Saaman Pourghadiri

Saaman acts led and unled in a broad range of commercial disputes in arbitration and in the Commercial Court, the Chancery Division and on appeal. Much of his work is cross-border, engaging conflict of laws, jurisdiction and foreign law issues. He is ranked as a leading junior for commercial disputes in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. Recent feedback includes:

“Saaman provides first-call support on all the matters he works on. He is effective in court, liked and trusted by judges, and works well both as part of a team and as sole counsel”

“He is strong on detail and strategy, and always full of new ideas.”

Experience includes:

• Bacci v Green [2023] 2 WLR 681 – Saaman appeared as sole counsel against a silk in the Court of Appeal, for judgment creditors seeking to enforce a judgment debt against the pension assets of a discharged bankrupt. The Court of Appeal commended Saaman’s “able submissions”.
• AIG v John Wood [2023] 1 All ER (Comm) 381 (CoA) – Saaman acted in the Commercial Court and then Court of Appeal for the respondent to an anti-suit injunction brought by its insurers.
• Amob v Smith-Hughes[2022] I.R.L.R. 975 Acting unled against a silk, Saaman successfully resisted an injunction application in an economic torts claim.
• A v B [2025] EWHC 2288 (Comm) – Saaman acted for the respondent resisting an anti-suit injunction in relation to a commodities arbitration.
• Fishman v Mangazeev [2024] EWHC 2558 (Ch) – Saaman was instructed by a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, to obtain a freezing order against his client’s former business partner. Saaman continues to act in the ongoing dispute.
• South Bank v Galliard [2024] EWHC 2484; [2022] EWHC 2030 (Ch) – Saaman acted for the claimants in this complex property fraud claim in the Chancery Division, including in resisting an application for reverse summary judgment and at trial.
• Prakash v Peter Beck [2022] EWHC 754 (Comm) – Saaman acted for the claimant at trial in a complex dispute concerning convertible Bonds.
• Stimm v King & Spalding [2025] EWHC 1067 (Ch) – Saaman acted for the defendants in a fraud claim concerning a complex property transaction. Saaman appeared unled against a silk in the reported interlocutory application concerning the iniquity exception to privilege.

Saaman’s experience spans a variety of sectors including publishing, IT, telecoms, energy, sports, and logistics. For example:

• A dispute concerning the termination of a Formula 1 sponsorship contract.
• A dispute concerning the termination of a Premier League sponsorship contract.
• Commercial Court contract claim brought by authors against the publishers of their works [2021] EWHC 1728 (Comm).
• A substantial LCIA dispute concerning the provision of IT software.
• Advising a telecoms firm in a £7m+ LCIA dispute against an IT provider.
• £15m Commercial Court claim concerning the failure of a cross-border IT contract involving complex jurisdictional and technical issues.
• £20m Commercial Court claim concerning the termination of a contract in the road transport sector.

Saaman’s experience before Middle Eastern tribunals includes:

• Appearing in the DIFC court for the defendant bank and counterclaimant in a multimillion $ contract claim brought by the former CEO of the MENA based bank ([2018] DIFC CFI 018).
• Acting in the ADGM courts for a director of an ADGM financial services firm in a shareholder dispute concerning the appointment of a new CEO and director by board resolution. ([2018] ADGMCFI2).

Saaman acts in civil fraud claims involving misrepresentations, misappropriations, dishonesty, conspiracy, breach of trust, asset recovery, and enforcement. He is experienced in seeking and resisting urgent relief, including freezing orders, proprietary injunctions and disclosure orders. Many of his cases are cross-border, engaging conflict of laws and jurisdiction issues.

He is ranked as a leading junior in civil fraud in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. Recent feedback includes:

“Saaman is excellent. He’s very responsive and client-friendly and on top of all the detail.”

“His advocacy style is lovely – disarming, charming and extremely persuasive.”

Experience includes

• Bacci v Green [2023] 2 WLR 681 – Saaman appeared as sole counsel against a silk for judgment creditors seeking to enforce a judgment debt against the pension assets of a discharged bankrupt. The Court of Appeal commended Saaman’s “able submissions”.
• South Bank v Galliard [2024] EWHC 2484; [2022] EWHC 2030 (Ch) – Saaman acted for the claimants in this complex property fraud claim in the Chancery Division, both in resisting an application for reverse summary judgment and at trial.
• Amob v Smith-Hughes[2022] I.R.L.R. 975 Acting unled against a silk, he successfully resisted an injunction application in an economic torts claim.
• Fishman v Mangazeev [2024] EWHC 2558 (Ch) – Saaman was instructed by a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, to obtain a freezing order against his client’s former business partner. Saaman continues to act in the ongoing dispute.
• Hassans v Kingstar & Ors (2023/GCA/009) Saaman acted for the defendants in successfully striking out a fraud claim in the Gibraltar Court of Appeal.
• Stimm v King & Spalding [2025] EWHC 1067(Ch) – Saaman acted for the defendants in a fraud claim concerning a complex property transaction. Saaman appeared unled against a silk in the reported interlocutory application concerning the iniquity exception to privilege.
• ENRC – Saaman acted for ENRC in matters connected to the SFO investigation and associated civil claims (e.g. the matters reported at [2017] 1 W.L.R. 4205, and [2017] 1 WLUK 542).

Saaman has long standing expertise in pensions litigation and contentious pensions regulatory matters and has been ranked by the legal directories in this area for several years.

Regulatory

• Acting for the corporate trustee of a scheme in seeking a £22m contribution notice from the former directors of the company, under the NI equivalent of s38 Pensions Act 2004. The first case brought by the Pension Regulator concerning ‘contribution notices’. Settled at trial. [2015] Pens. L.R. 1
• Appearing in the Upper Tribunal in a case concerning whether a Scheme was constituted as a trust  – [2017] UKUT 385 (TCC)
• Appearing for the trustees in a case before the determinations panel of the pensions regulator in a case concerning the exercise of the regulator’s power to remove the trustees of a scheme. The determinations panel declined to exercise the power. (Determination Notice here)
• Defending the target in a £50m contribution notice case.

High Court

• Complex £60m multiparty professional negligence claim arising from the judgement of Newey J in Re Gleeds ([2019] EWHC 102 (Ch)).
• Appearing in the Court of Appeal addressing the validity of a retrospective exercise of powers – [2019] Pens. L.R. 17
• Acting in numerous RPI/CPI rectifications.
• Appearing for the claimants in a group action against their employer concerning breaches of the implied term of trust and confidence.
• Appearing for the employer in a claim seeking to rescind the hardwiring of RPI. Approved compromise achieved on expedited basis together with enhanced privacy protections.
• Acting in claim concerning the terms of an executive retirement benefits scheme.
• A Re Hastings-Bass application in Guernsey concerning a QROPS.

Saaman has wide ranging expertise in relation to banking financial services and cryptocurrency disputes. Saaman is comfortable dealing with a wide range of banking disputes, including those relating to loans, mortgages, guarantees, securities, derivatives and associated documentation. He also handles technical financial services regulation and enforcement matters assisted by a secondment to the Bank of England Legal Directorate. He is experienced in appearing before the regulatory tribunals, including a number of appearances before the Upper Tribunal.

Examples of his Banking work

•  $20m Commercial Court convertible bond dispute against a listed issuer in India [2022] EWHC 754 (Comm).
• €20 million structured debt dispute concerning the enforcement of a mezzanine finance facility.
• Acting for an offshore fund in a $35m Commercial Court lending dispute against a corporate borrower based in Africa.
• Acting for a property developer in its Financial List claim against a bank for swaps mis-selling, LIBOR conspiracy and deceit.
• Acting for the defendant bank in a claim concerning breach of mandate and unauthorised payments.
• Advising the beneficiaries of a security trust as to the validity of £40m+ security.
• Defending an IFA in a hard fought £5m Commercial Court fraud claim.
• Acting in a claim against a Security Trustee arising from representations made by it to bondholders concerning the assets it held as security.
• Numerous claims for and against IFAs concerning negligent advice and breaches of COBS rules.

Saaman has deep and longstanding expertise in financial services regulatory matters.

Examples of his Financial Services work

• Acting for a senior trader in the Forex rigging investigations brought by various regulators.
• Defending a senior director of an insurance firm from FCA enforcement action.
• Defending an IFA facing an FCA prohibition order.
• Defending a private equity house facing substantial regulatory action.
• Acting for the Defendant to a claim brought by the FCA for a s382 FSMA restitution order.
• Advising an airline in relation to the payment services regulations.

Examples of Cryptocurrency work

• Acting in a dispute in the Chancery Division between two cryptocurrency entrepreneurs. Proceedings commenced with a freezing injunction ([2024] EWHC 2558 (Ch))
• Acting in an arbitration between a cryptocurrency exchange and South American payment services provider.
• Acting in a loan dispute between two cryptocurrency entrepreneurs.

Saaman is experienced in acting for claimants and defendants in professional liability and negligence claims. His practice focuses on solicitors, accountants and financial advisers. Saaman has a particular interest in disputes involving financial services, tax, pensions, and corporate/company issues. He also has a thorough understanding of the regulatory and disciplinary context professionals operate in with extensive experience of SDT, FRC, FCA, and TPR disciplinary proceedings.

Lawyers

Experience includes:

• Bringing a £10m+ claim against solicitors concerning due diligence conducted in the course of an M&A deal.
• £60m Chancery Division multiparty professional negligence claim concerning the actions of solicitors, counsel and benefits consultants to a pension scheme.
• £10m claim brought against solicitors relating to funds passing through their client account.
• £8m+ claim against solicitors concerning their negligent conduct of a LIBOR fraud claim.
• £15m professional negligence claim concerning the actions of solicitors and counsel to a pension scheme.
• Defending a £2m professional negligence claim brought against a solicitor relating to his advice on and enforcement of security taken over a series of property developments.
• Acting for the claimants in a substantial professional negligence claim against an international law firm concerning its conduct during a regulatory investigation.
• A £ multi-million claim brought by a HNW individual against legal advisors relating to their negligent advice in the structuring of an offshore trust.

Banking & Financial Services

Saaman’s strong general banking and financial services expertise to bear on professional negligence claims make him a natural choice for professional negligence claims in these areas. For further details please see the “Banking and Financial Services” section of his profile.

Experience includes:

• Various claims in the Commercial Court against banks for negligent advice in relation to the sale of interest rate hedging products to SMEs.
• £8m+ claim against solicitors concerning their negligent conduct of a LIBOR fraud claim.
• £40m claim against solicitors concerning the negligent conduct of a bond dispute.
• £2m claim brought against solicitors for their negligent conduct of a claim against financial advisers.
• Defending a £2m professional negligence claim brought against a solicitor relating to his advice on and enforcement of security taken over a series of property developments.
• £3m+ claim against solicitors concerning the negligent conduct of a bank payments dispute.
• Numerous cases for and against financial advisors concerning negligent advice relating to pension schemes.
• Acting for the claimants in a substantial professional negligence claim against an international law firm concerning its conduct during a regulatory investigation.

Pensions

As a recognised expert in pensions litigation, Saaman brings his deep general pensions expertise to bear on professional negligence claims concerning all aspects of pensions schemes. For further details please see the “Pensions” section of his profile.

Experience includes:

• £60m Chancery Division multiparty professional negligence claim concerning the actions of solicitors, counsel and benefits consultants to a pension scheme.
• Numerous cases for and against financial advisors concerning negligent advice relating to pension schemes.
• A £15m professional negligence claim concerning the actions of solicitors and counsel to a pension scheme.
• Defending a leading firm of pensions solicitors in a £2m+ claim concerning allegedly negligent drafting.
• Defending a pensions consultancy in a approx. £6m claim concerning allegedly negligent drafting and advice around breaking the final salary link.
• A claim against solicitors for negligent advice relating to investments made by QROPS.

Audit, Accountancy & Tax

• £ multi-million claim relating to the audit of a large charity.
• Defending an individual in FRC proceedings relating to the audit of Carillion.
• Acting for Deloitte defending a £60m claim brought by an UHNW individual against his legal advisers and accountants concerning their advice relating to a tax avoidance scheme.
• £ multi-million claim brought by a HNW individual against legal advisors relating to their negligent advice in the structuring of an offshore trust. Thereafter advising on dealings with HMRC  once the transaction carrying the tax charge was reversed.
• Acting for the claimants, a UHNW family, in claims against a leading accountancy firm concerning negligent advice relating to the tax treatment and structuring of purportedly offshore transactions.
• Acting in a claim against accountants for their negligent advice concerning the recovery of VAT in the context of a possible MTIC fraud.
• Bringing a claim against accountants for their negligence in effecting a share buy-back scheme

Corporate/Company & Insolvency

Saaman brings his broad commercial expertise to bear on professional negligence claims involving corporate and commercial transactions and those involving company law and insolvency issues. For further details please see the “Commercial Litigation” and “Company & Insolvency” sections of his profile.

Experience includes:

• £10m+ claim against solicitors concerning due diligence conducted in the course of an M&A deal.
• £2m professional negligence claim brought against a solicitor relating to his advice on and enforcement of security taken over a series of property developments.
• Bringing a claim against accountants for their negligence in effecting a share buy-back scheme.
• Defending a substantial professional negligence claim against solicitors for their conduct of an insolvency matter.

Tech

• £20m Commercial Court claim against IT consultants concerning the implementation of bespoke cloud software.
• Acting for a garment manufacturer in a negligent misstatement claim against an IT solutions provider.

Saaman has broad experience of working in offshore jurisdictions, in particular Gibraltar, the Channel Islands and the Caribbean.

Experience includes:

• Acting in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar and Gibraltar Court of Appeal in a claim concerning misappropriation of trust assets and dishonest assistance. Saaman appeared in a two day strike-out/summary judgment hearing in April 2022 and the Court of Appeal in March 2023 (2023/GCA/009).
• Acting for a HNWI in a Re Hastings-Bass application before the Guernsey Royal Court and Guernsey Court of Appeal (Guernsey Judgment 21/2018).
• Appearing before the Cayman Islands Grand Court for the claimant in a judicial review.

Saaman is experienced in dealing with company issues particularly as they relate to the breakdown in relations between shareholders and the conduct of directors. He has particular expertise in unfair prejudice petitions. His insolvency experience is similarly focused on directors’ misconduct.

Experience includes:

• Acting for the administrators in a $1 billion claim against the company’s former directors alleging various breaches of their duties as directors.
• Defending the former directors of a company in liquidation against a s.212 application relating to sums allegedly appropriated from the company ([2020] EWHC 405 (Ch)).
• Defending an unfair prejudice petition in the property sector.
• Acting in an unfair prejudice petition in the care home sector.
• Bringing an unfair prejudice petition concerned with the conduct of directors in dealing with a company’s assets in East Africa.
• Acting for the shareholders in a company in a misfeasance claim against the company administrators.
• An application concerning the extent to which a company’s legal professional privilege survives its dissolution.

Saaman is regularly instructed to deal with High Court employment matters, recently acting unled against a silk in successfully resisting an application for a springboard injunction – [2022] I.R.L.R. 975. He is experienced in advising and acting on team moves and other issues arising from restrictive covenants. He complements this expertise with his experience of actions for and against directors and his experience as an advocate in the Employment Tribunals.

Saaman’s disciplinary practice is principally focussed on the financial services, pensions and accountancy sectors. He is experienced in defending individuals facing enforcement action by the FCA and financial regulators abroad. Saaman has also acted in a number of actions brought by the Pensions Regulator against trustees. Saaman acted in FRC proceedings relating to the collapse of Carillion.