Andrew is the lead Partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team in our Norwich office.
The team plays a central role in the firm’s region-wide litigation practice. Andrew’s core speciality is commercial disputes, for individuals and companies. He and the team deal with national, international and cross-border disputes, on a wide range of issues. Andrew’s particular experience includes company law (including shareholder and M&A disputes), partnership law (including, particularly, farming partnerships and other professional partnerships), professional negligence, property litigation and insolvency. He has dealt with many things, from an abandoned donkey in Suffolk, to a fraudulent trading case in Hong Kong.
Andrew originally qualified as a Barrister, before requalifying as a Solicitor Advocate (All Higher Courts) in England & Wales, and then as a Solicitor in Hong Kong – where he worked as a Partner in the Hong Kong office of HFW, a leading global law firm. While Andrew always endeavours to resolve a matter without having to resort to court proceedings, if possible, he therefore has considerable experience with court proceedings, and, indeed, arbitration.
Recent work highlights
Snarecroft Ltd v Quantum Securities Ltd [2018] EWHC 2071 (Ch) (Before HHJ Paul Matthews, arguing against Mark Warwick QC)
Determination as to whether use of a property as a boutique hotel contravened a “residential use” restriction in a long lease of a property.
Jackson v Feeney [2018] EWHC 1490 (Ch) (Before Mr Justice Norris, arguing against Paul Sinclair QC)
Successful in securing a suspension of an unless order, in the context of a freezing order that had been made in proceedings.
Luk Tsun Yin [2000] 4 HKC 774 [Hong Kong]
Annulment and rescission of a bankruptcy order that had been made against a teenager, who had, as the judge described it, “did his father’s bidding” in operating a margin account with a securities broker and dealer. (Mr Luk’s father had been a securities broker and dealer but had previously been made bankrupt in 1992, and his stockbroker licence had been revoked in 1993).
The case was “highly unusual”, and the judge agreed that the teenager “ought never to have been adjudicated bankrupt because the debt underlying the default judgment [was] disputed on bona fide grounds and there [were] good reasons for allowing him to apply to set aside the default judgment out of time”.
Experience & education
Andrew qualified as a Barrister in 1989. He was later admitted as a Solicitor in England & Wales in May 1993, and, in Hong Kong later that year. He now practices as a Solicitor Advocate (with rights of audience in all Higher Courts).
Andrew has practised as a Barrister at the Chancery Bar in London.
Andrew also worked for more than 15 years in Hong Kong, as a commercial litigation partner with Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW), an international City law firm based in London. Andrew joined Birketts in April 2021.
Insights
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legal updateQuincecare duties: the differing obligations of a bank to protect you against fraud
Andrew Kinnison15 Apr 202410 min read923 -
legal updateCross-border insolvency: petitioning on a foreign judgement
Multiple Authors15 Mar 20241 min read923 -
legal updateFailure to prevent fraud offence to be introducedAndrew Kinnison21 Aug 20232 min read923