Louis Grandjouan
Call: 2022 (England and Wales); 2019 (New York)
Barrister
Louis has a diverse commercial chancery practice spanning commercial litigation, insolvency, tax and private client disputes. Louis is equally comfortable being instructed as sole counsel or as part of a larger team. He appears regularly in the High Court and County Court, and has dealt with many unled trials from which he has acquired considerable cross-examination experience.
Louis was appointed to the Attorney General’s Civil C Panel from 1 September 2026 and represents the UK Government in his areas of specialisation.
Louis was previously the judicial assistant to Lord Stephens in the UK Supreme Court and Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. He worked on appeals raising points of law of general public importance, across a wide range of areas.
Louis has particular experience of cross-border and multi-jurisdictional issues, having formerly practised in the London and New York offices of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, where he worked primarily on cross-border finance and restructuring transactions, including Chapter 11 bankruptcies. He is admitted as an attorney in New York (2019).
Louis is bilingual in French and is happy to accept instructions in French.
Louis is regularly instructed in complex and high value commercial disputes, either as sole counsel or as part of a larger team. He has experience of obtaining urgent and without notice injunctive relief, including in cases involving allegations of fraud or dishonesty.
Louis has a particular interest in commercial cases involving a company or partnership law element, such as disputes between directors, shareholders or partners, derivative actions, or unfair prejudice petitions.
Louis also has experience of arbitrations, in particular under the LCIA Rules.
Recent or ongoing instructions include:
- Claims against former directors [ongoing]: Acting (as junior counsel) in a claim against former directors of a group of companies involved in a substantial (£200m+) suspected fraud. Urgent without notice injunction obtained after the respondents left the jurisdiction.
- Dispute re conversion of assets [2025-6]: Acting (as junior counsel) in a claim for damages (including exemplary damages) for conversion of assets.
- Dispute re SPA [2025]: Acting on behalf of a defendant in respect of an alleged breach of an SPA.
- Dispute re sale of assets [2025]: Acting on behalf of claimants in respect of a claim for unpaid consideration under a Sale of Asset Agreement following the sale of a business.
- Dispute re subscription agreement [2025]: Acting on behalf of a shareholder in a high-value dispute relating to the allocation of shares.
- Dispute re settlement agreement [2024]: High-value claim for rescission for misrepresentation of a settlement agreement.
As judicial assistant to Lord Stephens, Louis worked closely on a number of important commercial and commercial chancery cases in the Supreme Court and Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. In the Supreme Court, those cases included:
- Matthew and others v Sedman [2021] UKSC 19 (correct approach to calculation of limitation periods in midnight deadline cases).
- General Dynamics United Kingdom Ltd v State of Libya [2021] UKSC 22 (enforcement of arbitral award against a foreign state).
- Triple Point Technology Inc v PTT Public Company Ltd [2021] UKSC 29 (whether a limitation of liability clause which excludes loss caused by ‘negligence’ applies to acts amounting to a breach of a contractual duty to use reasonable care and skill, but which do not constitute negligence in tort).
- CPS v Aquila Advisory [2021] UKSC 49 (whether proprietary claim brought by company against directors in breach of fiduciary duty can be asserted in priority to confiscation order).
In the JCPC, those cases included:
- BVI: Pleshakov v Sky Stream Corporation [2021] UKPC 15 (whether shares in a BVI company held on trust).
- BVI: Pickle Properties v Plant [2021] UKPC 6 (claim for contribution in equity arising payment of a claim under a joint and several guarantee).
- Jersey and Guernsey: Equity Trust (Jersey) Ltd v Halabi (Jersey) and ITG Ltd and others v Fort Trustees Ltd and another (Guernsey) [2022] UKPC 36 (status of a trustee’s right of indemnity in relation to a Jersey law trust; and order of priorities as between trustees and trust creditors).
- Anguilla: Friedland v Hickox [2021] UKPC 3 (proper construction of a settlement agreement and two awards issued by a mediator in the settlement of a dispute).
- Grenada: Prickly Bay Waterside Limited v British American Insurance Company Limited [2022] UKPC 8 (whether a sum of money and any accrued interest held under a Quistclose trust).
- Turks and Caicos: Silly Creek Estate and Marina Co Ltd v Attorney General Turks and Caicos Islands [2021] UKPC 9 (legal effect of a settlement agreement and related lease).
Insolvency is a key part of Louis’ practice and he welcomes instructions in this area. He regularly appears in the High Court and County Court on behalf of insolvency practitioners, creditors and debtors, in both corporate and personal insolvency.
He has extensive experience of winding-up and bankruptcy proceedings and the full range of related applications, and of claims involving allegations of misfeasance, transactions at an undervalue or preferences. He also has experience of obtaining urgent and without notice injunctive relief on behalf of insolvency practitioners, including in cases involving allegations of fraud or dishonesty.
Louis has a particular interest in cross-border insolvencies. He is admitted as an attorney in New York and has previously worked on Chapter 11 bankruptcies involving complex group structures and cross-border issues. He also has experience of offshore insolvencies, including involving Jersey companies.
Recent or ongoing instructions include:
- Claims against former directors [ongoing]: Acting on behalf of liquidators (as junior counsel) in a claim against former directors of a group of companies involved in a substantial (£200m+) suspected tax fraud. Urgent without notice injunction obtained after the respondents left the jurisdiction.
- SCIO-Fund SICAV-FIS & anor v Merchant [2026] EWHC 815 (Ch): acting as sole counsel in a challenge to an IVA in respect of debts of c.£50m and the subsequent hearing at which an interim order was granted to present a revised IVA.
- Re a Company [2025]: advising liquidators in respect of claims against a company director for breach of fiduciary duty and in respect of transactions at an undervalue.
- Cresta Estates & ors. v MPB Developments & ors. [2025] EWHC 1291 (Ch) (application for non-party costs orders against defendant directors).
- Re a Company [2025]: representing a former administrator (in their capacity as a creditor) for an administration order with retrospective effect.
- Re an Unincorporated Association [2025]: advising the trustees of an unincorporated association as to winding-up proceedings.
- Recognition application under the CBIR 2006 [2024]: Advising a US group contemplating Chapter 11 proceedings in relation to an application for recognition under the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006 in the UK.
At Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Louis worked primarily on cross-border finance and restructuring transactions, including:
- advising a US-based offshore drilling group in Chapter 11 bankruptcy on its refinancing and restructuring.
- advising the ad hoc committee of senior secured noteholders in relation to the financial restructuring and recapitalisation of a UK-based offshore and subsea services group.
- advising a UK and Netherlands-based multinational capital goods group in respect of its debt programmes.
- advising a Netherlands-based multinational health technology group in respect of the establishment of, and subsequent issuances under, a debt programme.
- advising a Canadian mining group in respect of a project financing for a gold mine in Mauritania.
Louis has a busy private client practice and he welcomes instructions in this area. He has significant trial experience in private client cases, including in the cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses.
Louis regularly appears in the High Court and County Court in a variety of trust disputes, including applications to remove trustees, claims for breach of trust, applications under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, and claims for accounts and recovery of assets.
Louis is also regularly instructed to advise or act in proceedings involving claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975; claims by or against administrators and executors; claims relating to testamentary capacity or involving allegations of undue influence, mutual wills, or common intention constructive trusts.
Ongoing or recent instructions include:
- Re Variation of a Trust [2025]: Acting on behalf of the trustees in a high-value application under the Variation of Trusts Act 1958.
- Dispute re a 1975 Act Claim [2025]: Acting on behalf of minor defendants to a 1975 Act claim brought by their father.
- Dispute re a 1975 Act Claim [2025]: Acting on behalf of a cohabitant claimant against the deceased’s wife in a 1975 Act claim involving a large and complex estate.
- Dispute re a Will [2025]: Acting on behalf of the claimant in a cross-border claim to remove executors and propound in favour of a will.
- Dispute re a Will [2025]: Acting on behalf of defendant beneficiaries in a claim alleging mutual wills and undue influence.
- Paisley v Arthurs [2024]: Successfully representing the defendant beneficiaries in a multi-day trial in the High Court in a 1975 Act claim brought by the deceased’s wife. The claim was dismissed after the first day with an award of indemnity costs, after establishing that significant parts of the claimant’s evidence were untrue, such that the claimant decided not to continue with her claim.
As judicial assistant to Lord Stephens, Louis worked closely on the following cases in a private client and charities context:
- Equity Trust (Jersey) Ltd v Halabi (Jersey) and ITG Ltd and others v Fort Trustees Ltd and another (Guernsey) [2022] UKPC 36 (status of a trustee’s right of indemnity in relation to a Jersey law trust; and order of priorities as between trustees and trust creditors).
- Rittson-Thomas and others v Oxfordshire County Council [2021] UKSC 13 (scope of trustees’ powers of sale in respect of a charitable trust of land).
Louis is a member of the Attorney General’s C Panel and is currently instructed on behalf of HMRC in several high-value and complex tax disputes. He welcomes instructions in relation to contentious tax matters.
Recent or ongoing instructions include:
- Dispute re Film Schemes [ongoing]: Acting on behalf of HMRC in appeals relating to the availability of capital allowances claimed in the context of tax avoidance schemes in the film industry.
- Dispute re loan charge [ongoing]: Acting on behalf of HMRC in appeals relating to a disguised remuneration tax avoidance scheme and the applicability of the loan charge under Part 7A of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.
- Re Variation of a Trust [2025]: Advising the trustees as to the tax implications of an application under the Variation of Trusts Act 1958.
- Dispute re EBT [2024-5]: Acting on behalf of HMRC in a high-value misrepresentation claim relating to an employee benefit trust settlement.
As a pupil, he assisted with a number of tax disputes involving avoidance schemes, including the Ingenious litigation before the Court of Appeal (Ingenious Games LLP and ors v HMRC [2022] EWCA Civ 1015: application under CPR r.52.30 to seek to re-open the refusal of permission to appeal).
As judicial assistant to Lord Stephens in the Supreme Court, Louis worked closely on R (Haworth) v HMRC [2021] UKSC 25 (interpretation of HMRC’s obligations under follower notice regime).
Louis has a growing offshore practice. Recent instructions include:
- Jersey: Advising on an application to the Royal Court of Jersey for directions on behalf of the liquidators of a Jersey company.
- Jersey: As a pupil, assisting with a professional negligence claim against Jersey Advocates.
As a judicial assistant at the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, Louis worked on many commercial chancery cases from offshore jurisdictions, including:
- BVI: Pleshakov v Sky Stream Corporation [2021] UKPC 15 (whether shares in a BVI company held on trust).
- BVI: Pickle Properties v Plant [2021] UKPC 6 (claim for contribution in equity arising payment of a claim under a joint and several guarantee).
- Jersey and Guernsey: Equity Trust (Jersey) Ltd v Halabi (Jersey) and ITG Ltd and others v Fort Trustees Ltd and another (Guernsey) [2022] UKPC 36 (status of a trustee’s right of indemnity in relation to a Jersey law trust; and order of priorities as between trustees and trust creditors).
- Anguilla: Friedland v Hickox [2021] UKPC 3 (proper construction of a settlement agreement and two awards issued by a mediator in the settlement of a dispute).
- Grenada: Prickly Bay Waterside Limited v British American Insurance Company Limited [2022] UKPC 8 (whether a sum of money and any accrued interest held under a Quistclose trust).
- Turks and Caicos: Silly Creek Estate and Marina Co Ltd v Attorney General Turks and Caicos Islands [2021] UKPC 9 (legal effect of a settlement agreement and related lease).
Louis has extensive experience of professional liability disputes, including claims for negligence, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.
Recent instructions include:
- Solicitors [2025]: Acting for a claimant lender against former solicitors in respect of a dispute regarding loan documentation.
- Tax advisors [2025]: Acting for claimant beneficiaries against tax advisors in respect of the provision of tax advice in relation to the variation of a will.
- Estates and probate [2025]: Acting for claimant beneficiaries against solicitors in respect of a dispute regarding the drafting of a will.
- Civil engineers [2025]: Acting for a claimant against an engineer in respect of defective designs.
- Accountants [2024]: Acting on behalf of HMRC in a high-value claim against an accountancy firm.
- Jersey Advocates [2023]: As a pupil, Louis assisted with a professional negligence claim against Jersey Advocates.
Louis graduated from the University of Oxford with a first-class degree in Law (Jurisprudence). He was a scholar of University College, Oxford where he was awarded the Alan Urbach Memorial Prize for Jurisprudence.
In 2022 Louis benefited from a Pegasus Scholarship to meet with judges at the US Supreme Court and other US federal and state courts.
Louis is bilingual in French and is happy to accept instructions in French.
- Does a contract of indemnity sound in debt, or in damages? Louis Grandjouan, Butterworths Journal of International Banking & Financial Law, (2026) 3 JIBFL 179
- Boilerplate terms restricting freedoms in composite transactions: some traps for the unwary Simon Mills and Louis Grandjouan Butterworths Journal of International Banking & Financial Law, (2024) 2 JIBFL 97
- Christ Church, the Dean and the Charity Commission, Private Client Business, P.C.B. 2023, 1, 34-40
- Case Report: Hex Technologies Ltd & ors v DCBX Ltd, Corporate Rescue and Insolvency (2023) 3 CRI 111
Chancery Bar Association
L’Association des Juristes Franco-Britanniques/ The Franco-British Lawyers Society
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