Sean practises across all of chambers’ areas of work, with a particular focus on commercial disputes, public and regulatory law, financial services, and sanctions law. He is or has been instructed in the following significant matters:

  • Commercial: acting for the Defendants in a US$300m arbitration concerning the enforceability of various contracts.
  • Regulatory: acting for licensees in various disputes with their regulators including Ofcom, Ofgem and the Gambling Commission.
  • Financial services: acting for HSBC in relation to the Decision Notice imposed on it by the FCA for failings in its anti-money laundering systems and processes.
  • Public: advising the Government in relation to the appointment and terms in office of certain commissioners.
  • Sanctions: advising a group of companies on the commencement, scope and effect of EU and UK sanctions on certain of their shareholders.
  • Employment: acting for the Claimants in their High Court claim for significant damages arising out of an unlawful team move and competition by their former directors.
  • Competition: acting for the claimant automotive manufacturers in their circa €700m claim for losses caused by a cartel amongst manufacturers of occupant safety system components.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Sean taught contract law at UCL. He was the Judicial Assistant to the Master of the Rolls in the Court of Appeal (2018-19), where he assisted the court with deciding a number of significant cases. 

Sean's studies at St Andrews and Oxford focussed on constitutional theory, moral and political philosophy, philosophy of law and commercial law. His academic background gives him a particular interest in constitutional issues and complex statutory and contractual interpretation. 

Experience

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Commercial

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Commercial law.

Prior to commencing practice, Sean taught Contract Law at UCL. 

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Public & Regulatory

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Public and Regulatory law.

While a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal, he assisted the Master of the Rolls with deciding a number of significant public law cases, including R (Campaign Against Arms Trade) v Secretary of State for International Trade [2019] EWCA Civ 1020.

Sean has a particular interest in constitutional issues. He was awarded the Law Faculty Prize for Constitutional Theory during the BCL.

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Sanctions

Sean assisted with advising on a number of sanctions matters during pupillage, and in particular on matters arising out of the new sanctions regime created by the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 ("SAMLA"). He has advised on various issues arising under SAMLA, including: the scope of the power to make sanctions regulations; Ministers' duties under SAMLA; and the duty to notify designated persons of changes to designations under SAMLA. He has also advised in relation to a number of particular sanctions regulations, including: the Global Anti-Corruption Regulations 2021; the Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019; and the Counter-Terrorism (International Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (all assisting Jason Pobjoy).

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Financial Services & Banking

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Financial Services Law.

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Employment

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Employment law.

During pupillage, Sean assisted with a number of employment matters, including a two-week trial in the Employment Tribunal. As a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal, Sean assisted with deciding Uber v Aslam [2018] EWCA Civ 2748 (which concerned whether Uber drivers are workers).

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Civil Liberties & Human Rights

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Civil Liberties and Human Rights.

While a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal, he assisted with deciding a number of human rights cases, including Dulgheriu v London Borough of Ealing [2019] EWCA Civ 1490 (which concerned the ECHR compatibility of a Public Spaces Protection Order banning anti-abortion protests outside a family planning clinic) and Butt v SSHD [2019] EWCA Civ 256 (which concerned the compatibility of the Government's PREVENT duty guidance with Articles 8 and 10).

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Civil Fraud, Asset Recovery & Injunctive Relief

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Civil Fraud.

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EU & Competition

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of EU and Competition law.

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Public International Law

Sean accepts instructions in all areas of Public International Law.

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Achievements

Education

  • City University, BPTC (Outstanding) 
  • University of Oxford, BCL (Distinction)
  • University of Oxford, BA Jurisprudence (First Class)
  • University of St Andrews, MA Philosophy (First Class — top of Faculty, top of year)

Prizes and Awards

City University, Bar Professional Training Course, 2019-20

  • Wilfred Watson Scholarship (awarded by Gray’s Inn).
  • City University BPTC Scholarship. 

Somerville College, University of Oxford, Bachelor of Civil Law, 2017-18
Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, BA (Hons.) Jurisprudence, 2014-2017
University of St Andrews, MA (Hons.) Philosophy, 2010-14 

  • Law Faculty Prize for best performance in Constitutional Theory.
  • Oxford-Margaret Thatcher Graduate Scholarship (full-fee and stipend) awarded for academic merit.
  • Archibald Jackson Prize for performance on the BCL.
  • Second Undergraduate Degree Scholarship (full-fee for two years) awarded for academic merit.
  • Ashtiany Collection Prize performance in college exams (EU Law and Commercial Law).
  • College prizes for academic performance in first and second year.
  • University Miller Prize (Arts) for the best graduating student in the Faculty of Arts.
  • Deans’ List for academic excellence in every year.
  • Sir Henry Jones Memorial Prize for the best student in Honours-level Moral Philosophy.
  • Honours Prize for the best student in Honours-level Philosophy.
  • Class Medal for History of Philosophy. 
  • Summer Internship Bursary supporting a 10-week independent research project over the vacation. 
  • Grieve Prize for the best student in first year Moral Philosophy. 
  • Module prizes for Mediaeval History and English Literature.

Publications

  • 2014 ‘Subsistence as a basic human right: a defence of Henry Shue’ in British Journal of Undergraduate Philosophy, Vol. 8(1), 2014, pp.1-12. 
  • 2013 ‘Can an expressivist explain how normative claims feature in reasoning?’, in The Undergraduate Awards Journal, Vol. 5, 2013, pp. 347-366

Professional Experience

  • 2019-20 Teaching Fellow, University College London (Faculty of Laws)
  • 2018-19 Judicial Assistant to the Master of the Rolls, Court of Appeal of England and Wales
  • 2018 Summer Research Fellow, Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law
  • 2017-18 Volunteer Researcher, Oxford Pro Bono Publico
  • 2012 Summer Academic Research Intern, Department of Philosophy, University of St Andrews.

Mooting 

  • 2017 Winner, Herbert Smith Freehills Disability Mooting Championship 
  • 2017 University of Oxford-Travers Smith Commercial Law Moot
  • 2016 Semi-Finalist & Runner-Up Best Oralist, 7 King’s Bench Walk Commercial Law Moot
  • 2015-16 Winner, Maitland Chambers Intercollegiate Mooting Competition 2016
  • 2014-15 Winner, Maitland Chambers Intercollegiate Mooting Competition 2015 

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