Anna Hoffmann
Call 2018
Instruct Anna
To instruct Anna please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7842 5555 or email [email protected].
Anna is a sought-after advocate who is regularly instructed across a broad range of commercial and regulatory matters, including shipping, technology, climate and energy, insurance and financial services, sanctions law and public international law.
Anna has been ranked as a “Rising Star” for Shipping by The Legal 500 in both 2024 and 2025. She has significant experience in group actions and in securing injunctions. Much of her work is international, with extensive experience in arbitration (including enforcement) and successful appearances as sole counsel in mediations. A native German speaker, she is well-suited to work involving Germany, Switzerland, or Austria. Anna regularly entertains pro bono instructions and has been nominated as Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year in 2020, 2022 and 2024. A particular focus of her pro bono work has been the advancement of LGBTI+ rights in the Caribbean. Anna is a committee member of the Young Maritime Practitioners and the Young Members Group of the London Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Highlights of her work include:
- R (Miller) v Prime Minister [2019] UKSC 41 – Led by Lord Garnier KC in the “Prorogation Case” in the Supreme Court (Public Law / Judicial Review / Public International Law)
- London International Exhibition Centre v RSA [2023] EWHC 1481 and LIEC v Allianz [2024] EWCA Civ 1026 – Acted in both High Court and Court of Appeal in a Covid-19 business interruption insurance test case, led by Aidan Christie KC (Insurance)
- Shell v Greenpeace (2024) – Instructed as part of a counsel team led by Richard Lord KC in a high-profile dispute involving protest on the high seas, novel climate change issues, and jurisdictional challenges. It was widely covered in the media e.g. by the BBC (Shipping / Civil Liberties)
- ESG Litigation – Seconded part-time to Client Earth (2022) and Mishcon Purpose (2024), gaining experience in climate litigation and greenwashing disputes (conspiracy allegations and shareholder disputes). (ESG / Climate / Energy / Competition)
- Municipio de Mariana v BHP – Seconded to Pogust Goodhead during the launch of the UK’s largest ever class action. (Group Actions / Parent Company Liability)
- Kattina Anglin v Governor of the Cayman Islands & Colours Caribbean (Privy Council) – Appeared in March 2025, pro bono and led by Alex Potts KC, for LGBTQI+ charity Colours Caribbean. (Civil Liberties / Public International Law)
Before coming to the Bar, Anna worked for Homburger AG, a leading international commercial law firm in Zurich, Switzerland, where she focused on international arbitration. She has experience working in large teams and to tight deadlines. She is also familiar with working in different cultural contexts and adapts quickly. Anna lived and worked in Berlin while studying public policy and has roots and an interest in East Asia with a particular interest in the Chinese energy transition. She has won multiple mooting competitions and still often acts as a judge in the Philip C. Jessup mooting competition.
Overview of practice areas:
- Shipping and Shipbuilding
- Sanctions
- Technology and Data Protection
- Climate and Energy and ESG
- Construction
- Financial Services and Banking
- Insurance
- Professional Negligence
- Class/Group Actions and Corporate Accountability
- Public Law and Judicial Review
- Civil Liberties
- Public International Law
A version of Anna’s CV in Chinese can be found here.
Shipping & Shipbuilding
Anna has been ranked as a “Rising Star” for Shipping by The Legal 500 in both 2024 and 2025. Anna is regularly instructed, both as junior and sole counsel, in shipping disputes, often involving cutting-edge issues such as war and cyber risk. Her climate and energy law expertise makes her well-placed to advise on decarbonisation and regulatory developments affecting the sector. For example, she has advised on pollution, recycling, and waste-related matters as well as new IMO emission rules. Through her expertise in technology law, she is also well placed to act in matters concerning maritime cyber security. Anna spent five weeks in 2023 at Nordisk Defence Club in Oslo in Oslo, gaining hands-on experience with a variety of charterparty disputes. She has been a committee member of the Young Maritime Practitioners since 2022.
Featured Shipping & Shipbuilding cases
Led by Sean O’Sullivan KC in a number of cases, including a case resulting from a major chemical fire and three related cases concerning the sale of very valuable ships.
Led by Alexander Wright KC in a case concerning a vessel that was unable to leave Ukrainian waters for a prolonged period of time in 2022.
Led by Alexander Wright KC in an LMAA arbitration turning on the alleged presence of AGM.
Acted as sole counsel in an arbitration turning on the question of war risk premiums.
Advised on a contractual claim in relation to a shipwreck that was exhibited as an art installation as part of the Biennale.
Acted as sole counsel for the successful Sellers in an international arbitration (LME Rules) with a dispute (value of c. £2.5m) arising from a shipping contract. The focus of the case was on the contractual force majeure provision. Secured full costs.
Climate, ESG and Energy Disputes
Anna is establishing herself as a go-to person in this growing field and has gained much valuable experience during her part-time secondments to Client Earth (2022) and Mishcon Purpose (2024). Anna has expertise in shareholder litigation esp. where directors’ duties in relation to climate obligations are concerned and has worked on a number of greenwashing cases. She has provided advice to various environmental NGOs and is particularly interested in litigation arising from new ESG and supply chain regulation. She was instructed by Greenpeace in the first climate-change protest case on the high seas to come before the English Courts (Shell UK v Greenpeace UK et al).
Featured Climate, ESG and Energy Disputes cases
During her time with Client Earth, she assisted with ClientEarth v. Shell’s Board of Directors [2023] EWHC 1137 (Ch), FoE and Client Earth et al v BEIS [2022] EWHC 1841, Greenwashing cases involving a major Dutch Airline and a French Energy Company, Amicus curiae submission in Greenpeace Nordic and Others v Norway, Application no. 34068/21, focusing on the importance of environmental impact assessments.
Anna assisted Alexander Wright KC in securing payment for a global commodities trader in Commercial Court proceedings worth US$180m against a Venezuelan buyer of petroleum products under a series of sale and purchase contracts which raised potential sovereign immunity and sanctions defences.
Anna has advised on carbon credit exchange issues, ASA decisions and is particularly interested in corporate accountability for water pollution.
Shell UK v Greenpeace UK et al: Anna was part of the counsel team led by Richard Lord KC acting for Greenpeace UK, Greenpeace International and various activists.
Technology & Data Protection
Anna is regularly instructed in Chambers’ leading IT work, including drafting and advising on the delayed delivery and fitness for purpose of software. She is regularly instructed by a major producer of electric vehicles in relation to software disputes and also has expertise in the field of emerging AI regulation as well as data protection disputes.
Featured Technology & Data Protection cases
Acting with Thomas Crangle for a major logistics enterprise in a software delivery dispute including an allegation of fraud. Trial listed for 2026.
Acted with Terry Bergin KC and Matthew Lavy KC for a German software start-up in a major software dispute (4-week trial in the TCC) concerning delivery of visualisation software.
Acted as sole counsel for a web design company in a dispute that focused on delivery of an IT project, successfully securing payment for the delivered software.
Successfully defended a global fashion retailer against allegations of breaching their duties under the Data Protection Act.
Assisted in a reference to the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber) regarding the publication of the FCA decision notices pending determination of a reference.
Construction and other Commercial Disputes (often in relation to large infrastructure projects and involving jurisdictional issues)
Anna often advises and acts in high-value commercial disputes, both as a junior and as sole counsel. She has experience advising on complex contractual as well as jurisdictional issues and is often asked to advise and act in matters involving complicated and novel legal issues. Anna has experience with various injunctions, including anti-suit and freezing injunctions and experience in shareholder litigation and with the economic tort of conspiracy.
Featured Construction and other Commercial Disputes (often in relation to large infrastructure projects and involving jurisdictional issues) cases
Acted with Sean Brannigan KC for a large real estate developer in an urgent anti-suit injunction in the DIFC.
Instructed with Sean Brannigan KC and Matthew Thorne in a PFI dispute concerning PFP and structural defects in a large hospital.
Acted for a major car showroom in an adjudication under a JCT contract, ending a 10-year long dispute and securing a favourable outcome.
Instructed as sole counsel in an adjudication worth over £1million involving flooring defects.
Insurance
Anna has in-depth knowledge of The Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) Ltd and others [2021] UKSC 1 which continues to have major effects on insurance law and regularly provides advice in relation to this. She regularly contributes to the 4 Pump Court Insurance Law Blog.
Featured Insurance cases
Led by Aidan Christie KC in a further test case relating to business interruption Covid-19 cover at the relevant premises (ATP cover): London International Exhibition Centre Plc v Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Plc & Ors [2023] EWHC 1481 (Comm) LIEC v Allianz [2024] EWCA Civ 1026 – Acted in both High Court and Court of Appeal.
Successfully secured a strike-out in a case that applied the FCA Test Case’s findings on the meaning of damage and denial of access acting as sole counsel.
Advised a global insurer on the Covid-19 insurance FCA Test Case, conducting an extensive policy review exercise, attending the hearing and advising on potential business implications. Read Anna’s analysis of the case here.
Financial Services and Banking
Anna often acts in cases involving financial assets and/or regulatory questions.
Featured Financial Services and Banking cases
Acted for the successful Bank in James & James v HSBC, appearing as sole counsel at two hearings, each against a senior silk; Court of Appeal hearing listed for late 2025.
Secured a worldwide £100,000 freezing injunction in the High Court (solo);
Instructed by the FCA to advise on issues of legal and litigation privilege;
Assisted in an application for interim payments in a case brought by the FCA in respect of contraventions of sections 19 and 21 of FSMA.
Professional Negligence
Anna has acted in a number of successful professional negligence cases and provided advice in this area. Her cases have involved professional negligence allegations against surveyors, architects and solicitors. She has acted successfully in a number of cases defending solicitors against allegations of negligence.
Class Actions, Corporate Accountability
Through her work with Pogust Goodhead, Anna has gained familiarity with large class/group actions and parent company litigation. While seconded to PG, she worked on Municipality of Mariana & others v BHP, the largest class action ever filed in the UK, which involved difficult questions on jurisdiction within the Brussels recast regime and closely coordinated teamwork across multiple jurisdictions.
Public Law / Judicial Review
Anna has an academic background in Public and Public International Law and also accepts instructions in these areas. She was instructed with Lord Garnier KC on behalf of Sir John Major in the ‘Prorogation Case’: R (on the application of Miller) v The Prime Minister [2019] UKSC 41. In this case the Supreme Court held unanimously that the prorogation of Parliament in September 2019 had been unlawful, null and void.
She also takes on pro bono cases in this area and has successfully acted through Advocate in two successful judicial review challenges; in one she was led by Anthony Speaight KC.
While seconded to Client Earth, she assisted with the successful JR challenge of the Government’s Net Zero Strategy: FoE and Client Earth et al v BEIS [2022] EWHC 1841.
Sanctions
Anna has been involved in a series of significant cases involving Public International Law (e.g. Shell v Greenpeace (conspiracy, applicable law, UNCLOS, protest on high seas and climate change), Mariana (Brazil and parent company liability, strict liability for environmental harms), Anglin and Ferguson (interventions on LGBTQI+ rights in the Caribbean). Anna is often instructed in international cases that include both a commercial as well as a public dimension. She is particularly interested in the interplay between human rights and climate change and the obligations of states and private companies in this space.
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Instruct Anna
To instruct Anna please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7842 5523 or email [email protected].
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