Varun Zaiwalla

Varun Zaiwalla

Barrister
Barrister

Having previously worked as a journalist, Varun joined the English Bar in 2013. He spent eight years as an independent barrister in chambers at 1 Essex Court, Temple, before joining the family firm in 2021. As a barrister, Varun specialises in providing focussed advice on specific legal issues, drafting legal proceedings and appearing as an advocate in the High Court, appellate Courts, Tribunals and arbitrations.

Varun has a wide experience of advising and advocacy in international commercial, energy, banking, property, trust and probate matters.

Cases

  • Bank Mellat v HM Treasury and Bank Mellat v Council of the European Union (2015-2019) - Part of the Zaiwalla & Co team which successfully overturned international sanctions imposed against a private Iranian banks by both the UK Government and the European Union. These landmark cases were decided in the UK Supreme Court and the European Court of Justice. Also acted in Bank Mellat’s claim for damages against HM Treasury which was settled in 2019.
  • CJ & LK Perk Partnership v Royal Bank of Scotland [2020] EWHC 2563 (Comm) - Counsel to the claimants in a significant action relating to the sale of interest rate hedging products and alleged unlawful act conspiracies by the bank. Widely reported for its impact on the law in relation to costs, litigants in person and reflective loss.
  • Kazakhstan Kagazy Plc v Zhunus [2014] EWCA Civ 381 - Acted for a large Kazakh company in successfully resisting a challenge in the Court of Appeal to the granting of a £72m worldwide freezing injunction against two former shareholders. This case is now cited as a major authority on freezing orders, joint-liability and civil procedure.
  • Torr v Connor [2020] EWHC 293 (QB) - Sole counsel to the defendant at trial and at a successful appeal in a fraud claim brought against the director of a company, relating to the sale of a Ferrari 360 Spider sports car once owned by England footballer Ian Wright. The Judge at first instance found against the defendant but on appeal the Court was persuaded that the trial had been unfair and ordered a retrial.
  • Da Silva v Heselton [2018] EWHC 1181 (Ch) - Sole counsel to the respondent in a probate claim arising out of an estate in England and Wales, involving property in Dominica. The High Court determined matters relating to the removal of Personal Representatives, replacement of trustees and application of probate rules to international property.

Practice Experience

Specialist areas

  • Commercial litigation
  • Banking disputes
  • Commercial Property
  • Equity and Trusts

Languages

  • English
  • Conversational Spanish

Education

  • BPP Law School
  • BPTC – Very Competent
  • GDL – Commendation
  • University of Leeds - English Language and Literature
  • MA - Distinction
  • BA – First Class

Professional Memberships

London Maritime Arbitrators Association

  • Bar of England and Wales
  • Middle Temple
  • Chancery Bar Association
Back to Our People