Chinmayi Sharma
Call: 2020; 2022 (India)
Practice Overview
Chinmayi is a commercial barrister who is regularly instructed in high-value and complex litigation and arbitrations. In addition to her core specialism in commercial and banking disputes, Chinmayi undertakes work across 3VB’s main practice areas with a particular interest in civil fraud, international arbitration and matters of public and private international law.
Chinmayi is regularly instructed to appear (both led and unled) in the High Court and the County Court. She also has a broad arbitration practice and has acted in various international arbitrations conducted under major institutional rules, including the LCIA, ICC, DIAC, ICSID and SIAC.
Chinmayi is also admitted to practice in India, and she is a contributor to Damages, Expert Evidence and Valuation in Commercial Disputers in India (2024, Thomson Reuters) (with Rajesh Pillai KC).
Notable and recent cases include:
- DIAC arbitration: acting in a US$90m London-seated arbitration arising from the buy-out agreement between the shareholders of an energy company in the Middle East. The claim concerns: contractual claims; claims in deceit, knowing receipt, dishonest assistance and conspiracy; unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duties (led by Yash Bheeroo).
- URE v NHG: acting for a company in a contractual dispute in the Commercial Court arising from the termination of an energy supply contract (led by Jamie Riley KC).
- ICC arbitration: acting for an energy group in a dispute concerning the termination of an agreement for LNG regasification services in a London-seated arbitration (led by Rajesh Pillai KC).
- ICC arbitration: acting for the respondent state in a dispute under the OIC Investment Agreement concerning the alleged expropriation of a pharmaceutical business (led by Christopher Harris KC, Matthew Watson, Mark Wassouf and Cameron Miles).
- ICC arbitration: acting for a F&B unicorn company in a claim arising from a breach of restrictive covenants under an asset purchase agreement (led by Tariq Baloch).
- Horlick & Ors v Cavaco & Ors [2022] EWHC 2935 (KB): successfully acted for the defendants in a dispute relating to Mozambiquan mines involving contractual claims under various loan and fundraising agreements and for unjust enrichment (led by Matthew Watson).
- ICSID arbitration: involved in an ICSID investor-state arbitration arising out of claims for breach of the Energy Charter Treaty (as Assistant to the Tribunal).
Arbitration and Related Court Applications
- Acting in a US$90m London-seated arbitration arising from the buy-out agreement between the shareholders of an energy company in the Middle East. The claim concerns: contractual claims; claims in deceit, knowing receipt, dishonest assistance and conspiracy; unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duties (led by Yash Bheeroo).
- Acting for an energy group in a dispute concerning the termination of an agreement for LNG regasification services in a London-seated arbitration (led by Rajesh Pillai KC).
- Acting for a respondent state in a dispute under the OIC Investment Agreement concerning the alleged expropriation of a pharmaceutical business (led by Christopher Harris KC, Matthew Watson, Mark Wassouf and Cameron Miles).
- Acting for a F&B unicorn company in a claim arising from a breach of restrictive covenants under an asset purchase agreement (led by Tariq Baloch).
- Involved in an ICSID investor-state arbitration arising out of claims for breach of the Energy Charter Treaty (as Tribunal Assistant).
- A 60 million+ euro LCIA arbitration involving a state-owned fund and relating to a share purchase agreement (as a pupil).
- An LCIA arbitration involving questions of notification under a warranty, mitigation of loss and contractual interpretation (as a pupil).
- Acting for a foreign state in a matter involving issues relating to state immunity, the enforcement of arbitral awards and disclosure (as a pupil).
- A multi-million USD LCIA arbitration in relation to a guarantee provided to a foreign bank (as a pupil).
Banking & Financial Services
- Acting for a bank in a claim for the recovery of sums under a guarantee (led by William Edwards).
- Regularly acting for financial institutions defending Consumer Credit Act 1974 claims including Marks and Spencer Financial Services PLC, Lloyds Bank, HSBC Bank UK Plc, MBNA Limited, Barclays Bank UK Plc.
- A multi-million USD LCIA arbitration in relation to a guarantee provided to a foreign bank (as a pupil).
- Acting for the Guernsey financial services commission in enforcement proceedings against an insurance company and its managing director for repeated contraventions of the GFSC regulatory framework (as a pupil).
Civil Fraud & Asset Tracing
- Acting in a US$90m London-seated arbitration arising from the buy-out agreement between the shareholders of an energy company in the Middle East. The claim concerns: contractual claims; claims in deceit, knowing receipt, dishonest assistance and conspiracy; unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duties (led by Yash Bheeroo).
- Horlick & ors v Cavaco & ors [2022] EWHC 2935 (KB): sucessfully acted for the defendants in a 5-day commercial trial (led by Matthew Watson) for a multi-million pound dispute involving claims relating to various loan and fundraising agreements (including claims for the alleged payment of secret commissions).
- A 10 million pound claim in relation to undisclosed inducements and breaches of fiduciary duty in the context of forex hedging contracts (as a pupil).
- Jansen and Anr v Ten Financial LLP & Ors.: a multi-million pound claim brought for fraudulent misrepresentations, unlawful means conspiracy and the breach of regulatory rules in the context of investment advice (as a pupil).
- A multi-million USD fraud claim involving a foreign state’s public body (as a pupil).
- A high value fraud claim by a bank against various individuals involving issues of unlawful means conspiracy, breaches of fiduciary duty and fraudulent misrepresentations (as a pupil).
- Pro bono advice in relation to questions of bribes/secret commissions in respect of a secured loan agreement (as a pupil).
Commercial Dispute Resolution
- Acting in a US$90m London-seated arbitration arising from the buy-out agreement between the shareholders of an energy company in the Middle East. The claim concerns: contractual claims; claims in deceit, knowing receipt, dishonest assistance and conspiracy; unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duties (led by Yash Bheeroo).
- Acting for an energy group in a dispute concerning the termination of an agreement for LNG regasification services in a London-seated arbitration (led by Rajesh Pillai KC).
- URE v NHG: Acting for the defendant company in a multi-million pound contractual dispute in the Commercial Court arising from the termination of an energy supply contract (led by Jamie Riley KC).
- Acting for the respondent state in a dispute under the OIC Investment Agreement concerning the alleged expropriation of a pharmaceutical business (led by Christopher Harris KC, Matthew Watson, Mark Wassouf and Cameron Miles).
- Acting for a F&B unicorn company in a claim arising from a breach of restrictive covenants under an asset purchase agreement (led by Tariq Baloch).
- Horlick & ors v Cavaco & ors [2022] EWHC 2935 (KB): successfully acted for the defendants in a 5-day commercial trial (led by Matthew Watson) for a multi-million pound dispute relating to Mozambiquan mines involving claims under various loan and fundraising agreements, and for unjust enrichment.
- Acting for a bank in a claim for the recovery of sums under a guarantee (led by William Edwards).
- A 10 million pound claim in relation to undisclosed inducements and breaches of fiduciary duty in the context of forex hedging contracts (as a pupil).
Jansen and Anr v Ten Financial LLP & Ors.: a multi-million pound claim brought for fraudulent misrepresentations, unlawful means conspiracy and the breach of regulatory rules in the context of investment advice (as a pupil). - Shah & Shah v Shah & Shah [2021] EWHC 1668 (QB): successfully acting for the respondents in resisting an appeal against a costs decision in relation to a substantive dispute concerning a claim for the breach of a contract (as a pupil).
Company & Insolvency Law
- Advising on questions relating to winding up petitions under the Insolvency Act 1986 (as a pupil).
- Advice in relation to estoppel in unfair prejudice claims (as a pupil).
Conflict of Laws / Private International Law
- A jurisdictional dispute concerning the operation of the Brussels Recast Regulation and the implications of Brexit on European jurisdictional disputes (as a pupil).
- A multi-million USD fraud claim involving a foreign state’s public body (as a pupil).
Energy & Natural Resources
- Acting in a US$90m London-seated arbitration arising from the buy-out agreement between the shareholders of an energy company in the Middle East. The claim concerns: contractual claims; claims in deceit, knowing receipt, dishonest assistance and conspiracy; unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duties (led by Yash Bheeroo).
- Acting for an energy group in a dispute concerning the termination of an agreement for LNG regasification services in a London-seated arbitration (led by Rajesh Pillai KC).
- URE v NHG: Acting for the defendant company in a multi-million pound contractual dispute in the Commercial Court arising from the termination of an energy supply contract (led by Jamie Riley KC).
- Horlick & ors v Cavaco & ors[2022] EWHC 2935 (KB): successfully acted for the defendants in a 5-day commercial trial (led by Matthew Watson) for a multi-million pound dispute relating to Mozambiquan mines involving claims under various loan and fundraising agreements, and for unjust enrichment
- Involved in an ICSID investor-state arbitration arising out of claims for breach of the Energy Charter Treaty (as Tribunal Assistant).
Insurance & Reinsurance
- Advising on questions relating to the application of the FCA guidance in respect of insurance policies and business interruption due to Covid-19 (as a pupil)
Media, Art & Entertainment
- Cole v Carpenter [2020] EWHC 3155 (Ch); [2020] EWHC 3244 (Ch): acting for the defendants in a multi-million USD claim relating to an alleged right of exclusivity agreement for the sale of a famous Picasso painting (as a pupil).
Public International Law
- Acting for the respondent state in a dispute under the OIC Investment Agreement concerning the alleged expropriation of a pharmaceutical business (led by Christopher Harris KC, Matthew Watson, Mark Wassouf and Cameron Miles).
- Involved in an ICSID investor-state arbitration arising out of claims for breach of the Energy Charter Treaty (as Tribunal Assistant).
- Acting for a foreign state in a matter involving issues relating to state immunity, the enforcement of arbitral awards and disclosure (as a pupil).
Unjust Enrichment & Restitution Claims
- Acting in a US$90m London-seated arbitration arising from the buy-out agreement between the shareholders of an energy company in the Middle East. The claim concerns: contractual claims; claims in deceit, knowing receipt, dishonest assistance and conspiracy; unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duties (led by Yash Bheeroo).
- Acting for a F&B unicorn company in a claim arising from a breach of restrictive covenants under an asset purchase agreement (led by Tariq Baloch).
- Horlick & ors v Cavaco & ors[2022] EWHC 2935 (KB): successfully acted for the defendants in a 5-day commercial trial (led by Matthew Watson) for a multi-million pound dispute relating to Mozambiquan mines involving claims under various loan and fundraising agreements, and for unjust enrichment.
Languages
- Hindi (fluent)
- Kannada (fluent)
