David Mohyuddin KC

Commercial litigation is a major part of David’s practice in Silk. Recent examples of his work include:

• representing the former receivers of Blackpool Football Club, obtaining an order striking out a claim against them that they had sold assets at a multi-million pound undervalue: Denaxe Ltd v Cooper & Rubin [2022] EWHC 764 (Ch) and successfully resisting the subsequent appeal: [2023] EWCA Civ 752
• the directors disqualification proceedings arising out of the collapse of Carillion plc, which has involved eight defendants and is large-scale, high-profile litigation (ongoing)
• advising a major online electrical goods retailer about a contractual dispute with a mobile telephone airtime provider (confidential commercial settlement reached in 2023)
• advising former directors of a high-profile retailer in respect of a claim made against them (confidential commercial settlement reached in 2022)
• advising in respect of a credit insurance policy (2021)
• advising the directors of an English company in respect of a joint venture in Angola (2021)
• advising in respect of the consumer class action arising from the Volkswagen emissions scandal (2020)
• advising and representing a major food manufacturer in respect of a dispute with an employment agency concerning standard contractual terms (confidential commercial settlement reached at mediation in 2020)

David has some 23 years’ of specialist insolvency experience. In Silk, he has continued his extensive and highly-regarded practice covering all aspects of insolvency and insolvency-related litigation. David acts for office-holders (including in professional negligence type claims against them) and those subject to and affected by insolvency proceedings in whatever type of regime. He has vast experience of appearing on routine, controversial and urgent applications and of advising on complex and technical matters arising in the conduct of insolvencies. He is popular with his clients, who describe him as ‘extremely user-friendly’ and ‘clever, authoritative and willing to buy into the case and be part of the team.’

He has specific experience of the insolvency of peer-to-peer lending platforms, having been instructed in the administrations of three different peer-to-peer providers. He has in depth and extensive experience of acting in directors disqualification and public interest cases. He is one of the Silks leading the Secretary of State’s team in the very significant disqualification proceedings arising from the failure of Carillion plc. He acted for the Official Receiver throughout the liquidation of the Redcar steelworks.

Examples of David’s work include:

• representing the former receivers of Blackpool Football Club, obtaining an order striking out a claim against them that they had sold assets at a multi-million pound undervalue: Denaxe Ltd v Cooper & Rubin [2022] EWHC 764 (Ch) and successfully resisting the subsequent appeal: [2023] EWCA Civ 752

• representing the trustees in bankruptcy in a large and complex bankruptcy: State Bank of India v Mallya [2022] EWHC 617 (Comm) and ongoing
• a heavily contested application for an administration order: Aartee Steel Group Ltd [2023] EWHC 1701 (Ch)
• advising and representing the administrators of a peer-to-peer lending platform generally and on an application concerning the proper treatment of assets held on trust for investors (2022)
• advising and representing the administrators of a peer-to-peer lending platform in an application for directions as to deduction of fees from asset realisations (2021)
• resisting a challenge to the appointment of an administrator: Secure Mortgage Corp Ltd v Harold [2020] EWHC 1364 (Ch)
• representing the administrators of a peer-to-peer lending platform in seeking directions for the proper distribution of assets: Avery-Gee v Sibley [2021] EWHC 798 (Ch)
• representing directors accused of breach of duty in causing a company to enter into employee-benefit trusts: Toone v Ross [2019] EWHC 2855 (Ch)
• appearing in the Court of Appeal on behalf of a barrister whose fees due under an honorarium were claimed by his trustee in bankruptcy: Gwinnutt v George [2019] EWCA Civ 656

• “David is incredibly user-friendly, knowledgeable, fantastic technically and yet commercial and calm in his approach.” (Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers UK Bar 2026)
• “David is a very approachable barrister who is very accessible and makes time for us. He is also very knowledgeable and very practically minded.” (Company, Chambers UK Bar 2026)
• “David is simply excellent. He is extremely easy to work with, totally dependable and an excellent advocate.” (Company, Chambers UK Bar 2026)
• “He is approachable and sensible about fees, and clients really like him.” (Commercial Dispute Resolution, Chambers UK Bar 2026)
• “David is quick and user-friendly – he is on it. He has a very commercial view on cases and understands the costs consequences for clients.” (Chancery: Commercial, Chambers UK Bar 2026)
• “David is always very measured, well prepared and clear in his advice.” (Commercial Dispute Resolution, Chambers UK Bar 2025)
• “David is very easy to work with. He has this calm about him, which is to the benefit of all, and he really knows how to keep clients onside.” (Company, Chambers UK Bar 2025)
• “David is easy with clients and is reassuring. He has a calm manner about him and utilises his expertise as a High Court judge.” (Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers UK Bar 2025)
• “He is incredibly easy to deal with, present and available for his clients, and provides straightforward and robust advice.” (Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers UK Bar 2025)
•  “Whilst also an impressive advocate, he can be counted on for robust, thoughtful technical advice that strikes the right balance with the commercial practicalities present in any distressed situation.” (Insolvency, Legal 500 UK Bar 2025) 
• “David is thoughtful, concise, easy to get on with, accessible and not afraid to say something the client does not want to hear.” (Company, Chambers UK Bar 2024)
• “Provides excellent client service, and seamlessly tailors his advice to best suit the client.” (Company, Chambers UK Bar 2024)
• “David is very good with clients; he puts them at ease and understands and anticipates their concerns.” (Company, Chambers UK Bar 2024)
• “A tough, robust but always pleasant advocate.” (Chancery: Commercial, Chambers UK Bar 2024)
• “David provides excellent client service. He seamlessly tailors his advice to best suit the particular recipients within the client organisation.” (Commercial Dispute Resolution, Chambers UK Bar 2024)
• “David is very responsive and user friendly. You really feel like he is part of the team.” (Commercial Dispute Resolution, Chambers UK Bar 2024)
• “David clearly communicates complex legal issues in an easily digestible way and has no trouble with quickly getting to grips with difficult legal problems.”(Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers UK Bar 2024)
• “He’s thoughtful, concise and very thorough.” (Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers UK Bar 2024)
• “David is terrifically bright.” and “His written work is outstanding. He is utterly persuasive on his feet, but in a very calm way.” (Commercial Dispute Resolution, Chambers and Partners Northern Bar 2023)
• “David is pragmatic, keeps the big picture in mind and identifies objectives well. He is on top of the detail and strategic direction, and is a good leader.” (Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers and Partners Northern Bar 2023)
• “David is a pleasure to work with. He quickly gets to the heart of complex issues and provides sound and clear strategic advice. He is also a reassuringly thorough and tenacious advocate.” (Company and Insolvency, Legal 500 Regional Bar 2021) 
• “Good communicator; client friendly; practical; gets to the core issues quickly; go-to choice for large cases and has never let me down.” (Commercial Litigation, Legal 500 Regional Bar 2021)
• “Very bright and a great team player. He is very personable and gets the right balance between being aggressive but also pragmatic and sensible when needed.” “David is fantastic to work with – on top of being technically excellent he is extremely user-friendly and very quickly builds up a great rapport with clients.” “Technically sound and very aware of the practical and commercial context of his advice.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He produces good skeleton arguments.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He sets a position out very clearly and his advocacy is excellent in court. He is easy to get on with and takes a very collaborative approach, which is refreshing for a silk.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “Technically excellent in his advice while providing a commercial focus.” “My go-to: very considered, calm and easy to work with.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “A relatively young silk who’s highly knowledgeable and a good choice if you need some aggression to be injected into a case.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “David is fantastic to work with – on top of being technically excellent, he is extremely user-friendly and very quickly builds up a great rapport with clients.” “He is extremely personable, bright and gets to the heart of issues very quickly.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He’s very down to earth and happy to take calls at any time.” “He’s very useful as he gets you over any initial hurdles you might have.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He’s extremely bright, but at the same time has the ability to engage with clients.” “He’s absolutely fantastic – he’s a real team player.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He is clever, authoritative and willing to buy into the case and be part of the team.” “Extremely precise in court.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He is very forensic and analytical in his approach and his arguments are very well put together.” “A very personable type and he is good on his feet.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He’s very well prepared and his papers are immaculate – he thinks outside the box.” “He’s excellent, very proactive, bright, tactical and frankly very cost-effective.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “Decisive and thorough, he displays an intricate knowledge of the law and applies it brilliantly.” “An excellent strategist.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “A renowned insolvency barrister with a strong reputation in the adjacent field of commercial chancery.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He has the gift of being able to condense an argument where others would be overly verbose. His skeleton arguments are always spot-on and to the point and he has a very persuasive advocacy style.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “Proficient senior junior adept in a variety of commercial and insolvency work, including commercial fraud matters. Assists with high-value cases of legal importance, including Court of Appeal briefs.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He has in-depth knowledge. He is also very straightforward and very down-to-earth.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “Really user-friendly. He rolls up his sleeves, gets involved and is prepared to put his neck on the line and back his judgement, which he always comes through on.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He is decisive and thorough, he displays intricate legal knowledge and he crafts the perfect legal strategy for the client.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He is at the top of our list for instructing.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He is always very thorough and well prepared, and he is fantastic on his feet. He is a match for any insolvency barrister on the Northern Circuit.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “He is superb on his feet, very bright and highly recommended for commercial matters.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “A real expert in insolvency matters.” (Chambers and Partners UK)
• “A silk who gets his hands dirty.” (Legal 500)
• “A forceful advocate with a great client manner.” (Legal 500)
• “A star performer.” (Legal 500)
• “An extremely capable and forceful advocate.” (Legal 500)
• “Tactically excellent; he is liked and respected by clients.” (Legal 500)

• Bolton School
• LLB University of Birmingham
• Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law

• Standing King’s Counsel to the Insolvency Service (2025)
• Deputy High Court Judge (2021)
• Recorder (2019)
• Bencher, Lincoln’s Inn (2019)
• Junior Counsel the Crown (Regional Panel) 2007-2016

• Chancery Bar Association
• Northern Chancery Bar Association
• Northern Circuit Commercial Bar Association
• Association of Business Recovery Professionals (R3) (Fellow)
• Insolvency Lawyers’ Association
• COMBAR
• Professional Negligence Bar Association

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