Samuel Lane
Call: 2024
Samuel Lane is a chancery and commercial barrister. He specialises in commercial, company, insolvency, and private client work, and welcomes instructions across all of Chambers’ core practice areas.
In addition to his busy unled practice, he has acted as junior counsel on substantial cases in the Court of Appeal and High Court. He has experience in acting in contractual disputes, civil fraud claims, and insolvency litigation, as well as in partnership, probate, and property cases.
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, being ranked second in his year for the GDL and top in his year for the Bar Course. Sam has also won numerous prizes; 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 in a wide range of commercial matters, including contractual disputes, unlawful means conspiracy claims, and claims for knowing receipt and dishonest assistance.
In particular, he has recently been instructed in:
- Titanium v Hughes (working in a large counsel team comprising of two silks and a leading junior), a complex four-day appeal to the Court of Appeal, concerning claims in knowing receipt, dishonest assistance, unlawful means conspiracy, and breaches of ss. 29 and 42 of the Partnership Act 1890.
- Garden House Software Ltd v Marsh (led by Simon Mills), a three-week High Court trial, with claims in unlawful means conspiracy, dishonest assistance, and breach of fiduciary duties (alongside various company and insolvency claims).
- Zhevago v Francome Ventures Ltd (led by Simon Mills), a claim by children of the Ukrainian billionaire Kostyantyn Zhevago, claiming beneficial ownership of his shares in a Ukrainian pharmaceutical group, and alleging that various defendants had taken control of a UK holding company by making unauthorised filings at Companies House.
- A v B (led by Zachary Kell), substantial proceedings in Jersey, concerning an alleged unlawful means conspiracy.
- X v Y (led by Zachary Kell), advising on an arbitration appeal, concerning substantial claims for breach of contract.
- Acting for a large national law firm in a one-day trial of contractual claims for breaches of a Settlement Agreement against a former partner.
- A case concerning alleged fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment.
Furthermore, during pupillage, Sam gained experience of a variety of commercial and civil fraud work. For instance, 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 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.
Sam has been instructed in a wide range of insolvency matters. He regularly appears in the Winding-Up Court for debtors and creditors; has successfully appeared in numerous applications to extend administrations; and has successfully opposed an application to set aside a statutory demand. He is also frequently instructed in personal insolvency matters, from bankruptcy hearings to applications to realise the property of bankrupts.
In addition, Sam has recently been instructed as junior counsel in:
- Garden House Software Ltd v Marsh (led by Simon Mills), a substantial High Court trial, concerning an alleged transaction at an undervalue, unlawful loans, and wrongful trading.
- X v Y (led by David Mohyduhhin KC), acting for receivers in complex enforcement proceedings in the Family Court.
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.
- 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 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.
Sam has been instructed in a variety of private client cases, and has drafted witness statements, reviewed evidence, and given advice in contentious probate claims, including 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, 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.
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 were for minority oppression, misuse of confidential information, and secret commissions.
PARTNERSHIP
Sam appeared as junior counsel (led by Lexa Hilliard KC and Kate Rogers) in 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.
As a pupil, Sam also gained experience of partnership matters, including by 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 has been instructed in a range of property matters, including possession hearings, nuisance claims, and relief from forfeiture actions.
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.
- Advising clients in conference as to whether to pursue claims in trespass and nuisance.
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.
- 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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