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Christian Toms
Partner
Christian Toms is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. His practice focuses on complex financial disputes, civil fraud and enforcement matters, as well as director/shareholder/joint venture disputes. His previous experience at the Criminal Bar also gives him invaluable insight when advising in matters involving contentious regulatory and white collar issues. Christian has been recognised by Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500, and is a highly regarded and noted lawyer in the fields of Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail; Commercial Litigation; and Fraud: Civil.
He has acted for and against investment and retail banks, sovereigns and wealth fund vehicles, hedge funds and other investor groups, as well as ultra-high net worth individuals and family offices. He also has particular experience in cross-border enforcement and evidence gathering in the context of foreign proceedings, judgments and arbitral awards.
Christian has been noted for his “particular experience in complex financial disputes arising from investment banking and funds work” and has been described in The Legal 500 UK as “Exceptionally talented”, a “highly focused, technically excellent partner with broad shoulders and an eye on the result at all times” and someone who is “totally across the issues and has the ability to identify the points that really matter,” as well as “undaunted by highly complex international disputes”.
In 2020, Christian was appointed to judicial office by Her Majesty the Queen, and alongside his disputes practice he sits part-time as a recorder in both civil and crime.
Corporate and Commercial Litigation
- Advised global pharma business with operations in India, EU, Hong Kong and the US in relation to disputes with shareholder/directors.
- Acted for global beverage brand in €100 million licensing dispute with IT service provider.
- Acted in large scale shareholder claims pursued against global financial institutions brought under s.90/90A FSMA 2000. Acted for global beverage producer in a dispute over the proper valuation of JV company.
- Acted for Canadian mining company in a HKIAC arbitration dispute with Chinese joint venture partner over an energy project in Botswana.
- Acted for one of the largest coal producers in the world in a joint venture dispute relating to a mining project in Mongolia.
- Advised company involved in running global motor sport events on defence of a £multimillion claim.
- Acted in a joint venture dispute subject to ICC arbitration in Vienna involving various jurisdictions, including the BVI, Croatia and Malta.
- Advised on a joint venture dispute involving entities in England and Argentina.
- Acted for global research analytics business in dispute with former executive over claimed entitlement to £multimillion bonus.
- Advised financial services company on warranty claims arising out of acquisition of pensions investment/advisory business.
Cryptocurrency/NFTs
- Acted for co-founders of cryptocurrency lending business in claims to recover their withheld shareholdings and native crypto Tokens.
- Advised on tracing and recovery of cryptocurrency, and other assets lost as a result of fraud.
- Advised on recovery of withheld cryptocurrency from online platform.
- Acted for co-founders of cryptocurrency finance business defending claims brought by an individual alleging entitlement to shareholdings.
Enforcement
- Acted for Sovereign in appeal against enforcement of Swiss arbitration award, as well as proposed execution against assets in England, on grounds of state immunity under UK’s State Immunity Act 1978.
- Regularly advise and act on matters concerning (i) recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitration awards in England; and (ii) effective service of foreign proceedings on parties in England.
- Acted for US claimant in High Court application seeking provision of documentary evidence for use in US proceedings.
- Acted for an individual in a High Court challenge to a US Letter of Request seeking his oral testimony for use in US proceedings.
Financial Litigation
- Acted for international investment banking firm in an equity trade dispute with Russian and Bermudian entities.
- Acted in ICC arbitration proceedings on behalf of a Middle East bank in dispute with a European bank.
- Advised a special servicer within an insolvent CMBS structure on claims concerning secured assets for the benefit of noteholders.
- Acted for a Middle East-based family investment vehicle in dispute with global investment bank arising from losses suffered through investments in a hedge fund portfolio.
- Advised an investment fund in respect of disputed contractual entitlements under Notes acquired pursuant to terms of CMBS issue.
- Acted for Noteholders in “tranche warfare” proceedings before English High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
- Acted for Dutch pension fund in professional negligence claims against Goldman Sachs Asset Management International.
- Acted for an Austrian investment firm in a dispute with a US bank arising out of a high grade collateralized debt obligation (CDO) transaction.
Fraud
- Advised Middle East bank on coordinated asset recovery strategy, freezing injunction and asset disclosures to recover siphoned assets.
- Advised division of Sovereign Wealth Fund on asset recovery strategy; obtained orders against global bank identifying wrongdoers and onward transfer details of stolen funds; advised on pursuit of parallel criminal proceedings in UK, EU and client’s home jurisdiction.
- Acted for an individual (at first instance and on appeal) in the successful strike-out of claims for dishonest assistance.
- Advised on challenge to freezing injunction and asset disclosure order in the context of alleged fraud by UBOs of Russian Bank.
- Acted for individual and related corporates in respect of freezing injunctions and asset disclosure orders obtained in proceedings alleging large scale “cum ex” fraud against foreign tax agency.
- Acted for a Middle East Family Office in efforts to recover investment amounts following collapse of Abraaj funds.
- Advised on and coordinated civil and criminal recovery strategies in Barbados, Ireland, Australia, Singapore and Indonesia following a banking fraud perpetrated against HNW individual.
Education
- St. Catherine's College, Oxford, M.A., (Oxon), 2005
- Inns of Court School of Law, Bar Vocational Course, 2001
- St. Catherine's College, Oxford, B.A., with honours, 2000
Admissions
- England and Wales (recorder), 2020
- England and Wales (solicitor), 2011
- England and Wales (barrister), 2001
- “Christian Toms – highly focused, technically excellent partner with broad shoulders and an eye on the result at all times”
- “Exceptionally talented”
- “Particular experience in complex financial disputes arising from investment banking and funds work”
- “Extremely able and relentless”
- “Undaunted by highly complex international disputes”
- “Christian Toms is excellent. Totally across the issues and has the ability to identify the points that really matter”
- “Christian Toms is very calm and measured in the face of a difficult case”
- “Totally at home with complex, cross-border crypto fraud disputes”
The Legal 500 UK and Chambers UK testimonials include:
- Author, “Applying for an imaging order – checklist” and “Responding to an imaging order – checklist”, Lexis Nexis, May 2025.
- Contributing author, “The Law and Business of Litigation Funding”, Woodsford Litigation Funding, Bloomsbury, 2020 and 2024.
- Author, “Who Pays the Price of Authorised Push Payment Fraud?”, International Banker, 22 November 2023.
- Author, “Identity ‘Cat and mouse’ on the blockchain”, Fraud Intelligence, 22 March 2022.
- Author, "What exactly is an NFT", FT Advisor, 28 February 2022.
- Panellist, “Spotlight on Cyber Fraud: Inside the Latest Techniques for Combatting Systemic and Aggressive Cyber and Ransomware Campaigns”, ACI/C5’s Fraud, Asset Tracing & Recovery Conference, 15 January 2022.