Clarissa Jones
Call: 2018
Practice Overview
Clarissa is recognised as an “Up and Coming” barrister and a “Rising Star” in both Chambers & Partners for Civil Fraud work and the Legal 500 for Commercial Litigation, Civil Fraud and Banking & Finance work. She regularly acts in high-value commercial matters involving complex interim applications and heavy trials. Her litigation experience is both international and also encompasses commercial arbitrations.
Clarissa is happy working as part of a Counsel team but also welcomes instructions as sole Counsel. She has acted unled with success at both County Court and High Court level.
Many of Clarissa’s cases are high-profile. Recent highlights include:
- QIPCO v Elanus one of The Lawyer's Top 20 Cases of 2024 - a claim by a Qatari investment vehicle for specific performance of its alleged right to purchase a 70-carat diamond known as the Idol’s Eye [2025] EWHC 303 (Comm).
- The NOx diesel emissions litigation one of The Lawyer's Top 20 Cases of 2025 - acting for Peugeot/Citroen in their defence of group litigation claims brought by c.1million claimants.
- Suppipat v Narongdej one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2022 - a mammoth Civil Fraud claim for c.$1 billion tried in the Commercial Court over 20 weeks. Clarissa’s team successfully defended their client, Siam Commercial Bank, against the claims [2023] EWHC 1988 (Comm).
Clarissa has a particular interest in asset recovery and enforcement issues. She regularly acts in matters under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, for the National Crime Agency. She also has significant experience of enforcing judgments. She has appeared in both the Court of Appeal and the Privy Council (Gibraltar) in appeals relating to the enforcement of foreign judgments.
Clarissa also has notable experience of Art & Cultural Property disputes, which she enjoys because of her previous academic study of art history.
Clarissa is also called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands.
Banking and Finance
Current/recent instructions include:
- Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank v Manghat & ors acting for the claimant bank in ADGM proceedings arising out of the collapse of the NMC Health business, in which the bank is claiming c.$1 billion against Mr Manghat for his alleged involvement in a major fraud involving undisclosed debts, led by Rajesh Pillai KC.
- Kalo v Bankmed acting for the defendant bank in a claim by a customer seeking an international transfer of US dollars deposited in Lebanon, against the backdrop of the ongoing Lebanese economic crisis, led by Catherine Gibaud KC. Clarissa also acted for the bank in its application to challenge jurisdiction [2023] EWHC 2606 (Comm).
- Suppipat v Narongdej one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2022 – a mammoth claim for c.$1 billion tried in the Commercial Court over 20 weeks. Clarissa’s team successfully defended their client, Siam Commercial Bank, which had been accused of participating in a conspiracy to harm the claimants [2023] EWHC 1988 (Comm).
- Various applications acting for banks in the County Court.
- London-seated LCIA arbitration relating to the provision of M&A advisory services, led by Andrew Onslow KC.
Civil Fraud
Current/recent instructions include:
- Arcadia v Bosworth & ors defending the claimants in an inquiry into loss caused by a freezing injunction in place for a decade, in which the defendants claim £hundreds millions, led by David Quest KC.
- Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank v Manghat & ors acting for the claimant bank in ADGM proceedings arising out of the collapse of the NMC Health business, in which the bank is claiming c.$1 billion against Mr Manghat for his alleged involvement in a major fraud involving undisclosed debts, led by Rajesh Pillai KC.
- Suppipat v Narongdej one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2022 – a mammoth Civil Fraud claim for c.$1 billion tried in the Commercial Court over 20 weeks. Clarissa’s team successfully defended their client, Siam Commercial Bank, which had been accused of participating in a conspiracy to harm the claimants [2023] EWHC 1988 (Comm).
- High-value (£millions) civil fraud claim against a professional investment manager in relation to the investment of trust assets, including a jurisdiction challenge ([2022] EWHC 451 (Ch)) and an application for a freezing injunction ([2022] EWHC 2137 (Ch)) in the High Court, led by David Head KC.
Enforcement and Asset Recovery
Current/recent instructions include:
- Republic of Kazakhstan v Stati acting for Kazakhstan, led by Ali Malek KC, in long-running proceedings relating to the enforcement of a c.$½ billion Energy Charter Treaty arbitration award which Kazakhstan maintained had been obtained by fraud. Involving hearings in the Privy Council (Gibraltar) and the BVI relating to the enforcement of £millions costs orders.
- Strategic Technologies v Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of China acting for the Republic of China in the Court of Appeal ([2020] EWCA Civ 1604) and later in the High Court ([2023] EWHC 754 (KB)) successfully resisting the enforcement of a 20-year-old Singaporean judgment. This case was recognised by the Financial Times in a Special Report on Innovative Lawyers.
- National Crime Agency v Nuttall acting for the NCA in a large civil recovery claim relating to the proceeds of a vast payroll fraud and international money laundering scheme.
- Successfully acting for the NCA (unled) in an application to recover money obtained via an illegal banking network (so-called “Chinese Underground Banking”).
Commercial Litigation
Current/recent instructions include:
- The NOx diesel emissions litigation one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2025 – acting for Peugeot/Citroen in their defence of group litigation claims brought by c.1million claimants, led by Catherine Gibaud KC.
- Representing a Part 20 defendant in a claim relating to the alleged contamination of goods (shale) supplied to a bricks manufacturer, led by Nicholas Craig KC.
- Advising on a prospective London-seated ICC arbitration concerning commodities trades worth £millions, led by Christopher Harris KC.
- Representing the successful claimant in a London-seated LCIA arbitration for £millions arising out of a failure to open a letter of credit under a sale of goods contract, involving Covid-related force majeure arguments, led by Nicholas Craig KC.
- Zymurgorium v Hammonds of Knutsford acting for the defendant wholesaler in claims relating to its sale of gin liqueur [2021] EWHC 2295 (Ch).
International Commercial Arbitration
Current/recent instructions include:
- Advising on a prospective London-seated ICC arbitration concerning commodities trades worth £millions, led by Christopher Harris KC.
- Representing the successful claimant in a London-seated LCIA arbitration for £millions arising out of a failure to open a letter of credit under a sale of goods contract, involving Covid-related force majeure arguments, led by Nicholas Craig KC.
- London-seated LCIA arbitration relating to the provision of M&A advisory services, led by Andrew Onslow KC.
Art and Cultural Property
Current/recent instructions include:
- QIPCO v Elanus one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2024 – a claim by a Qatari investment vehicle for specific performance of its alleged right to purchase a 70-carat diamond known as the Idol’s Eye [2025] EWHC 303 (Comm).
Financial Services
Current/recent instructions include:
- Advising a blockchain technology company in relation to their compliance framework, in connection with applications under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 and the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017.
- Financial Conduct Authority v Forster acting for the defendant in proceedings under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 relating to an alleged collective investment scheme, led by Saima Hanif KC.
- QED v A4G successfully defending an accounting firm against claims under an asset purchase agreement for the sale of a compliance business, led by Saima Hanif KC.
