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Chris Shaw

Senior Clerk – Civil, Commercial & Employment

Rob Lang

Assistant Senior Clerk

Xanthé Young

Civil Clerk

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Lucas is a specialist Commercial and Employment law barrister. Lucas has been instructed to act for a range of large corporates, SMEs and private clients. He has experience of all stages of litigation, from pre-action through to trials and appeals.

Lucas capably tackles tricky issues of substantive and procedural law. His approach to cases and the advice he gives is strategic, commercial, and practical. He cuts through the noise in cases, getting to the real issues of importance quickly. Lucas ensures his approach to advising clients is tailored to their commercial needs and objectives.

Examples of recent work include:

  • Advising, drafting and representing a client in High Court proceedings, where he successfully obtained an interim and then final injunction for his client and secured an award for the full amount of his client’s legal costs
  • Advising and representing a client in proceedings involving a claim for professional negligence valued in excess of £1m
  • Instructed by a petitioning shareholder in unfair prejudice proceedings in the High Court, involving issues on whether £12m in funds were misappropriated
  • Representing a multinational telecommunications company in proceedings involving a claim valued at over £300,000
  • Advising on and drafting a breach of contract claim for damages and a mandatory injunction
  • Advising and representing a trustee in proceedings brought against another trustee over trust property
  • Representing a multinational retailer at trial in a breach of contract dispute

Client feedback:

  • “He is ticking all my boxes: sharp legal understanding, creative, thoroughly prepared, client management, robust and persistent in court, excellent communication with me, and very personable with a great sense of humour!”
  • “I can send Lucas work with confidence that my clients will be very well served.”
  • “I was very impressed by his diligence and ability to pick up on the key points, including those he had not specifically been instructed on.”

Prior to having his own practice, Lucas worked for a seasoned Commercial and Employment law barrister in London as a Legal Research Assistant. Lucas’ professional and educational experience prior to coming to the Bar has included working for two multinational banks in Corporate Finance and Group Corporate Affairs, and completing a Master’s degree in Business and Finance. His prior experience makes him commercially astute and able to understand his clients’ needs and objectives.

Lucas has volunteered with the Free Representation Unit, during which he has represented Employment Tribunal claimants and assisted in Employment Appeal Tribunal proceedings. Lucas has separately marshalled several High Court judges in London and Belfast.

In addition to Lucas’ first Master’s degree in Law, he has also completed a Master’s degree in International Commercial Law and ADR, which included specialised study of IP, Financial Markets and Derivatives, Construction Adjudication, and Company Law. Lucas is also a professionally qualified mediator.

Commercial & chancery litigation

Lucas has a strong interest in commercial litigation, including in the areas of contract law and shareholder disputes, and has been instructed to act for a range of large corporates, SMEs and private clients in the High Court and County Court.

Lucas’ work as a Legal Research Assistant to a Commercial and Employment law barrister in London saw him work on a range of cases surrounding business disputes.

Cases Lucas has worked on include:

  • A claim in the High Court against a Special Purpose Vehicle and linked entities involving claims for breach of contract and unjust enrichment
  • Injunctive relief proceedings in the High Court relating to a c. US$10m settlement agreement reached in Swiss proceedings with issues on choice of law and jurisdiction
  • Several High Court cases involving a professional services firm claiming breach of contract and seeking injunctive relief
  • Professional negligence claims against a firm of accountants

Employment

Lucas has a keen interest in all aspects of employment law and has volunteered with the Free Representation Unit. Lucas has experience working on cases proceeding in the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeals Tribunal and the County Court.

Lucas has recently advised in respect of potential unfair dismissal and TUPE-related claims.

Cases Lucas has worked on include:

  • An employment contract claim pursued in the County Court following protracted proceedings having already been brought in the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal, and Court of Appeal, raising issues on abuse of process
  • An Employment Tribunal case against a large multi-national investment bank, involving claims of direct and indirect disability discrimination
  • An Employment Tribunal case involving claims of sexual harassment, discrimination on grounds of sex and race, whistleblowing detriment, unlawful deduction of wages and holiday pay
  • An Employment Tribunal case brought by two agency workers against an agency in respect of discrimination and sexual harassment experienced at one of the agency clients’ sites by another worker, with an issue in relation to who the perpetrator was employed by

Construction & property

Lucas previously completed specialised study in the adjudication of construction disputes, through which he has a firm knowledge and understanding of the relevant procedure. He welcomes instructions relating to construction contract disputes.

Lucas has also been instructed in respect of a range of commercial and residential leasehold disputes.

Lucas is well-versed in the adjudication of construction contract disputes and has previously delivered training in the area.

ADR

Lucas is a professionally qualified mediator with excellent knowledge and experience of ADR.

Lucas has attended several mediations of high-value, complex group claims and joint settlement meetings, all of which have achieved compromise.

Lucas is also well-versed in the adjudication of construction contract disputes. He has previously delivered training in the area.

Inheritance & trust disputes

Lucas has been instructed to advise parties in private client and commercial disputes in the County Court and High Court, involving wills and express or implied trusts.

Cases Lucas has worked on have involved:

  • Issues relating to breach of trust
  • Removal of trustees
  • Appointment of personal representatives of a deceased’s estate
  • Dissolution of trusts and distribution of trust property

Qualifications

  • PgDip Bar Vocational Studies, City, University of London (Distinction)
  • LLM International Commercial Law and ADR, University of Ulster (Distinction)
  • Level 3 Mediation Theory and Practice, Mediation Northern Ireland
  • MLaw Law, Queen’s University Belfast (Commendation)
  • Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership, Queen’s University Belfast/Chartered Management Institute
  • MA Hons Business and Finance, University of Edinburgh (Upper Second-Class Honours)

Memberships

  • The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
  • Northern Circuit

Awards

  • Exhibition Scholarship, Clothier Scholarship (awarded to one of the top 18 Exhibition Scholars), and Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Award from The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple.

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