Chinmayi Sharma

Practice Overview

Chinmayi maintains a broad practice in commercial litigation and arbitration with a particular focus on civil fraud, banking and energy disputes. She is regularly instructed (led and unled) in high-value and complex litigation and arbitrations (both domestic and internationally).

Chinmayi is ranked by the Legal 500 as a ‘Rising Star’ in (i) Commercial Litigation, (ii) International Arbitration, (iii) Energy and (iv) Middle East: The English Bar (Commercial).

She is described in the legal directories as “truly first-rate", "standout" and "a future star of the Bar", who "demonstrates an ability that is well beyond her years". They note, in particular, her intellectual ability (“ferociously intelligent”, “possessing a brilliant analytical mind”, “her legal analysis is exceptional”); forensic rigour (“a superb junior who gets across the details…and forensically drills down into the issues”, “combines razor-sharp attention to detail with forensic rigour”, “the ability to dissect complex and tangled evidence”, “very detailed”), written and oral advocacy (“her abilities to identify precise legal issues and distil these into compelling skeleton arguments or oral submissions are outstanding”, “her written work is superb and she is a skilled advocate”, “her drafting skills are of the highest standard”), commercial judgment (“what stands out is her ability to apply…expertise practically, with full appreciation of the commercial context and the client’s goals”, “clear and commercial advice”) and work ethic and collaborative approach ( “exceptionally hard-working”, “a clever and industrious junior”, “easy to work with”, “works flawlessly as part of a team, but has no hesitation in advocating for her independent views”, “an invaluable member of every team she works on”).

Chinmayi also undertakes her own advocacy, including in interlocutory applications and at trial in the High Court and in arbitral hearings, and has experience cross-examining both factual and expert witnesses. She has acted in arbitrations across major institutional rules, including those of the LCIA, ICC, DIAC, ICSID and SIAC.

Chinmayi also regularly writes on commercial law topics and is a contributor to Damages, Expert Evidence and Valuation in Commercial Disputers in India (2024, Thomson Reuters) (with Rajesh Pillai KC) and the fifth edition of Banking Litigation (upcoming, with Richard Hanke).

Further details of Chinmayi’s experience (including recent and notable instructions) are set out in the sections below.