Clarissa Jones

Current/recent instructions include:

• Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank v Manghat & ors – Clarissa acted 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 – Clarissa acted 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.

Current/recent instructions include:

• Alta Trading Ltd & ors v Bosworth & ors – Clarissa is acting for the Claimants in the next stage of this long-running civil fraud litigation relating to West African oil trading. The Claimants are now facing claims following their cross-undertaking to compensate the Defendants for losses caused by a worldwide freezing order in place for a decade. Clarissa is being led by David Quest KC.
• Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank v Manghat & ors – Clarissa acted 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.

Current/recent instructions include:

• Republic of Kazakhstan v Stati – Clarissa acted 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 – Clarissa acted 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 – Clarissa acted 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”).

Current/recent instructions include:

• The NOx diesel emissions litigation one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2025 – Clarissa formerly acted for Peugeot/Citroen in their ongoing 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. The Part 20 claim was successfully struck out.
• 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).

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.

Clarissa has experience of disputes relating to art and cultural property, which she enjoys because of her previous academic study of art history. Her stand-out case is QIPCO v Elanus [2025] EWHC 303 (Comm), one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2024, which came to its conclusion last year. Clarissa acted in this litigation (led by top silks in the area) for over 5 years, representing one of the world’s most prestigious collectors of art and cultural property in a dispute over the ownership of a 70-carat diamond known as “the Idol’s Eye”. The dispute concerned members of the Qatari royal family, as well as applications for disclosure against the major auction houses, Christie’s and Sotheby’s. The claim was based on the provisions of a prior agreement between the parties and involved difficult legal issues of contractual interpretation and attribution. It also involved expert gemstone valuation evidence.

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.