Avtar Khangure KC

Avtar is regularly instructed in high value commercial disputes, often with an international element. He has extensive experience of both litigation and arbitration in the UK and abroad. His practice encompasses significant matters in the fields of civil fraud, banking, company law, insolvency, professional negligence, franchising, shareholder disputes, disciplinary proceedings before regulatory bodies, tax and VAT cases before the Special Commissioners and VAT Tribunals and product liability.

He has recently advised on cases involving:

• multi-million pound commercial disputes involving the motor-car industry
• civil fraud, including applications for freezing and search orders
• the insolvencies of large companies, including those listed on the stock exchange and trading in other jurisdictions
• multi-million pound shareholder disputes
• capital reductions
• cases involving trusts and fiduciaries
• piercing the corporate veil so as to render individual directors liable to a major bank in respect of invoice discounting agreements
• derivatives and hedging products
• franchising agreements
• corporation tax disputes before the Special Commissioners
• VAT disputes before the VAT Tribunal
• disciplinary proceedings before the IAEW and the Law Society
• competition disputes
• applications for insolvency practitioners seeking to recover assets fraudulently dissipated whether in the UK or outside
• applications on behalf of banks against individuals who have committed a fraud upon them civil asset recovery in the Crown Court
• applications for Customs and Excise.

Avtar regularly acts for banks in many types of cases involving bank securities, including guarantees, letters of credit, bills of exchange, invoice discounting, insolvency, breach of trust and knowing/dishonest assistance in the dissipation of assets, fraud, etc. He was involved in a number of cases acting for a bank in which he successfully recovered large sums of money from directors of companies where the banks had no form of security.

Avtar has a strong reputation for his work in the areas of corporate and personal insolvency. He has been involved in many significant cases. Corporate insolvency matters have included complex cross-border issues, football league clubs (Northampton Town, Port Vale, Luton Town, Notts County, Carlisle), rugby union clubs (Moseley and Coventry) and normal trading companies.

Recent cases relating to individual insolvency have included the consideration of family law and the Human Rights Act upon insolvency, and the personal liability of office holders. He acts primarily for office holders, but also represents banks in factoring and loan agreements.

Avtar has been involved in many matters concerning company law, including multi-million pound shareholder disputes, derivative actions, capital reductions, restructuring and breach of duties by directors, both statutory and common law.

Avtar has been involved in many professional negligence cases, both for claimants and defendants, concerning claims against solicitors, accountants, surveyors and valuers, insolvency practitioners and others.

Avtar has a busy international practice. He has recently been involved in litigation and arbitrations in the Middle East, India, Singapore, Australia and Germany. He has experience of proceedings in the Dubai International Financial Centre.

• “An imposing advocate and a smooth operator.” (Commercial, Banking, Insolvency and Chancery Law, The Legal 500 UK Bar 2019)
• “Excellent technical knowledge and very good on his feet.” “An excellent performer who is persuasive and assured in court.” (Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers UK Bar 2019)
• “Avtar is a top-drawer advocate and is very client-friendly.” “He’s a quality operator in the Birmingham market.” (Commercial Dispute Resolution, Chambers UK Bar 2019)

• BA LLM (Cantab)
• Assistant Recorder (1998)
• Recorder (2000)
• Silk (2003)

• Chancery Bar Association
• Commercial Bar Association
• Midland Chancery and Commercial Bar
• Association Dubai International Financial Centre

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