Tim Matthewson

Civil fraud and asset recovery

Tim is ranked as a leading junior for civil fraud work.

Tim has particular expertise in disputes involving civil fraud and asset recovery. He has significant experience of seeking (and opposing) the various forms of interim relief that arise in civil fraud litigation, including freezing orders, proprietary injunctions, receivership orders, Norwich Pharmacal and Bankers Trust relief, and other disclosure orders.

Tim also has experience of bringing (and defending) the full range of civil fraud claims, including conspiracy, deceit, dishonest assistance, knowing receipt and breach of fiduciary duty through to trial.

His recent cases include:

• Acting for the Claimant company in Barrowfen Properties Limited v Patel [2025] EWCA Civ 39, in which the Court of Appeal determined issues of damages law. The appeal followed a 15-day trial in which Tim appeared for Barrowfen bringing a £5 million claim against a former director for dishonest breaches of duty and forgery of documents and against the company’s former solicitors for breach of fiduciary duty and negligence.
• Acting as sole counsel for the 9^th Defendant in Uflex Europe Limited v Sachdeva & others in which the Claimant company alleges that its former directors engaged in a fraud against the company including by causing the company to pay for services that were allegedly not required by or provided to it.
• Acting as sole counsel for the Claimant company in a fraud claim against the company’s former accountants and tax advisors. Tim obtained a freezing order and proprietary injunction in August 2024.
• Acting as sole counsel in Gordiy v Dorofejeva [2024] EWHC 1273 (Comm) to challenge jurisdiction on behalf of a Cayman Islands limited partnership in respect of alleged fraud claims arising out of the failure of a share purchase agreement.
• Acting for the 26^th – 29^th Defendants in The Public Institution for Social Security v Al Rajaan in relation to a US$874 million corruption claim by the body operating the State of Kuwait’s social security system in respect of alleged secret commissions paid over a 20-year period.
• Acting as sole counsel for the 6th Defendant in Unified Payroll Limited v Ncube, a claim by the liquidators of the Claimant company for an alleged tax fraud of in excess of £58 million.
• Acting for a number of victims of APP (authorised push payment) fraud.
• Acting to resist an application to discharge receivers appointed by way of equitable execution in JSC VTB Bank v Skurikhin [2021] 1 WLR 434, in complex enforcement proceedings relating to an offshore trust structure involving entities in Liechtenstein, the BVI and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

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Company law

Tim is frequently instructed in disputes involving company law issues, including shareholder disputes, allegations of breach of directors’ duties, unfairly prejudicial conduct, share purchase agreements and breach of warranty claims.

His recent cases include:

• Acting as sole counsel for the Claimant company in Cresta Estates Ltd v MPB Developments Ltd [2025] Costs LR 1003, in which Tim obtained a non-party costs order against the directors of a company who had caused the company to defend a winding up petition. The case also had an underlying unfair prejudice petition.
• Acting in Noal Scsp v Novalpina Capital LLP [2025] 1783 (Ch) in relation to a Chancery appeal concerning the applicable legal test for conversion of a members’ voluntary liquidation (MVL) into a creditors’ voluntary liquidation (CVL).
• Acting in a US$45 million claim for repudiatory breach of a share purchase agreement.
• Acting as sole counsel in Gordiy v Dorofejeva [2024] EWHC 1273 (Comm) in respect of alleged fraud claims arising out of the failure of a share purchase agreement.
• Acting in a claim for misrepresentation, breach of warranty and unlawful competition relating to a share purchase agreement.
• Acting as sole counsel defending a claim for breach of directors’ duties, dishonest assistance and knowing receipt.
• Acting as sole counsel for the Defendants in a claim for breach of duties as alleged shadow directors and/or de facto directors.
•  Acting in a shareholder dispute about the beneficial ownership of a company.

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Insolvency

Tim is ranked as a leading junior for insolvency work.

Tim has a diverse insolvency practice. He frequently acts for office holders, directors, creditors and insolvent companies.

His recent cases include:

• Acting as sole counsel for the Petitioners in Cresta Estates Limited v MPB Developments Limited [2025] EWHC 198 (Ch), which was a winding up petition based on loans of in excess of £57 million that only fell due for repayment on a future date (December 2029).
• Acting as sole counsel in the consequential application in Cresta Estates Ltd v MPB Developments Ltd [2025] Costs LR 1003, in which Tim obtained a non-party costs order against the directors who had caused the company to defend the winding up petition.
• Acting in Noal Scsp v Novalpina Capital LLP [2025] 1783 (Ch) in relation to a Chancery appeal concerning the applicable legal test for conversion of a members’ voluntary liquidation (MVL) into a creditors’ voluntary liquidation (CVL).
• Acting as sole counsel for an insolvency practitioner in relation to a challenge alleging that their remuneration and expenses are excessive.
• Acting for licensed insolvency practitioners in a challenge to an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) for material irregularity.
• Acting for a liquidator to bring misfeasance and wrongful trading claims.
• Acting as sole counsel for a creditor that paid a deposit of £2.6 million before its sub-contractor went into liquidation.
• Acting for administrators in relation to the approval of their fees.
• Acting for the Defendants in proceedings brought by the liquidators of a company alleging transfer at undervalue, breach of duties owed as de facto or shadow directors and the provision of negligent advice.
• Acting to defend claims brought by a trustee in bankruptcy alleging transfers at undervalue and a transaction in defraud of creditors.
• Acting on behalf of administrators to terminate an administration and seek ancillary relief.
• Acting in an application for an injunction to restrain the presentation of a winding up petition based on a claimed debt of £1 million.
• Appearing in applications under s.366 of the Insolvency Act.
• Acting on behalf of creditors to oppose an administration application.

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International arbitration

Tim acts in international arbitrations in commercial disputes.

Tim has acted in arbitrations under the LCIA and ICC Rules. His recent experience includes acting as sole counsel in both a range of interim applications and the final evidentiary hearing.

Tim is accustomed to working with teams in multiple jurisdictions.

Although the details are confidential, his recent cases include:

• Acting in a LCIA arbitration (ongoing) in relation to claims for alleged breach of a shareholders’ agreement.
• Acting in a LCIA arbitration (2022) relating to a luxury European hotel resort, including as sole counsel in:

(a) a 2-day interim measures application; and

(b) a 3-day preliminary issues hearing including jurisdictional challenges.

• Acting as sole counsel in an ICC arbitration (2022) relating to the exploration and exploitation of gas reserves in Cameroon.

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Professional liability

Tim acts in a range of professional liability disputes relating to solicitors, accountants, actuaries and professional trustees.

His recent cases include:

• Acting in a claim for in excess of £10 million for negligence and breach of fiduciary duty against a firm of solicitors in relation to their advice and representation in respect of a shareholders’ agreement.
• Acting in a £5 million claim against a firm of solicitors for acting in conflict of interest and providing negligent advice: Barrowfen Properties Limited v Patel [2021] EWHC 2055 (Ch).
• Advising about a negligence claim against a firm of solicitors relating to the drafting of the definitive deed and rules of an occupational pension scheme.
• Advising about a negligence claim against a firm of accountants.
• Acting in a professional liability claim against a corporate trustee arising out of its lending of trust monies.
• Acting in disciplinary proceedings brought against an actuary by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
• Acting to defend proceedings relating to the alleged provision of negligent advice to a company in the period before its entry into liquidation.

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