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Martin Moore QC

Called: 1982

Silk: 2002

 

Profile

Martin concerns himself with company law litigation and advice, corporate finance, financial services, insolvency, corporate reorganisations and insurance company schemes. Martin has experience of litigation relating to all aspects of company law ranging from petitions under section 459 of the Companies Act, breaches of fiduciary duty and issues arising in insolvencies. Martin has acted in many corporate and capital reorganisations and transactions. Advisory work has a particular emphasis upon transactional work; the non-contentious litigation is centred on capital reductions, schemes of arrangement and schemes for the transfer of long-term business between life assurance companies.

Education

Winchester College 1973-1977; Lincoln College, Oxford 1978-1981.

Called to the bar: 1982 Lincoln's Inn

Practice: Joined Erskine Chambers in 1983

Description of Practice

Martin’s work has continued to be a mix of transactional and litigious matters, and in each case a mixture of advisory and Court work.

Martin has advised and appeared for (amongst others):

• Resolution plc on (1) the proposed merger with Friends Provident plc and (2) its proposed acquisition by Pearl Group Ltd.
• Invesco plc on its migration to Bermuda.
• The Trustees of the Boots Pension Funds on the acquisition of Boots Alliance plc.
• Tata Steel on the acquisition of Corus Group plc.
• Apollo funds acquisition of Countrywide plc.
• The mergers of both Barrett Developments plc with Wilson Bowder plc and Taylor Woodrow plc with George Wimpey plc.
• GUS plc on its demerger of the Experian Group.
• The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company on its acquisition by DP World.
• Banco Santander on its takeover of Abbey National Plc.

Martin has also advised upon a very large number of corporate transactions. He advised companies and individuals on all aspects of company law from potential acquisitions, financial assistance, insider dealing and market abuse to the conduct of general meetings. He has given expert evidence of English Company Law in proceedings in the United States.

Martin has continued to play a leading part in applying and clarifying the Court’s jurisdiction under Part VII of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 in relation to the transfer of banking business and insurance business (both general and long-term).

He has advised and appeared on:

• The transfer of the with profit and non-profit annuity businesses of the Equitable Life Asurance Society to, respectively, the Prudential and Canada Life.
• The transfer of the deposit taking and mortgage lending business of Cheltenham & Gloucester plc to Lloyds TSB plc.
• The transfer of the deposit taking and mortgage lending business of Bristol & West plc to the Bank of Ireland.
• The transfer out of Society of Lloyds of the business of Highway Insurance:
• The transfer of all Swiss Re’s United Kingdom business to a Luxembourg entity and the creation of a UK registered Societas Europaea, believed to be a first.
• The transfer of all the United Kingdom custodian and corporate trust business of J.P. Morgan to the Bank of New York.
• The Resolution Life group of companies’ reorganisation of their long-term insurance business.

Martin has also given talks on company law and financial services to conferences and to solicitors.

Martin continues to be highly recommended in his practice areas in The Legal 500 and in Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession.

Professional Organisations:

COMBAR; Chancery Bar Association; South Eastern Circuit; Insolvency Lawyers' Association.

Case List

• The Equitable Life Assurance Society
  Ref: [2007] EWHC 3128 (Ch)
• The Equitable Life Assurance Society
  Ref: [2007] EWHC 229 (Ch)
• Sompo Japan Insurance Inc
  Ref: [2007] EWHC 146 (Ch)
• Alba Life Limited
  Ref: [2006] EWHC 3507 (Ch)
• British Engine Insurance Ltd
  Ref: [2006] Richards J. October
• Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
  Ref: [2006] EWCA civ 432
• Abbey National plc
  Ref: [2005] 2 BCLC I5
• Telewest Communications plc (No. 2)
  Ref: [2005] 1 BCLC 772
• Telewest Communications plc (No. 1)
  Ref: [2005] 1 BCLC 752
• Might S A v. Redbus Interhouse plc
  Ref: [2004] 2 BCLC 449
• Wasa International (UK) Insurance Co Ltd
  Ref: [2003] 1 BCLC 668
• The Equitable Life Assurance Society
  Ref: [2002] 2 BCLC 510
• AXA Equity & Law Life Assurance Society plc
  Ref: [2001] 2 BCLC 447
• Re BSB Holdings Ltd (No. 2)
  Ref: [1996] 1 BCLC 155
• Possfund Custodian Trustees Ltd v. Diamond & Ors
  Ref: [1996] 1 WLR 1351
• Re Heron International BV
  Ref: [1994] 1 BCLC 667
• Bishopsgate Investment Management Ltd v. Maxwell
  Ref: [1993] Ch. 1
• Re BSB Holdings Ltd
  Ref: [1993] BCLC 246
• Re a Company No. 001126 of 1992
  Ref: [1993] BCC 325
• Re Welsh Highland Light Railway Ltd Co.
  Ref: [1993] BCLC 338
• Re Bradford Investments Ltd
  Ref: [1991] BCLC 224
• Re Anglo American Insurance Co. Ltd
  Ref: [1991] BCLC 564
• Re Lonrho Plc (No. 4)
  Ref: [1990] BCLC 151
• Re Swindon Town Football Club Ltd
  Ref: [1990] BCLC 467
• Re Lonrho Plc (No. 2)
  Ref: [1989] BCLC 309
• Re Lonrho Plc (No. 3)
  Ref: [1989] BCLC 480
• Re MB Group Plc
  Ref: [1989] BCLC 672
• Re Piccadilly Radio Plc
  Ref: [1989] BCLC 683
• Re Lonrho Plc
  Ref: [1988] BCLC 53
• Re Ossory Estates Plc
  Ref: [1988] BCLC 213
• Re Bath Glass Ltd
  Ref: [1988] BCLC 329
• Re Blue Arrow Plc
  Ref: [1987] BCLC 585
• Viscount of the Royal Court of Jersey v. Skelton
  Ref: [1986] IWLR 985
• Distributors & Warehousing Ltd
  Ref: [1986] BCLC 129
• Re Creative Handbook Limited
  Ref: [1985] BCLC 1
• In Re Lines Bros Ltd (No. 2)
  Ref: [1984] 1 Ch. 438
• Hilger Analytical Ltd v. Rank Precision Industries Ltd
  Ref: [1984] BCLC 301
• Theakston v. London Trust Plc
  Ref: [1984] BCLC 390