Liam McNeely

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Liam is a well-respected commercial litigation and international arbitration specialist with extensive international and local market experience.

Liam is a senior associate in Bell Gully's industry-leading litigation team. He has widespread experience advising on high value and complex international commercial arbitration, shareholder disputes, civil fraud claims and contentious trust matters. Liam regularly advises on both the Claimant and Defendant side.

Liam returned to Bell Gully in 2021, following five years at a top boutique litigation and international arbitration firm in London.

In The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2021, Liam is ranked as an “Other Key Lawyer" for International Arbitration, Commercial Litigation and Financial Services: Contentious & Regulatory. Clients noted that Liam “is really clever, completely on top of the law and very commercial", “technically proficient … available and very easy to deal with" and “a true brain and highly practical".

During his previous tenure at Bell Gully, Liam advised on a range of contentious and non-contentious insurance, insolvency and general commercial dispute matters.

Work highlights

UNCITRAL Arbitration: shareholder' dispute in the mining sector (US$520 million)
Acting for and advising a (majority) state-owned foreign investment company in defending a complex international commercial arbitration concerning a shareholders' dispute over the propriety of a US$ 520 million financial transaction.

English High Court proceedings regarding structured investment products
Acting for a fund manager in relation to significant Commercial Court proceedings concerning the fees paid on certain investments of Libyan government funds into complex structured financial products. The claim concerned allegations of dishonest assistance, bribery and conspiracy and concluded with a three-week trial in the Commercial Court.

UNCITRAL Arbitration and subsequent challenge before the English High Court (US$2 billion)
Advising a listed overseas commodities and investment company in relation to a high value international shareholders' dispute and derivative action. The case concerned allegations of misappropriation relating to over US$2 billion of historical transfers to a related party across a period of several years. Liam also acted and advised on the subsequent challenge to the Tribunal's decision under s. 68 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (UK).

Worldwide freezing order
Acting for and advising an individual client in relation to seeking to have set aside or varied a worldwide freezing order obtained against their global assets. The case concerned complicated and important legal issues with regards to the scope of the Court's jurisdiction to include non-defendant overseas companies (and/or their assets), which are wholly-owned by a judgment debtor, within the ambit of a worldwide freezing order.

Liquidator's misfeasance claim (US$240 million claim)
Acting for two former directors of an insolvent English company that was part of a worldwide corporate group which manufactured and sold products sporting a globally recognised brand and household name. The company's liquidators issued misfeasance proceedings seeking in excess of US$240 million from the former directors. The case settled on confidential terms.

Shareholder dispute – UK Plc
Acting for an overseas company which owns the majority shareholding of an English PLC and successfully defeating a minority shareholders' claim for the majority shareholder's shares to be deleted from the Share Register. The decision from the Chancery Court trial of these proceedings is reported in the Business Law Reports.

Professional negligence claim for UK Plc
Advising a UK PLC in relation to a seven-figure claim against its insurance broker for professional negligence in placing a Property Damage and Business Interruption insurance policy.

Southern Response Earthquake Services
Represented and advised Southern Response Earthquake Services on a large number of property insurance claims resulting from the Christchurch Earthquakes.

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