Called in 2019
Jonathan has a broad commercial and civil practice encompassing commercial and company disputes, civil fraud, insolvency, property litigation, international and offshore matters, and sports law. He combines experience of substantial and procedurally complex litigation, frequently involving cross-border issues, with a busy advocacy practice in the County Court and High Court. He is also a CEDR-accredited and CMC-registered mediator.
Before joining Chambers, Jonathan held a senior role in a UK-based commercial property investment business with an international trading operation, with responsibility for strategic decisions, commercial negotiations and the management of business interests. This informs his approach to practice, giving him first-hand insight into how businesses assess risk, protect assets and weigh the financial and practical implications of litigation.
Jonathan also gained substantial experience within a combined barristers’ and solicitors’ practice, assisting with legal analysis, strategic case preparation and the development of written and oral submissions in complex commercial and civil proceedings throughout England and Wales, including landmark international litigation.
His international practice also draws on commercial litigation and Caribbean and offshore work at one of Canada’s leading law firms, alongside serving as a judicial assistant at the Ontario Court of Appeal. He was chosen for this highly prestigious opportunity by a distinguished panel of trustees drawn from the judiciary and legal profession that included Lord Justice Leggatt. Jonathan remains regularly involved in commercial, administrative and constitutional proceedings across the Caribbean.
Jonathan has also held academic appointments at several universities, with a particular teaching interest in alternative dispute resolution. He has delivered guest lectures at the University of St Andrews, where he serves on the advisory panel of an international think tank. Earlier studies in the University’s School of International Relations inform his understanding of the wider political, institutional, and economic context in which disputes arise.
Practice Overview
Commercial and Company Disputes
Jonathan undertakes commercial litigation and advisory work for businesses, companies, shareholders and private individuals. His experience encompasses contractual disputes, shareholder and partnership disagreements, breaches of directors’ duties, civil fraud, professional negligence and contentious trust matters.
He has supported senior counsel in substantial domestic and international litigation, including complex fraud and asset recovery proceedings. His work encompasses evidential analysis, pleadings, research and written advice, together with the development of litigation and settlement strategies. He brings experience of assessing procedural options, regulatory exposure and the commercial implications of pursuing or resolving a claim.
He accepts instructions across the full course of proceedings, from early advice and the preparation of pleadings to interim applications, settlement negotiations and trial advocacy.
Property Litigation
Property litigation forms an important and developing part of Jonathan’s practice, supported by his commercial experience in property investment and management. He combines legal analysis with first-hand commercial insight to advise clients on risk, protect their property interests and pursue practical, cost-effective outcomes through negotiation and robust advocacy.
He accepts instructions in commercial and residential matters, including landlord and tenant disputes, lease renewals and the interpretation of lease terms, forfeiture and relief from forfeiture, rent arrears, debt recovery and enforcement, dilapidations and repairing obligations, and possession proceedings. His work also encompasses easements, rights of way and boundaries, breaches of covenant and contracts concerning land, property injunctions, the enforcement of settlement agreements, and property disputes arising in insolvency and company proceedings.
His advocacy experience includes frequent appearances in mortgage and landlord and tenant possession proceedings, alongside contested applications and substantive hearings. Jonathan is available to advise at an early stage, draft pleadings and applications, and appear in the County Court and High Court.
Insolvency and Restructuring
Jonathan has experience in corporate and personal insolvency, including winding-up and bankruptcy petitions, statutory demands, debt recovery, contested applications and associated procedural matters.
He has a particular interest in disputes at the intersection of insolvency and commercial divorce, including claims involving directors, creditors and contractual liabilities, as well as the recovery or protection of assets. His work has included supporting advice on restructuring, litigation strategy and alternative dispute resolution, with a commercial focus on managing financial risk, preserving value and resolving the breakdown of business relationships.
He accepts instructions for urgent applications and short-notice hearings, as well as routine insolvency matters and substantial proceedings requiring detailed preparation and written advice.
International and Offshore
Jonathan’s international work spans commercial litigation, corporate disputes and contentious trusts, drawing on his experience in Canada and his continuing involvement in offshore proceedings across the Caribbean.
His work includes administrative law challenges, judicial review and constitutional litigation, alongside disputes involving multiple jurisdictions, corporate structures and cross-border commercial relationships. He works with Kings Counsel on matters requiring detailed research, strategic analysis and coordination across differing legal systems.
His background in international relations and policy brings strategic insight to disputes involving public institutions, regulatory frameworks and sovereign interests.
Sports Law and Investigations
Jonathan has a particular interest in sports law, governance and regulatory investigations. At specialist sports law firm Northridge, which acted for The Football Association in connection with the landmark Sheldon Review into historical child sexual abuse in football, he assisted leading counsel. He also contributed to the Independent Review of Integrity in Tennis.
This work involved sensitive investigations and the governance and regulatory responsibilities of sporting organisations, including the analysis of extensive documentary and witness evidence. His time in Canada broadened this experience to encompass commercial and governance matters involving sporting bodies, clubs, athletes, businesses and the owners and operators of sports facilities.
He is particularly interested in how contracts and regulation shape the business of professional sport, from managing commercial relationships and resolving disputes to advising on compliance and organisational governance.
Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Jonathan is a CEDR-accredited and CMC-registered mediator and sits on the panel of the London Chamber of Mediation and Arbitration. His mediation practice encompasses commercial, shareholder, workplace and professional negligence disputes, including disagreements arising from ongoing business relationships.
His litigation experience informs a practical understanding of when mediation and other settlement options can best advance a client’s case. As a mediator, he brings a measured, constructive and commercially focused approach, helping parties assess risk, identify common ground and reach workable agreements that protect business value and reflect their wider priorities.