Manan is a barrister with a wealth of experience working with a number of international law firms in the City. His practice focuses on high-value, complex commercial and financial litigation and international arbitration, as well as matters of company law, civil fraud, professional negligence, shareholder disputes and insolvency law.
His experience spans a broad range of industry sectors and jurisdictions, with proceedings often being multi-jurisdictional in nature. He also advises high-net-worth individuals and companies on matters of asset structuring and trusts.
Manan regularly appears in the English courts and before tribunals constituted under the rules of the ICC in Paris, London and Dubai, the LCIA, the DIFC-LCIA, and SIAC. He has appeared before and opposite a number of distinguished QCs including from leading sets such as Brick Court, 7 KBW, Essex Court and 20 Essex Street.
In addition to his commercial disputes practice, Manan has a wealth of transactional experience in banking and capital markets which gives him a unique expertise in dealing with financial disputes and technical expert evidence relating to such disputes.
Manan is a regular industry panellist and contributor on areas of financial disputes and international arbitration. He is also a member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple.
A terrific eye for the end-game in any complex dispute.
A meticulous and well-prepared advocate who takes no hostages.
A technical powerhouse on expert evidence – thorough and compelling.
Expertise
- Banking and finance
- Financial services
- Oil and gas
- Technology, media and telecoms
- Franchise agreements and licensing disputes
- Shareholder actions
- Joint venture disputes
- Civil fraud / conspiracy
- Injunctive and emergency relief (litigation and arbitration)
- Professional negligence
- Insolvency and company law
Experience
Arbitration
- Represented the claimant in ICC Dubai arbitration proceedings, the subject matter of which was a dispute between shareholders in a space and satellite risk insurance intermediary company relating to the manipulation of its accounting policies to reduce the earn-out payable to the claimant, with a value of USD 15 million.
- Represented a leading franchisor in the food & beverage industry in the MENA region in arbitration proceedings against a franchisee, and in subsequent English court proceedings to enforce the arbitration award in their favour in excess of USD 8 million.
- Represented a foreign investor in arbitration proceedings (London seat) in relation to recovering its investment of USD 5 million in an Indian start-up venture which had been misappropriated by the promoter counterparty in India.
- Represented a company against whom DIFC-LCIA arbitration proceedings had been brought for specific performance of a sale and purchase agreement relating to their business with a value of USD 35 million.
Financial Services
- Advised a prominent Middle-Eastern family in litigation proceedings against Credit Suisse in relation to a claim for the mis-selling of structured products.
- Advised a senior employee in the SFO investigation against Barclays relating to the 2008 capital raising by the bank.
- Advised Merrill Lynch International on the recovery of its financial investments in complex structured products in an insolvent hedge fund group in multi-jurisdictional court proceedings.
- Advised the claimant in DIFC court proceedings relating to the defaults under a single-currency loan facility provided by the claimant.
Oil & Gas
- Advised a leading global oil company in defending sham proceedings brought against its project finance SPV company by a distressed debt investor in multi-jurisdictional court proceedings.
Retail/Wholesale
- Acted for the luxury goods manufacturer Montblanc in English court proceedings to enforce an arbitration award against a former franchisee, including obtaining a freezing injunction and charging orders.
- Acted for a leading franchisor in the food and beverage industry in the MENA region in ICC Paris arbitration proceedings against a franchisee, and in subsequent English court proceedings to enforce the arbitration award in its favour.
Technology
- Acted for the claimant in DIFC-LCIA arbitration proceedings in a shareholder dispute relating to a space and satellite risk insurance intermediary company.
Middle East
- Represented a claimant in an ICC Dubai arbitration, the subject matter of which is a dispute between shareholders in a space and satellite risk insurance intermediary company relating to the manipulation of its accounting policies to reduce the earn-out payable to the claimant, with a value of US$ 15 million.
- Represented a company against whom DIFC-LCIA arbitration proceedings had been brought for specific performance of a sale and purchase agreement relating to their business with a value of US$ 35 million.
- Represented National Bonds Corporation in the DIFC Courts in proceedings relating to the non-payment of financing provided by NBC to a borrower for the purchase of certain property interests located in the DIFC.
- Represented a prominent Middle-Eastern family in US$ 30 million litigation proceedings before the Commercial Court against Credit Suisse in relation to a claim for the misselling of structured products arising out of the financial crisis.
- Represented a leading franchisor in the food & beverage industry in the MENA region in arbitration proceedings against a franchisee, and in subsequent English court proceedings to enforce the arbitration award in their favour in excess of US$ 8 million.
Africa
- Acted for a pay-TV platform in ICC Paris arbitration proceedings relating to the sale and licensing of pay-TV rights and sports content for 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region with a value of US$1.6 billion.
- Represented the respondent in arbitration proceedings (London seat) in an African oil and gas dispute with a value of USD 19 million.
- Represented a pay-tv operator in arbitration proceedings over the sale and licensing of pay-TV rights and sports content for the Middle East and North Africa region (the contract spanned 22 countries) with a value of USD 1.8 billion.
- Acted for the respondent in ICC London arbitration proceedings in an African oil and gas dispute relating to an offshore drilling contract.
Other
- Advised a foreign investor in LCIA arbitration proceedings in relation to recovering its investment in a start-up venture which had been misappropriated by the promoter counterparty in India.
- Advised the defendants in the long-running Masri litigation in cross-border proceedings in England and four other jurisdictions.
- Advised the mezzanine lenders in the IMO Car Wash case in proceedings in the English High Court, and the subsequent entry into administration of the relevant companies.
- Acted for the respondent in DIFC-LCIA arbitration proceedings for specific performance of a whole-business sale and purchase agreement.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised in The Legal 500 2020 for Fraud: Civil
Career
Manan qualified as a barrister in 2018 and as a solicitor advocate in 2015. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2018, he worked at the following firms:
- Brown Rudnick
- Gide Loyrette Nouel