Scope of Practice
- Arbitration
- Banking and Financial Services
- Inheritance
- Commercial Litigation
- Company and Insolvency
- Competition and EU law
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Injunctive relief
- Sale of Goods and Supply of Goods and Services
- Jurisdiction and Conflict of Laws
- Professional Liability
Practice Summary
Nelson Galvan practices across the broad range of commercial law, litigation, inheritance law and international commercial arbitration. He combines a busy and diverse commercial practice dealing with all the major issues of the day, with expertise in Energy Law and particularly Corporate Insolvency Law. Nelson was previously called to the Irish Bar (1996) and is a member of the Law Library in Dublin. Awarded Commercial Litigation of the Year at the 2013 Chambers Bar Awards, Nelson Galvan is recommended by both Chambers UK and the L500 for Commercial Dispute Resolution, and in the L500 for Banking & Finance. His practice covers the full range of domestic and international commercial litigation and arbitration, with an emphasis on civil fraud, inheritance claims and banking, and finance matters.
Recommended by Chambers UK (Commercial Dispute Resolution and Energy & Natural Resources):
"Utterly tenacious and a joy to work with, particularly on cross-border disputes." "The points he makes are very good, and he gets judges on side." (Chambers UK 2018 - Commercial Dispute Resolution)
"Extremely diligent, he offers first-class legal analysis." "Utterly tenacious and a joy to work with, particularly on cross-border disputes." (Chambers UK 2017 - Commercial Dispute Resolution)
Nelson enters the full rankings this year following his taking of silk in 2014. "Clients simply love Nelson. A smooth and forceful advocate, who is brilliantly clever and a great team player"."Extremely diligent and someone with first-class legal analysis". (Chambers UK 2016)
“Nelson Galvan’s energy work covers litigation, arbitration, and expert determination. He ‘adds real value to the client’s case. He is thoroughness personified and is always alive to the commercial angles of any dispute.” (Chambers UK – Energy & Natural Resources)
“Nelson Galvan has a 'real strength of conviction, which he supports with wonderfully considered legal argument.’” (L500 – International Arbitration)
“Nelson has recently acted for the defendant in Canyon Offshore v GDF Suez [2014] EWHC 3810 (Comm) & [2015] BUS.L.R 578, an important decision concerning the jurisdiction of the English courts in contractual matters. The case is on appeal.
Nelson acts for the defendants in Ipsos -v- Aegis, a £200 million claim for damages for fraud and breach of warranty following a share purchase. Nelson has appeared in applications striking out large parts of the claim [2015]EWHC 117 (Comm) and [2015] EWHC 1726 (Comm).
Nelson acted in the long-running dispute concerning control of the Connaught, Berkeley, and Claridge's hotels: Re Coroin [2014] BCC 14 and Misland v McKillen [2014] EWHC 3859 (Ch). More recently this has involved challenges to the jurisdiction of the English court to deal with further disputes concerning control of the hotels.
Nelson also acted for the Inheritance claimant in Habib Bank v Central Bank of Sudan [2014] EWHC 2288 (Comm) and obtained a judgment for US$150m.
Nelson also acted for the claimant in Primary Insurance v RBS [2014] RPC 26, an important decision concerning banking confidentiality, and the liability of third parties for breach of confidence.
Nelson continues to act for the claimant in Swallowfalls v Monaco Yachting and Technology [2014] 2 Lloyds LR 50 (CA), [2013] EWHC 236 (Comm) and [2015] EWHC 2013 (Comm). The dispute concerns the interpretation of a loan agreement and the relationship between conflicting dispute resolution procedures under a construction contract and a loan agreement.
Nelson has also developed an expertise in dealing with disputes under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 as part of his pro bono practice, representing and advising individuals sued by bankruptcy annulment lenders. Consolidated Finance v McCluskey [2012] EWCA Civ 1325.
Nelson appeared as sole counsel for the appellant in ParkingEye v. Somerfield [2013] QB 840. The Court of Appeal expressly applied for the first time the concept of proportionality in determining whether the defence of illegality should apply to a claim for breach of contract.
Nelson appeared in RTS Flexible Systems Ltd v. Molkerei Alois Muller GmbH & Co [2010] 1 WLR 753, the first contract case in the Supreme Court, restating the principles for contract formation. He appeared as sole counsel at first instance in Macquarie International Investments Ltd v. Glencore [2009] EWHC 2267 Command subsequently with Ian Glick QC before the Court of Appeal ([2010] 1 CLC 1035), now the leading case on warranties on company accounts. More recently, he is engaged in disputes relating to jurisdiction; breach of warranty in the context of the sale of online casino interests; alleged fraud in the context of high level employment; charges and exchange rates applied to financial spread betting; s127 Insolvency Act 1986 proceedings; Offset Retirement Agreements concerning Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) and Verified Emission Reductions (VERs); and variously concerning licence requirements and accreditation under the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme.
Nelson has experience in the High Court both at first instance and at the appellate level, including in the Criminal Court of Appeal, the Privy Council and Supreme Court. He has also had involvement in numerous international commercial arbitrations governed by a variety of rules, in FSA disciplinary proceedings and an expert determination.