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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 in the practising period of his pupillage in Commercial and Employment law, under the supervision of Pépin Aslett. He welcomes instructions in contractual and employment disputes. Lucas can confidently tackle tricky issues of substantive and procedural law. His approach to cases and the advice he gives is strategic, commercial, and practical. Lucas can cut through complex and technical information in cases and get to the core issues of importance quickly, and thrives in finding legal solutions to meet his clients’ needs.

Lucas has been instructed to act for a range of large corporates, SMEs and private clients in the High Court and County Court. Lucas has experience at all stages of litigation, from pre-action through to trials and appeals. Lucas’ cases involve issues arising from commercial and consumer contracts, commercial and residential leases, and commercial and personal insolvency.

Some examples of Lucas’ 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
  • 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

Prior to joining St John’s Buildings, Lucas worked as a Legal Research Assistant to a seasoned Commercial and Employment law barrister in London. 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. Lucas’ 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.

Examples of cases Lucas 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

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 leasehold disputes.

ADR

Lucas has excellent experience and insights in ADR, by way of being a professionally qualified mediator and attending on one side in mediations of high-value group claims. Lucas also has experience in attending joint settlement meetings.

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

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.

Examples of 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

Education

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

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.

Memberships

  • The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
  • Northern Circuit

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