Jonathan Barham

Jonathan Barham 

Partner | Jersey

Insolvency and Corporate Disputes

  • Jonathan Barham . . . spots the key points in the case very quickly and is able to break a case open to his client’s advantage.
    Legal 500, 2024
  • Jonathan Barham has a fantastic eye for detail.
    Legal 500, 2023

Overview

Jonathan is a Partner and Head of the Insolvency and Corporate Disputes team in Jersey. He is a former English Solicitor, English Barrister and Jersey Advocate. He also sits as a Commissioner of Appeal for Tax.

He has more than 20 years’ experience of dealing with all aspects of commercial litigation, encompassing a broad range of business, corporate and insolvency disputes.   

He has regularly acted for well-known companies, shareholders and office holders, dealing with matters from inception through to trial as a solicitor and appearing before the English and Jersey courts on a broad range of interim applications, trials and appeals.

He has also represented clients in mediations and other non-court based dispute resolution processes.

"I pride myself on being a pragmatic litigator. I adopt a solution-focussed and commercial approach and am able to see the “bigger picture” both in the context of ongoing proceedings and the client’s wider objectives."

Experience

Jonathan has more than 20 years’ experience of dealing with all aspects of commercial litigation, encompassing a broad range of business, corporate, insolvency and trust disputes. 

Since moving to Jersey in 2020, Jonathan has been involved in a number of high value cross-border disputes, including:

  • Advising the directors of a group of Jersey companies in relation to a multi-million dispute between joint venture partners involving allegations of deceit, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. The case involved parallel proceedings in Jersey and England and insolvency processes in respect of certain of the companies.
  • Advising a Luxembourg-based Trustee in Bankruptcy in relation to an application to open parallel insolvency proceedings in Jersey related to one of the world’s largest serviced office providers. The proceedings made new law in relation to standing to commence creditors winding-up proceedings in Jersey.
  • Advising a MENA based private investment company in relation to ongoing proceedings in Jersey arising from a dispute with other investors and funders regarding a significant property development in central London, which is held through a Jersey structure.
  • Advising HNW and UHNW individuals in relation to potential private law claims against financial institutions arising out of informally frozen bank accounts and investments. 

Background

  • 2002: Barrister - England & Wales
  • 2006: Solicitor – England & Wales (non-practising)
  • 2023: Jersey Advocate

Memberships

  • Lincoln's Inn
  • Law Society of Jersey
  • INSOL International
  • Jersey International Legal Association

Business Assistant
Antony Mwanzia  
My services
Insolvency
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For financially distressed companies in need of restructuring and reorganisation, or for those where the opportunity to do so has passed or failed, we work to achieve the most beneficial outcome in these difficult situations. 

Currently working on some of the largest and most complex cross-border insolvencies in the jurisdiction, we frequently advise top law firms from the People’s Republic of China, the US, the UK and other jurisdictions. We are regularly briefed by Sovereign Wealth Funds and Fortune 500 Companies to advise on particular restructurings, as well as investment managers from Europe and the US.

At whatever stage we are engaged, our involvement will assist in identifying the ongoing risks facing a client and to enable that client to continue to identify and effectively manage deteriorating relationships with creditors, financiers, investors or other interested parties.

Restructuring
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Restructuring takes many forms, and we have broad experience in reshaping businesses to the changing needs and demands of the market. The team possesses a hands-on and comprehensive grasp of the intricate challenges that may emerge in restructuring scenarios, whether involving mergers, acquisitions, reorganisations or recapitalisation activities.

6 Dec 2024

Smith v Carey Olsen

Welcome to Collas Crill's first Channel Islands contract law update. Why do we need a Channel Islands specific contract law update? Well, let's start with a history lesson. Both Guernsey and Jersey have historically sent aspiring lawyers to the universit...

5 Dec 2024

Schools to battle it out in the final of the inaugural Jersey Collas Crill Moot

Students from Jersey College for Girls, De La Salle and Beaulieu will be battling it out in the Royal Court in the inaugural Collas Crill Jersey Moot final. Around 60 sixth form students from Hautlieu, De La Salle, Jersey College for Girls, Victoria Coll...

14 Oct 2024

Welcome to Jonathan Barham

Jonathan Barham has joined Collas Crill as a Partner in the Global Insolvency and Corporate Disputes team. With more than 20 years’ experience of dealing with all aspects of commercial litigation, encompassing a broad range of business, corporate, insolv...

3 Oct 2024

Inaugural Collas Crill Moot launches in Jersey

Sixth form students from around Jersey are being invited to take part the inaugural Collas Crill Moot. The Moot provides students from Hautlieu, De La Salle, Jersey College for Girls, Victoria College and Beaulieu with the chance to participate in a mock...

12 Aug 2024

Collas Crill explains... Désastre proceedings for a Jersey company

Updated guide coming soon We are currently updating this guide to reflect recent changes.

12 Aug 2024

Court-ordered creditors' winding up of a Jersey company

Jersey is a popular place to establish an asset-holding company. It is well-regulated, creditor-friendly, and the Companies Law is modern, flexible and modelled on English companies legislation.  But what happens when things go wrong and a company b...

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