Daniel Khoo
Call 2014
Instruct Daniel
To instruct Daniel please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7842 5555 or email [email protected].
Daniel specialises in heavy commercial litigation and arbitration and has particular experience of complex interlocutory hearings, including service out/jurisdiction challenges, freezing injunctions and anti-suit injunctions.
Daniel is ranked by the directories as a leading junior for Energy, IT and Telecoms and Construction disputes (Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 2025) and has a specialist practice in Cryptoassets (Tier 1, Legal 500). He is also regularly instructed in fraud cases, including for two defendant banks in the $1 billion Public Institution for Social Security proceedings (Lawyer Top 20 case). Many of his cases involve highly technical disputes involving complex expert evidence and sector-specific knowledge.
Daniel is recognised in both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500, where comments include:
- ‘excellent technical expertise… has the gravitas of someone of many years more call’ (Legal 500, 2025)
- ‘extremely commercial and pragmatic’ (Chambers & Partners, 2025)
- ‘A stellar junior who really stands out amongst his peers… extremely hard working and quick to pick up on the detail’ (Legal 500, 2024)
- ‘Extremely capable and punches well above his weight in terms of his call’ (Chambers & Partners, 2023)
- ‘A brilliant junior whose work is tireless… he is completely committed’ (Legal 500, 2023)
Energy and natural resources
‘A stellar junior who really stands out amongst his peers… extremely hard working and quick to pick up on the detail’ (Legal 500, 2024)
‘A brilliant junior whose work is tireless… he is completely committed’ (Legal 500, 2023)
Daniel is recommended as a leading junior (Tier 3) for energy work in Legal 500 2025. He has worked on both domestic and international disputes, often involving highly technical subject matter.
Recent cases include:
- Instructed by European state-affiliated energy company in relation to a substantial LNG project, with sums in dispute of over EUR 200 million (led by Marcos Dracos KC).
- Acting for Cameroonian energy company in anti-suit proceedings (and related arbitration proceedings): RSM Production Corporation v Gaz du Cameroun SA [2023] EWHC 2820 (Comm) (led by James Leabeater KC)
- Instructed (with Nigel Tozzi KC) in relation to a dispute concerning a Decommissioning Security Agreement in relation to a North Sea oil field.
- Instructed in a US $86 million LCIA arbitration on behalf of a state-owned energy company. The dispute related to an oil well decommissioning project in West Africa. Led by Sean O’Sullivan KC.
- Acting for a Chinese contractor in a claim relating to a $5.7 billion hydroelectric project in Africa (ICC arbitration, Paris seat). Led by Benjamin Pilling KC.
IT, software and project disputes
“his technical and procedural knowledge is excellent” (Legal 500, 2025)
Daniel is recommended as a leading junior (Tier 3) for IT and telecoms disputes. He is instructed in a wide range of technical IT, software and project disputes.
Recent cases include:
- Instructed by financial services start-up in licensing dispute: FD Technologies Plc v Inqdata Ltd [2025] EWHC 1677 (TCC).
- Acting for EE in injunction proceedings, led by Matthew Lavy KC: EE Ltd v Avanti Broadband Ltd [2025] EWHC 1160 (TCC).
- Acting for French multinational in £10m project dispute, led by Matthew Lavy KC: Capgemini UK PLC v Dassault Systemes UK Ltd [2024] EWHC 2728 (Comm).
- Instructed (with Alex Charlton KC and Jaani Riordan) by a technology disrupter against IBM in relation to a dispute involving allegations that IBM’s software had been unlawfully used, in a heavily contested anti-suit injunction: IBM v LzLabs GmbH [2022] EWHC 2094.
Construction and project disputes
“extremely commercial and pragmatic” (Chambers & Partners, 2025)
‘commercially savvy… quick to get to the heart of the problem’ (Chambers & Partners, 2024)
Daniel is recommended for construction work by Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2025 (Band 4). He is often instructed in technically complex claims involving expert evidence. He also has wide experience in building safety claims, including claims for BLOs and RCOs.
Recent cases include:
- Appearing for main contractor in multi-party, £24m building safety claim: London & Quadrant Housing Trust v WPHV Ltd & ors [2024] EWHC 1122 (TCC); [2024] EWHC 1121.
- Acting for HS2 in resisting injunction to stop tunnelling for the HS2 project: Affinity Water Ltd v High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd [2024] EWHC 687 (TCC) (led by James Leabeater KC).
- Instructed in a series of applications for Remediation Orders under the BSA 2022 for Railpen (the Railways Pension Scheme).
- Advising (with Sean Brannigan KC) a public body in relation to a £7 million dispute involving a large coastal defence project.
- Instructed in relation to a £3 million adjudication enforcement relating to defective fire doors across a London borough: Lewisham Homes Ltd v Breyer Group Plc [2021] EWHC 1290 (TCC), led by Sean Brannigan KC.
Cryptoasset and blockchain disputes
‘excellent technical expertise… has the gravitas of someone of many years more call’ (Legal 500, 2025)
‘really knows the crypto space well’ (Chambers & Partners, 2025)
‘has a handle on the technical aspects of a novel area of law’(Chambers & Partners, 2024)
‘Extremely capable and punches well above his weight in terms of his call’ (Chambers & Partners, 2023)
Daniel is one of a handful of barristers ranked by the legal directories for cryptocurrency disputes (Tier 1 Legal 500, Band 2 Chambers & Partners). He was junior counsel (led by Matthew Lavy KC) for the successful respondent in one of the first crypto freezing injunction cases: Toma v Murray [2020] EWHC 2295 (Ch).
Daniel acted for Roger Ver (‘Bitcoin Jesus’) in the Tulip Trading proceedings brought by Dr Craig Wright. The multi-billion dollar claim involved novel claims against software developers of different cryptocurrencies: Tulip Trading v Bitcoin Association For BSV & ors [2023] EWCA Civ 83, led by Alex Charlton KC. The proceedings were subsequently discontinued by Dr Wright.
Recent cases include:
- Acting (unled) for Celsius Network to obtain injunctive relief in relation to USD $60 million of Ethereum assets.
- Instructed by a payment services provider in relation to theft of c. £2.8 million in USDT.
- Instructed by a cryptoasset exchange in relation to c. £2m bitcoin theft claim where the exchange was named as a substantive defendant.
- Instructed by crypto foreign exchange provider in relation dispute over fx service using the XRP token.
Civil fraud and asset recovery
Daniel has wide experience of civil fraud disputes, including freezing and proprietary injunctions and jurisdiction challenges.
Recent experience includes:
- Instructed on behalf of multiple defendants in alleged US$ 400 million stock-backed lending fraud, including before the Court of Appeal in relation to discharge of a freezing and proprietary injunction. Led by Simon Davenport KC.
- Instructed (led by Thomas Grant KC) to obtain freezing and proprietary relief in relation to theft of HKD $164 million, including ancillary passport orders and port alert relief. Led by Thomas Grant KC.
- Successfully obtaining judgment (unled) in c. £1.5m claim by joint venture partners for deceit, unlawful means conspiracy and secret profits.
- Public Institution for Social Security v Al Rajaan and ors (Comm Ct): acting for two of the defendant banks in a large-scale fraud claim for US $1 billion (Lawyer Top 20 case). Led by Benjamin Pilling KC.
Commercial disputes
Daniel is instructed in a wide range of commercial disputes. Many of his cases involve heavy applications (such as freezing injunctions or jurisdiction challenges) and have a cross-border element.
Recent cases include:
- Acting in application for a stay pending resolution of foreign proceedings: Deinon Insurance Brokers LLC v Reen [2025] EWHC 1263 (Comm), led by David Peters KC.
- Successful application for summary judgment in EUR 3 million claim: Cohen & ors v RiverRock European Capital Partners LLP & Anor [2025] EWHC 845 (Comm), led by Jonathan Cohen KC.
- Acting for Cameroonian energy company in anti-suit injunction proceedings: RSM Production Corporation v Gaz du Cameroun SA [2023] EWHC 2820 (Comm), led by James Leabeater KC.
- Acting in dispute between sports betting data companies: IMG Data Ltd v Perform Content Services Ltd [2023] EWHC 3244 (Ch), led by Benjamin Pilling KC.
- Pakistan & ors v Broadsheet [2019] Bus LR 2753; [2019] EWHC 1832 (Comm): instructed by the successful defendant in a challenge under s. 68 Arbitration Act 1996 to a US $21 million arbitration award.
- EEEL v Vijay [2019] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 1; [2018] EWHC 2713 (Comm): acted for the successful claimant in a claim to enforce a EUR €20 million ICC arbitration award in a challenge under s. 103 Arbitration Act 1996.
Daniel Khoo speaking at Global Blockchain & Crypto Symposium – Wednesday 24th September
On Wednesday 24th September, Daniel Khoo will be speaking at the Global Blockchain & Crypto Symposium 2025. ...
Tulip Trading Limited v Wladimir van der Laan and ors [2023] EWCA Civ 83- Alex Charlton KC and Daniel Khoo
The Court of Appeal has upheld the appeal of Tulip Trading Limited in the highly publicised multi-billion dollar claim...
James Purchas and Daniel Khoo represent FCA in important CoA case clarifying FSMA s. 21 ‘Financial Conduct Authority v Skinner &...
The Court of Appeal handed down its judgment this morning in the case of Financial Conduct Authority v Skinner &...
James Purchas and Daniel Khoo successful for FCA in £3.6m unauthorised share scheme
On 6 May 2020 the High Court handed down judgment in The Financial Conduct Authority v Skinner and ors [2020]...
Instruct Daniel
To instruct Daniel please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7842 5524 or email [email protected].
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Call: +44 (0) 20 7842 5555
