We offer strategic thinking and exceptional advocacy to help our clients deal with commercial and financial disputes.
We work across a full range of commercial activity, with a particular focus on finance-related matters. We are widely acknowledged for our expertise in a number of fields including contentious trust litigation, investment fund litigation, commercial fraud, insolvency, and professional indemnity.
Our top tier Dispute Resolution team has a consistent track record of acting on leading and landmark cases in Guernsey and is widely recognised as the first choice for many in complex commercial litigation or contentious regulatory advice. Our advocates have represented clients in more judgments relating to large commercial disputes than any other firm in the island. We have one of the largest dispute resolution teams in Guernsey, known for its pre-eminent advocacy skills and experience and strength of team, with a focus on international work.
- Trusts litigation
- Funds litigation
- Insolvency and liquidation
- Shareholder and director disputes
- Professional negligence
- Asset tracing, disclosure orders and asset freezing
- Compliance, regulatory and fraud
- Obtaining injunctive relief
- Reciprocal enforcement of international judgements
- Contract law and disputes
- Employer and employee disputes
- Representing the executive directors of Carlyle Capital Corporation, successfully defending claims in excess of US$1bn, in Guernsey’s biggest ever civil trial. Babbé took the lead role on behalf of the Defendants and was successful in having all of the Plaintiffs’ 187 claims dismissed.
- Acting for corporate trustees defending claims in excess of £230m in a series of landmark cases which raises ground-breaking law on the right of recourse to trust assets in insolvent trust structures, and the priority of such rights. The cases have already been the subject of eight appeals to the Privy Council and are among the most high-profile offshore cases of the last decade.
- Acting for the liquidators of an investment company in a multi-million-pound claim against its former directors for breach of duty in failing to prevent a fraud. After securing third-party commercial funding, the case was successfully concluded by an early mediation.
- Acting for the auditors of an investment fund facing claims of professional negligence as part of a suite of claims relating to losses in the fund.
- Acting for the Electricity Price Control Commissioner in an ongoing high-profile dispute with an electricity supplier, which has resulted in two appeals settled on favourable terms for our client.
- Provided expert opinion on Guernsey law to the United States Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Trustee of two investment funds in response to competing evidence which resulted in the dismissal of the appeal.
- Successfully acted for joint liquidators of one of the larger cross-border solvent corporate liquidations.
- Acting in hostile proceeding for a trustee of a pension trust established for the players of a high profile Premier League Football Club in a complex matter of trust and private international law.
- Acting for trustee-administrator of a Qualifying Non-UK Pension Scheme (“QNUPS”) in a serious of complex applications to the Royal Court for equitable relief. The decision of the Court that Babbé obtained for its client is the now leading authority in Guernsey on the validity of QNUPS. Because of the importance of QNUPS-related services to Guernsey’s financial services sector, the decision is hugely important to Guernsey PLC and to members of Guernsey pensions, whether resident in Guernsey or abroad.
