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Ian Skinner
Director
Ian Skinner is a Director in the Litigation Practice, specialising in tech disputes and other contentious work for technology and telecoms clients.
His expertise includes complex High Court litigation and international arbitration for diverse clients, including mobile telecoms providers, IT companies and software developers. Ian is particularly experienced in cases involving infrastructure, development and delay for clients providing or receiving tech-related goods and services.
Ian also has significant experience in manufacturing, the retail sector (including “bricks and mortar” and e-commerce retailers), financial services and regulated industries such as rail, post, oil and gas. In addition, Ian has acted for a number of high-net-worth individuals on significant personal matters.
“Market commentators note that he is ‘strong technically, responsive and able to deal with difficult issues’.” – Chambers 2020.
Ian was admitted to the roll of solicitors in 2009 by the Law Society of England and Wales. He was granted higher rights of audience in the civil courts in 2014.
- Acted as part of a team assisting a major logistics company to understand the commercial restrictions placed on it by a distribution agreement with its key strategic partner with a trading value of around £320 million per annum.
- Acted for an oil refinery in:
- A dispute involving a contractor’s failure to procure adequate top slice insurance protecting against property damage. An industrial explosion caused £38 million of losses. £2.5 million was recovered by mediation and insurance responded to the balance.
- A dispute involving rail haulage overcharges over five years. The parties misapplied a commercial formula. £1 million recovered by negotiation.
- Acted for a high-profile company owned by a well-known entrepreneur in a £1.8 million dispute involving a fatal accident abroad. Coordinated advice for a range of legal issues in England and abroad.
- Acted for a retailer defending a claim brought by a former supplier for £1.4 million loss of profits after the termination of a trading agreement. The High Court dismissed the claim in its entirety.
- Acted for mortgage lenders in multiple claims in professional negligence and fraud against various solicitors, accountants and valuers. Recoveries ranged from six to seven figures on a case-by-case basis.
- Acted for a Mayfair art gallery to secure a worldwide freezing injunction in Hong Kong. Related to US$1.4 million stolen after the sale of an artwork (wire fraud).
- Acted for investors in an international fraud claim relating to £800,000 misappropriated from a renewable energy solar farm. Obtained a worldwide freezing injunction in the English courts, which was enforced in Switzerland, Romania, the US and Brazil.
- Acted for a high-net-worth individual in a title dispute regarding a first edition copy of Newton's Principia Mathematica. Resolved successfully by negotiation among four parties (the client, a bookseller, a British university and an insurer).
Education
- BPP Law School, L.P.C., Distinction
- Brunel University, Graduate Diploma in Law, Distinction, 2004
- Sheffield University, B.A., 2003
Admissions
- England and Wales, 2009
- Ranked by Chambers UK as an Associate to Watch in 2017