Samuel Lane
Call: 2024
Samuel Lane joined Radcliffe Chambers as a tenant in October 2025, following the successful completion of his pupillage. Sam welcomes instructions across all of Chambers’ core practice areas.
During his pupillage, Sam was supervised by Joshua Winfield, Zachary Kell, Kate Rogers, and Kate Selway KC. He gained experience across the full spectrum of Chambers’ work, from commercial and insolvency disputes to private client and charities litigation.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Sam studied and taught History at the University of Oxford. He received a first-class undergraduate degree; a master’s degree with Distinction, gaining the top mark in his year; and a doctorate, specialising in late medieval history. He also worked as a Lecturer in Medieval History at both Brasenose College and Christ Church, Oxford, and as a Research Fellow for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
Sam then completed the GDL and Bar Course at City Law School, achieving a Distinction in both qualifications. He was ranked second in his year for the GDL and top in his year for the Bar Course, being supported by Lincoln’s Inn’s most prestigious scholarships and winning multiple prizes. Sam has also won several essay competitions, including the Property Bar Association Essay Prize, and a number of moots, such as the City Law School GDL Moot, the final of which was held at the Supreme Court and judged by Lord Mance.
Sam has been instructed on a range of commercial matters, including breach of contract disputes, unlawful means conspiracy claims, claims for knowing receipt and dishonest assistance, and disputes under the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982.
During pupillage, Sam also gained experience of a wide variety of commercial and civil fraud work. In particular, he:
- Assisted Zachary Kell (led by Christopher Parker KC), who appeared for the Third Defendant (the Deposit Guarantee Fund of Ukraine) in WWRT v Tyshchenko, a £65-million civil fraud claim concerning complex issues of Ukrainian law and their application to contractual interpretation.
- Assisted Kate Rogers (led by Lexa Hilliard KC and John Machell KC) in Titanium v Hughes, a complex case with claims of knowing receipt, dishonest assistance, unlawful means conspiracy, and breaches of ss. 29 and 42 of the Partnership Act 1890.
- Assisted Zachary Kell (leading Harmish Mehta) in Arif v Sanger [2025] EWHC 1540 (KB), a preliminary-issue trial as to whether claims in fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation were time-barred.
- Shadowed Alexander Kingston-Splatt in a successful summary judgment application following non-payment of a commercial debt.
- Drafted a Reply in a case about the assignment and enforceability of a commercial debt
Sam has been instructed in a variety of private client cases, and has drafted witness statements, reviewed evidence, and given advice in claims brought under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
In addition, Sam gained experience of a broad range of private client and trusts matters during pupillage, including undue influence claims, lack of capacity claims, proprietary estoppel claims, constructive trust claims, and claims for the removal of executors. In particular, he:
- Shadowed James Morgan KC, Marcus Flavin, and Josh Lewison in FS Capital Limited v Adams [2025] EWCA Civ 53, a case concerning the sale of loan assets from insolvent Jersey trusts, and the question of whether the exercise of a power for an improper purpose is void or merely voidable.
- Assisted Kate Selway KC in advising on the interpretation of an opaquely-drafted Will.
- Assisted Kate Selway KC with a claim seeking the removal of two executors pursuant to s. 50 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985.
- Assisted Joshua Winfield in an application for a grant of administration under s. 116 of the Senior Courts Act.
- Drafted Particulars of Claim, alleging that a Will was invalid on the basis of lack of capacity and want of knowledge and approval.
- Drafted Particulars of Claim, seeking to propound a Will in solemn form.
- Drafted Particulars of Claim, alleging that two half-siblings had acquired an interest in a family home by a common intention constructive trust.
- Drafted a Letter of Claim in a dispute about whether a farmer’s son had acquired an interest in farmland through proprietary estoppel.
- Drafted a Letter of Claim, alleging that an executor had breached their fiduciary obligations.
- Wrote an opinion about whether the transfer of a house could be set aside on the basis of undue influence.
- Wrote an opinion about the prospects of a prospective claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
- Wrote an opinion about the construction of a home-made, holographic Will.
Sam has been instructed in a range of insolvency matters. He regularly appears in the Winding-Up Court for debtors and creditors and has also successfully opposed an application to set aside a statutory demand.
Sam also worked on a wide variety of insolvency and restructuring matters during pupillage. For instance, he:
- Assisted Kate Rogers in Algie v Hutcheson [2025] EWHC 1893 (Ch), a three-day insolvency trial, concerning alleged transactions at an undervalue, preferences, and transactions defrauding creditors.
- Assisted Zachary Kell with a Berkeley Applegate
- Shadowed Kate Rogers in Re Rational Foreign Exchange Limited [2025] EWHC 1958 (Ch), an application for the approval of a distribution plan under the Payment and Electronic Money Institution Insolvency Rules 2021.
- Shadowed Matthew Weaver KC and Katie Longstaff in Re Madagascar Oil [2025] EWHC 2129 (Ch), a high-profile contested sanction hearing, following which a restructuring plan was approved.
- Shadowed Alexander Kingston-Splatt in MBS Recovery Ltd v Quinney [2025] EWHC 546 (Ch), a case about whether an ICC judge improperly set aside two statutory demands.
- Shadowed Zachary Kell in an oral hearing for permission to appeal against a winding-up order.
- Drafted an advice note about whether a judgment debtor was entitled to request information from a receiver.
Sam has been instructed in a number of company matters, including applications to restore dissolved companies and applications for extensions of time to register charges at Companies House.
During pupillage, Sam also gained exposure to a variety of other company law matters. In particular, he:
- Shadowed David Mohyuddin KC (leading Carly Sandbach and Isabel Petrie) in Secretary of State for Business and Trade v Greensill [2025] EWHC 1380 (Ch), where they successfully resisted an application by Mr Greensill to partially stay directors’ disqualification proceedings against him.
- Drafted Particulars of Claim, alleging that the directors of an international currency exchange business breached their directors’ duties by failing to ensure that the company complied with its obligations under the Payment Services Regulations 2017.
- Assisted Zachary Kell in a contested specific disclosure application heard by the High Court of Justice of the Isle of Man. The underlying claims involved disputes about the construction of a Shareholders’ Agreement, and are for minority oppression, misuse of confidential information, and secret commissions.
- Drafted a Defence to an unlawful means conspiracy claim against the sole director of a company.
In the course of his pupillage, Sam has worked on a number of partnership cases, including by:
- Assisting Kate Rogers (led by Lexa Hilliard KC and John Machell KC) in preparing a successful application for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal in Titanium v Hughes, a case involving complex issues as to interpretation and effect of ss. 29 and 42 of the Partnership Act 1890.
- Advising on the dissolution of a family farming partnership, and the question of whether various parcels of land were held by the partnership or by individual family members.
Sam worked on numerous charities matters during pupillage. In particular, he:
- Assisted Joshua Winfield with Mond v Charity Commission of England and Wales [2025] FTT 103 (GRC), a successful appeal against the Charity Commission’s decision to disqualify an individual from serving as a charity trustee.
- Shadowed Joshua Winfield in a hearing about the chairmanship, timing, and organisation of a religious charity’s election.
- Drafted a letter of claim in a dispute about whether a charity’s trustees were properly elected and whether amendments to its constitution were validly passed.
- Wrote several opinions about the validity of charitable gifts in Wills.
- Wrote an advice note about the construction of a Jersey charity’s trust instrument.
Sam has been instructed in a range of property matters, including possession hearings, nuisance claims, and party wall disputes.
In addition, during pupillage, he worked on a number of property cases, including by:
- Drafting a Letter of Claim, asserting that a farmer’s son had acquired an interest in farmland by virtue of proprietary estoppel.
- Drafting Particulars of Claim, alleging breaches of the Defective Premises Act 1972 and various leasehold covenants.
- Advising clients in conference as to whether to pursue claims in trespass and nuisance.
While sitting with Kate Selway KC and Joshua Winfield during pupillage, Sam was exposed to a range of tax matters, including:
- Advising on the prosects of an appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal (Tax) in a case about whether property was “residential property” or “non-residential property” for SDLT purposes.
- Advising on the tax consequences of a beneficiary collapsing a trust under the rule in Saunders v Vautier.
- Advising on the tax consequences of using the Residential Nil-Rate Band.
- Advising on the tax consequences of a deed of variation.
- Advising on a potential professional negligence claim against tax advisors.
During pupillage, Sam gained experience of applying for injunctions, including by:
- Shadowing Jonathan Edwards in a successful application for proprietary and freezing injunctions against the executors of an estate.
- Shadowing Natalie Pratt in Teledyne UK Limited v Gao & Ors [2024] EWHC 3538 (KB), a successful application for an injunction to restrain trespass and public nuisance at six industrial sites.
- Bar Vocational Studies – Distinction (ranked first in year), City, University of London (2024)
- GDL – Distinction (ranked second in year), City, University of London (2023)
- DPhil in History – Pass (without corrections), Christ Church, Oxford (2023)
- MSt in Medieval History – Distinction (ranked first in year), St Cross College, Oxford (2016)
- BA (Hons) in History – First Class, Christ Church, Oxford (2015)
- Buchanan Prize (Lincoln’s Inn) (2024)
- Senior Scarman Scholarship (City, University of London) (2024)
- Oxford University Press Prize for Excellence in Advocacy and Procedure (City, University of London) (2024)
- Winner, Property Bar Association Essay Prize (2024)
- Dean’s Scholarship for Academic Excellence (City, University of London) (2023)
- Residential Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn) (2023)
- Lord Mansfield Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn) (2023)
- Winner, City Law School GDL Moot (2023)
- City Law School Scholarship for Academic Excellence (City, University of London) (2022)
- Lord Bowen Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn) (2022)
- Dixon Scholarship (Christ Church, Oxford) (2016)
- Gladstone Prize (Christ Church, Oxford) (2015)
- Finals Prize (Christ Church, Oxford) (2015)
- Slade Prize (Christ Church, Oxford) (2015)
- Open Scholarship (Christ Church, Oxford) (2013)
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