Paul Bonner Hughes

Paul Bonner Hughes

Call: 2021; 2017 (Solicitor); 2009 (New York Bar)

"3 Verulam Buildings is first-class."

- Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

“The set boasts some of the strongest practitioners in the market.”

- Chambers & Partners UK Bar (2022)

Practice Overview

Paul maintains a broad commercial litigation and arbitration practice spanning most of 3VB’s main practice areas, including banking and finance, civil fraud, complex commercial disputes, insolvency and restructuring and company law.  He regularly appears on his own in the High Court, County Courts and before arbitral tribunals.  He is also admitted to practise and has appeared unled before the DIFC Courts.

Called in 2021, he brings over a decade of experience in litigation and arbitration to the Bar, having previously practised as a litigation attorney with Davis Polk & Wardwell and Quinn Emanuel in New York, a Solicitor with Quinn Emanuel in London and laterally as Head of Department at a litigation boutique in London.

Paul has substantial experience representing both claimants and defendants in high-value, complex disputes in a range of sectors, including banking and financial services, insurance, energy, technology, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals.  Many of his cases have involved issues of foreign law and coordination across multiple jurisdictions.  His prior experience in the US (where he appeared both led and unled in federal and state courts) makes him particularly suited to matters involving issues of US law.  He has a particular interest in issues relating to cross-border discovery/disclosure, and has been involved in a number of applications for disclosure in England & Wales relating to proceedings in the US and vice versa (both documentary and via depositions).

Paul holds degrees from Harvard Law School, the University of Oxford (Balliol College) and the University of Glasgow.  He won a range of academic awards and merit-based scholarships throughout the course of his academic career.

Outside of work, Paul has a strong commitment to social mobility and community engagement.  He serves as Chair of The Scottish State School Mentoring Network, a non-profit that connects current state school pupils with their predecessors who have now entered the world of work, and as a Trustee with BUNAC Educational Scholarship Trust.  He also founded and leads American-Qualified Lawyers in London, a professional organisation for US-qualified lawyers in the City.

  • Currently acting for a senior executive adverse to his former employer in a breach of contract action involving issues of English, New York and Luxemourg law (LCIA arbitration; sole counsel)
  • Currently acting for the respondent in a dispute relating to the validity and enforceability of a putative debt instrument (LCIA arbitration and High Court; led by Tariq Baloch)
  • Currently acting for the claimant in a breach of contract claim relating to a licence and distribution agreement (ICC arbitration; led by Christopher Harris KC)
  • Currently acting for a group of companies and senior executives in a breach of contract, misrepresentation and unlawful means conspiracy claim relating to licensing and collaboration agreement and related contracts (LCIA arbitration; led by Dominic Kennelly)
  • Recently acted for a US distributor pursuing a breach of contract claim against a UK-based supplier (LCIA arbitration; sole counsel)
  • Acted for a hydroelectric power company in relation to cost submissions and a s.66 application in respect of an ICSID arbitration (as a pupil)
  • Acted for a major energy company alleging breach of a good faith clause and negligent misrepresentation by a joint venture partner in an LCIA arbitration (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for an Azerbaijani bank in defending a breach of contract claim brought by investors in an LCIA arbitration, including efforts to set aside a freezing order in New York (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a Ukrainian bank in parallel LCIA arbitrations brought by investors in connection with the ‘bail-in’ of Eurobonds (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Currently acting for a major bank in a proposed GLO action (County Court; led by Peter de Verneuil Smith KC)
  • Regularly acts for a variety of banks and other lenders in defending payment protection insurance (“PPI”) claims brought pursuant to the Consumer Credit Act 1974 – succeeded in having claims dismissed and recovering costs in numerous cases (County Court; sole counsel)
  • Recently acted for a bank defending a claim pursuant to s.75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (County Court; sole counsel)
  • Acted for a brokerage firm defending claims by a former customer for the return of monies, including opposing a proprietary injunction (High Court; led by Farhaz Khan KC)
  • Acted for an Azerbaijani bank in defending a breach of contract claim brought by investors in an LCIA arbitration, including efforts to set aside a freezing order in New York (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a Ukrainian bank in parallel LCIA arbitrations brought by investors in connection with the ‘bail-in’ of Eurobonds (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a group of bondholders in connection with the forced resolution of a major Spanish bank, including in parallel actions before the General Court of the European Union, the Spanish Criminal and Administrative courts and the Southern District of New York (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a major investment bank in a substantial dispute over credit default swaps (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a group of bondholders in action for discovery/disclosure pursuant to 28 U.S.C § 1782 (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a trustee in a multi-billion dollar breach of contract action culminating in a trial in the Southern District of New York stemming from three Residential Mortgage-Backed Security transactions (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a monoline insurer in a multi-million dollar breach of warranty action in the Supreme Court of New York and Appellate Division arising from six Residential Mortgage-Backed Security transactions (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a monoline insurer in a fraud and negligent misrepresentation claim against the collateral manager of a $1.5bn Collateralized Debt Obligation in the Southern District of New York and before the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a major investment bank in defending multiple lawsuits brought by shareholders of US companies in Georgia state court alleging market manipulation through short selling (at Davis Polk)
  • Acted for an insurance firm in defending a class action alleging violations of Sections 10(b), 20(a), and Rule 10b-5 of the Securities Exchange Act (at Davis Polk)
  • Currently acting for the claimants in a billion-dollar fraud claim including applications for a worldwide freezing order and passport surrender order (High Court; led by Ian Wilson KC, Philip Hinks and James McWilliams)
  • Acted for a CEO sued by his former company for fraud in the Commercial Court; succeeded in having all of the claims against him dismissed and recovering most of his costs (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for investors seeking to recover €60m invested in shares and bonds on terms that the shares and bonds would be repurchased on a specific date (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Currently acting for a company pursuing claims for deceit, unlawful means conspiracy and other claims against an investment bank in relation to a failure to provide promised funding (High Court; sole counsel)
  • Currently acting for the claimants in a claim for indemnification and/or subrogation relating to a guarantee (High Court; sole counsel)
  • Currently acting for a UAE company pursuing breach of contract and unlawful means conspiracy claims against a joint venturer (DIFC Courts; led by Tom Montague-Smith KC and Matthew Watson)
  • Currently acting for the respondent in a dispute relating to the validity and enforceability of a putative debt instrument (LCIA arbitration and High Court; led by Tariq Baloch)
  • Currently acting for the claimant in a breach of contract claim relating to a licence and distribution agreement (ICC arbitration; led by Christopher Harris KC)
  • Currently acting for a group of companies and senior executives in a breach of contract, misrepresentation and unlawful means conspiracy claim relating to licensing and collaboration agreement and related contracts (LCIA arbitration; led by Dominic Kennelly)
  • Recently acted for a US distributor pursuing a breach of contract claim against a UK-based supplier (LCIA arbitration; sole counsel)
  • Recently acted for a group of companies and a senior executive in a breach of contract action relating to alleged unpaid invoices, breach of restrictive covenants and breach of confidentiality obligations (LCIA arbitration; sole counsel)
  • Acted for a US-based blockchain platform seeking to enforce a Californian judgment in England & Wales (at McAllister Olivarius)
  • Acted for investors seeking to recover €60m invested in shares and bonds on terms that the shares and bonds would be repurchased on a specific date (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a former high-level executive at a major investment bank in connection
    with the withdrawal of deferred compensation awards, including pursuing an action for discovery in New York pursuant to 28 U.S.C § 1782 (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a major pharmaceutical company in a dispute with a leading financial advisory firm
    over a success fee relating to a recapitalisation (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a background screening check provider in defending a class action in the Northern
    District of Ohio (at Davis Polk)
  • Recently acted for a businessman accused of dishonestly assisting various breaches of director’s duties in respect of an insolvent company (High Court; led by Jamie Riley KC)
  • Recently acted for a former director of a company in relation to an application pursuant to s. 236 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (High Court; sole counsel)
  • Acted for a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”) in respect of claims brought by a majority shareholder (as a pupil)
  • Acted for the joint liquidators of an insolvent company in respect of claims against former directors of the company (as a pupil)
  • Acted for the administrators of a large retailer alleging concertation by several major
    telecommunications companies in violation of UK and European competition laws (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for numerous creditors of Lehman Brothers at various stages of its US bankruptcy
    proceedings (at Davis Polk)
  • Acted for a major energy company pursuing claims for breach of a good faith obligation and negligent misrepresentation by a joint venture partner in an LCIA arbitration (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a major energy company in a corruption and bribery investigation by the Serious
    Fraud Office (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for the administrators of a large retailer alleging concertation by several major telecommunications companies in violation of UK and European competition laws (at Quinn Emanuel)
  • Acted for a major US television network, in defending a programming discrimination suit culminating in a trial before the Federal Communications Commission (at Davis Polk)
  • Substantial experience mediating cases in both England & Wales and the United States
  • Recently acted for a professional advisor defendant in a negligence and breach of contract action (as sole counsel)
  • Acted for multiple major US and European companies in internal and regulatory (Securities & Exchange Commission, Department of Justice) investigations into allegations of bribery, corruption, and theft (at Davis Polk)
  • Acted for multiple US and European companies in merger review and clearance proceedings before the US Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice (at Davis Polk)
  • Acted for a senior executive at a global bank in an investigation into allegations of money laundering and sanctions by the Manhattan District Attorney and Federal Reserve Bank of New York (at Davis Polk)
  • Acted for a major energy company in an investigation brought by the Serious Fraud Office (at Quinn Emanuel)
Winner: UK Bar Awards 2023
The Lawyer Awards 2022: Chambers of the Year