George Hayman
Call 1998
[email protected]
George is recommended in the Legal 500 as a leading junior for Civil Fraud disputes and Media, Entertainment and Sports
law, and in Chambers UK for Civil Fraud and Commercial Chancery. His practice covers business agreements and heavy
fraud and contract disputes of all kinds (often involving a major international element), asset tracing, property disputes, and
insolvency. He has extensive advocacy experience in the Commercial Court, Chancery and Queen’s Bench Divisions of the
High Court, and has appeared on numerous occasions in the Court of Appeal. He has also been called to the Bar of the
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (BVI) and appears in litigation there. George has recently acted in some of the most
high-profile fraud disputes in the Commercial Court.
For the last decade, George has consistently been recognised in the Legal 500 for his niche work acting for clients in the
music, film and sports sectors.
Before coming to the Bar, George read law at Downing College, Cambridge and was a working scholar of the accountancy
and consultancy firm Arthur Andersen LLP. During Bar School he was awarded the Harmsworth Scholarship by Middle
Temple.
Areas of Practice
Civil Fraud
Libyan Investment Authority v Societe Generale and Others [2016-2017]: acting for the Fifth Defendant in claims brought by
the LIA to set aside $1.5 billion of structured investments with SocGen on the basis that they formed part of a corrupt scheme
involving the alleged bribery of Libyan officials.
Tatneft v Bogolyubov and Others [2016]: $380m fraud claim by a Russian state oil company against four Ukrainian oligarchs.
Latvijas Krajbanka v. Vladimir Antonov [2016]: representing the claimant Bank in this £70 million fraud claim. Involved in all
interim proceedings to date: worldwide freezing order, search order, a series of Norwich Pharmacal orders, and
cross-examination order.
Archer Daniels Midland v. Akhras [2015]: Representing a Syrian national on his successful application to discharge a
committal order and commute a one-year sentence of imprisonment in relation to findings of breaches of a worldwide freezing
injunction.
JSC BTA Bank v Ablyazov [2011-2015]: representing the principal defendants since 2011 in this major international
commercial dispute in relation to the affairs of a Kazakhstan bank. Particular involvement in committal proceedings, injunctive
relief, summary judgment applications and appeals in the Commercial Court, Chancery Division, Court of Appeal and in the
Supreme Court of the Eastern Caribbean (BVI).
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Cadogan Petroleum v Tolley: acting for the lead defendant in Cadogan’s claim arising out of alleged bribery in relation to the
procurement of valuable gas plant supply contracts.
Bleasdale v Forster: representing the claimant in a fraudulent misrepresentation claim arising out of the sale of a medical
equipment business.
Commercial disputes
Loughridge v. Financial Times: acting for the Claimant in a £25m contractual claim by an internet television company against
the Financial Times in relation to the online presentation of television and conference content.
Forstater v Dweck: acting in a liability trial, assessment of damages, two appeals, and non-party costs order application
arising out of a breach of a commission agreement.
Lyreco v Office Depot and Ors: acting in numerous interim injunction applications, in particular restraining the misuse of
confidential information and trade secrets in the highly competitive office stationery sector.
Safeguard v Manttan and Ors: a six week trial in the Technology and Construction Court of a breach of warranty claim arising
out of the sale of a business providing security glazing.
Insolvency
BERR v Sullman: acting for the Secretary of State in an application for the disqualification of directors of Claims Direct, the
personal injury claims management business.
Re a Company: acting against a football league club in an application for an injunction to restrain presentation of a winding up
petition.
Media and Entertainment Law
West v Fuller, Smith & Turner Ltd: trial and appeal of a trade mark infringement and validity action in respect of the famous
“ESB” beer brand.
R v Johnstone: representing the Crown in the Supreme Court in relation to the operation of criminal trade mark infringement
sanctions.
Phonographic Performance Limited v Planet Ice: acting for PPL in obtaining injunctions restraining the playing of sound
recordings in public.
Performing Right Society v Forrester: representing PRS in committal applications arising out breaches of an injunction to
restrain the playing of musical works in public
Brown v Really Useful Group: acting for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group in a claim based in contract,
infringement of copyright and design right.
MTV v Gizmondo: acting for MTV in its dispute over a $2 million sponsorship deal for the promotion of the Gizmondo
hand-held device.
Sports Law
National Sporting Club v Professional Cricketers’ Association: acting for the PCA in a trial concerning the England Cricket
Team’s attendance at spin off events during the Ashes tour.
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Affinity v Federation of International Cricketing Associations: representing FICA in a dispute over a joint venture agreement for
the worldwide promotion of the interests of test playing nations.
Whitgrove v Doyle: representing a syndicate of racehorse owners in a dispute over a joint venture agreement with their
racehorse trainer.
Notable Cases
Tatneft v Bogolyubov [2016] EWHC 2816
AS Latvijas Krajbanka (in liquidation) v Antonov [2016] EWHC 1679 (Comm)
AS Latvijas Krajbanka (in liquidation) v Antonov [2016] EWHC 1262 (Comm)
Libyan Investment Authority v Societe Generale SA [2016] EWHC 375
Loughridge v Financial Times Ltd (2013)
JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov (July 2013)
JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov (2013)
JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov (6 November 2012)
JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov & Ors (1 November 2012)
JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov (September 2012)
JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov & 6 Ors (29 February 2012)
JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov (16 February 2012)
Mukhtar Ablyazov v JSC BTA Bank (28 November 2011)
JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov & Ors (7 October 2011)
JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov (June 2011)
Kathleen Bleasdale & John Cariss v Deborah Forster (2011)
Leslie Dweck v Mark Forstater & Ors (2010)
Secretary of State for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform v Sullman & Poole (2008)
National Sporting Club Ltd v PCA Management Ltd (2006)
Colin Dawson Windows Ltd v (1) King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council (2) Winifred Howard (2005)
Phonographic Performance Ltd v Planet Ice Ltd (2004)
David West (T/A Eastenders) v Fuller Smith & Turner Plc (2003)
R v Robert Alexander Johnstone & Ors (2003)
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Memberships
Chancery Bar Association, COMBAR, Intellectual Property Bar Association
Qualifications
MA (Cantab)
Recommendations
Chambers UK
Chancery: Commercial
"He's been absolutely brilliant - we always get very solid and dependable advice."
"He is fantastic and very commercial, and he really looks for ways to achieve the desired result for the client." (2017)
"Puts in a hell of a lot of work and is extremely good on the detail." "He's very helpful and is effective with the client as
he can deliver very firm messages." (2016)
"An accomplished litigator" "He is an incredibly hard-working chap, and a real team player, who turns papers around
extremely quickly." "He is able to build a very good rapport with clients and will give them direct and firm advice." (2015)
"He is a real star of the future. His attention to detail and marshalling of the facts in a case are absolutely first-rate."
(2014)
Chambers UK
Fraud: Civil
"You can trust his judgement. When George says 'I know you'll be angry but don't do this' I listen." (2017)
"He's courageous when fighting the client's corner." "He is fantastically enthusiastic even when he has to handle
massive cases at short notice." (2016)
"He's probably one of the best barristers I've ever worked with in terms of being so easy to deal with and being part of
our team. It really sets him apart." "Always helpful in the face of adversity. Very good on his feet, courageous and
willing to stand up and fight his client's corner." (2015)
"An impressive track record of involvement in large-scale fraud cases." "His attention to detail and mastering of the
facts are absolutely first rate." "He's incredibly hard-working and very astute." (2014)
Legal 500 UK
Fraud: Civil
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"An excellent man to have on the team when working at the coalface of injunctions." (2016)
"An outstanding senior junior – he knows his freezing orders inside out." (2015)
"He is full of ideas, and knows what will impress a judge." (2014)
“Always enthusiastic” (2013)
"Is a name to note" (2012)
Legal 500 UK
Media, Entertainment & Sports Law
"Adept at handling copyright disputes and infringement claims." (2016)
"Notable experience in music, entertainment and sport cases." (2015)
"He has a good understanding of the music and film sectors." (2014)
"Recommended" (2013)
"Very good at assimilating the key information in a short space of time." (2012)
"Proactive and bright." (2011)
"Increasingly well-reputed"; “will go far.” (2010)
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