David Walsh KC

David has a strong commercial practice with expertise in insurance and reinsurance, commodities, international trade, energy, transport, shipping and shipbuilding/offshore construction disputes.  David started accepting appointments as arbitrator in 2020 and is a member of the LCIA and LMAA.  David is also on the DIFC Courts’ Register of Practitioners.

David is an editor of the latest editions of: (i) Arnould – Law of Marine Insurance and Average (together with Jonathan Gilman KC, Mark Templeman KC, Claire Blanchard KC, Philippa Hopkins KC, Neil Hart); (ii) Scrutton on Charterparties and Bills of Lading (together with Sir David Foxton, Steven Berry KC, Christopher Smith KC and Professor Howard Bennett); and (iii) Chalmers’ Marine Insurance Act 1906 (together with Simon Rainey KC and Guy Blackwood KC).

David is also a Barrister in England and Wales. He is recognised as being “a stellar performer …” with clients praising David for combining:

  • intellectual rigour (“a first-rate brain”, “incredibly bright”, “super smart”, “always manages to make very complex cases easy to understand”)
  • with skilful advocacy (“his advocacy [is] formidable”, “a forceful advocate, who seems to get the ear of the judge very well”, “unflappable”, “particularly noted for his skilful advocacy”)
  • industriousness (“prodigiously hardworking”, “prepared to roll his sleeves up”)
  • and client service (“a naturally collaborative and inclusive style”, “Clients really like him”, “A very personable and approachable individual, who connects well with clients”, “really easy to engage with”, “responsive and user friendly”).

Jeffrey Gruder KC

Jeffrey Gruder KC has a high-profile arbitration practice and is a sought after and well-regarded arbitrator.

He has substantial experience of acting as Chairman, Sole and Party Appointed Arbitrator in a large variety of commercial arbitrations including LCIA, ICC, Swiss Chamber, UNCITRAL, SIAC, HKIAC, LMAA, and ad hoc arbitrations.

Jeffrey Gruder is consistently recommended as a leading arbitrator in both Legal 500 and Chambers Directories. Recent comments include:

Chambers UK Bar Guide

“Distinguished for his expertise in acting as an arbitrator in a number of high-value international disputes.”

Strengths: “Extremely impartial, efficient, on the ball and very well prepared.”

“Leading observers hold Gruder’s talents in the highest esteem, praising his “astounding intellect and great mastery of technical matters.”

“… Extremely able and thorough … with an extraordinary knowledge of the law. “Very experienced and very bright.”

“”A very able and well-respected arbitrator who is very clever and hard-working.” “Very efficient at dealing with everything and a delight to work with.”

Legal 500

“First Class”

“Strong attention to detail; incredibly responsive; collegiate and very easy to deal with”

“He is a very astute and insightful arbitrator, whose balanced comments are of great value and enhance the quality of the arbitrations in which he works.”

Richard Siberry KC

Prior to becoming a full-time arbitrator Richard Siberry had a broad-based practice in commercial litigation and arbitration in line with Essex Court Chambers’ profile.  In particular: shipping and carriage of goods, international trade and finance, insurance and reinsurance, banking (letters of credit, swaps, derivatives) and financial services, commodities, oil and gas and other contractual disputes, international and domestic arbitration, Brussels Convention/Regulation and other jurisdictional disputes.  He appeared regularly as advocate in the Commercial and other Courts including the House of Lords and Privy Council, and has considerable experience of heavy commercial litigation, having been involved in a number of cases of eight weeks or more duration.  As an advocate he had an extensive international arbitration practice, involving shipping, oil and gas, insurance and reinsurance, commodity and other arbitrations before a variety of tribunals, including ICC, LCIA, LMAA tribunals, and an arbitration panel in Beijing.

He has over 25 years’ experience as an arbitrator, having sat as sole arbitrator and as a member of a tribunal of three (on many occasions as chairman or president), in ICC, LCIA, LMAA, UNCITRAL, and ad hoc arbitrations in the UK and abroad, and as chairman of a Lloyd’s Disciplinary Tribunal.  For examples of recent cases, see the attached arbitration CV.