiduciary duty."

(Chambers & Partners 2023)

“He's a brilliant tactician.”

(Chambers & Partners 2023)

“Charles is very responsive.”

(Chambers & Partners 2023)

“He is robust and effective.”

(Chambers & Partners 2023)

“Charles is a strong advocate and an excellent cross-examiner.” / “He's a brilliant tactician.”

(Chambers & Partners 2023)

“Charles is a robust advocate and quite fearless in court with a good turn of phrase. He is respectful and incisive and good to work with. Client like his no-nonsense approach and keen intellect especially on cross border-litigation. Charles is often against banks, acting for investors who may have been let down or mis-sold complex financial instruments.”

(Legal 500 2023)

“Charles is super clever and he combines his intellect with a street brawlers animus. The perfect fist in a silk glove.”

(Legal 500 2023)

“Charles has tremendous energy and is 100% committed to the cause. He works very well as part of a team and is excellent on his feet.”

(Legal 500 2023)

"A very hands-on, thorough and forensic lawyer." "A fantastically robust cross-examiner and advocate who you want by your side in any civil fraud challenge."

(Chambers & Partners 2022)

"Really sharp-witted and punchy, he has seen it all and has the trust of clients." "He is very good at handling the most difficult cases."

(Chambers & Partners 2022)

"A powerful advocate with a memorable turn of phrase. A great tactician capable of navigating a path through to the desired final goal."

(Legal 500 2022)

"A superb advocate. Extremely supportive. Very positive in his advice, whether good or bad. A real fighter who it is an enormous advantage to have on your team."

(Legal 500 2022)

"A sophisticated advocate who is good on the detail." "He is clever and willing to go the extra mile."

(Chambers & Partners 2021)

"Strong tactician, team player, great on his feet, fights for the win."

(Legal 500 2021)

"A fantastic civil fraud practitioner." "He is a great advocate in court and is very effective. He really knows his stuff and is very direct." "He works very hard and is always well prepared."

(Chambers & Partners 2021)

"A combative advocate who commands the stage in any hearing."

(Legal 500 2021)

"A very accomplished client lawyer and he has a tremendous bedside manner, even when imparting hard truths."

(Legal 500 2021)

"A very good advocate, strong on the law and with good commercial sense." "Tells it like it is and does not sugar-coat his advice, that means clients trust him."

(Legal 500 2020)

"Charles is decisive, his arguments are confidently put, and he has good, sound judgement." "Charles Samek QC is a tenacious, creative and determined fraud lawyer." "A formidable opponent."

(Chambers & Partners 2020)

Contact

Charles has been in practice for 33 years,14 years as a Silk. He has been involved in many leading cases and high-profile commercial disputes. He specialises in commercial litigation, civil fraud, banking & finance, business sale and shareholder disputes. Charles was admitted to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (BVI) and Astana International Financial Centre and has been admitted ad hoc in the Cayman Islands. He also acts as counsel in international arbitrations, and as an arbitrator. He was also shortlisted by Legal 500 for Commercial Litigation Silk of the Year 2019.

Recent directory rankings include:

  • Legal 500 UK Bar 2024 – recommended KC for “Fraud: Civil”; “Commercial Litigation”; “Banking and Finance” and “English Bar: Offshore”
  • Chambers UK Bar 2024 – recommended KC for “Commercial Dispute Resolution” and “Fraud: Civil”.
  • Chambers Global 2023 – “Dispute Resolution: Commercial”
  • Who’s Who Legal 2023 – Global Investigations Review: a “thought leader” for asset recovery, business crime defence and investigations; recommended KC for business and commercial law and asset recovery.

Directory quotes include:

  • “Charles Samek is an exceptional talent and a really big brain.” “He is an excellent advocate, who is very robust.” Chambers 2024 – Commercial Dispute Resolution
  • “Charles is an experienced fraud practitioner, who is fearless in his representation of clients. He will push the boundaries and he is a strong advocate.” Legal 500 2024 – Fraud: Civil
  • “‘Charles is a colossus in legal practice. Profoundly intelligent strategist and very persuasive to the judiciary.” Legal 500 2024 – Banking and Finance
  • “Charles is a go-to choice for hard fought cases. Incredibly responsive, engaging with the court and a powerful advocate: a good man to have in your corner.” Legal 500 2024 – English Bar: Offshore
  • “Charles Samek KC is a sound choice for high-profile fraud claims with multi-jurisdictional complexities. He is especially effective at applying for and obtaining interim relief in the form of freezing and disclosure injunctions. His cases relate to various allegations including conspiracy and breach of fiduciary duty.” Chambers & Partners Civil Fraud 2023
  • “Charles is a strong advocate and an excellent cross-examiner.” / “He’s a brilliant tactician.” / “Charles is very responsive.” / “He is robust and effective.” Chambers & Partners Commercial Dispute Resolution 2023 
  • “Charles has tremendous energy and is 100% committed to the cause. He works very well as part of a team and is excellent on his feet.” Legal 500 Commercial Litigation 2023 
  • “Charles is super clever and he combines his intellect with a street brawlers animus. The perfect fist in a silk glove.” Legal 500 Civil Fraud 2023
  • “Charles is a robust advocate and quite fearless in court with a good turn of phrase. He is respectful and incisive and good to work with. Client like his no-nonsense approach and keen intellect especially on cross border-litigation. Charles is often against banks, acting for investors who may have been let down or mis-sold complex financial instruments.” Legal 500 Banking and Finance 2023

A general commercial litigator, he has particular expertise and experience in (i) civil fraud and asset tracing, (ii) banking, derivatives and other financial instruments disputes, (iii) worldwide freezing orders, search orders and other interim protective relief, (iv) private international law cases on jurisdiction and on registration and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards, (v) shareholder disputes, minority protection actions and shareholder agreement claims, (vi) commodities disputes, (vii) pharmaceutical industry disputes and (viii) committal and contempt proceedings.

Charles is also called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, including the British Virgin Islands, where he has appeared in multiple cases in the Commercial Division and twice in leading cases in the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal. Charles is admitted to the Cayman Islands Bar (ad hoc), where he has appeared on several occasions. He also has unlimited rights of audience for the Astana International Financial Centre Court.

Some notable cases include:

  • the Dadourian (fraud and WFO) litigation, which resulted in three leading English Court of Appeal cases;
  • the BTA v Khrapunov & Ablyazov litigation, resulting in a leading UK Supreme Court decision on the law relating to Worldwide Freezing Orders and the law of conspiracy;
  • acting for several Italian public/municipal bodies in SWAPS litigation against foreign banks;
  • numerous leading cases on forum conveniens and English High Court jurisdiction.

Current work (as at November 2022) includes:

  • acting for a corporate supplier of PPE equipment to the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care in the COVID pandemic;
  • acting in relation to the dispute about the sale of 60 Sloane Avenue to the Vatican’s Secretariat of State of the Holy See;
  • acting for an international commodities business with regard to actions taken by counterparties in breach of English anti-suit and anti-enforcement injunctions;
  • acting for a Panamanian company in a dispute regarding investments with a Bermudan investment business and Bahamian bank;
  • advising in relation to a Kazakh Bitcoin cryptocurrency mining dispute;
  • acting for a Cayman company in its defence to claims brought by a Brazilian administrator of a bankrupt state.

Charles has acted in many cases involving foreign law – Brazilian, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Icelandic, Iranian, Italian, Lebanese, New York State, Russian, Iranian, Saudi (Hanbali school), Ukrainian, UAE law, US federal law including having cross-examined on Iranian (pensions) and Saudi (“amaana” (breach of fiduciary duty), tort, damages) law.

Education: Oriel College, Oxford University (Bachelor of Arts (2:1) & Master of Arts, in Latin and Greek literature, Greek and Roman ancient history and modern and ancient philosophy (Literae Humaniores)); St. Paul’s School, Barnes.

Languages: Italian (fluent); French (excellent); Russian (intermediate)

Civil Fraud

Commercial / Banking Litigation

Jurisdiction Disputes & Anti-suit Injunctions

Eastern Caribbean (including British Virgin Islands) Instructions

Arbitration

Русский Профиль

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