Instruct Laurence

To instruct Laurence please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7842 5555 or email [email protected].

Laurence Page is a leading commercial and infrastructure barrister. He specialises in high value litigation and international arbitrations which raise complex economic, financial and technical issues.

He is recognised as a “tier 1” barrister by both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, with rankings in the fields of Commercial Litigation, Middle East (The English Bar: Commercial), Fraud: Civil, Construction and Professional Negligence. This year’s directories describe him as having “a phenomenal work rate and an unparalleled ability to turn complexity into simplicity at speed,” and as “a super advocate and a great team player.” He is praised as a “determined and thorough” advocate whose “grasp of the facts and the evidence is encyclopaedic.

Laurence has acted in some of the largest shareholder and fraud disputes of recent years in the Commercial Court and in the Middle East (including in the DIFC and QFC Courts). These include a multi-billion dollar shareholder arbitration relating to a company in Saudi Arabia, a multi-billion dollar banking fraud dispute concerning Danish withholding tax, and arbitrations concerning alleged frauds arising from conduct in the Cayman Islands, Hungary, Rwanda, Dubai, Qatar, Lebanon, Cyprus and the UK.

Much of Laurence’s work relates to emerging technologies. His experience encompasses new satellite technology, food delivery apps, direct-to-consumer optical services, horticultural lighting, dark kitchens and spread betting. His wider energy and infrastructure experience has included natural gas shipping contracts, bitumen import/exports, carbon capture & store, regasification, sea-wall defences, and (allegedly) the world’s largest privately-owned fish-tank.

Many cases raise technical economic issues. Laurence graduated from the London School of Economics with the highest mark ever awarded for an undergraduate thesis.

Laurence’s particular focus on disputes in the Middle East is such that his work takes him to the region most months.

 

Laurence is recognised as a Tier 1 barrister in his specialisms by both Chambers UK and Legal 500. He is recognised as a leading junior in Commercial Dispute Resolution, Commercial Litigation (Middle East), Commercial Litigation, Fraud (Civil), Construction and Professional Negligence.

“Laurence has a phenomenal work rate with an unparalleled ability to turn complexity into simplicity at speed. He gives a level of assurance beyond his years and is also great fun to work with. A real one-to-watch who is destined for big things at the Bar.” (Legal 500 – Construction)

A super advocate and a great team player.” (Chambers – Commercial Dispute Resolution)

Laurence Page is very creative and looks for a solution where often others will look for a problem. He is a great sounding board and is always willing to kick things around.” (Chambers – Commercial Dispute Resolution)

Laurence provides fast turnaround times and is very commercial.” (Chambers – Commercial Dispute Resolution)

Laurence is approachable and responsive.” (Legal 500 – Professional Negligence)

“He has very good attention to detail and he’s very good with clients.” (Chambers – Commercial Dispute Resolution)

“Laurence is disarmingly relaxed but totally on it and really sharp. He has a good manner in court and gets judges on side.” (Chambers – Commercial Dispute Resolution)

“He is very competent and engages really well with client teams and instructing lawyers. He provides great legal and commercially savvy support when acting as junior counsel and comes up with clear and concise solutions to issues.” (Chambers – Dispute Resolution (Middle East))

“Extremely commercially astute. He grasps the technical points very quickly, as well as the legal points.” (Legal 500 – construction)

“Very responsive, highly intelligent and great fun to work with. A legal polymath who seems to have an expert grip on many different areas of law.” (Legal 500 – Commercial Litigation)

“‘Knowledgeable, self-motivated, with excellent client relationship skills; a very good all-round senior junior in commercial and fraud matters.” (Legal 500 – civil fraud)

“Very pro-active, user-friendly, understands the legal framework in the UAE and the interplay between onshore and offshore regimes. He is very friendly and willing to attend preliminary meetings or provide preliminary advice, which is often well received by clients.” (Legal 500 – Middle East)

“Laurence is diligent, intelligent and I like that he gets on with things. He has excellent judgement and is very easy to work with.” (Chambers – Dispute Resolution (Middle East))

“Laurence is always available to assist on very urgent matters; he is available 24/7.” (Chambers Global – Commercial Dispute Resolution)

“His advocacy is incredible; he is pragmatic and he is thoughtful.” (Chambers Global – Commercial Dispute Resolution)

“Very hard-working, he is wonderful both with clients and solicitors. He takes responsibility and consistently delivers.” (Chambers Global)

“Laurence Page is a well-known London-based barrister who has a strong DIFC practice. He is regularly instructed on matters concerning allegations of white-collar fraud, and often assists with cases involving freezing injunctions and search orders.” (Chambers Global – Dispute Resolution (Middle East))

“Charismatic, commercially astute, very good with clients and solicitors, and extremely hard working.” (Legal 500)

“Very easy-going and calm, and has a good court presence. He is a pleasure to work alongside.”(Legal 500)

“Has an in depth grasp of the commercial realities, pressures and drivers that means he talks his client’s language and understands their needs in a way that is rare amongst the Bar.” (Legal 500)

“Bright, practical and invaluable on significant issues – he will become one of the DIFC regular go-to counsel in the next few years.” (Legal 500, EMEA)

“A good advocate who knows his cases inside out, works hard and is immensely likeable.” (Chambers UK)

“He is easy to work with and very approachable.” (Legal 500)

“A good advocate who knows his cases inside out, works hard and is immensely likeable.” (Chambers Global)

“His grasp of the facts and the evidence is encyclopaedic.” (Legal 500)

“He is very determined and thorough.” (Legal 500)

“An intelligent lawyer with a good grasp of the legal principles and how they are applied.” (Legal 500)

Laurence has particular expertise in obtaining and responding to applications for injunctive relief, in particular freezing orders, receivership orders, search orders, Norwich Pharmacal and Bankers Trust disclosure orders, and committal orders.

Many of his cases are conducted under foreign law. English law claims often include allegations of intentional misconduct (eg bribery, unlawful means conspiracy, dishonest assistance, inducing breach of contract).

Laurence frequently advises on jurisdictional and procedural matters, including challenges to privilege. He is also engaged to conduct depositions in support of foreign proceedings.

Featured Commercial Litigation and Arbitration cases


  • An LCIA Arbitration (2023) A £140 million dispute between litigation funder and claimant arising from R (PACCAR) v Competition Appeal Tribunal.

  • Skatteforvaltningen v Solo Capital Partners LLP and others [2023] UKSC 48 plus over twenty other reported decisions. Approximately £1.5 billion fraud dispute concerning Danish withholding tax. Acted for principal defendant at High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court level.

  • An LCIA Arbitration (2023). Alleged conspiracy by borrower of £25 million loans to developer of various sites in Budapest, Hungary.

  • Bank Audi LLC v Al Fardan Investment Company LLC and others [2022] QIC (F) 20. Investment scheme conducted by the Central Bank of Lebanon which the World Bank labelled as ‘Ponzi Finance’.

  • An LCIA Arbitration (2022). Shareholder dispute concerning ownership, control and operations of hotel in Rwanda.

  • A QICCA Arbitration (2022). Enforceability of bond call.

  • Heidrick & Struggle (Middle East) Limited v Morcos (CFI 003-2021). Enforceability of senior employee’s restrictive covenants

  • Cesfin Ventures and another v Al Ghaith Holding Company PJSC (ARB 017-2020).  USD 80 million enforcement dispute in English High Court and DIFC arising from New York arbitral proceedings.

  • Al-Jassim v Socii Synergy Investments LLC and others CFI 031/2019. Acting for Reed Smith LLP and company directors in DIFC claim concerning management of company during shareholder dispute.

  • Evans and another v PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP [2019] EWHC 2350 (Ch). Professional negligence claim concerning ‘round the world’ tax avoidance scheme.

  • Menico Financial Services Limited v Philippou and another (2018). Trial concerning various property assets and conduct in Greek-Cyprus. Per HHJ Parfitt “I agree with Mr Page that the Defendant’s claim owes more to Pulp Fiction than to reality.”

  • Stavrinides and others v Cyprus Popular Bank Public Co Ltd and another [2018] EWHC 313 (Ch). Alleged conspiracy to defraud Cypriot bank.

  • Commercial Bank of Dubai PSC v Totora LLC and others CFI 047/2017. DIFC banking claim and associated actions against guarantors, and referral to the Joint Judicial Committee.

  • Acting for Hong Kong trustees against a Greek bank in CHF20 million loan facility concerning an alleged event of default following without notice freezing injunction.

  • Dunley v Conran Holdings Limited (2017). Acting for former finance director of the Conran Group concerning rights granted under share option agreement.

Laurence’s economics background is a particular asset in his competition and securities’ action work. He studied Economics and Economic History at the London School of Economics, where he was awarded the highest mark in the department’s living memory for his undergraduate dissertation on regional real wage growth in Britain during the Industrial Revolution.

He is a committee member of the SCL’s Competition and Tech Group.

Featured Competition and Securities' Actions cases


  • Various institutional investors v FTSE 250 company (2023). Acting for claimants in section 90 and 90A FSMA claim against a listed gaming/gambling company.

  • Acting for claimants in significant CAT claim arising from Federal Trade Commission fines of a gaming company.

  • Acting for claimants in claim against alleged construction cartel.

  • Hungerstation LLC (2022-3). Acting for Saudi Arabia’s leading food delivery app in competition authority investigation.

  • Glencore plc (2023). Acting for sovereign wealth fund assessing potential section 90 FSMA claim with individual loss of over £100 million.

  • Various institutional investors v FTSE 250 company (2023). Acting for claimants in £160 million section 90 FSMA claim against a listed contracts-for-difference firm.

  • Steinhoff Investment Holdings NV (2021). Acting for sovereign wealth fund in claim arising from alleged accounting fraud and misleading statements to the market in South Africa and the Netherlands.

  • O3b Africa Limited v Interacting E Solutions DMCC (2018). Acting for claimant in £70 million dispute concerning supply of satellite mobile telephony and bandwidth services in northern Pakistan, and alleged usage by Taliban.

  • Phytolux Limited v Plessey Semiconductors Limited [2018] 7 WLUK 407. Acting for claimant at 3-week trial relating to license of horticultural lighting technologies.

Featured Construction and Engineering cases


  • Acting for contractor in QAR 800 million QICCA arbitration (with Sean Brannigan KC).

  • Durham County Council v MGH Card LLP and others. Acting for local authority in TCC litigation relating to the fire safety of Milburngate, a 450,000 sq ft development (with Claire Packman KC).

  • Global Aerospares Limited v Airest A/S.Acting for claimant in dispute concerning the supply of aircraft parts over a seven-year period. The parties’ contract contains an inchoate arbitration agreement and the respondent has refused to engage, such that an application is being issued to the High Court under s.18 of the Arbitration Act 1996.

  • Exyte Hargreaves Limited v NG Bailey Limited[2023] EWHC 94 (TCC) acting for contractor in adjudication enforcement proceedings arising from 11 adjudications issued within a one-month period.

  • Willmott Dixon Holdings Limited v Imtech Aqua Building Services. Acting for defendant in Part 8 claim concerning the right to adjudicate of an assignee.

  • An ICE Arbitration. Acting for employer in dispute arising from the construction of a harbour wall and a promenade on the north coast of Wales.

  • An engineering (M&E issues) Expert Determination. Acting for referring party arising from allegedly defective M&E works in a large care home/nursing home complex.

  • Axis M&E UK Ltd v Urbacon Trading & Contracting Limited.Acting for main contractor in dispute arising from redevelopment of two embassies into a residence at Princes’ Gate, London.

  • National Resources Body for Wales v HaskoningDHV UK Ltd.Acting for claimant employer in dispute arising from defective construction of sea defences in Friog Corner, a Welsh valley.

  • BDB Design and Build Limited v Tubular Erectors Design & Build Ltd and others. Acting for steel subcontractors (and principal defendant) in £16 million claim arising from collapse of five Audi garages.

Featured Energy cases


  • Three connected LCIA arbitrations (2023). Acting for oil trading company in dispute concerning the supply of allegedly defective liquified natural gas from Russia with a value of over 7 billion GBP.

  • UK Oil Pipelines Limited v (1) Fabricon (2) Eco-Drill (2022). Acting for second defendant in TCC claim concerning horizontal drilling of an oil pipe that caused significant damage to a marina owned by the Canal & River Trust.

  • Ad-hoc arbitration (2021). Acting for clean coal electricity producer in dispute concerning supply of raw materials.

Members of 4 Pump Court attend Riyadh International Disputes Week

Sean Brannigan KC, Lynne McCafferty KC, Ben Pilling KC, George Woods, Laurence Page and Richard Sumarno will be in...

Chambers and Partners Global Guide 2024

Chambers and Partners Global Guide 2024 has been released which ranks the top global legal professionals in over 200...

IBA Conference Paris 2023

Alex Potts KC, Laurence Page and Rebecca Keating will be attending the IBA Conference in Paris between 29 October-...

Laurence Page to appear in The Supreme Court- Skatteforvaltningen v Sanjay Shah and others

On the 5th and 6th July, Laurence Page will be in The Supreme Court as part of the counsel team for the appellants in...

Instruct Laurence

To instruct Laurence please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7842 5555 or email [email protected].

  • Part II of the DIFC Courts’ Register of Legal Practitioners
  • London School of Economics, BSc
  • King’s College London, MA
  • College of Law, LLB

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