Robert Rhodes KC acts as counsel, arbitrator and mediator, specialising in international arbitration, commercial, financial services, regulatory and disciplinary law, civil fraud and business crime (including civil and criminal fraud, asset forfeiture, tax investigations, bribery and money laundering). He was Standing Counsel to the Inland Revenue for 10 years before taking silk. He has lectured in various continents on international mediation, international arbitration, fraud, bribery, and money laundering, and has published extensively.
He is noted for his utter dedication to his clients and takes a commercial approach to problems, and always gives clear, practical advice.
He has been Adjunct Professor of the Academy of International Dispute Resolution & Professional Negotiation. Through Benchmark Chambers International and Benchmark International Mediation Centre, the Base of the Supreme People’s Court of The People’s Republic of China (SPC), Robert is a member of the SPC’s pool of experts for discerning foreign law.
He is a Mediator at the international Court of Arbitration for Sport, Switzerland.
He is a member of the Arbitration and Mediation Panels of the Court of Arbitration for Art, Rotterdam, and a Member of Professional Advisers to the International Art Market (‘PAIAM’).”
Robert is also appointed to the Panel of Mediators of the International Commercial Mediation Center for the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing.
Robert also sits on a number of Far Eastern panels of arbitrators / mediators, including the Arbitration Panel of the Beijing Arbitration Commission.
He has also been appointed a Senior International Mediation Expert at the Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Mediation Center, Hong Kong. He is an Invited Expert on the Professional Committee on Investment Arbitration of the China Academy of Arbitration Law.
Robert is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the London Court of International Arbitration and of the International Chamber of Commerce, and a former member of the Corporate Panel of the Dispute Board Federation.
He has revalidated BPP University’s International Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Law modules for its LLM. Robert is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UK-Cyprus Enterprise Council, and a member of the Advisory Council to the UK Sichuan Business Association.
Robert is a Master of the Bench of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, and was a Member of the Bar Council of England & Wales for 14 years (2009-2023). He has been recommended as a Leading Silk in Fraud, Banking and Finance by the Legal 500.
Robert has lectured worldwide, broadcast and published extensively on legal matters.
X v A, B, C (Queen’s Bench)
Search and seizure case relating to a substantial art dispute.
Shah v Shah (Companies Court)
Company law dispute between brothers who were shareholders and directors of a plc.
BSAL v CHILUKIRI (Commercial Court)
Alleged advance fee fraud.
R (Lee) v General Commissioners of Income Tax & HMRC (Administrative Court)
Successful application for judicial review in respect of Commissioners’ adverse decision to a taxpayer.
Connelly v Law Society (Administrative Court)
Significant case on various areas of law relating to solicitors’ practice, including conflicts of interest, obtaining written instructions from a client and solicitor’s lien.
Accountancy Investigation & Discipline Board v PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP & Another
250 page judgment of tribunal (chaired by Robert Rhodes QC), relating to disciplinary proceedings arising from the collapse of Mayflower Plc. See www.frc.org.uk.
ICSID Tribunal
Robert was involved in an ICSID arbitration as Counsel. The tribunal ruled that the insolvency administrator can represent a Latvian bank in an arbitration against the Baltic state – but that an ancillary claim over whether his appointment was itself a treaty breach should be argued by the bank’s former directors.
Robert has for many years practised in ADR and has substantial experience of mediation and arbitration, sitting on various panels around the world.
Robert is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the London Court of International Arbitration and of the International Chamber of Commerce, and a former member of the Corporate Panel of the Dispute Board Federation.
Robert also practises in Expert Determination. He recently made an expert determination in a multi-million pound commercial dispute.
Robert also works internationally – see his International Arbitration practice below.
Robert acts both as counsel and as arbitrator and has experience of international arbitration in commercial, energy and natural resource matters with experience under ICC and ICSID rules.
Recent cases include:
Robert has specialised in fraud for over 40 years, in cases throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Far East. Robert regularly advises on tax and VAT fraud, as well as civil fraud. He has had an 80% success rate against the SFO.
Notable big Ponzi cases in which he successfully defended include:
Robert has a strong disciplinary and regulatory practice including such high profile cases as Accountancy Investigation & Discipline Board v PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP & Another, a 250 page judgment of tribunal chaired by Robert, relating to disciplinary proceedings arising from the collapse of Mayflower Plc. See www.frc.org.uk.
Robert Rhodes KC is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please click here.
To find out more, contact Lexie Johnson on + 44 (0) 207 427 0801 or George Bennett on +44 (0)207 427 0807 for a confidential discussion.
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Europe
Caribbean
USA
Far East
Robert Rhodes KC has written articles and publications on a wide range of legal matters. He has also contributed to training videos, and radio and television programmes. Examples include:
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