Richard Brent

Call 1995; MA (Cantab) D Phil (Oxon)
Email: rbrent@3vb.com

Richard specialises in commercial litigation and advisory work, with an emphasis on banking, financial services and regulatory matters; arbitration; insurance and reinsurance; professional negligence; and conflicts of law. He has a particular interest in the commercial aspects of EU law.

He has been ranked as a Leading Junior in the directories for a number of years: for Commercial Litigation in Legal Experts; for Banking and Finance in both Legal 500 and in Chambers & Partners; and for Financial Services in Chambers & Partners.

Chambers & Partners (2011) say, "Commentators fall over themselves to heap praise on Richard Brent, with exclamations of "amazing," "phenomenal" and "superb" coming thick and fast" (Financial Services). Legal 500 (2011) says that he has "exceptional analytical skills" (Banking); and Chambers & Partners (2011) say he is a "superb junior" and a "fierce opponent" (Banking).

Recent cases include:

• The Lehmans "client money" litigation (from the High Court to the Supreme Court): 
  •  Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (in administration) v CRC Credit Fund Ltd and others [2011] UKSC (judgment awaited); [2011] EWHC 1233 (Ch); [2010] EWCA Civ 917; [2009] EWHC 3228 (Ch).
• Litigation arising out of void ISDA swap agreements (in the High Court and Court of Appeal):
  • (1) Haugesund Kommune (2) Narvik Kommune v Depfa ACS Bank (Defendant) & Wikborg Rein & Co (Third Party) [2011] EWCA Civ 33; [2010] EWCA Civ 579; [2010] EWHC 227 (Comm); [2009] EWHC 2227 (Comm).
• The "Bank Charges" litigation (from the High Court to the Supreme Court):
  • Office of Fair Trading v Abbey National plc and others [2009] UKSC 6 (2009) 3 WLR 1215 : (2010) 1 All ER 667 : Times, November 26, 2009; [2009] EWCA Civ 116; [2009] EWHC 36 (Comm); [2008] EWHC 2325 (Comm); [2008] EWHC 875 (Comm). 

Publications

• Co-editor and author (with William Blair QC) of Banks and Financial Crime (OUP, 2008)
• Author of Directives: Rights and Remedies in English and Community Law (London, 2001).

Appointments and Awards 

• Scholar, Peterhouse, Cambridge (Double First Class)
• Kennedy Scholar, Harvard University
• Fellow, St John's College, Cambridge
• Alexander Maxwell Law Scholar
• Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Law, King's College, London University (2000)
• Leverhulme Fellow (2000-2001)
• F.R.Hist.S.