Ciaran Keller KC

Ciaran actively accepts arbitration appointments. He has experience in arbitrations across a wide range of commercial and chancery disputes under various institutional rules (e.g. LCIA, SIAC, UNCITRAL, DIFC-LCIA) as well ad hoc arbitrations. He also has expertise in claims to enforce or resist enforcement of foreign awards (including against states and state entities) in England and multi-jurisdictional litigation to enforce English awards overseas. He has acted in various claims for and against states and state entities.

Ciaran is an experienced commercial advocate, who is recommended in the latest editions of the Legal Directories in 7 practice areas: commercial dispute resolution; chancery commercial; civil fraud, banking and finance; energy; partnership and offshore.

Prior to his appointment as King’s Counsel in 2025, Ciaran was nominated as the Legal 500 Junior of the Year for 2024 and was the Chambers and Partners Commercial Dispute Resolution Junior of the Year for 2023.

Commentators endorse him as “a superstar”; “outstanding”, “absolutely phenomenal”, “sublime”, and “the complete package”. He has “razor sharp intellect” and “incredible mind”, which “cuts to the heart of the case”. He is “a fantastic strategist” with “a great feel for how a Court will react to an argument”. He is noted as “a really formidable courtroom performer” whose “ability to take complex and intricate arguments and present them compellingly is extraordinary”. He is “a superb cross-examiner” and “an exceptional advocate who will get the result the client wants”. He is also known as a “super responsive”, “practical and commercial”, “a team player”, and “a pleasure to work with”.

Ciaran’s practice encompasses the full range of commercial and commercial chancery disputes, with exceptional knowledge and ability to navigate disputes involving: civil fraud; banking and financial services; company and shareholder disputes and insolvency matters; energy and minerals; fiduciaries; partnership; and professional negligence. He is regularly instructed in complex, large-scale international disputes and cases involving applying foreign law, with recent experience of the laws of Thailand, Portugal, Mozambique, Russia, Uganda, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

In addition to his arbitration and English court work, Ciaran has a notable offshore practice (BVI, the Cayman Islands, Jersey, the Isle of Man and Hong Kong). Ciaran was called to the bar in British Virgin Island in 2013.

Before being called to the Bar (2004), Ciaran was a Fast-Stream Diplomat, serving at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London and overseas at the United Nations in New York and the British Embassy in Lisbon (1998-2002).

He is a member of the LCIA, ICCA, Commercial Bar Association, Chancery Bar Association, Association of Partnership Practitioners, and the LexisNexis Expert Panel on Arbitration.

Languages: Portuguese (Proficient); French (Proficient)

Helen Morton

Helen is an experienced lawyer with an established practice spanning the full range of commercial disputes. She acts as both sole and junior counsel and regularly appears in the Business and Property Courts and in arbitration.

Helen is particularly experienced in heavy commercial litigation, civil fraud, private international law, shipping, insurance and data protection. She acts in both the advisory and contentious contexts at all stages of the dispute resolution process, from initial advice to trial and enforcement actions.

She is currently acting in the notable s.69 arbitration appeal, Fimbank Plc v KCH Shipping Co, in which the Commercial Court determined in September 2022 that the Article III Rule 6 time-bar in the Hague-Visby Rules applies to misdelivery of cargo post-discharge. The position was previously undecided with debate in the caselaw, commentaries and international community going both ways. As the point arises frequently across the industry, the decision has considerable commercial significance and is currently being appealed to the Court of Appeal.

Other recent work highlights include acting:

  • For the defendants in US$ 2 billion fraud proceedings (Suppipat & Ors v Nop Narongdej & Ors), a multi-party conspiracy claim concerning the shares of Thailand’s largest renewable energy company;
  • For the claimant in one of the high-profile proceedings against the SFO (ENRC v The Director of the SFO, Gibson & Puddick) which includes claims for breach of confidence, misfeasance in public office and unlawful means conspiracy;
  • For the claimant in a major class action in relation to largescale data breaches by a global social media platform (SMO (A child) v TikTok); and
  • On behalf of the UK Government in a long running multi-billion pound damages dispute (Bank Mellat v Her Majesty’s Treasury) in which the Court of Appeal issued an important judgment on disclosure where there is an alleged risk of foreign prosecution.

Helen is co-author of the forthcoming edition of ‘The Common Law Jurisprudence of the Conflict of Laws, Hart’ which is due to be published in May 2023. Her chapter, ‘The Mixed Blessing of Vita Food Products: The Impact and Influence of the Privy Council’s Decision’, addresses issues in the conflict of laws and shipping.

Jeffrey Gruder KC

Jeffrey Gruder KC, having graduated at Cambridge with a First Class with Distinction in law, has developed a high-profile arbitration practice both as advocate and arbitrator. He has vast 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, DIAC and ad hoc arbitrations. He is a sought after and well-regarded arbitrator. 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