Clerks Details
- Clerk Name: Stephen Evers
- Clerk Telephone: 020 7583 8055
- Clerk Email: [email protected]
- Clerk Name: David Fielder
- Clerk Telephone: 020 7583 8055
- Clerk Email: [email protected]
- Clerk Name: Joe Townsend
- Clerk Telephone: 020 7583 8055
- Clerk Email: [email protected]
Commercial
Patrick Heneghan is a senior commercial barrister with a wide-ranging practice encompassing complex company and commercial disputes, often involving multiple jurisdictions and a variety of dispute resolution mechanisms. As head of the commercial group, Patrick brings strategic oversight and deep industry insight to all his instructions, acting in high-value matters across sectors including energy, finance, insurance, and technology. He is known for his robust advocacy, commercial judgment, and cross-border litigation experience.
He has particular strength in cases involving complex contractual frameworks, shareholder disputes, joint ventures, and professional negligence. His practice frequently brings him before the Business and Property Courts (including the Commercial Court), as well as into international arbitration settings where he has acted under all the major institutional rules. Patrick’s arbitration expertise spans both commercial and investor-state disputes, and he regularly advises clients on cross-border enforcement strategies.
Areas of Expertise
- Commercial contractual disputes
- Insurance coverage and liability disputes
- Joint venture and partnership disputes
- Breaches of directors’ duties
- Shareholder disputes
- International arbitration (commercial and investor-state)
- Multi-jurisdictional litigation and enforcement
Recent and Ongoing Cases
Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution
- Acting for a UK plc in a multi-million pound dispute involving professional negligence and breach of contract claims against its energy adviser and supplier, linked to hedging strategies during the Ukraine conflict.
- Representing a supplier in a High Court claim concerning delayed delivery of a luxury vessel, including claims for frustration and counterclaims for non-payment.
- Acting for a claimant in professional negligence claims against multiple firms of solicitors over the handling of a defective residential property dispute.
- Advising a technology provider in a licensing dispute involving breach of contract and confidentiality during a competitive bid process.
- Representing a local authority in a fraud claim against a COVID-era service provider.
- Advising insurers in a group action involving alleged anti-competitive conduct in the tech sector related to web display advertising.
- Acting for an African airline in aircraft lease disputes involving delayed redelivery and the market impact on aircraft value.
- Representing an international auction house in a high-profile professional negligence claim relating to the misattribution of an Old Master painting.
- Advising a leading bank in recovery action involving cross-border freezing orders and enforcement proceedings in Jersey, the BVI, and the U.S.
International Arbitration
- Representing a global industrial company in Johannesburg-seated arbitration and investor-state proceedings over iron ore mine expropriation in Africa.
- Acting for respondent shareholders in LCIA arbitration involving control of a titanium producer, with related injunctions in the BVI and proceedings in multiple jurisdictions.
- Advising a major Indian real estate developer in London-seated LCIA arbitrations regarding a slum rehabilitation project.
- Representing Eastern European minority shareholders in LCIA arbitration and related litigation concerning diverted corporate opportunities.
- Acting for pharmaceutical companies in Bermuda Form coverage disputes under New York and English law relating to various drugs and clinical trials.
- Representing affiliated Asian energy companies in Hong Kong ICC arbitrations concerning long-term take-or-pay gas contracts and force majeure claims.
- Advising bondholders in treaty arbitration and ICC arbitration over political risk insurance claims in Latin America.
- Acting for a European electricity provider in ICC arbitration in Stockholm under a long-term supply agreement.
- Representing an African energy company in Geneva-seated UNCITRAL arbitrations on LNG pricing reviews and market manipulation.
- Acting for a US energy company in Paris-seated ICC arbitration involving a dual-fuel power station supply contract in the Middle East.
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Recommendations Mr. Heneghan has been identified as a “rising star” in the Guide to the World’s Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration (2013) and as “up and coming” in Chambers UK (2015). He is also recommended in both The Legal 500, where he is praised by clients for “achieving results” (2012) and providing “technically sound advice” (2013), and Chambers UK, in which he is described as “superb” (2013) and a “quality individual” (2015).
His work was recently recognised in the Financial Times’ “Innovative Lawyers 2014” report where one of his matters was “Highly Commended” in the Disputes Resolution field. He is also acknowledged by The American Lawyer as having participated in one of the highest-value international arbitrations of recent years.